Do we need another right back as well?

[bosnian_red]

I'd love to know some peoples theories on why Moyes has chosen to freeze Fabio out if he's every bit good enough to play for us.


My only thoughts other than him not impressing in training is a contractual stand off.


He wants more money or assurances or he will leave on a free, we have taken the stand point that we are not going to match those terms and are not willing to give him the game time if he's on his way out.

I think it's definitely to do with his contract expiring in the summer and Fabio probably saying he doesn't want to extend, or Moyes simply not offering a decent enough contract. It can't be that he's not good enough because we've played Smalling there regularly, and when we haven't, we played Valencia. Or left back we play Buttner when we don't use Evra, and then on the bench instead of putting Fabio there who can cover either side, we put Buttner. Buttner is an awful defender, he's shit at pretty much every defensive aspect. Smalling is not very good to use as a right back because he is terrible on the ball and he seems to have quite a few lapses in concentration when he plays there and it has costed us a few times this season. Valencia there is a liability as well.

I refuse to believe that Fabio has regressed so much by going out on loan to QPR and actually playing pretty decently, because 2.5 years ago he played in a champions league final against Barcelona after being our first choice right back for the second half of that season and looking very good and generally very promising throughout that entire season. Unfortunately he got injured in the next season so didn't get as many chances, but he still looked pretty good when he played.

Moyes' treatment of him has been one of the most confusing things of the season for me. Everything else you can explain one way or another, but with Fabio, it's either Moyes doesn't like him, Fabio does nothing in training (doubt it), or he doesn't deem it worth it to play him since he's off in the summer.

 

[Backrow Singer]

It's not as though we don't have cover, it's just that the club don't appear to have faith in what we have. If so, it needs sorting. If the issue regarding Fabio isn't as clear cut, again it needs sorting. I know the thread is based upon what we have at right-back, but look at the situation we have on the other flank. Patrice Evra is 32 years of age. People have been criticising him on here at times this season, but he has looked absolutely out on his feet at times this year. Quite simply, he shouldn't need to be playing as often as is. You could argue that one of the clubs main strengths over the years is knowing when and when not to play players: think Giggs, think Scholes, Ferdinand, and that comes from having the depth and belief in the players we have. You can't expect a player of Evra's mould to play as often as he is and continue to be as effective as he would be otherwise.

As I say, if we don't 'trust' the players we have, for whatever reason that may be, it really needs to be sorted.

 

[Genius Me!]

This "Fabio has decided he wants to leave so he doesn't play" is baffling to me as well. We have a new manager here, so unless moyes has explicitly said to Fabio that he is surplus to requirements, I really don't get why he would have said at the start of the season that he won't sign a new contract.

I just wish this situation was clarified to us fans, the people who support the club and like to know what's going on. I appreciate that we should not be privy to everything at the club, but it would be nice to know certain things like why someone like Fabio doesn't get a chance. I don't think it's as clear cut as saying he's not good enough, that's just a load of bollocks IMO, how the hell can he not be better than Buttner at left back and Smalling at right back, that's just horse shit.

And I'm not just saying that because I'm drunk.

 

[Pexbo]

This "Fabio has decided he wants to leave so he doesn't play" is baffling to me as well. We have a new manager here, so unless moyes has explicitly said to Fabio that he is surplus to requirements, I really don't get why he would have said at the start of the season that he won't sign a new contract.

I just wish this situation was clarified to us fans, the people who support the club and like to know what's going on. I appreciate that we should not be privy to everything at the club, but it would be nice to know certain things like why someone like Fabio doesn't get a chance. I don't think it's as clear cut as saying he's not good enough, that's just a load of bollocks IMO, how the hell can he not be better than Buttner at left back and Smalling at right back, that's just horse shit.

And I'm not just saying that because I'm drunk.

If he asked for a contract the club weren't willing to give to him then it doesn't matter what sort of plans Moues had for him. He could have been asking to match Rafael's wage, is he worth that?

If he doesn't have a future with us then in the long term it's better to invest the game time in Smalling and Jones and hopefully we'll benefit from that, what's there to gain if Fabio is going and only playing to get another club insterested?

 

[Genius Me!]

If he asked for a contract the club weren't willing to give to him then it doesn't matter what sort of plans Moues had for him. He could have been asking to match Rafael's wage, is he worth that?

If he doesn't have a future with us then in the long term it's better to invest the game time in Smalling and Jones and hopefully we'll benefit from that, what's there to gain if Fabio is going and only playing to get another club insterested?

But let's say that's the case, we would have had a whole 9 months until Fabio's contract runs out. Rather than cutting our noses off to spite our faces, we could have played him and then Moyes could have found out for himself whether or not Fabio is worth the contract.

It's been a while since we've seen Fabio play in a united shirt, so like you and everyone else on this board, I have no real idea how he's progressed and whether he truly is good enough to be a future united player. But like I say, he's worth the chance, what do we really have to lose in giving him an opportunity?

You say that he may have asked for too much money, which may well be the case. But at the end of the day, he still has this season left on his contract, and that's a whole season worth of wages that we're paying out. We all know how shit Buttner is, and I refuse to believe that Fabio is worse than him, we all know how shit Smalling is against good opposition in the right back slot which has been evident this season and last.

If it really is an issue to do with contract, then I think it's petty not to use him, and use (IMO) inferior players instead when we have a player who could very well be a very good backup player for both full back positions. Those type of players are a dime a dozen, the O Shea's of the world if you Like, the versatile players who can effectively be on the bench and cover a good couple of positions.

He may have regressed massively, and turn out to be a pile of horse shite, but at the end of the day, players like Smalling/Valencia/Buttner have cost us goals playing in the fullback position and if it's truly just a case of money, then I see no real reason why we should not be utilising him when we're paying his wages. He could turn out to be magnificent, and prove to be worthy of said contract, or he could turn out to be rubbish and we're happy to let go of him at the end of the season.

Either way, he can't be any worse than what we have right now, and whilst we're paying his wages, he's worth a shot IMO to prove that he's worth the contract he's asking for (if it really is a contract issue that's stopped him from playing).

I mean, let's be real, Buttner and Smalling are hardly our future in the fullback position, and it seems like such a waste of versatile potential.

 

[::sonny::]

Yes,we don't have a right back
Rafael always injured, 8 months over 12, every year. He is so tiny and fragile.