I like Varela this season - one of the bright spots. A full back good on the ball who likes to go forward. A United player. One mistake (ok, one bad game) doesn't write him off for me.
30
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 11
- Clean sheets
- 3
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
Can see why he's never been given a chance till now, positionally shocking. The early confidence has gone, he's all over the place and a complete liability.
It's fine to change a player for tactics. But in this situation, where he gets skinned for a decisive goal right before halftime, to pull him off at halftime (even if you had planned to) is bad man management. Young players need to be given chances to make mistakes, they need to be shown that the club and manager are behind them. Defenders give up goals. It's an occupational hazard.
So send him out for the second half and take him off at 60 minutes. Give him a chance to settle back in the game and not feel like he's being punished for making a mistake. But that's how Van Gaal runs his team, he wants players to play with fear of his dictatorship.
Van Gaal's substitution shifted the blame for the goal and the tie on Varela. Varela did not perform at his best, but the real blame lies with the tactics and overall team play. We are unable to score from open play, and when we try to do, we leak goals. That's on the manager.
Looked lost tonight, it didn't help that he had no help from Mata and our CM's are so immobile that they couldn't get across to help him, you just cannot push on like he was doing without cover.
Awful tonight but in general I've been impressed by him.
Exposed badly tonight in the absence of Lingard, who usually does most of Varela's defending.
Been good but his defending and positioning needs a lot of work before he can be a regular starter for us.
Been good but his defending and positioning needs a lot of work before he can be a regular starter for us.
That was a big problem, Mata?
Bit like a headless chicken from what I have seen and not great defensively.
Harsh. It's been one game. Besides, we weren't winning, regardless.
I like Varela a lot... But that was bad... Like, really really bad.
He was all over the place and too high up the pitch when they countered. It wasn't great dribbling but simple kick the ball ahead and outpace him. His starting position was all wrong and it happened a couple of times with Coutinho and once with Milner.
Did any of the coaches think to help him out? Offer some advice. Tell him to not chase or follow the ball so much.
It was coming down his side and no one thought to prevent it. Rubbish performance and rubbish management.
Did any of the coaches think to help him out? Offer some advice. Tell him to not chase or follow the ball so much.
It was coming down his side and no one thought to prevent it. Rubbish performance and rubbish management.
He's been a bit off for a few games now, so it is probably an accumulation of games. Although he was rested a little while back.
Today was just an all round poor game from him.
Today was just an all round poor game from him.
In the middle of a game? Are you insane man!?!
Don't know if this is sarcastic but a bit of a word from the touchline could have helped him as he wasn't figuring it out for himself.
100% sarcasm
feck knows why we don't communicate anything from the bench during the game... It's maddening.
I mean, even something simple... Like there's 2 minutes to go in the first half, they're creating loads of chances, let's just everyone sit back and keep it tight... I mean, its not exactly rocket science.
But no LVG can't possibly do anything to effect the game whilst it's happening... The lemon
They say sarcasm is hard to read on the internet
100% agree. He uses half time as his window for change but negates to impact what happens on the field.
He says his work is done in training and on matchday it's down to the players. If this is a manifestation of his training then he is a bigger joke than I thought.
One bad game. Still first choice RB IMO.
His worst game for us. You could see during the half, he was being exposed and was in trouble.
But nothing, no change, nothing to help him out, nothing to offer him protection for a while, nothing to tell him to just stay for a while. And of course he gets done twice for their goal.
I really do hope he doesnt suffer how Blackett/McNair did. Made a big mistake and were pretty much never seen again.
But nothing, no change, nothing to help him out, nothing to offer him protection for a while, nothing to tell him to just stay for a while. And of course he gets done twice for their goal.
I really do hope he doesnt suffer how Blackett/McNair did. Made a big mistake and were pretty much never seen again.
He got done by a better player. Happens.
I feel sorry for him. Maybe he should have done better with the goal (But frankly I think even DDG was culpable there), but he could have done with some help from Lingard. He struggled to get into the game. I hope his confidence doesn't take a whacking (I am worried it will since Valencia is now back and he may have to play U21 games again).
Now that we have Valencia, Darmian and Varela it's going to be interesting which player LVG choose. None of them is world class but they can do a decent job. I guess Darmian will play more as LB.
Varela has been playing well, unfortunately he had a bad game versus Liverpool, he needs to work in his defensive skills but he is talented at least to be 2nd choice.
Varela has been playing well, unfortunately he had a bad game versus Liverpool, he needs to work in his defensive skills but he is talented at least to be 2nd choice.
LvG and the word, "interesting" do not go together
He's been refreshing this season, but he does have a lot to learn about defensive positioning. Always leaves too much room, and a player like coutinho knows how to benefit from such space. Still want him to be first choice, hopefully more game time and he will still improve.
Ouch that mistake was a pretty poor one and cost us. But he isn't the first player to get skinned off a standing start and he won't be the last. I really like his mobility and his ability to interchange on the right flank. Hopefully if we can steady the core inside with a proper defender beside Smalling and we can have him in the mix going forward. Chin up lad.
Good post and agree but at this stage Valencia is far better although what is quite worrying is that Darmain is not.
I have liked him since he has come into the team but he was a mess last night.
He cant be awesome match after match. He is just a kid. He should not be first choice anytime now
To be fair, we should have a second defender helping out against a player like Coutinho. Apart from Sturridge he was their one player capable of outright leaving a defender for dead. One of our CB's (Blind?) completely dropped off which was a bit excessive.
But it's hard to judge Varela. He's had few impressive performances but I'll have to see a lot more from him to say he's good enough for United.
But it's hard to judge Varela. He's had few impressive performances but I'll have to see a lot more from him to say he's good enough for United.
Kieran Lee was properly shit fullback. You're being harsh on Varela here imo.
True. He'd actually have to be in position first before I could judge him
He was terrible, shouldn't write him off but is also shows why we shouldn't get too carried away with youngsters as often they struggle after first few games.
I still believe he can be a very good right back for us based on the quality he has shown. He will have an off game here and there but who doesn't.
Horrible Display last night. Had a bad half, even if you don't count their goal.
Absolutely disgusted with the way he defended against Coutinho; haven't seen such rookie defending in a while - however Smalling, Lingard/Mata really should have been back to help. Felt Smalling being closer would have helped as Coutinho had loads of space as soon as he bet Varela, which you don't let happen inside the box. Just look at how Liverpool defended - how many times did Martial beat Clyne, only to have Sakho behind him?
Absolutely disgusted with the way he defended against Coutinho; haven't seen such rookie defending in a while - however Smalling, Lingard/Mata really should have been back to help. Felt Smalling being closer would have helped as Coutinho had loads of space as soon as he bet Varela, which you don't let happen inside the box. Just look at how Liverpool defended - how many times did Martial beat Clyne, only to have Sakho behind him?
I like him alot, and attackingly he has been really good, but he is awful defensively, his positioning is all wrong, and he doesn't know the basics of defending properly, his stance was all wrong, you don't stand straight while defending you are actually half down, and showing a side to which you want the attacker to go basically where you know he will run into traffic. I was watching the match and thinking it would be a miracle if he won't concede against Liverpool.
The fact is Blind, Rojo, Varela and Darmian none of them are good defensively. They need a set up like the start of the season with 2 defensive players to cover them so they can shine. Individually all of them are weak defenders, Varela and Blind are poor positioning wise and they are rash into challenges and are prone to being caught high up the pitch and leaving their markers alone, the Henderson chance was the perfect example of Blind doing his thing, while Rojo i find him a dumb and thick footballer who has no attacking contribution, defensively he is fine but he is never reliable and always have a mistake or two in him, and lastly Darmian is poor attackingly and while is somewhere from ok to good defensively, against pacy opposition he shits himself and starts giving needless fouls away.
We actually need to sign a proper RB and a CB this summer, Shaw and Smalling are only defenders who are i think will be good enough for a team like us.
The fact is Blind, Rojo, Varela and Darmian none of them are good defensively. They need a set up like the start of the season with 2 defensive players to cover them so they can shine. Individually all of them are weak defenders, Varela and Blind are poor positioning wise and they are rash into challenges and are prone to being caught high up the pitch and leaving their markers alone, the Henderson chance was the perfect example of Blind doing his thing, while Rojo i find him a dumb and thick footballer who has no attacking contribution, defensively he is fine but he is never reliable and always have a mistake or two in him, and lastly Darmian is poor attackingly and while is somewhere from ok to good defensively, against pacy opposition he shits himself and starts giving needless fouls away.
We actually need to sign a proper RB and a CB this summer, Shaw and Smalling are only defenders who are i think will be good enough for a team like us.
Was bound to have a bad game, doesn't mean hes suddenly turned to sh!t, he has talent and should be kept and persevered with.
Hes a kid, its to be expected. Shaw was doing it pre injury and hes much more experienced. Both of them will learn from it.
Just shows what madness it was when everyone was calling for him to be our starting full back.
Him playing poorly was partly LVGs fault. Him and Lingard have great chemistry offensively and defensively because Lingard can help make up for his defensive incapabilities while Varela in turn can help make up for Lingards offensive incapabilities. It was the perfect combination and they looked so smooth playing with each other. There was no reason to switch things up.
That's a pretty lame excuse for feckin up unless you are a make shift defender.
He is just a kid who has been thrown into the mix for several reasons. He is allowed to feck up at the big stage sometimes.
He has speed (probably our fastest player) and is very energetic, but I am far from convinced on him (both in attacking and especially defending part).
I think that Rafael as an eighteen years old player was significantly a better player than Varela.
I think that Rafael as an eighteen years old player was significantly a better player than Varela.
- Status