When he was back, Moyes said he wanted to get him up to speed as quick as possible. So why leave it till now to give him minutes? He clearly looked very rusty out there, but in a short time he was starting to show positive signs again. He's a proper footballer and will always fit in nicely with a quick, technical team of passers and movers. Very few players in our squad can drive at a defence and tear it up like he can. Some of those runs of his have 'goal' or 'assist' written all over them.
Luis Nani | 2013/14 Performances
- Thread starter Massive Spanner
- Start date
- Status
So much better than Young.
Yep, that´s why he is essencial to our national team and his performances prove that.
Have to say, that was a really encouraging cameo that should give him confidence. We all know he's a confidence player and this will only help. He won't start against Bayern because of a lack of minutes but he can play a big role as a sub potentially. If he can get over the injuries he can certainly become a key player in this side, alongside Kagawa and Mata behind Rooney.
Notice the difference between this cameo and Young's one week ago.
Young played around 20 minutes today, had 9 touches and 2 passes with a 50% success rate.
Nani played around 20 minutes today, had 30 touches and made 24 passes with a 92% success rate.
In case somebody needed an explanation as to what he brings along with talent and unpredictability out wide.
Nani played around 20 minutes today, had 30 touches and made 24 passes with a 92% success rate.
In case somebody needed an explanation as to what he brings along with talent and unpredictability out wide.
Not to mention his last appearance was at the start of december. Very promising signs.
Everyone knows he's vastly superior player and I don't think I've heard ayone suggesting otherwise. The samples you chose are unfair, though. Nani came on when we were playing good football against an already defeated side, Young played the first 20 minutes when we were finding our feet and Newcastle were still interested. He was also instructed to stay wide whereas Nani was playing more in the channel.
Good to see him back, hope he can get a run in the squad now.
David Moyes disagrees.
Mr obvious
Yeah, I know, still found it a funny stat and had to post it. A fully fit and firing Nani would be an instant starter for us I think though, and playing alongside Kagawa-Mata he would provide a great balance. Capable of playing wide, coming inside, roaming around to either side or even up front, and he offers the goal threat that the other wingers we have don't. If he is capable of getting over the injuries and we give him the chances like we've given the other wingers, then I'd say we don't even need to strengthen the winger positions like plenty are suggesting. Big if though.
Mr obvious
Hopefully it's obvious to big Dave!
Those stats are absolutely pointless. Surely you can recognise the difference between the first 20 minutes when it's 0-0 and the last when we're cruising.
Nice, positive cameo though. I'd like to see him start on Wed but doubt it.
The potential link up play between Nani, Mata, and Kagawa is promising for next year. Add some one like Kroos and we will be quite good.
Noone's doubting Nani's quality - he's shown plenty over the years.
He's been here for 7 years and been largely inconsistent, despite all his quality - which tells the story. I doubt his temperament.
Pretty much always rather have him on the pitch over Young though - he looked very good with Kagawa & Mata, though I dunno how much to take from the last 20 mins of that game - i've rarely seen a team look so beaten.
He's been here for 7 years and been largely inconsistent, despite all his quality - which tells the story. I doubt his temperament.
Pretty much always rather have him on the pitch over Young though - he looked very good with Kagawa & Mata, though I dunno how much to take from the last 20 mins of that game - i've rarely seen a team look so beaten.
Moysey has never discovered the word obvious.
At least two of those may not be here. I hope they're still playing for United come next season
Absolutely. See my post in the 4-1-4-1 formation thread. (post n.o 19) and see what you think about it. I still think Nani has future here.
You could just see in these 15mins or so that Nani will hugely benefit from the Kagawa/Mata partnership
Great to have him in the picture again, the annoying, inconsistent, incisive, sporadically brilliant fecker. Certainly a great man to have on the bench for Wednesday.
Perhaps a repeat?
Glad he's back. I hope we keep him.
I hope Nani can have a good world cup and pre-season because to my mind he's our most versatile winger, he can mix it up and play the intricate stuff with Mata, Kagawa etc. and he's adept and getting the ball in from wide areas. You saw the fourth goal yesterday, good timing of the pass and he nearly scored a cracker at the end, the only issue is he's got very fragile confidence.
I'm so happy to see him play football, again, for us, even though it was against a defeated Newcastle team. He really livened up our play in the final third and got our "central midfielders" Mata and Kagawa more involved in the final third. Plus, he was involved in our 4th goal by overloading the left channel and providing space for Mata to exploit.
I just hope he gets to play more football, this season. He can definitely make a bigger impact than Young and Valencia on the right side. Plus, he can provide us width along with some good play through the middle, so he won't be one-dimensional like Young or Valencia are.
I just hope he gets to play more football, this season. He can definitely make a bigger impact than Young and Valencia on the right side. Plus, he can provide us width along with some good play through the middle, so he won't be one-dimensional like Young or Valencia are.
What gave you this idea? Young kept drifting infield. Saw him at times just behind Hernandez. Also, Nani kept his width when required plenty of times. Just when we needed support for our attack through the middle, did he make his runs and make himself available for another passing option.
Basically, Young was shit in those first 20 minutes and Nani showed himself as twice the player Young is in those last 20 minutes.
Nani isn't a traditional winger. So these shorts technical passers should be ideal to get the most out of him. The whole get "keep putting crosses in " thing isn't all there is to his game.
There are plenty of types of winger. Nani and Januzaj are pretty good examples of a "modern" winger I would say - players capable of staying wide but also providing enough versatility to be a threat elsewhere, and posing a goal threat.
A traditional winger in the mould of Valencia can only really play wide and is more limited, but perhaps offers more defensively (although this depends on the players).
I think playing Nani or Januzaj is the perfect foil to the narrower players like Mata and Kagawa, providing width without sacrificing attacking potential and fluidity.
A traditional winger in the mould of Valencia can only really play wide and is more limited, but perhaps offers more defensively (although this depends on the players).
I think playing Nani or Januzaj is the perfect foil to the narrower players like Mata and Kagawa, providing width without sacrificing attacking potential and fluidity.
Nani is a kind of winger you need to build around. He's far far ahead of Young and Valencia in terms of technical ability. The latter are said to be touchline hugging wingers but Nani still has a better cross in him than those two. Strange.. He needs to be given proper game time before shipping him out. He'a a confidence player and we look so much better as a team with him playing in the wings. He's not static and rotates consistently to get the ball and make the play fluid. Which is what we were lacking before Kagawa and Mata combo arrived on the scene. We don't have many players who move around and make them available for passes and create confusion for the opposing team.
Thing is, he's definitely also the best crosser of the 3 so its all the more reason to play him. He has much more to his game and is also better at the crossing aspect.
Agreed. But against a team like Bayern where we'll have a trickle of possession, I'll always have Valencia ahead of Nani. His work rate is immense and he really worked his socks off in the first leg. Flair players like Nani tend to get frustrated when they are not seeing much of the ball and jog around instead of doing defensive work.
Nani's defensive work is underrated but yes, he cant start against Bayern simply because he hasnt played for a long time.
He should get more game time from now till the end of the season hopefully. Just wondering why he did not get a look in before, as he was available for the previous games.
Some do and some don't. I have never seen Nani as lazy as that.
Yeah, that game is going to need one hell of a shift. I'd keep him on the bench though. We need a goal after all.
He is he best crosser of the three, no doubt. But I think his ability to get involved in passing moves is underrated.
With respect to the bayern game, he definitely shouldn't start. He needs more games under the belt, if Moyes intends on making that happen at all.
With all the things you mentioned, and I agree by the way with them, it's his ability to score from nothing from 30 yards that mean for me, we need him in v Bayern
And it really baffles me why he hasn't played some part before the Newcastle match since he has been declared fit and been on the bench for 3-4 matches now!
He's very well capable of putting in a shift, he's not a moody winger at all. The only reason I wouldnt start him over Valencia is the fact that he hasnt played in ages, otherwise I'd have him in the starting lineup for sure specially with Rooney looking like he'l miss the game.
He's definitely the best among the 3 when it comes to getting involved in play and not just sit wide looking for chances to cross.
Yeah, dont know how fit he is because if he's been ready to play a role, he should have been built up for the Bayern game.
Sorry yeah, I meant the lack of fitness would prevent him putting in a shift, not a lack of endeavour.
- Status