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2016-17 Performances

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6.0 Season Average Rating
Appearances
41
Clean sheets
16
Goals
1
Assists
2
Yellow cards
6
Status
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Remember when we lost Bailly and Smalling and everyone thought we were fecked with the difficult games coming up. :lol:

Turns out it was a blessing in disguise, him and Jones have been immense.
 
Watching yesterday's goals just now again, he deserves huge credit for what's done for the first goal. He moved the ball to Zlatan and then he ran into the box, nobody really knew what to do with him and it created confusion for Blind to be another man unmarked. He's bailed Jones out couple of times yesterday too.
 
He's done fantasically (other than where he would have been rightfully sent off multiple times, but lets concentrate on his main defending) and while at first I felt Jones and Rojo were performing equally, I do think Rojo has stuck his neck out in front recently.


1) The way we're playing at the moment with Pogba and Ander pressing high up the pitch, and our generally better football when we have the ball has led to our CBs having to win the ball less. So this takes a lot of the pressure off of them. For example comparing against Smalling's best seasons he's behind with his ball winning. He's most likely simply had less to do than Smalling with regards to dealing with the ball on the floor (tackles and interceptions).

However...

2) Rojo is averaging 8.6 clearances a game. We haven't seen that high a number since Vidic, who was the ultimate box defender. Smalling's 7.2 in 12/13 was the most he had managed, and he was the one who stood out in this regard post Vidic and Ferdinand. I think this is also to do with our pressing midfielders, which leads to the opponents trying to play longer balls up to front players to avoid the press and Rojo has been able to match most strikers in the air. So less to do on the floor perhaps, but more to do in the air.

Given that he has been so good dealing with high balls and crosses, he should see about improving his goalscoring from our set pieces. That is an area where Smalling is still well ahead, having scored a good amount of goals whereas Rojo has barely any.

Also, while his passing remains a bit dodgy where he will try something more complicated than needed and give the ball away in a dangerous area, he's been very good bringing the ball out of defence with some positive runs forward. Another example of that led to Blind's goal.
 
MounchesterUtd said:
While he's at fault for the goal, there really is only so much you can do against someone being at the right place and time. 9/10 someone won't be there to finish that chance. Fair play to Borini for a great finish.
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I dont see how you can blame him for the goal, he wins a good defensive header and gets decent distance on it under the circumstances. Sometimes you've just got to say that they scored a terrific goal and move on.




@Fracture90 don't worry dude it's passed now :)
 
He's very much a Mourinho type player, tough and powerful and will put his body on the line. While Smalling is a great defender, I don't miss his Sunday league style hoof it into the stands when you're under remote pressure style.
 
LuisNaniencia said:
He's very much a Mourinho type player, tough and powerful and will put his body on the line. While Smalling is a great defender, I don't miss his Sunday league style hoof it into the stands when you're under remote pressure style.
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The best defenders can dribble it out of danger and maintain possession and start a counter. Pique, Ramos, Luiz, etc are all this type of player and Rojo is too. Give him a few months and he'll be mentioned in the same bracket as those guys.

If he keeps these performances up, hes a shoe in for EPL Team of the Season. Right now, Luiz and Van Dijk look like the front runners. But we have half a season to go.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Haha, is he really being blamed for the goal?

Harsh, he wins that header under pressure and the goal is just a fecking peach.
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He wasn't under pressure. The player he was marking slipped just as the ball was floated in. It was a free header essentially. Can't really blame him for the goal but we've seen better headed clearances
 
izec said:
His LB appearances drag him down
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He's played many more games at CB this season than LB.

It's just a lot of unnecessary hate. Someone has only just got over their hate of him and only now willing to give him more than 6/10.
 
VanGaalEra said:
He's played many more games at CB this season than LB.

It's just a lot of unnecessary hate. Someone has only just got over their hate of him and only now willing to give him more than 6/10.
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Yes he played more games at CB, but his few LB performances were atrocious. He probably had an average rating around 3 or 4.
 
izec said:
Yes he played more games at CB, but his few LB performances were atrocious. He probably had an average rating around 3 or 4.
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I've got it down as 12 games at CB and 6 at LB, some of which were sub appearances.
 
VanGaalEra said:
Caf rating 5.7 ffs.
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You should ignore that. I stopped voting ages ago just because I couldn't be arsed. I rated a few at the beginning of the season and a few where we were so appalling I gave everyone a low rating. Whilst understanding that I probably shouldn't have done that, I suspect that many other posters here on the caf do similarly.
 
Jaybomb said:
The best defenders can dribble it out of danger and maintain possession and start a counter. Pique, Ramos, Luiz, etc are all this type of player and Rojo is too. Give him a few months and he'll be mentioned in the same bracket as those guys.

If he keeps these performances up, hes a shoe in for EPL Team of the Season. Right now, Luiz and Van Dijk look like the front runners. But we have half a season to go.
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I'll be interested to see if that turns out to be true at the end of the season.
 
Cascarino said:
I'll be interested to see if that turns out to be true at the end of the season.
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Even if he performs to the same level or even above for the rest of the season it wouldn't be true. You need more than one season to establish yourself in the top bracket.
 
Rojo is a type of player and person you want to like, and it has been incredibly fun watching him turn it on for Us these past weeks.
 
prath92 said:
What does he say here? Video ain't playing :(
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He calls Rojo and Romero; good, honest, hardworking guys. He says he enjoys playing with them and Rojo in particular, has been fantastic and he's seen that in training and he's provided good balance for the team. He then goes on to calling Romero a top backup GK.
 
Who would have thought that we will have to rest him for having him available for a tough away game. :)
 
Yeah, didnt look comfy at LB but thankfully didnt have much defending to do (although gave away a silly free kick lol).
IMO hes the only player in our squad who can comfortably play LCB. Blind does a decent job but Rojo is our best at it.
 
Is he getting a bit of a leadership role at the back? I noticed Jose calling him over and giving defensive instructions to him.

Might just have been to instruct him that Mkhi should go to LB and he should go to CB though mind.
 
He made me really uncomfortable at LB, especially when he kept doing that arms-behind-the-back routine when the opposition were crossing the ball.

Looked much more assured once Smalling came off and he went central. He's simply not a LB and currently should be first choice CB with Jones.
 
West Ham 0:2 Man Utd
Class today, one of his better LB performances and he's starting to become a key player for Jose.
 
We already have a song for him, who that man from Argentinaaa.
If he keeps it up he will earn a song surely.
 
He nearly gifted them a goal by not even challenging Antonio for that cross that skimmed his head. Seemed more interested in holding him than putting any pressure on him. One of the best players in the air in the league, you can't not challenge him for a cross. Fortunately he mistimed his jump.
 
There's a much-needed "bite" to his game & he's playing with a confidence that we didn't often see last year. Less panic is leading to better decsisons and better ball retention through the team.
Hopefully he's learned that the two-footer is unnecessary and he continues to forge a relationship with Jones at the back.
The fact he's competent at LB may mean Jose thinks more about replacing him with Bailly or Smalling (especially with Bailly away for a few weeks) and moving Rojo back to LB but I'm more hopeful that Luke Shaw returns to his best form and gives us the speed down the left side that we get with Tony on the right.
 
He did well as LB mainly due to the Left foot. But I think it was helped when Rashford came on and because he didnt have to defend as much. I dont think it would work in a 11 on 11 as weve seen earlier in the season. Dont think hes comfy there.

Hes better as a CB but good to see another game from him and another clean sheet.
 
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