When Nani was at his infuriating worst.
Nani
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When Nani was at his infuriating worst.
Heckled by fans, knowing one below par performance meant back on the bench for a bunch of games whilst his teammate Valencia could have 10 shitters in a row & still play.
Nani was completely shot here by the end, and the OT fans were a huge part of that. Because of that situation, he just had to leave.
But there's also a cause and effect. The fans didn't turn on him because he was shining the world alight. Valencia earned his spot, and Nani didn't do enough to win it back.
As I said, I was more in favour of playing Nani than Valencia, but it's not like Nani was putting in performances that warranted that faith in him. It was mostly based on memories of what he had done before and hopes of him recapturing that spark.
That's my point though, Valencia often didn't have to earn his spot.
Can't believe we "gave" him to Sporting + cash in exchange of fecking Rojo 
Can't believe we "gave" him to Sporting + cash in exchange of fecking Rojo
One of the worst transfer deals of all time.
Guess it's the downside for paying such high wages, it get's difficult to offload players and we have to subsidise through lower transfer fees. RVP another player who went for peanuts.
Yeah, Nani was in a terrible position at the end of his career with us. He knew he had to perform straight away when given his rare chance to start because if he didn't he'd have the fans throwing abuse at him and would be benched for the forseeable. So he kept on trying something brilliant in hopes of winning the fans and the manager back over but it didn't come off the majority of the time for him. It must have been an enormous amount of pressure on him at the time and it obviously took it's toll on his performances. He really should've been given a good run of games to get back into some form considering our other options weren't exactly setting the world alight.
I remember in that Carling Cup game against Chelsea where he was really good, made one error at the end of the game that cost us and was benched for ages by Fergie. I don't remember seeing him again until that Real Madrid game where he was expected to instantly perform after going ages without a run of games whilst Valencia and Young were given constant game time despite both being fairly average. Then, after said Madrid game where he played alright and was unfairly sent off, I don't remember seeing him again for ages again. He never got that chance to play into form despite being the type of player who needs that luxury.
I remember in that Carling Cup game against Chelsea where he was really good, made one error at the end of the game that cost us and was benched for ages by Fergie. I don't remember seeing him again until that Real Madrid game where he was expected to instantly perform after going ages without a run of games whilst Valencia and Young were given constant game time despite both being fairly average. Then, after said Madrid game where he played alright and was unfairly sent off, I don't remember seeing him again for ages again. He never got that chance to play into form despite being the type of player who needs that luxury.
I always liked him but our last 3 years of zero risk taking policy on the pitch have made me appreciate him even more.
Aye, remember it well too.
He didn't fecking play but in his last 18 months here.
A caf is fecking moronic, player is marginalised they all of a sudden become dreadful, to justify the managers idiocy. He started 6 games in Moyes' shortest of a season.
A caf is fecking moronic, player is marginalised they all of a sudden become dreadful, to justify the managers idiocy. He started 6 games in Moyes' shortest of a season.
He was actually in very good form around that Madrid game. It started with that performance at Reading where he singlehandedly got us back in the game. Was an incredible player when he was in the mood.
Had an amazing tournament. I've said this for years now, on his day there's not many better wingers in the world than Nani. Such a talented player.
I forgot about thatCan't believe we "gave" him to Sporting + cash in exchange of fecking Rojo
Whatever list you're looking at it's wrong if Giggs is 10th
Wish we never got rid of him, I've always been a Nani fan and it used to piss me off with the way managers treated him unfairly compared to other players in our squad.
I was really happy for him winning the Euros, thought he was one of Portugal's best players, and hope he does well at Valencia.
I was really happy for him winning the Euros, thought he was one of Portugal's best players, and hope he does well at Valencia.
Was that the 5-4 game?
Ferguson actually blamed him on the defeat that night in his interview, saying we conceded because he lost the ball 40-50 yards from our goal. I couldn't believe it to be honest.
We actually lost because we played a tool called Wooten at CB who gifted Chelsea a couple of goals.
That was a cracker of a game tbf.
If we had seen him in the euros, there would be one or two here suggesting we should be looking at a player like him for the RW position
Nani GOAT.
I am very pleased for him, he was Portugal's best player alongside Pepe and their GK. I have no doubt that he will be very good for Valencia as he's been for us every time he was given confidence and continuity.
Valencia did nothing to earn his spot either. It seemed SAF just preferred him because he was less likely to make a mistake rather than more likely to create something.
Official one on Premierleague.com. Id hazard a guess and say it started past a certain year and doesnt have every single PL year.
Yeah, assists are only from 2006/07 there.
Giggs is the record holder though - in wiki there is a number 271 and there was a thread here where someone counted every assist he ever made with more reliable numbers
edit: Valencia is currently playing for our U-21 if we are to believe their information
Great to see him succeed. Always had boat loads of talent, but when he left it wasn't a day too soon. Was for the best for both parties.
He generally got a hard deal because he was a positive player who would try to go forward, often meaning he was quite erratic. However, when he come on in a game, when we had done naff all, at least you knew that he'd have a shot (even if it blazed 10 yards over the bar!)
At the end of the day he was our player of the season a few years ago and provided some great moments with some great goals. He was an assist master in that POTY season.
Unfortunately his decision making let him down occasionally and that seems to be the thing that's most remembered.
Personally I prefer to remember him contributing a scoring penalty in the '08 CL and think that there were others who could have left before him....especially for the paltry transfer fee we received!
At the end of the day he was our player of the season a few years ago and provided some great moments with some great goals. He was an assist master in that POTY season.
Unfortunately his decision making let him down occasionally and that seems to be the thing that's most remembered.
Personally I prefer to remember him contributing a scoring penalty in the '08 CL and think that there were others who could have left before him....especially for the paltry transfer fee we received!
Good to hear someone talk some sense about the situation. He had got a raw deal here by the fans for trying to do stuff, where as Valencia wasnt even trying to run past players anymore and played it safe.
Despite all of our love for the greatest manager of all time, Fergie strikes me as someone who has 'pets' in the dressing room, and for whatever reason has other players he never truly gets on with. He clearly had only enough love in him to coddle, baby, obsess over and adore one Portuguese young winger, despite having 2 in the squad. And fair enough, that brought us a lot of success, was right for the team and so forth. But anyone who watched Nani could see that to get the best out of him, you had to persevere and give him encouragement - not drop him at every mistake. Personally I just think Fergie had enough issues, and Valencia was the easiest person on Earth to manage and was doing a job, so didn't bother with Nani.
And yes, I know, these are professionals make obscene money and they should be able to motivate themselves and not need the arm around the proverbial shoulder.
Moyes made so many mistakes it's difficult to keep up, but in a period of time when we created nothing, turning his back on one of our few senior creative players is yet another blot.
And yes, I know, these are professionals make obscene money and they should be able to motivate themselves and not need the arm around the proverbial shoulder.
Moyes made so many mistakes it's difficult to keep up, but in a period of time when we created nothing, turning his back on one of our few senior creative players is yet another blot.
He was great in the final, arguably his best overall performance of his career.
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Fergie turned extremely cautious / pragmatic in his final years, was always going to favour Valencia / Young over someone like Nani. To our cost sometimes.
Nar, that was for us versus Bayern at OT.
Never thought he should have been sold. One of the few players in our roster with genuine creativity. No wonder Mr.Philosophy pass-pass-pass didn't like him.
Portugal's most important player this tournament IMO. His good work kept defenders honest and couldn't allow them to solely focus on Ronaldo. Did well in a role most people expected him to struggle with. Happy for him.
We sell Nani, Evans and Hernandez and downgrade significantly in the process, a scathing indictment of the Moyes-Lvg era. He's always been good for Portugal and has matured the last few years. I know wingers are supposed to decline quickly but it's quite possible that he can also go the Payet route.
Since when do United fans have a problem with players trying to do stuff? We love those types, always have.
This is such a myth regarding Nani. Fans got frustrated because at times he couldn't do the basics right. On top of that he often came across as a player severely lacking balls.
What makes you say that? He always wanted the ball and was always willing to risk losing it to try to create or score. Thats brave for me.
I don't want to criticize Valencia but he is the very definition of a player who lacks balls for me, plays it safe 95% of the time. Runs up the pitch, stops then turns around passes inside or runs a bit further stops then smashes it off the fullbacks legs for a corner for someone else to take. Job done rinse repeat over and over.
Its why one was loved by LVG and the other couldn't be pushed out the door quick enough.
Isn't that the definition of a bad decision? Giving him away with no one better in return?
I meant that Nani is not what we needed or need right now. We needed an upgrade which involved letting him go and making room for a new player. The new player part didn't happen...
You're right ADM didn't happen.
Another feckup by Louis.
Another feckup by Louis.
True he was brave in the sense of wanting the ball.I don't think he was physically brave though. We talked as mates about that enduring image of him on the floor holding his leg aloft as if it was hanging off. Face anguished. Just a bit of a soft arse really. It just compounded the doubts fans already had about him.
My main point though is about this notion fans didn't like him because he tried to be inventive. It's absolute nonsense. United fans adore those types of players. Poor decision making, getting the basics wrong and taking too long with everything is what annoyed fans.
When was that mate?
Well in my time as a regular match goer a few years back. From my recollection few players were greeted with so many groans from the fans every time they tried something that didn't come off.
I think this was partly down to people expecting too much from him from the very beginning.