Nani could be a great player on his day, he did score some fantastic goals that live on in the memory, but like many before him and no doubt many to come after him, United allowed him to go on for too long when he was well under par.
Nani
- Thread starter VJ1762
- Start date
Yeah i have to turn off any video when i hear his voice .
I have noticed football videos on ypu tube now ruin the players celebrations which is annoying .
You see the goal going in quickly followed by a couple of rubbish replays then a split second of the player running off to celebrate after the replays .
Whose crap idea was that ?
I didn’t think a great deal of him, one who was permanently being banged on about in terms of “if” and his potential, a 1 match in 8 performer. Scored some lovely goals, a typical Portuguese winger, huge talent, inconsistent, a few question marks mentally.
He was an integral part of one of the greatest United teams. In fact seeing how Valencia and Young failed in a longer run as wingers makes Nani's contribution even more crucial.
Now the thing about his inconsistency - Despite decline he was probably the last true United winger we had, if you compare him to United's latest years (Depay, Di Maria, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Lingard).
Money well spent for SAF and feel lucky to be alive when him and Ronnie were schooled by Giggs in one team.
Now the thing about his inconsistency - Despite decline he was probably the last true United winger we had, if you compare him to United's latest years (Depay, Di Maria, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Lingard).
Money well spent for SAF and feel lucky to be alive when him and Ronnie were schooled by Giggs in one team.
Put far too much pressure on himself to be the man to replace Ronaldo, and wilted under the expectation.
Yes I was appalled by that especially after he and Berba won us the PL couple of years prior.
He had everything in his locker to become an one of the all-time great wingers, but somehow he didn't. Technically he was perfect, both feet, shooting, crossing, dribbling, an insane pace... he was an even slicker version of the young Ronaldo. Such a shame. This is something that Fergie, I think, didn't handle perfectly — it was a bit like Sven-Göran Eriksson putting Scholes on the left because the lesser players were less versatile (he actually said that). When Nani was at his best Fergie shifted him to the left because we also had Valencia (in great form), who could only play on the right. I'm not sure that it would've really made the difference, but I would've loved to see peak and fully confident Nani performing in his best position for a prolonged period of time.
Never understood the hate for him though, although I seem to react differently to inconsistent but insanely performers like Nani, Pogba etc.
Never understood the hate for him though, although I seem to react differently to inconsistent but insanely performers like Nani, Pogba etc.
I'm sure I remember a stat coming up in one game that he had hit 100 goals and assists for the club quicker than Ronaldo. Always thought that was impressive, shame he never quite kicked on like him though.
One of my favourite players ever.
He was 21 when he joined United, whereas Ronaldo had only just turned 18. Took Ronaldo a good 2 years to really start to mature, so that stat isn't that surprising.
It's funny but if he joined us post fergie and racked up the same stats and performances that he produced for us under fergie, he would be looked upon far more favourably but because of the comparisons to Ronaldo and basically having to replace him in the side when he left United it tainted what he achieved at the club.
His goal vs Boro where he waltzed passed 3 or 4 players and unleashed a tomohawk from 25 yards into the back of the net is still my favorite.
Always had a soft spot for the lad. Felt he got a ton of unjustified flack from from “he’s gotta put in a shift and stop being lazy” crowd. But then again, so did Berba...
Always had a soft spot for the lad. Felt he got a ton of unjustified flack from from “he’s gotta put in a shift and stop being lazy” crowd. But then again, so did Berba...
Yeah good point.
He was also pretty strong. He really had it all, it’s a travesty he wasn’t able to realise his full potential.
Loved him, underrated player for United.
I’ve always said his biggest fault was not being Ronaldo.
I’ve always been a fan & always will be; a sensational right winger who when look at how some of the dross we have now are lauded would be looking on a statue had he played for us post-Fergie.
Provided so many highlights.
I’ve always been a fan & always will be; a sensational right winger who when look at how some of the dross we have now are lauded would be looking on a statue had he played for us post-Fergie.
Provided so many highlights.
Are there many better dribblers in the premier league era? You could argue hazard was more efficient with the ball, but didn’t have the same wow factor for me.
He played in a 442 aswell, he would be a 20+ goal forward in this era. He was quality. He was so much better on the right wing too!
Fabulous player, one of my favourites. Unplayable on his day, but like most wingers was frustratingly inconsistent. But, how we could have done with him in recent years, looking at how long we didn’t have a decent right winger for.
Definitely happy to be in Cape Verde yesterday to celebrate his birthday
Definitely happy to be in Cape Verde yesterday to celebrate his birthday
I think it was when we came back from two goals down to beat Stoke at Old Trafford in the Moyes season. Sad to say, nothing he tried that day came off.
Fabulous player, one of my favourites. Unplayable on his day, but like most wingers was frustratingly inconsistent. But, how we could have done with him in recent years, looking at how long we didn’t have a decent right winger for.
Definitely happy to be in Cape Verde yesterday to celebrate his birthday
You wouldn't have been as keen to mention were you were if he'd been born in Cleethorpes
You wouldn't have been as keen to mention were you were if he'd been born in Cleethorpes
Haha, I definitely wouldn't take a winter holiday in Cleethorpes. It was a shock returning home last night though. Temperature down from 28C to just above freezing!
Excellent player and deserved more after his form from 2010-12. I always associate SAF gradually freezing him out with a more basic and boring style of play.
His one truly world class period (arguably the best winger in the world that season outside Messi/Ronaldo) was the only time that he was constantly played on the right with us.
Nani was fully capable of being absolutely devastating on either side, but he always seemed to be far more inconsistent on the left. He'd have an incredible match and then immediately follow it up with a poor one. Whereas his average performance on the right was much better. Unfortunately for him we had Valencia who had to play on the right which pushed Nani onto the left most of the time, and it was only Valencia's terrible injury that one season which gave Nani the chance to really show what he could do on the right. But unfortunately as soon as Valencia came back he was pushed back to the left again. That's one of the biggest mistakes I felt Fergie made in his last few years. As good as Valencia was at the time, an in-form Nani was arguably the best player in the league.
Always found him frustrating but would have had him in the first XI pretty much every game. His shooting technique is one of my favourites to see.
forever fondly remembered for scoring his penalty in Moscow.
forever fondly remembered for scoring his penalty in Moscow.
Just been watching his top 10 compilation that the United twitter account posted, he really could score some absolute screamers, I’m not sure many of our current squad could score the kind of goals he could. Could be inconsistent at times but when he was on form, the boy was close to being unplayable
I wouldn’t say “close”...I would say he WAS unplayable!
I remember his 10-11 season and no one in the world was guarding him that season, he was just as good with his left foot as he was with his right so he could go inside and shoot or whip a ball in with his left or he could do the same with his right. Not to mention the fact that he could beat a man or one on one with rather ease and his fake shots in the box were deadly (think Blackburn game). The amount of goals he scored because people forced him to the inside and he would just smash a ball in with his left was simply world class, along with his pin point crossing.
Nani was world class from the second half of 09-10 until 11-12 season. The problem with Nani was he was ALWAYS a confidence player. He was the type of player where as a coach you have to put your hands around him and tell him he was important and massage his ego to give him the confidence he needed. The less confident he was the worse his performances became.
One of my favorite players ever.
For some reason they never include his goal against chelsea in the league cup (I think?) He took it down close to our own box, ran the length of the field, played a 1 - 2 and then dinked it over the keeper, really great goal. He did give the ball away a few mins later around the opposition box which Chelsea then scored from, though I didnt blame him for that goal I remember Fergie criticised him publically for it in post match interview which I thought was unfair.
I think it is unfair to say he was inconsistent, no more than any other attacking player. I think, more it was his decision making which often let him down rather than being inconsistent.
I never felt so happy for a player as I did for him when he lifted the Euro trophy for Portugal in 2016....it was such a great moment for him and a great answer to his critics. I really loved Nani and used to get slated by mates for defending him.
The best winger we've had in the last decade. Though there's not much competition there.
If we had him on the right wing now in his 10-11 form we'd win the league IMO. He was that good when on his top form.
2 footed, fast, strong, skilful and could finish with dinks or piledrivers. He worked hard defensively also which he wasn't given much credit for.
Unfortunately he just played for us at the wrong time, he was always in Ronaldo's shadow but I loved the guy, probably my favourite united player alongside Rooney at the time.
2 footed, fast, strong, skilful and could finish with dinks or piledrivers. He worked hard defensively also which he wasn't given much credit for.
Unfortunately he just played for us at the wrong time, he was always in Ronaldo's shadow but I loved the guy, probably my favourite united player alongside Rooney at the time.
Interesting point about his confidence. Ole would have been the ideal manager for him post-Fergie.
He's one of the reasons I just love that 2010-2011 team. It was the team of Berbatov and Nani flowing in attack, with Rooney and Valencia rounding into form at just the right time. And of course we can't forget Chicharito!
He must have one of the best highlight reels in the game.
He was a very good player who I always thought should have gone up another level (perhaps not quite Ronaldo level, but not far off) but unfortunately didn't. Still loved him, even if he was a bit frustrating when he'd overdo it. He'd be our best player by a mile if we had him now though.
He was a very good player who I always thought should have gone up another level (perhaps not quite Ronaldo level, but not far off) but unfortunately didn't. Still loved him, even if he was a bit frustrating when he'd overdo it. He'd be our best player by a mile if we had him now though.
Totally agree with this. Nani was far better than Valencia, who was massively overrated even at his peak, very one dimensional. The season Valencia was injured and Nani played on the right, was far better than anything Valencia ever produced for us.
He got shafted back to the left when Valencia was fit because you couldn’t play Valencia on the left.
Yep, it's actually a shame we didn't try Valencia at RB much earlier in his career. At that stage Neville was still going and Rafael was looking good so it wasn't tried, but he could have been a beast even back then. In the modern game he'd be the perfect right back.
He was way too mentally frail. Remember we had this huge debate about his best position, whether was it on the left or right wing. I mean he is two-footed, he can do a job on either side
In the end, it turned out it was just him being inconsistent.
In the end, it turned out it was just him being inconsistent.
That wasn't the debate. Nobody was suggesting his best position was on the left because he never did anywhere near as well there.
People were saying it didnt matter that he was on the left. Not that it was his best position. All his best stuff came from the right where he could put in a peach of a cross
Valencia overrated at his peak? Come on, he's the only player I've seen have Ashley Cole on toast. Not even Ronaldo did that.
Your point about Nani being moved to the left because of Valencia is probably true, but before Valencia got injured, he was awesome!
He was a RB playing at RW