Very good article on Evra. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Patrice Evra | 2013/14 Performances
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Watching the game and thinking to myself... how can you leave so much space?
The team is too high up. Evra concedes space down his side, in order to mark centrally, with Kagawa not too bothered about his side. Move progresses... 3 v 3, but Vidic makes a fantastic interception.
I was in the north-west part of the ground where the first corner was conceded (which was probably when those shots are taken) and I immediately said "Where the hell was Evra?" and then saw him coming from a central position past Vidic as the Germans were setting-up for the corner - whatever he'd been doing before that, Vidic didn't seem impressed with him.
He's a bit of a nutter at times. I think he gets bored and goes for a wander.
Kagawa should not be played on the wing
Bring back Nani, he provides decent cover for Evra, and play Kagawa in his favoured number 10 position.
Id try that in a cup game and see how we get on if we dont wanna tinker in the league.
Bring back Nani, he provides decent cover for Evra, and play Kagawa in his favoured number 10 position.
Id try that in a cup game and see how we get on if we dont wanna tinker in the league.
It's very common for Evra to wander infield and take position centrally while vidic goes to cover the LB spot. It slows the attacker down while Evra jogs back to take up Vidic's position. They are doing this since Evra's form dipped 2-3 years ago. We have ample defensive cover in Rio and Vidic and even the RB covering the central areas. It's not the best method but it's probably the only alternative. I think a still image from random moments of the match might not do justice to Evra. The same can be done for every single player on the pitch and make any player look defensively suspect. We don't realize the reason why he chose to move away from his position from a picture. I don't say his positioning is perfect, but if he could sprint back at the same speed as he attacks for 40 games a season playing 90 minutes at the age of 32, he would be the best LB in history of football.
He's been getting some unnecessary stick IMO. As long as he doesn't get hacked to pieces by wingers and blocks crosses, that's enough for me.
He's been getting some unnecessary stick IMO. As long as he doesn't get hacked to pieces by wingers and blocks crosses, that's enough for me.
Quite incredible actually that he has started 146 of our last 156 PL games. No wonder his standard occasionally dips at times because hes been overused for several seasons, but imo still has a very high standard of play overall.
Also a point that I made in the summer when we were chasing Baines. Baines taking all of Evertons set pieces inflates his chance creation stats significantly since Evra takes none of ours. Take the set piece chances away and Evra has created two more goal-scoring chances for his team mates this season from open play in the PL. Not bad.
Its not just chance creation. Evra's ability to bring the ball out from defence is very crucial to our play as well. He can cut infield or he can hug the touchline. For the past decade he has been one of the most complete attacking leftback and we are very lucky to have him.
Nice. Thx.
Surprised this thread hasn't been bumped.
Didn't think he was awful today but Navas brutally exposed his not being arsed to defend trait. No where to be seen for City's fourth.
Didn't think he was awful today but Navas brutally exposed his not being arsed to defend trait. No where to be seen for City's fourth.
Was that the one where Young lost the ball in attack and Evra was ahead of pretty much all the united players up on the left wing. You don't think someone else should cover? Fellaini tried but wasn't fast enough.
Thought Evra was one of the few who looked arsed out there
He did try, but my god defenders need to know how to defend. Also got a good view of Aguero's first.
He is still excellent player obviously, but most of our wingers have more will to track back than him.
His heart was at least in it today, and I feel he looks more dangerous down the left than our actual left winger most of the time.
Exactly, so why does it matter if the left winger has to track back when Evra contributes in attack? When Evra is further up the pitch than Young, it is only natural that Young tracks back. A silly argument that.
That isn't too hard when you look at who is in front of him...
His heart was in it? He was probably the worst player on the pitch, and he had plenty of competition.
Agree with you. It's all good and well saying that he was good in attack etc but at the end o the day his main job is defending and his side was majorly exposed today which cost a lot of chances. He was casually strolling back today instead of busting a gut to get back.
I don't know where to post this, so I'll post it in both Evra and Young thread:
Look at their average positions.
Look at their average positions.
My main concern with Evra is that his arrogance could potentially impact on his game. I don't mind a confident or cocky player. Evra has proven to be one of our great left backs. But too often these days, it's the Evra show to him. When he forgets about the cameras, he is still top quality but in my opinion, he is hurting the team at times.
Still has a role to play, a huge role but I think he needs to get his finger out, you would have thought the confirmation of the Baines link would have woken him up, it hasn't in my opinion which is a worrying sign.
Still has a role to play, a huge role but I think he needs to get his finger out, you would have thought the confirmation of the Baines link would have woken him up, it hasn't in my opinion which is a worrying sign.
I thought he's looked very good every game this season, apart from yesterday. He had a very good year last season too for the most part if I recall. I wouldn't be too worried about him today because everyone was awful, and his game just got dragged down as well.
It's not so much his performance, it's his attitude that is concerning me.
I wouldn't say he is arrogant at all. He tries too hard at times to drive the team forward, but it's hardly from a self serving point of view.
I honestly don't see anything different in him, he's always been "positively" arrogant. He's been good/great this last few months and this season so far too. One of the players whose the performances don't worry me at all.
He is up himself. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, I'm not saying it as a point that I don't like him but he is very arrogant. It can be a quality, and his confidence has been a great attribute of his but it's getting out of hand in my opinion.
In terms of ability and his level, I have no problems with him, he is still great, I just think he needs to switch on. When he plays well, he offers the team plenty of drive and go forward. He is one of the best fullbacks in world football. He is technically gifted and reads the game as well as anyone. I just feel his form suffers from his attitude at times rather than his quality.
What are you basing that opinion on though. He fights to drive us forward because he's up himself? I don't understand.
Cantona was arrogant, Ronaldo was arrogant, there is nothing wrong with it as long as it is kept in check.
Sometimes he justs gets the ball, could play it quickly but he just stands on it, makes sure everyone is watching, does a pointless bit of skill that achieves nothing and plays a ball that doesn't do anything. However, if he got the ball and moved it straight away, we would be far more fluid, instead opposition midfields are finding it easy to set up against us.
I met the team in Sydney when they were here. All the players were happy to chat and sign a few things. Evra just threw his sunnies on and walked around with his chest out not doing anything. A few of the players apologised and Paddy Crerand told us that sometimes he just gets in a mood, that's who he is.
Again, I like the confidence, I do.It's just I think he should just get the ball and move it, he is playing in slow motion at the moment and one of his strengths is his speed of play in wide areas. When we are a confident team by all means do the tricks and flicks, not now though.
So you think he's arrogant and partly dislikes him because of it because he didn't take his time to sign your shirt? Also because he uses some tricks now and then on the pitch? That is just about some of the weirdest arguments I've seen thus far. Evra is arguably the best left back I've seen in link-up play. Yesterday he played with a Young who was Championship level at best that match - he had to dally on the ball.
I'm starting to get sick of this place; Evra has been phenomenal this season and this thread is like a frickin tomb (where were you EricsCollar for all the matches he played well?) and when he plays one match slightly below average, not even poorly, everyone comes here to slag him. It's ridiculous. People are seriously slating him for their fourth goal when he was our player furthest up the field waiting for a pass from Young who instead chose to run into three players and lose the ball - yeah, that was Evra's mistake, ffs.
If you could point out where I doubted Evra's ability that would be great. I made it clear that he is a great left back one of our best ever, still is.
I don't care about the shirt, I was disappointed for the kids that wanted his shirt, what the feck would I care
You have to admit that Evra plays for the cameras and I think that could be a better way of me descrbing his arrogance. When he goes down he waves to the bench as if it's a serious injury and limps off only to sprint 20 seconds later. I mean, just get on with it.
I'm not saying Evra is playing poorly, in fact, I think he has been one of our better players, it's just I think that if he sorts his head out, he could return to close to his best.
It's quite clear to me that you are letting your opinions of Evra as a person, unfairly cloud your judgment of him as a footballer. Of all the things that you could choose to criticise Evra for, being static is not one of them. He constantly pushes the team forward and drives the ball forward, with Ashley Young on the wing he is actually carrying out the job of the LB and the LW most of the time (just as rafael did on the right flank for large chunks of last season). He makes forward runs with the ball, takes people on, and actually tries damn hard to put accurate crosses in and create chances for his team mates - was it not him who hit the bar in the second half? It's inevitable that when trying to both attack and defend he might get caught out at the back at times when teams counter with pace but I don't see how the hell you can come to the conclusion that he is arrogant because imo he fought on the pitch last night, more than most of our other players did. You don't need 11 passive players who are happy to watch the game go by and not try to impact it but rather wait for a teammate to try something, Rooney, Evra and Cleverley last night were the three players on that pitch who showed the fight and determination that is expected of Manchester United players.
It's a shame that you can't see it. Evra is one of my favourite players, I'm not letting anything cloud my judgement, he has that French arrogance, a lot do, I just feel he plays up to the cameras. I am able to discuss both sides of the coin when it comes to a player, even the ones that I like, I will see faults, at United it's about always improving.
A couple of years ago when Sir Alex raised issues regarding his attitude during his poor patch of form, it really gave him a kick and he returned to the Evra we know. That's what I want to see, he struts around like he is the main man, that confidence is fine but I would prefer to see that when we have something to be confident about, not when we need to sort stuff out.
Also, one last thing that I can't quite get. Yes, I'm calling him arrogant but I never questioned his fighting spirit and the effort he puts in, I never questioned that. I said he can speed up things but I never questioned his effort. I just feel he can channel everything a lot better.
Arrogance has nothing to do with effort and fight. I never said that, so don't say that I came to the conclusion of that.
I'm trying hard to understand Eric's point but I can't tbh.
One example that might give some light of what I am refering to is that stupid pass he does when he is near the corner. He stands on the ball and flicks it out from underneath with his other foot. I mean just pass the thing normally, the person receiving always gets caught off guard when that pass comes. It's a pass for the cameras.
This is just getting ridiculous now...
I don't want it to sound like I don't like Evra, I do, he is one of my favourite players, I can just admit that he is arrogant. Some of our greatest players have been arrogant.
Shit, I love Evra but am I the only one who was furious at his absolute lack of enthusiasm to track back? I saw him, on at least 3 occassions when City countered, just casually jogging back.
Is it a fitness issue or what?
Is it a fitness issue or what?
If you could point out where I doubted Evra's ability that would be great. I made it clear that he is a great left back one of our best ever, still is.
I don't care about the shirt, I was disappointed for the kids that wanted his shirt, what the feck would I care
You have to admit that Evra plays for the cameras and I think that could be a better way of me descrbing his arrogance. When he goes down he waves to the bench as if it's a serious injury and limps off only to sprint 20 seconds later. I mean, just get on with it.
I'm not saying Evra is playing poorly, in fact, I think he has been one of our better players, it's just I think that if he sorts his head out, he could return to close to his best.
I don't admit to him playing to the cameras. If anything, I think he's a machine for getting up from some of the tackles he gets pounded on him at times; most players would choose to buckle under those circumstances, yet you criticise him for being arrogant for getting on the pitch again? That's just weird, mate.
What part of his head do you think he should sort out? He never complains, always give 100% and is the last of our players to leave the sinking ship, if you like - he never gives up. Arrogant players tend to give up when the rest of the team plays poorly - not Evra.
And yes, you did doubt his ability as mentality is a great part of football.
Like Kouroux, I really don't understand what you are getting at.
It's going around in circles but I will answer your points.
I never questioned his commitment when he goes down. I said what is the point of rolling around acting as though it's a serious injury only to get up as if nothing happened. Just get up straight away. Arrogance ha nothing to do with commitment, I don't know why you are implying that it does.
Never complains? Lately, he does nothing but face the linesman and debate whos throw it should have been. Again, I never questioned his effort, so drop that argument.
On the doubting, nice way to twist it, in that part I was talking about his tecnhical ability not his mental state. Which 99% of the time is very good.
What I'm getting at? It's simple, Evra is arrogant. Does that mean I don't like him? No. Does that mean I don't rate him? No. Does it mean we should sell him? No. It means he is arrogant.
So many of our great players have been arrogant. When used the right way, which Evra has done for years, it can be quite a useful trait. I just don't think he has much to be cocky about at the moment.
Sorry, that's bollocks... like, total, complete, utter nonsense.
Out of all our wide players, Evra (and Rafael & Nani when they play) is seemingly currently the only people who can actually do different things with a football, and can vary the way they attack to keep the opposition guessing. He can play a good one-two, he can dribble, he can pass and he makes excellent, well-timed runs. To suggest that he just stands on the ball quite simply isn't true... in fact, he's often the bloke who speeds up are attack when everyone else is standing around like a lemon.
Unfortunately you missed the post where I said all that and backed that up. I am talking about certain moments in games.
Where did you do this?
And what are these certain moments? Because I'm fairly sure they don't exist. Evra has his faults, but when it comes to slowing up the play, he is one of the least guilty players in our squad for doing that... he is one of our better players when it comes to using the ball in an attacking sense.
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