The ball had just been cleared from a corner outside the box to a Chelsea player and Rafael decided, for some reason, that was a good time to run across the penalty box, not even looking at what was going on. As it so happened, the space he just left was the space Chelsea used in the build-up to the goal. He wasn't even bothering to do anything about it.
Rafael da Silva | 2010-14 Performances
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The ball had just been cleared from a corner outside the box to a Chelsea player and Rafael decided, for some reason, that was a good time to run across the penalty box, not even looking at what was going on. As it so happened, the space he just left was the space Chelsea used in the build-up to the goal. He wasn't even bothering to do anything about it.
The lazy attitude and what he's done there for that second goal is fecking unforgivable. Seriously, watch it back.
He isn't great but they hardly created anything through his side apart from corner which was partly Vidic's mistake too.
He was going back to his zone, for some reason our defence seems programmed rather than perceptive not the first time we got caught napping from a corner that half, he should have held his position.
Hoddle pointed that out too. It was odd he was so determined to get back in position when we were still defending their attack.
Really strange
Really strange
I wouldn't go that far because I think he is a good defendear one on one, but I do agree he's overrated on here. It's not often I agree with United fans and opposition fans in the pub and at work over people on here, but Rafael's one of those cases. People will start saying it's knee jerk and whatnot but that's not the case, I've said it plenty of times in the past. I just don't want to get in the way of the Rafael love-in on here so I don't say it too often. He's a bit ropey positionally in practically every game.
Yeah, that Januzaj lad has been total shit this season too
Some people are idiots!!
Obviously didn't include Januzaj, since he only started playing this season.
Agree with brwned. He is one if the untouchables on the forum
Attend a better uni.Bear in mind I should have been more specific, my Uni friends think this
He's not.
He's an excellent player playing with average wingers and below average midfield.
Silly tackle at the end considering Vidic's sending off.
Tasty.
Awful tackle. Should've been a red.
Really rash at the end. If one of the sides starting defenders has been sent off and will face a ban, the last thing you should do is risk the very same thing.
Should've been off at the end - that tackle was dangerous.
Was it worse than Vidics? Box froze and missed it.
Had a good first half aside from his error for the goal. A poor second, but he was playing left back?
Very talented but is still switching off at times. Needs to be on it for 90+ minutes for weeks and weeks if he's to be considered among the best. And the tackle at the end was disgusting, is he a complete fecking idiot? The captains just been sent off and he does that. Spastic.
Should have been off for that tackle.
fecking stupid, though t he grew out of ridiculous shit like that. Lucky...
I thought it was the other way round. All over the place first half but was a bit better in the 2nd when he didn't have to mark Hazard
Yes (though I thought the Vidic red was harsh), Rafa threw himself in two-footed and was fortune contact wasn't made.
A real cnut's challenge. He'd have been chinned on every amateur pitch in the country for that.
Anyone who disagrees has to be blind. His pace/desire tend to rescue him the majority of the time but the rash tackles have always been there.
He was evens to get booked today. Id have expected him to cut that side of things out by now.
Rafael was pretty bad today, outplayed on many ocassions but there was no play from his winger friend who's known for his 'good defending skills'. Can't blame him for the last tackle, he was trying to kill somebody for the last 5 minutes after that fecking absurd red card for Nemanja.
It would be all much better if at least 1/3 of our team would have his type of mentality.
It might not be knee jerk today, but you always say that after his poor run or after poor game, last season you were quiet for almost whole season and came at the end to say that he has been rubish against Chelsea and City, IIRC.
It might not be knee jerk today, but you always say that after his poor run or after poor game, last season you were quiet for almost whole season and came at the end to say that he has been rubish against Chelsea and City, IIRC.
He took the concept of injury time literally.
Best left back we've had all season
Thank feck he is playing for Manchester United then.
He easily gets frustrated. Reminds me a bit of Rooney in that sense.
Yes, because as I said people are too busy saying how much they love Rafael and how he's the best fullback in the league for me to even bother mentioning it. When I do say it people get genuinely offended/annoyed, so I don't really bother. I think it was in his second season I was told I have an agenda against Rafael, so why would I bother? I like Rafael and I''m glad we have him, I just think people overlook his shortcomings because they like his attitude.
I missed his late tackle, but sounds like a nasty one.
Not sure what he was doing for the second. He came out then strolled to the middle leaving 3 Chelsea players on our left. Didn't even go after Eto who he could see was making his way to the middle.
Still think he is a brilliant player but has these lapses that unfortunately cost us.
Still think he is a brilliant player but has these lapses that unfortunately cost us.
Redcafe was always too emotional on some players for some reason, it's not just in Rafael thread, so I can understand your side. However, I think most of people here don't think he is too perfect defensively, but he is definitely our last problem in defence, I think our more experienced players are much often at fault for goals we conceede than him, it's just ridiculous to blame him the most for their second goal when our entire defence was nowhere to be seen.
Maybe he needs to visit some anger management classes? He gets frustrated so easily and then it's always just a matter of time until he does something that might get him send off.
Evans was dragged over to the left hand side of the box to try and block the cross so did everything he could do in that situation, Vidic likewise was drawn over to try and get close to Eto'o at the last minute to then cover for Evans...it's not ridiculous in any way. He was the sole cause of our back four being disorganised there. Evra looked like he was standing about doing nothing, but at least in this case he wasn't causing the rest of the defence to cover for his carelessness. Rafael's a better defender than Evra but that's hardly a compliment.
I actually thought Evra was our best defender on the pitch today - both offensively and defensively... which says something.
He s excellent going forward but his positioning defensively is clueless. In a way he s a bit Silvestre esque,he tend to switch off at times
I do love Rafa, but every now and again, he has a really poor game, and I think today was one of them (defensively anyway!), alot like Reading last season, when he was getting turned inside out and his head was all over the place. He made some daft decision today, but I think we will be quite forgiving of his errors because regardless of them, he plays with a huge amount of passion.
I also think it's fair to give him the benefit of the doubt because he's still very young at 23. His best years are still ahead of him, and in his 5 and a bit years with us, he's improved massively in that time. I think he still has plenty he will improve on further. He's a very gung-ho player, and I don't think that will ever change. It will have its pros and cons, but I don't think he'd be the same player if he wasn't such a fecking lunatic.
I personally don't think he's overrated, and I do believe there are very few better right backs in the Premier League. I think he's on a par with Zabaleta. I'd have him over Zab any day, because I think he will continue to improve and surpass Zabaleta. Then again, perhaps we do overrate him, as non-United fans really don't see to think much of him at all.
I also think it's fair to give him the benefit of the doubt because he's still very young at 23. His best years are still ahead of him, and in his 5 and a bit years with us, he's improved massively in that time. I think he still has plenty he will improve on further. He's a very gung-ho player, and I don't think that will ever change. It will have its pros and cons, but I don't think he'd be the same player if he wasn't such a fecking lunatic.
I personally don't think he's overrated, and I do believe there are very few better right backs in the Premier League. I think he's on a par with Zabaleta. I'd have him over Zab any day, because I think he will continue to improve and surpass Zabaleta. Then again, perhaps we do overrate him, as non-United fans really don't see to think much of him at all.
It only takes one defender to lose concentration to concede a goal, especially against a team as good as Chelsea. Rafael's carelessness created a huge gap on our left which Chelsea used well, and from then we were on the back foot and couldn't do much about it. For me, Rafael is to blame more than anyone else for their 2nd goal.
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