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2014-15 Performances

View full 2014-15 profile

6.0 Season Average Rating
Appearances
11
Clean sheets
4
Goals
0
Assists
1
Yellow cards
2
Status
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Maroo said:
I don't think I agree and will stick to my "nonsense". Valencia has been very good in his defensive duties this season, even if he's not been great going forward. Rafael might be the better defender overall, but thats definitely not been the case this season. He's been prone to making lapses
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He's got very little to do defensively with a spare centreback always covering his flank. It's night and day from the job Rafael has to do when we play a back four, something Valencia isn't trusted to do very often.

The last 25 minutes against QPR being the first time since the City game.
 
Pexbo said:
He's got very little to do defensively with a spare centreback always covering his flank. It's night and day from the job Rafael has to do when we play a back four, something Valencia isn't trusted to do very often.

The last 25 minutes against QPR being the first time since the City game.
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Didn't stop Rafael being repeatedly rinsed by lower league opposition the last time he played at wingback.
 
Pexbo said:
He's got very little to do defensively with a spare centreback always covering his flank. It's night and day from the job Rafael has to do when we play a back four, something Valencia isn't trusted to do very often.

The last 25 minutes against QPR being the first time since the City game.
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You could argue that one of the reasons why LVG is reluctant to play a back 4 is because he does not trust Rafael enough to do a solid defensive job at right back. While Rafa has some good defensive qualities, he is prone to the occasional brain-fart.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Didn't stop Rafael being repeatedly rinsed by lower league opposition the last time he played at wingback.
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His problem in that game was going forward, "getting rinsed" defensively is a gross exaggeration.

Maroo said:
You could argue that one of the reasons why LVG is reluctant to play a back 4 is because he does not trust Rafael enough to do a solid defensive job at right back. While Rafa has some good defensive qualities, he is prone to the occasional brain-fart.
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Can you remember his last brain fart?
 
Pexbo said:
Can you remember his last brain fart?
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Last few games:
1) Yeovil - defensively suspect throughout the game
2) Stoke - didnt play much
3) Spurs - More than 1 mistake made by Rafa in that appearance
4) Newcastle - didnt play much, didnt play well either
5) Chelsea - got a plain needless yellow in the first half. Did well after that
6) West Brom - People blamed him and Jones for the second goal, I think he did fine in the game
 
Maroo said:
Last few games:
1) Yeovil - defensively suspect throughout the game
2) Stoke - didnt play much
3) Spurs - More than 1 mistake made by Rafa in that appearance
4) Newcastle - didnt play much, didnt play well either
5) Chelsea - got a plain needless yellow in the first half. Did well after that
6) West Brom - People blamed him and Jones for the second goal, I think he did fine in the game
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I asked for his last brain fart, a specific incident where he does something stupid or rash which leads to a clear cut chance.

None against Yeovil, none against Stoke, none against Spurs, none against Newcastle, none against Chelsea and that West Brom goals was completely Jones' fault as Rafael is wide holding the offside trap and marking his man on the wing while Jones was completely out of position at let his man through with acres to run into. The only reason it looks like Rafael's fault is because he reacted quickest in chasing him back.

So, no "brain farts" that you accused him of. I'm not saying he was above a 7/10 performance in every game but there were none of these "brain farts" you accused him of. He hasn't had one for a long long time.
 
Pexbo said:
I asked for his last brain fart, a specific incident where he does something stupid or rash which leads to a clear cut chance.

None against Yeovil, none against Stoke, none against Spurs, none against Newcastle, none against Chelsea and that West Brom goals was completely Jones' fault as Rafael is wide holding the offside trap and marking his man on the wing while Jones was completely out of position at let his man through with acres to run into. The only reason it looks like Rafael's fault is because he reacted quickest in chasing him back.

So, no "brain farts" that you accused him of. I'm not saying he was above a 7/10 performance in every game but there were none of these "brain farts" you accused him of. He hasn't had one for a long long time.
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Your point is fair enough- maybe I shouldn't call it brain fart, but rather being-off defensively. Its just that his defensive contributions are nowhere near the 2012-13 level. In 2012-13, I just remember a couple of games when he was poor defensively - and one where it was not even his problem, just that he was taken off by SAF before half time for lack of height. He has just not been the same this year, unfortunately.

Btw, I would call the Chelsea yellow stupid. Not a brain-fart, as you've pointed out, but stupid nevertheless :)
 
His problem is that he's too injury prone and has been since the day he joined. Players that are in and out of the team never show their true potential, and whenever Rafa went for extended periods without injury he was fantastic.
 
Pexbo said:
So, no "brain farts" that you accused him of. I'm not saying he was above a 7/10 performance in every game but there were none of these "brain farts" you accused him of. He hasn't had one for a long long time.
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Didn't he get a pen called against Leicester for needlessly shoving the opponent in the box? I remember it was pretty controversial but it's one of those things where a cooler head would have served him. If I recall that was their first goal when we were up 3-0 and gave them life.
 
Darwin09 said:
Didn't he get a pen called against Leicester for needlessly shoving the opponent in the box? I remember it was pretty controversial but it's one of those things where a cooler head would have served him. If I recall that was their first goal when we were up 3-0 and gave them life.
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Yep. It was controversial and was probably largely influenced by both his reputation as a hot-head and the way he carries himself on the pitch. Another player might not have had it given against them.

Still, LvG criticised him for it after the game so it's fair to class it as a mistake, even if people here think it shouldn't have been a penalty....
 
Pexbo said:
West Brom goals was completely Jones' fault as Rafael is wide holding the offside trap and marking his man on the wing while Jones was completely out of position at let his man through with acres to run into. The only reason it looks like Rafael's fault is because he reacted quickest in chasing him back.
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He wasn't holding the offside trap, he was a yard behind everyone and kept Berahino onside. There is no way he wasn't at fault there.
 
Was he on the bench? Can only think he was injured as to why Valencia lasted 93 minutes on the pitch tonight.
 
This match was begging for him to come on. Valencia was brainless and wasted so many opportunities to open them up on the flanks, which looked like our only way through all match
 
As i understand matters we had two fit fullbacks available yesterday, and this even by Van Gaal's high standards, however chose to leave both of them on the bench. Just super.
 
Would love to play Shaw and Rafa more. They make a huge difference, several times today when Januzaj or whoever was wide got the ball, Blind(not as bad) or Valencia never overlapped so it was always 1vs2, but when Shaw came on Januzaj had a couple 1vs1 and beat his man and whipped in a couple crosses, or took the player on. It makes such a big difference having overlapping fullbacks to take a player away, not only does it give the winger more space, but it opens up the middle of the pitch a bit more too.
 
Not on the bench again today. Picked up another injury? If not, it's quite clear he's being frozen out.
 
He's finished at United I think. It is a shame because he is one of my favourites. Even if he isn't being frozen out that means it is another injury. Surely LvG won't want someone who can't get fit.
 
If you're betting on it, then the smart bet is we're replacing him in the summer. Just hope it isn't Dani Alves.
 
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I can't really say how I know this, and it's not really massive news but I have it on good authority that he is very worried about his future at the club. He loves it here but he reckons he might get sold in June.
 
If he is fit, and we have no information to the contrary, the decision to exclude him from the bench (let alone the team) bodes ill for not only Rafael's future but how Van Gaal might go about managing the RB role long term.
 
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It's not like there are a lot of good right-backs out there. Signing competition for him is great, but selling him would be mad.
 
bucky said:
It's not like there are a lot of good right-backs out there. Signing competition for him is great, but selling him would be mad.
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Well that's not true at all. There are two in the Premier League alone that are on the same level as Rafael and probably attainable in the summer. He shouldn't be frozen out, as he's comfortably better than Valencia, but his injury record makes him far too unreliable.
 
bucky said:
It's not like there are a lot of good right-backs out there. Signing competition for him is great, but selling him would be mad.
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Indeed, for assuming that LVG actually attains Champions League football the emphasis should be on expanding his resources.
 
If the reports linking us to Clyne or Coleman were true then there was always going to be slim chance of him being first choice here next season.

As is though it wouldn't be surprising if he isn't here at all.
 
Glanville95 said:
Well that's not true at all. There are two in the Premier League alone that are on the same level as Rafael and probably attainable in the summer. He shouldn't be frozen out, as he's comfortably better than Valencia, but his injury record makes him far too unreliable.
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I collect that you are referring to Clyne and Coleman? Let's say that United does buy one of them but sells Rafael, has the depth of the squad been advanced to any significant degree? The moment injury strikes the team will be as vulnerable as it is now Louis' whims.
 
I hope he is injured. Probably the biggest insult you can make against a footballer is picking Valencia ahead of him! :lol:
 
I can understand why LVG prefers Valencia because he is more tactically/positionally disciplined.

However, I hope Rafa gets a run out in the next match against Cambridge (?) because his form in 2012-2013 was amazing. There is no reason why he cant recreate it with an injury free run in the team.
 
Nick 0208 Ldn said:
I collect that you are referring to Clyne and Coleman? Let's say that United does buy one of them but sells Rafael, has the depth of the squad been advanced to any significant degree? The moment injury strikes the team will be as vulnerable as it is now Louis' whims.
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Yes, I'm referring to those two. It hasn't necessarily advanced, but the difference is, we would actually have a mainstay right back who is capable of playing over the duration of ten-plus games while maintaining a high standard. Not even Rafael is capable of that due to the incessant injuries that always occur with him.
 
If lvg is freezing him out then im ok with it, I like rafa but his time is up now, he seems to be made of glass and we can't rely on him, Clyne or Coleman would be the way forward with rafa as back up.
 
Glanville95 said:
Well that's not true at all. There are two in the Premier League alone that are on the same level as Rafael and probably attainable in the summer. He shouldn't be frozen out, as he's comfortably better than Valencia, but his injury record makes him far too unreliable.
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Didn't know 2 were a lot and those 2 are among the few good right-backs I counted, apart from that there aren't many out there. Also like @Nick 0208 Ldn said getting rid of Rafael wouldn't do any good for our squad depth.
 
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