I know he's injury prone but I still wish he'd play when fit, until we can get a proper solution at RB.
2
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 11
- Clean sheets
- 4
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
From the Fulham match report earlier this week:
Not at all. I thought he was fantastic in that QPR home game. With Herrera on the right of the diamond he was left completely alone without support on the right yet was a threat throughout.
He's better than Valencia both defensively and offensively and is the best right back at the club by a long way. Just my opinion obviously. Maybe it is sentimentality but if so that is just because I think he is a very good player.
He's been criticised on here for his performances at Leicester and West Brom. I thought he played well in both games. He hasn't played enough but when he has he has played very well.
I would have looked fantastic in that QPR game. Amazing the way United players are still being talked up based on their displays in that game. Probably the worst PL opposition we've had at OT in several years.
This is all really stupid, since when people start to confuse injured with poor? He was certainly above average this season, better than Rooney, RVP or Falcao, better than McNair also and on par with Valencia who looks dependable in terms of injuries.. There is no way Rafael was poor this season, it's like with the last season when he was just about good and one of our better players but overall we were poor so when people picking up player to blame it has to be some south american because we had so many better homegrown players who are for some people more likeable.
Clyne would have been option as he can paly on both flanks but he is no way better than Rafael in full fitness tho, Coleman had his rocket season last year. Nothing special this year.
Injured = NOT Poor, get it people.. some people have got short memories and only remember mistakes to criticize a player. It's ridiculous sometimes
I only mentioned that game because it was specifically mentioned in the post I quoted. Anyone who judges a player who has been at the club as long as Rafael based on one game is an idiot.
I thought Hull this season took the biscuit... they took feeble to a whole new level.
Anyone else think moving Valencia into RCM and Rafael back to RB could solve a lot of our problems? More steel in midfield and a bit more invention out wide. Weird the way their roles have reversed from a traditional winger/fullback archetype but they've always linked up well and would complement each other very well if we lined up like that IMO.
I actually think back to Valencia's game at RCM a lot. It was against Everton, and he wasn't bad at all. It's definitely an option, particularly in away games where we need pace and physicality. Allows us to use Rooney further forward too. The only issue is Valencia's has no left foot and his passing range is very weak.
But then there have been ralatively few instances in which we've gone toe-tote-toe with a team who were performing near their potential (little different from the Hull/Newcastle matches being cited as supporting evidence for a player). If Van Gaal so wished, Rafael could bring far more to the party than does Valencia in attacking sense, regrettably that would not appear to be an important requirement.
A better albeit less flamboyant example of the Rafael of 2015, might be the Chelsea match. Not only did it exemplify his maturity, but yet again proved the lie to the accusation that he is still rash. Even with an early yellow card he successfully nullified the threat posed by Hazard for much of the game. Our manager should be aspiring to field the best fullback at the club, not settling for mere reliability. Let's say that Young does well whilst Shaw serves his ban, ought the manager to discard the pecking order yet again?
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I'm sure the manager would argue he is fielding the best fullback at the club. Hopefully Rafael can convince him otherwise. He's got all day, every day, on the training pitch to do exactly that.
Slightly strange you use a game where he picked up an early, silly booking as evidence he is no longer rash. I'd say it's evidence of the exact opposite, no matter how succesfully he walked the disciplinary tightrope he put himself on.
Slightly strange you use a game where he picked up an early, silly booking as evidence he is no longer rash. I'd say it's evidence of the exact opposite, no matter how succesfully he walked the disciplinary tightrope he put himself on.
If he remained the immature and rash player which some here accuse him of being, he'd have done a Chris Smalling or come close to it, neither of which occurred. Many of Rafael's counterparts at RB will pick up "silly" yellows from time to time, only the perception is quite different; Zabaletta and Clyne have been booked 8 and 5 times respectively to name but two.
IMO we should let him go or let him battle it out for a spot with a new proper RB. He'll probably lose that battle because of his injury record. He's been a sicknote since we signed him as an 18 year old. His brother Fabio was too. What makes us think that he'll suddenly become a dependable first team player? He's 25 this year
Stupid? Really? Yes, poor overall. Can you read? Im sorry I don't share your opinions. Actually im not.
. Rafael is a very good player at full fitness, but he won't even usurp Valencia because his fitness record is terrible and Valencia has done a fine job at RB this season. This summer whether you like it or not Rafael will be properly replaced. I bet on it. You must be joking saying Rafa has been better than Rooney, McNair and RVP.Because Rafael has been such already, during the club's last title winning season. Moreover, his injury record since 2012 isn't actually as bad as his detractors would have people believe.
That LVG would in this regard cut his nose off to spite his face (as he's doing with Herrera), shouldn't diminish the potential which is spurning.
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He hasn't played consistently enough for someone who is a first choice RB, actually the only proper RB we have. Rafael has only ever played more than 30 games in one season. Thats not dependable. Compare that to other fullbacks we've had like Irwin, Evra and Neville
His average over the previous two seasons is 32, even with injury and Mouyes' mismanagement. And more topically his absences this season have had more to do with Van Gaal's policies than prolonged injury.
He played 40 games in 2012/13, an insane number of games for him. That drove up his average. His second highest in one season is 28 (managed this twice) in a CL season. These are not numbers of a dependable first choice player in a key position. Van Gaal's policies have nothing to do with his absences. Rafael was played as a RWB in preseason, so LVG definitely thought he could play in his system. It's Rafael's injury record that has seen him out even when he regains fitness because Valencia has done very well and doesn't deserve to be dropped. Fergie and Moyes both played Smalling and Jones as a RB in some games when Rafael was fit also. We need to move on to better things IMO.
It's a shame to say it but I agree.. at 25 he should be 100% a starting player, especially with the quality (if not the quantity) of experience he has built up in that time. A settled defence is the bedrock of any team, it's time we start looking for a proper replacement.
One of my favourite players at the club. Really hope he can turn it around and make himself first choice but, unfortunately, I can't see it.
The trend of appearances has been a generally positive direction however.
Valencia has done well enough, although this should be placed in the context of his manager's modest expectations offensively. Should he be considered as a permanent RB next year, the balance of the team's attack would fall off a cliff at the first sight of injury to Rafael's successor.
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RVP has been maybe the worst player in our squad this year, can't score goals can't do anything for the team, always put in lazy performance, apart maybe three games he was shocking. Can't see why you defend him Rooney had really poor start to the season then he got great 5,6 games as CAM and now he plays like the worst player just because he has got armband.. Is it his fault that he doesn't play in his best position? No Is it the Rafael's fault palying out of position as wingback?Stupid? Really? Yes, poor overall. Can you read? Im sorry I don't share your opinions. Actually im not.
Yes, short memory and people's assumption that if players does play not too many games due to injury that he is bad. I don't think you rate him fairly. If he was to get marks for how he played he would have had better average score than rooney or RVP. Valencia is just about solid but not the level we should aspire so maybe if van Gaal doesn't rate rafael we will buy someone. McNair had so many shaky performances, Just because he had several good games in 5 men defence and had a great game at rightback against 4th league opponent who never played on that big pitch doesn't make him overall great performer. He was solid for his age and is the one for the future. But people are carried away little too much don't you think when it comes to players from our academy..
Rafael's average level of performances has been solid let's leave it here. You don't need to compare him to anyone.
So what really is your suggestion going forward?
Rooney and RVP are not having a great season, but they've both been comfortably better than Rafael. McNair has too. You should read your first paragraph again. Its almost laughable in all honesty and with all due respect. RVP is our top scorer with 9 goals this season and Rooney is on 8 with 4 assists. Like I said, not great by their standards but still better seasons than Rafael surely.
Even going by 'average score' just look at the statistics, Whoscored.com and Squawka all have higher average scores for Rooney, RVP and McNair. Whats this argument about Rafael not playing his best position? He's mostly played in the diamond formation with a flat back four. His best two games against Everton and West Ham were played as a natural RB in a back four. So please check your facts.
I wouldn't be leaving him on the sidelines our out of the matchday squad entirely, that's for sure. The club need to determine whether his improved durability of recent seasons remains true, for besides the cheekbone fracture his other two injuries were fairly minor. I understand that a manager will want to reward a player who stepped up to the plate in a time of crisis, however there comes a point where you ought to reintroduce the natural fullback.
Valencia is looking natural in that position now. I can't make a single argument against starting him there in the absence of a consistent RB. Even McNair is getting groomed in this position now. Its looking bleak for Rafael but his story is not over yet.
Playing for the U21s again.
One could be a boon to our attacking play, whereas the other is a dead weight comparatively speaking. The situation with McNair is an ominous devopment for Rafael should it continue.
When are they playing?
No need to lead an argument with someone who thinks otherwise.. With all respect to you you can do better than point out that RVP has scored as few as 9 goals this season while playing absolutely terribly at times. Rooney the same, he was always productive but his overall play is getting worse every year, he is also well past his peak.. and these players are attacking players, Rooney obviously plays in midfield lately but Van Persie is the first striker in the team who should do much better. Van Persie scoring 9 goals and rafael none is great argument really, he's defender, man.-) And strikers will always win these statistics, anyway I couldn't care less about it. I tent to watch football and judge players according their overall display and what they give to the team, not just statistics who can be often misleading like in this case.
Rafael has done better at his position(as defender) than RVP at his position as striker. There is no doubt about it. But you can obviously check whoscored and play football manager than watch football if you care about statistics but tbf I guess it is very subjective to compare players so the statistics can help but not in this case. Rafael has played just few games but I think he was overall very good unlike frustrating Van Persie or Rooney most of the time..
People are being really harsh on Rafael as they don't clearly remember some of his performances. You are probably the one who said that he was to blame for the 5-3 Leicester disaster...
I guess LvG is very strict concerning fitness. He doesn't dare to play him with a niggle. Might be the right the to do. Who knows how many times he's played with a slight injury only for it to get worse.
You're biased towards him as he's one of your favorite players. Most people here love the guy to death but realistically, he's played 9 games and he's been his regular good self in about three of those games. RVP is top scorer, I did mention that he's not having a great season by his standards but his contribution is more important than Rafael's so far. You must be blinded by your devotion to him.
He's having a disappointing season and you say he's been excellent. You're the one who also mentioned game score average and now you're berating my use of those stats. You're also making foolish assumptions about me playing the blame game.
If anything Blackett is the one who recieved most of the blame for that game you mention. Rafael is having his worst season in years and he'll do well to turn things around before summer. Time is ticking on his United career
Do you mean a niggle on his face?
That some kind of British slang?
How did he go for the U/21s? Or have they not played yet?
Played with the right attitude and made some good runs down the flank, our best player after Pereira.
Fair enough point and I agree that he misses too many games through injury. That is not what I said. My issue is people calling his performances "poor". They haven't been. When on the pitch his performances have generally been excellent. He has been easily the best right back at the club this season.
What utter garbage.
I've always liked Rafael but I think Valencia and McNair are probably ahead of him in the pecking order for LvG at the moment.
Valencia deserves credit for being very steady. But being steady isn't enough. We are dull slow and boring and hardly creating anything. At times we look technically inferior to most top half teams which us inexcusable.
Rafael is technically very good and plays quick and decisively with skill. Also defensively he is good too. You rarely see him get blown by with speed or skill. He is rash but actually gets the ball. His positioning on crosses and short stature are his weakest parts of his game along with the elephant in the room of too many injuries.
Any who knows football will tell you that if he was healthy all the time he would start every game.
Rafael is technically very good and plays quick and decisively with skill. Also defensively he is good too. You rarely see him get blown by with speed or skill. He is rash but actually gets the ball. His positioning on crosses and short stature are his weakest parts of his game along with the elephant in the room of too many injuries.
Any who knows football will tell you that if he was healthy all the time he would start every game.
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