It's hard to take opinons about Rafael seriously when you read shit like that. Transform our season? He'll be lucky to be here come the start of next season.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 11
- Clean sheets
- 4
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
Nice one
Shame about Rafael having so much problems with injuries, really like him, but you can't count on him being fit for more than 3 matches and perhaps that's why LVG lost patience with him.
Nice to read something like this, I'd love it to be true! I had the feeling LvG just didn't like him, but if he's being kept out of the team to build up fitness, that would be brilliant.
Can't he do Giggs yoga class?
Rafael, apart his contribution to the team which is in 90% cases bigger than Valencia's or now McNair's, is always a good catalyst, gives the team a bit of drive and tenacity which often players around him starts to motivate so I guess it is not a stupid point to make, it's rather stupid to read comment like yours already writting off our best right back past 5 years..
He's almost starting to be another Anderson, injury prone player, people almost forget how well he played just because he didn't play much, Not saying it is just you but your half-sarcastic comment suggest so..
Match rhythm has been built and it's an FA cup tie, surely seems like the perfect opporuntity to get him back on the field.
You've watched a different player then. A different player than the manager is obviously watching too. You must be watching a different team if you think a right back who doesn't create chances is going to transform us.
It's not about transforming it's about motivation and doing his job at his position, he doesn't need to have plenty of assists. Comparing him with Zabaleta/Clichy or Azpilacueta they have got an assist/500min in premier league, the same with Rafael.
He is slightly better defensively than Valencia(who got better this season at defending) and obviously bigger threat when attacking always tries to get the ball before it gets to the player, starting attacks very early, he actually plays with his head up unlike Valencia..
He just didn't play that much because of injuries, nit because he's bad and manager may fancy rather players who can play more than three games in a row right now. Anyway I will leave it here you didn't understand what the posters said neither my explanation so I guess it's not necessary to continue in this pointless conversation..
He may not provide the final ball but he is involved in creating chances down the right for us when he plays.
For example?
Dear God, no.
QPR Wetsham Leicster linked up well with Herrera down the right. Think he got the assist vs Westham (the home game)
His interplay with team mates is superior for one, and Valencia has just one more assist than does Rafael in any event (and that with three times as many starts).
His lengthy absences are not, however, these do not appear to follow any sort of pattern irrespective of fitness.
Given Van Gaal's meticulous recording of the injured players in the squad, the idea that he sustained a further knock doesn't sound all that plausible. Moreover, had such occurred he would hardly have been on the bench or started for the U-21s.
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That's sort of looking at it from Rafael's point of view though. He may not be in favour, but van Gaal might still need to call on him at some point, given the way we pick up injuries. Would have made little sense for the club to sell him in January.
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1 assist and linked well? Against two of the worst teams in the Legue at that. We're definitely going to need to transform our season though it's a shame we won't be playing those teams again this season. Are we going to pretend Valencia doesn't link well?
I can only go on games he has played this season, and anyway its a feature of his game when he plays all seasons he has played.
Yes Valencia links well, but who said he didn't? I feel from RB Rafaels final ball/positivity is better than Valencia going forward.
I assume the Rooney is a joke but why do you think McNair is definitely ahead of him? He's played two games (at home, against weak opposition) ahead of Rafael.
People seem to very quick to decide x, y, z player is definitely not rated by Van Gaal because they sit out a game or two. If Fergie did the same people would have just assumed he was rotating his squad. Van Gaal has to rotate too, albeit for different reasons. We're not playing enough games to keep our fringe players happy/match-fit so he should take every opportunity to rotate when he can.
I'd be surprised if he doesn't play against Preston.
We can't rely on him going forward, that much is certain. But I don't think Valencia or McNair are the answer either. Maybe LvG just wants to see how he gets on playing games with a little less pressure before committing him back to the first team?
We can't rely on him going forward, that much is certain. But I don't think Valencia or McNair are the answer either. Maybe LvG just wants to see how he gets on playing games with a little less pressure before committing him back to the first team?
Yeh, taking the piss with Rooney but you can't say you would be surprised, I mean Rooney at right midfield is pretty close.
I agree and am not reading anything into this McNair our future RB for 10 years but I just can't see Rafael featuring again unless McNair, Valencia, probably Young and who knows maybe even Jones and Smalling are injured. I understand he might not be match fit (how can he be when he doesn't play) but when fit, he has not been given the same time as Valencia and it's just a shame as he is simply better, no one in their right mind will argue that.
I admit it's a bit kneejerk because I love Rafael but it's just hard to come to terms with when it's a simple case of not playing our best RB when we need one. This argument about he can't be relied upon, okay, I'll listen to that but we need our best players on the pitch and he makes us a better team.
Nice to read something like this, I'd love it to be true! I had the feeling LvG just didn't like him, but if he's being kept out of the team to build up fitness, that would be brilliant.
He doesn't hate him but he probably knows he can't rely on him. Why do you think we're being linked with so many rightbacks? Rooney, Di Maria, Carrick and even Smalling have all been injured and rushed back without having to play U-21 games. Rafael's future at OT is in doubt, sorry to break it to you but the truth must be told.
How much can we realistically get for him this summer? 7M would be great business considering terrible transfer outs record.
7m would also be a bloody steal were we to sell him so cheaply.
And then that's another thing, if the club has indeed reached such a decision then the U-21s represents a very poor shop window.
That's true, but yuo could put forward that due to his history of injuries, the staff may want to ease him back in and build up his strength before. Not saying that's the case, just that we don't really know that much, so just keeping my mind open.
Fair enough, but he's fast running out of opportunities to prove himself before the season is over. A lot of players will be worrying about their fate this summer and he's certainly one of them
I cannot imagine ascension where a club would pay more than that for a player who can't play for half a season. 7m would be great business.
The feck? talk of selling him for £7m? you lot are crazy.
I wouldn't be surprised. As high as he's rated, he's not a regular and injury prone. Add to that we usually sell players on the cheap.
People keep saying that but I don't think it's anywhere near as clear-cut as they think. Granted Rafael's been used sparingly this season, so it's a little hard to assess but he has made some really glaring defensive errors in his brief time on the pitch. Something that a player as unpopular as Valencia would have been absolutely crucified for on here. Let's ignore this season and look back at last season. Rafael played 19 of our league games and looked a shadow of the player he once was. Decent enough going forwards but some woefully amateurish defensive displays. Valencia wasn't great last season either but this season has improved significantly as a fullback and - IMO - has become as good a defender as Rafael ever was. Call me conservative but defending should always be the main priority for a fullback. Obviously, they need to offer something going forward too and Valencia's already got more assists than Rafael has managed in at least half of his seasons for United so far. He's still a notch below the best attacking fullbacks in the league but maybe that will come. He was once a decent winger, after all.
I like Rafael. On his day he's a fantastic fullback. I want him to succeed at United. However, he's in danger of going down that Anderson path where a player is so popular with the fans they don't notice his increasingly inconsistent displays on the pitch until long past the point where it's obvious to the neutrals.Remember when we were singing about Anderson "shitting on Fabregas"? I can't help wondering if all the chat about Rafael being "the best right back in the league" will ring just as hollow in a few years time. Injuries (again, a similarity with Anderson) have played a big part in derailing the progress he showed earlier on in his career but there's nothing anyone can do about that. Not being able to stay fit is almost as big an issue for a footballer as having a poor first touch, or lack of pace. You can't affect a game from the treatment room.
IF he can stay fit from now until the end of the season, he's got a decent chance of getting back to the top of the pecking order at RB. The longer he stays fit the more likely he will get closer to the form he showed in his one really good season at United, back in 2012/13 (the only time he made more than 20 league appearances) I'm sure we all hope that happens. He'll really need to buck a long-established trend to do so, though. Fingers crossed this is possible.
Can't rely on him going forward? Have you seen Valencia?
Rafael's link up play is far better than most people here are giving him credit for. He's a class right back IMO.
We have only played well this season when he was on the field pushing the play to the opposition half. One of our most important players without doubt. The problem with him is that he really can't string 10 matches together.
He's also injured far too often.
A nice option to have in the squad, but I feel going forward we should be looking at getting another player in who can stay fit. It's a shame because as you say he has shown himself to be very capable.
Incorrect. Our best performances this season have probably been QPR(H), Hull, Newcastle, Liverpool and that first half against Spurs. Rafael played in one out of those five games. The one against the weakest opposition.
7m , here use my pen.
So meticulous that in his press conferences he will provide updates only on certain members of the squad and we are often left guessing as to the status of others (Rafael often having been one of these). We don't know everything from this side, and how anyone can honestly speak with certainty on this issue is accordingly impossible. And re: your last point, there is over a two week period between his bench appearance vs Cambridge and his first appearance for the U21s - again, who knows what's gone on in that time?
Anyhow - I do nonetheless agree with your over-arching viewpoint. If he now has enough minutes under his belt and is at a good level of fitness, Rafael should be playing, no question. Starting Monday.
Pretty sure he played against Spurs... I was there. Although he may have been a 2nd half sub.
Came on at half-time in that game. Which makes my point even more convincing!
We're not Chelsea. What would you sell him for? He's not even a Brazil international.
Not in the squad again. If any of you had any doubts, I think LVG not rating him is pretty much confirmed.
I think Valencia deserves to be first choice right-back, and I fully support van Gaal if is he is to sell Rafael. But it's a bit weird that he's been frozen out completely, no?
His career at Old Trafford is 100% over unless Valencia, McNair, Jones and Smalling are together injured
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