Raphael Varane image 19

Raphael Varane France flag

2023-24 Performances


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5.8 Season Average Rating
Appearances
32
Clean sheets
12
Goals
1
Assists
0
Yellow cards
2
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Thought he was our best player alongside Onana and AWB(at least in the first half).

Is he carrying an injury? Losing that run against Son - he wasn’t stretching his legs at all.

He was never going to win that run, the ball was going away from him towards Son, and Son is quick anyway.
 
Is he carrying an injury? Losing that run against Son - he wasn’t stretching his legs at all.
Son is quick . Varane knew he was caught for pace so just tries standing him up .
 
He's clearly nowhere near as fast as he used to be. Peak Varane, before his injuries, let's say 2013-2018, was almost as fast as Mbappe if not just as fast. He was faster than 99% of wingers and strikers back then, which made him extremely hard to beat one on one.
He's still very good even tough pace was always his strongest attribute.
 
If not this summer, he's definitely gone in the next. I don't know if we will be able to do proper succession planning for a new first choice CB.
 
Normally he’s faster than Son over distance. Varane moves awkwardly, as if he is careful not to sprint more than he has to.

For that particular situation, iirc, I think Varane held back as he was not sure where the pass from Maddison will go so once the pass was made, Son was on it already and had a slight start to his run and Varane made sure to at least keep up with him and not let him run freely towards the GK.
 
Wonder if we get a decent fee and go in for Pavard and Amrabat
 
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Him leaving this summer would be brutal. We’d be absolutely fecked.
 
For that particular situation, iirc, I think Varane held back as he was not sure where the pass from Maddison will go so once the pass was made, Son was on it already and had a slight start to his run and Varane made sure to at least keep up with him and not let him run freely towards the GK.

Could very well be as normally he would dominate Son in a foot race. However, he did run rather strangely, so he could be cautious of not hurting his hamstring.
 
I love the guy to bits but if we got something like £80m for him and invested that in Pavard, Ambarat and then put a bit on top to get a plan B target man we’d be in better shape than we are now.
 
He's one of our only world class players and our best defender by far. I don't think there is a player out there we can replace him with.
 
He's clearly nowhere near as fast as he used to be. Peak Varane, before his injuries, let's say 2013-2018, was almost as fast as Mbappe if not just as fast. He was faster than 99% of wingers and strikers back then, which made him extremely hard to beat one on one.
He's still very good even tough pace was always his strongest attribute.

He's still rapid when he wants to be - he proved that a few times last season, but I think his positioning is better now, and it has to be because he can't endure those long runs anymore.

I think it was Kroos who said that there wasn't a single RM player able to get past him for pace. That includes prime Ronaldo, prime Bale and Vinicius amongst others... Yep, he was/is blisteringly fast when he wants to be.
 
I love the guy to bits but if we got something like £80m for him and invested that in Pavard, Ambarat and then put a bit on top to get a plan B target man we’d be in better shape than we are now.

How is Pavard in the air? Varane is real monster in the air, and he hast to be as only Varane and Casemiro are really strong in the air. Martinez is great for his size, but in the box he will always be a little on the small side.

So a new centre back needs to be:
  • Great in the air
  • Very fast - we need a high line and we need fast defenders. Martinez is OK, but not blisteringely fast over distance. Varane normally has that covered.
  • A good passer
  • Calm reader of the game
Does Pavard have those attributes?
 
I may be speculating about trivial things but I find it weird how he hasn’t got the No.4 shirt for this season despite those reports about him wanting it a while back. You’d think it’d be somewhat a sign he was staying if he had it.
 
One of our best players and has been again already this season. Unless it was for an absolutely monstrous fee, this would be disastrous. Even then I'm not sure the club would invest it correctly. Very worried if he goes.
 
I would happily sell him next summer do a deal then. Love him as a player but injuries worry me a lot in his 30’s. Super want us to bring Pavard in to replace AWB in the starting line up but not Varane.

It’s a shame we didn’t get him at 23 or something but alas.
 
Wouldnt blame him if he left, i'd probably go if i was him too. Club in complete disarray, no clarity on ownership and fans starting to turn on manager (again), shambles.
 
I would happily sell him next summer do a deal then. Love him as a player but injuries worry me a lot in his 30’s. Super want us to bring Pavard in to replace AWB in the starting line up but not Varane.

It’s a shame we didn’t get him at 23 or something but alas.

Pavards off to Inter it looks like, so thats another target out the window
 
Relax - the source isnt reliable at all.
I'm sure they want him but the more credible reports said he turned them down and wants to wait a season.
 
yeah I reckon we’ve got one more summer with him. We need to keep the Saudi’s in close stead for next summer — a slew of good players at awkward ages who won’t get big money moves elsewhere could be up for grabs from us.
 
I don't think he'll leave this summer but him playing in Saudi next season is probably on the cards. It's a bit of a shame we couldn't sell Maguire and bring in a younger longer term replacement for Varane this summer.
 
Our best defender and was last season too. Martinez got a bit overrated because he was new and small (fans tried too much to call him our best player/defender as media was calling him too small for the league).
 
Glazers are staying. Selling big stars to Saudi. Next will be naming rights. Asset stripping one by one until nothing is left.
 
From his trophy cabinet, his career moves and his interviews I don't think he's the Saudi type. Too ambitious. He knows he has a few more years at the top and he still wants to achieve things.
 
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