RVP is not a player who can play the lone striker role. He hasnt got the energy, and is far more dangerous when he has someone else making the spaces for him to exploit. That said he was great yesterday, and did it better than I've seen him do previously. Made up that he was in the right position to pounce for the goal, he deserved that
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He was clearly up for it yesterday, and hopefully it means he's back, and that it wasn't just a Chelsea match jolting him out of indifference.
His touch was far more crisp, he got on the ball more, he got a few shots off... Still not RvP of 12-13, but I've been desperate for him to show as much as he did yesterday just in terms of his technique and involvement.
His touch was far more crisp, he got on the ball more, he got a few shots off... Still not RvP of 12-13, but I've been desperate for him to show as much as he did yesterday just in terms of his technique and involvement.
No one can question his movement. Its exceptional.
His movement was good, but he needs to fecking pass the ball sometimes. On the replays, you can see his head never goes up once he gets a sniff at goal; we could have had at least a couple of tap-ins if he had a look.
He has always taken chances like that and missed a lot of them. That's because they're not really good chances, the first one on one he needed to chip the ball to pass the close Courtois. That would have been a brilliant goal. The second he hardly any angle, sometimes he scores from there, but most strikers don't even try because it's got to be shot very hard and very accurate.
Intensity at a different level yesterday. Much happier with that performance.
Im sure if he hadnt scored the goal, everyone would have been calling for him to be dropped, he got lucky with rebound
Still not impressed with him, so many times when he gets ball, he spends to long with and back pedals too much
Still not impressed with him, so many times when he gets ball, he spends to long with and back pedals too much
Looked a bit more like his old self last night, and you can't argue with an equalising goal. It was always way too early to be writing him off, and we need him in tip-top form if we're to challenge for a place in the top 3.
I still thought he was very frustrating yesterday. The goal, a nice backward header and some decent hold up play apart, he wasted many chances you'd expect him to finish, kept fouling everyone when we were a goal down and still looked disinterested up until the last 10 minutes.
Some of you guys are ridiculous slating RvP after yesterday's performance.
We played a very, very strong Chelsea team. RvP's hold up play was excellent, and he won the ball high up the pitch for us a good few times. He missed one or two chances, but he was up against one of the world's best keepers. The chance in the first half was the only one where I thought he would score, and all it needed was a bit more finesse. But his performance yesterday was brilliant.
I said earlier, I think when he drops a little deeper, he's a lot more dangerous.
Anyway, he put in a great shift yesterday, and I hope to see more of the same.
We played a very, very strong Chelsea team. RvP's hold up play was excellent, and he won the ball high up the pitch for us a good few times. He missed one or two chances, but he was up against one of the world's best keepers. The chance in the first half was the only one where I thought he would score, and all it needed was a bit more finesse. But his performance yesterday was brilliant.
I said earlier, I think when he drops a little deeper, he's a lot more dangerous.
Anyway, he put in a great shift yesterday, and I hope to see more of the same.
I thought he was great yesterday, just Mata couldn't get forward quick enough to help support him.
He needs to belt or smash the ball into the net when he's on a one on one. There were a few chances of those the last two games when he was through facing the goalkeeper and either he miskicks it slightly or just shoots tamely at the keeper's legs. Very poor by his standards
I thought he played well last night but there was one thing that did annoy me. When he was holding up the ball, there was often runners ahead of him or central who were the better and more direct options but every time he chose to play the ball wide and give himself time to get in the box. I think we'd have had more success of he looked to get the ball to those players quicker and accept that he wouldn't be near to the goalmouth action. It seemed a bit selfish.
I used to play with a striker who would do similar, he could put you clear through on goal but every time he's play it a bit too wide leaving you the only option of crossing or squaring it back to him.
I used to play with a striker who would do similar, he could put you clear through on goal but every time he's play it a bit too wide leaving you the only option of crossing or squaring it back to him.
To be fair, he's always missed sitters and one on ones. Even at his absolute peak.
Scores the impossible ones, often misses the easier ones.
I think he laces when he should place, and sometimes places when he should lace.
He looked much better yesterday. He was given the space he needs, and actually fought for the ball for the first half.
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Looked very tired after their goal, suppose that was most the team as it was Chelsea who played keep ball. But didn't half come alive for his goal. Unlucky not to have 2, 3 or even 4 as it turns out. But their keeper did his job well yesterday.
Much improved yesterday was happy with him, delighted he got his goal. Was well deserved. Shackles off? Anybody?
Much improved yesterday was happy with him, delighted he got his goal. Was well deserved. Shackles off? Anybody?
His general play was good, but messed up execution and took the wrong decision a few times. He was obviously desperate to score and prove a point and glad he did in the end. He needs to get his lethal streak back somehow though. Score some worldie at Etihad and I'll believe he is back.
Yesterday was one of those games where strikers don't look good. For both teams the game was all about trying to control the midfield and occasionally break forward to support the striker. He got very little support and service over the 90 mins, but still got involved and held up the ball well, made some good runs.
He should have scored first half though.
He should have scored first half though.
Apparently took all the players kids for a kick about after the game. Class guy, can't understand the complains after the game. We were playing Chelski, the run away leaders, sureshot title winners, the global warming deliverers and AIDS Ebola cure providers all rolled into one. What did we expect?
That goal might just bang him back into top form with a little luck. He's still our best striker when at his best, absolutely unplayable.
Behind falcao hes going to be immense,he was very unluky not to bag at least another goal yesterday.
I thought as a player he had a good game....as someone who's main attribute is meant to be finishing he was a bit shit.
Was more about the pass to Higuian. Perhaps a bit overweighted to ensure he had to cross it.
Maybe I'm being harsh..
Sorry I was with my mind on the speed topic, my bad.
I don't know what people expect of him as a lone striker, he did exactly what was needed from him. He might not be the fastest or most aggressive but his positioning and his runs were excellent. Thing are not going his way at the moment but as long as he keeps on doing what he is it will come good for him, we saw what that goal ment to him. As of now though I'd like Falcao to start ahead of him, having RVP on the bench would be class.
I noticed that he don't look at the goalkeeper anymore. When he have a chance he just hit it without looking where the goalkeeper is. Good example is his chance yesterday when he could lob Courtois or pass it to Mata if he would raised his head but he didn't even looked what is happening, he just hit it.
As far as i remember he was not like that year or two ago.
As far as i remember he was not like that year or two ago.
Just imagine if he hits his old form? 
Was one of the biggest eye-openers for me during his first season here. There was a sequence yesterday where he had two Chelsea defenders clinging on to him and he still managed to suck the goal kick in and distribute the ball.
He's a tank up front.
Yesterday wasn't a game set up for strikers to excel, even though they both scored. Van Persie was OK in the circumstances. Anyway, Van Gaal likes him and is not going to drop him, and he doesn't need resting when there is only one game a week.
True. I've been quite harsh on him - I feel he was the only 'systematic' thing wrong with our performance against Chelsea, and Falcao would have made us more of a threat - but he probably had a narrowly better game than Drogba, who only seems to have got praise for his performance.
That said, I can't help watching this gif and thinking about what could have been if he'd just seen that damn square pass to Mata:
How could he have seen Mata? Grow some eyes on the back of his head? What he could have done better is go round the keeper or maybe chip him, imo.
Looking up, perhaps?
Precisely. I don't even think his movement has been poor over the course of the season. He perhaps like the sharpness he had in our title-winning season, but he has still gotten into excellent positions and had clear chances in nearly every game this season due to engineering space for himself off of the last defender and penetrating the defence. It's his overall play and contribution that has been severely lacking and of course, hi finishing in front of goal that would probably see him have at least another three goals if this was the RvP of 2012/13.
He's declined in a few aspects of his play and I certainly don't expect him to recapture those elements of his play that he once had, but his movement is still as exceptional as ever. Plus, his overall game was better against Chelsea, so hopefully that goal is a catalyst for performing to a consistently high level. I remain apprehensive, but that are positives.
Dont think anyone with your name should be even commenting on anything striker related to be honest........one two's maybe
It happened too fast, there was no way he had time to look up and check for players in better potions. Most probably if he had looked up, he no doubt wouldn't be able to pull the pass off and would have fecked up. The keeper was out like a shot and it was a spit second decision. Kind of funny, but there would be people who asked why didn't he shoot if he opted to have passed to Mata and fecked it up. RvP was well within the rights to take that shot on and is more than capable of pulling it off, it's juts this time it didn't work out.
EDIT: Also to add to the above after watching that gif again, with the angle of RvP's run and the direction of the pass, looking up is just not an option, he would have to turn his entire body to see him as he isn't running parallel with him, he's running diagonally away from Mata. If he turned to see Mata, the keeper would have been on top of him.
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Quality.
His passing is very poor, so many times I've shouted at the TV for him to pass but he just dallys on the ball for to long! But yea his movement is very good
Baffles me why he was not our first choice corner kick taker anymore
It always surprised me that he wasn't in the box for the corners. Not necessarily to win headers (although he's not exactly short or poor in the air) but because he has a nose for being in the right place at the right time. The goal for Chelsea being the prime example.
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