[Orton]

Let's celebrate rvp being injured when our other options have been worse and let's play a kid up front who looks out of his depth when he starts. Caf logic

 

[Amethyst]

RVP needs to go, Giroud is only 8 goals behind RVP since the 2012/13 season

Giroud playing 600 more minutes.

Out for 6 weeks I am hearing

Source?

 

[shabadu84]

Wouldn't have minded if he missed a week or 2 but that's not good for us, includes some pretty big matches

 

[Ixion]

Let's celebrate rvp being injured when our other options have been worse and let's play a kid up front who looks out of his depth when he starts. Caf logic

Has Falcao really been worse? They've scored the same number of goals since the Villa game (and one of RVP's was a penalty) and Falcao has more assists. People have just been focusing so much on Falcao that Van Persie has gotten an easier ride, he's been out of form for a while.

 

[Orton]

Wouldn't have minded if he missed a week or 2 but that's not good for us, includes some pretty big matches

But we have the mighty James Wilson who has the incredible 1 goal to his name and Rooney who had one shot on goal in 2015. We're sorted. I'm more perplexed as to why mata has been left out too. Arguably one of our better players over Xmas time.

 

[Orton]

Has Falcao really been worse? They've scored the same number of goals since the Villa game (and one of RVP's was a penalty) and Falcao has more assists. People have just been focusing so much on Falcao that Van Persie has gotten an easier ride, he's been out of form for a while.

And stats mean nothing here because everyone with their own eyes can see that Falcao can't trap a bag of sand. He's been a massive disappointment. When rvp isn't playing well at least he still gets the basics right.

 

[Ixion]

And stats mean nothing here because everyone with their own eyes can see that Falcao can't trap a bag of sand. He's been a massive disappointment. When rvp isn't playing well at least he still gets the basics right.

Getting the basics right while barely breaking into a sweat and not putting any effort in. At least Falcao gives everything. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Maybe it's hindsight but I'm sure I remarked to myself near the end of the World Cup that RVP looked completely shot after scoring that flying header. Was never the same after that moment.

 

[Water Melon]

Getting the basics right while barely breaking into a sweat and not putting any effort in. At least Falcao gives everything. Swings and roundabouts.

Exactly. Both Robin and Radamel look past their best, but Falcao is at least giving his all and is in wars against opposition, despite the horrendous injury that he will hardly ever recover from. Another serious injury will kill his career altogether. As for Robin, he does not seem to be that much arsed.

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Maybe it's hindsight but I'm sure I remarked to myself near the end of the World Cup that RVP looked completely shot after scoring that flying header. Was never the same after that moment.

It's definitely not hindsight. He did his meniscus against Olympiakos, a well documented injury, not a mystery like some on here suggest. He recovered in time, but didn't play a full proper match leading up to the World Cup. He picked up another knock during the preparation and wasn't really fit when the tournament started. Against Spain he only lasted 70 minutes, and he looked knackered after 60.

Still scored two and hit the crossbar within 70 minutes in that game though. He was subbed off regularly during the World Cup because he simply wasn't fit enough to last 90 minutes. Yet he still outscored a lot of players in that tournament. That's why I'm not too worried about his physical decline - time waits for no one. But with his qualities it's not really an excuse.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

It's definitely not hindsight. He did his meniscus against Olympiakos, a well documented injury, not a mystery like some on here suggest. He recovered in time, but didn't play a full proper match leading up to the World Cup. He picked up another knock during the preparation and wasn't really fit when the tournament started. Against Spain he only lasted 70 minutes, and he looked knackered after 60.

Still scored two and hit the crossbar within 70 minutes in that game though. He was subbed off regularly during the World Cup because he simply wasn't fit enough to last 90 minutes. Yet he still outscored a lot of players in that tournament. That's why I'm not too worried about his physical decline - time waits for no one. But with his qualities it's not really an excuse.

So...would you say he's simply struggling to regain full fitness or is he done?

 

[Moriarty]

Exactly. Both Robin and Radamel look past their best, but Falcao is at least giving his all and is in wars against opposition, despite the horrendous injury that he will hardly ever recover from. Another serious injury will kill his career altogether. As for Robin, he does not seem to be that much arsed.

And I'm sure that's never far from his mind when he plays. Could be why he's having a tough time at United.

 

[Henrik Larsson]

So...would you say he's simply struggling to regain full fitness or is he done?

A bit of both at the moment. If you look at Saturday's game, it was quite obvious he was rushed back. I know Van Gaal is his mate and all, but he didn't exactly do him a favour now did he, especially since Van Persie didn't look fresh and got injured again. Still he hit the crossbar, and got one good chance he really should've scored. That's what I mean with fitness not really being an excuse with him.

 

[Sandikan]

The only positive, is that we can actually give Falcao a proper go as THE main front man, rather than as part of a similar pair.

 

[Cassidy]

The only positive, is that we can actually give Falcao a proper go as THE main front man, rather than as part of a similar pair.

Hes played quite a few games without RVP since the new year and been shite.

 

[Sandikan]

Hes played quite a few games without RVP since the new year and been shite.

Not a proper run, with Rooney behind him.

We might well end up with Rooney up front and Mata off him though. Which might be the best solution all round

 

[Cassidy]

Not a proper run, with Rooney behind him.

We might well end up with Rooney up front and Mata off him though. Which might be the best solution all round

I'd go for the latter, Falcao off the bench, his performances of late haven't deserved a start and not sure why Mata has been dropped.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Sod all the strikers. Playing RVP and Falcao together feels like playing with 9 men. Let's just play a Del Bosque "If I'm not playing Torres, I'm not playing anyone" 4-6-0 false 9 formation. It seems like Herrera, Fellaini and Mata look more likely to score in most games than our centre forwards.

Di Maria Mata Rooney Fellaini Herrera
Blind
Shaw Rojo Smalling Valencia
De Gea
​

Boss.

 

[Kakeru]

Ship him here, in Montreal, in the MLS. His level should be perfect in this league if he can't cut it anymore in the PL. Besides, the Montreal Impact are looking for a replacement to the retired Marco Di Vaio.

Back on the current situation, we will have to accept that both he and Falcao are finished in top flight football as far as they are concerned. The sooner we make moves to get younger strikers, the quicker we will have our striker department revitalized.

 

[Boycott]

A part of me thinks he regrets moving to United. He came here for Fergie and only got him for a year before being managed by Moyes. He may have won a title, but in the form he was in he could have won one for Arsenal, and maybe more.

Well you never know, they were top of the table until February last season.

Though you could argue RVPs departure allowed for signings such as Ozil and Sanchez.

I've thought this too. He was so fired up with Fergie in clinching the title and he loved every minute of it. Out of all the players he lapped it up the most. Then everything changed at a point when he thought, as well as the fans that we were beginning a new era under Fergie with a young team, and the worst of the Glazer effect behind us.

In hindsight he left Arsenal just as they were coming out of their transition period and financially could join the big boys after repaying the stadium debt and FFP coming into play. And he joined United with Fergie supposedly hiding his retirement plans, and in the end joined a club entering transition. Although you'd argue a 29 year old man should be able to make a career call and it would have been naive on his part if he didn't consider that Fergie at 70 was coming to the end. He would have been a legend at Arsenal.

 

[Rykker_4united]

I see his near future taking place in the MLS. He is losing is ability to be a top class striker dramatically, and I'm sad to say we won't get the 2012-2013 player that we had back.

 

[shabz]

Class player, he needs to heal up properly and seems to be carrying a lot of injuries. We were blessed considering his injury list at Arsenal to get that perfect full season out of him. Now it seems to be a curse when he is able to play a game because LVG has so much faith in his ability, the reality is that he is just not fit enough and is only doing harm to the team and his game atm.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Agree. It is depressing just thinking about how it will all play out. The combination of declining athleticism and modest finishing is a real killer.

2014/5 8 non-penalty goals in the PL from 55 shots inside the box - conversion rate 14.5% (excludes pens and goals/shots from outside the box)
2013/4 9 non-penalty goals in the PL from 53 shots inside the box - conversion rate 17%
2012/3 20 non-penalty goals in the PL from 98 shots inside the box - conversion rate 20%

The list of PL strikers who convert more than 14.5% of their shots taken inside the box, is a long one. The out of form Hernandez was at 22% last season, 27% in 2012/3. Mame Diouf is at 18% this season. Frazier Campbell 21%. Harry Kane and Diego Costa about 30%. (Stats from Squawka)

Was it not the moneyball guy Comoli who claimed that in the Premier League strikers generally go into sharp decline after the age of thirty?

 

[ZDwyr]

Has that six weeks been confirmed anywhere?

 

[JUPITER]

Not a proper run, with Rooney behind him.

We might well end up with Rooney up front and Mata off him though. Which might be the best solution all round

It is the best solution imo. And I know it's not popular but I'd actually switch back to a back 3 and pack the midfield until the end of the season...

------------------------DDG--------------------
-----Smalling---------Jones----------Rojo-----
Valencia----------------------------------Young
-------Herrera---------Blind---------ADM-------
---------------Mata------------Rooney----------

 

[IwatUwat]

Was surprised to see he had scored 10 goals his season this morn.

Its still not good enough, but if he kept playing he could finish the season with 15-17 thats not awful. Im not supporting him or any of the others as they've been terrible. But I was thinking all our strikers were under 7 goals.

 

[Zoo]

 

[Glanville95]

Not wishing injury on a player, but that's a blessing in disguise. He needs to be dropped and it's unlikely he would be if he wasn't injured unfortunately.

 

[bishblaize]

I think this is a blessing. RVP was awful at the weekend and even though LVG clearly supports him, he might have had to bench him this coming weekend anyway. This saves both LVG from making the decision and RVP from losing face.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

It should be a blessing... but then it might just mean Falcao gets put in the starting XI again...

 

[ottosec]

Most of the people calling this a blessing will come back crawling in this thread and pray for him to return after a few games with Falcao playing up front.

 

[2mufc0]

Most of the people calling this a blessing will come back crawling in this thread and pray for him to return after a few games with Falcao playing up front.

I doubt it, the current RVP is nowhere near good enough for Manchester United, same for Falcao too, let's hope he can up his game.

 

[DWelbz19]

Well it is a blessing... If we play Rooney upfront alone with Mata in behind.

 

[Firstouch20]

Here is how the rest of his career will pan out...

He will win Utd the FA Cup by scoring a spectacular winner against Liverpool in Wembley

After going through a tough patch in his career, like many great older intelligent players he will reinvent his game and experience a Renaissance.

In his last season at Utd he will show his quality in the CL and end his career at the club by scoring a crucial goal in a CL final victory.

He will move to Feyenoord where he will be appointed as captain.

He will lead Feyenoord to an Eredivisie title and on the last day of the season he will be carried aloft on the shoulders of his team mates

Finally he will end his career by playing one season at his first ever club Excelsior Rotterdam

 

[DWelbz19]

Or not.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Blessing in disguise? Ofcourse now we can see that overpaid Columbian screwing every chance, losing every battle, losing every ball and not even getting the basics right. At least RvP has brilliant hold up play at times, he had a decent first half vs Swansea, cant remember last time Falcao had one. Will go mad if I see him start up front alone.

Hope he fully heals from his injury, he hasnt looked fit for a long long while.

 

[ZDwyr]

I can't see the tweet, can someone please tell me what it says.

 

[Sam]

If RVP's injury means more Falcao, then this is not a good thing at all.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

But he fell lucky when LVG took over, he can have no complaints about the manager or how he's been supported this season. I think he's just getting on.

LvG hasn't played him to his strenghts either, i'm not saying that is a good excuse for him but when Fergie was here the team was build around him so he would flourish.
That being said, i don't think we can rely on him anymore, he should be a backup here next season or be sold.

 

[Amethyst]

I can't see the tweet, can someone please tell me what it says.

It's been removed, but I think the tweet when it was up said ankle swelling made it hard to get an accurate assessment but early reports suggested 2-3 weeks out.