Starts for the reserves tonight. Hopefully he'll be fit soon and thus no more Falcao.
20
Season Average Rating
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His game has never really relied on pace, I can't quite understand why he's not as good as he used to be.
If it was just his pace then, in theory anyway, he shouldn't be effected as much as he has been. It looks like more then that though.
He is van Gaal his perfect idea of a striker, he can hold up the ball to bring others into play and he can finish. I'm sure van Persie will still get a chance in 433 before van Gaal makes his decision on him, his pace is gone but he might still be able to deliver for us. Especially since he knows van Gaal's idea how to play like a striker. He might thrive now the rest of the team also know what to do.
if you look at highlights from RVP's first season here it looks like he's lost a a yard or two. there's no question he was a lot faster than he was, and considering he was never fast to begin with, any drop is going to be noticeable.
Thats been my biggest concern with him this season tbh. All players lose their pace eventually, but his clear lack of physicality this season has been worrying. His hold up play (bar that one away game against Southampton) has been so poor compared to the 'old' RVP.
I posed an article a few months ago where RVP was talking about how he'd put on a lot of muscle around the period he had his best form for Arsenal, and then United, and how it had really helped him. But he's looking leaner then ever these days, and definitely looks like he's lost all that muscle gain.
I fear this too and have a sneak feeling van Gaal does too. He hasn't played since we've started ticking though, I very much doubt van Gaal will freeze him out for the rest of the season. He deserves a chance up front on his own, I don't think van Gaal has decided on him yet because of this.
In theory he should be good enough for another season, but he will have to show promise in the last few matches of the season.
Was he any good for the reserves tonight?
Not really.
Did that Liverpool moneyball chap not say that their studies show that the vast majority of strikers over 30 go into sharp decline in The Premier League? Comoli is it?
Exceptions to every rule. Wasn't Drogba still banging them in past 30? Not to mention good old (literally) Teddy Sheringham.
Mind you, Van Persie's been playing like someone pushing 40.
There are exceptions of course, but in moneyball you follow the rule and not your nose I guess. Van Persie does look old though, I agree, that is why I thought of it.
I expect the newspapers to be telling us how LVG has humiliated him tonight 
Think when you've had as many injuries as he's had throughout his career, he'll decline a lot sooner (as we've seen) then normal. Players who stay fit and don't have too many injury problems tend to stay at the highest level for longer.
I actually thought the opposite might be true. Because he'd played relatively few games his body might be "younger" than someone who played a lot more football over the years. Looking more and more like I was dead wrong.
His hold up play is still exceptional. What's slightly annoying is that he seems to take an absolute age to release the ball once he's held it up.
He definitely holds up the play.
I think it's obvious he's needs games in a system that actually works before we write him off. For the last 18 months he's been part of two very poor teams who've created few chances and the vast majority of our squad has looked poor. We now seem to have a clear plan and are dominating games and creating chances. We certainly owe him a chance to show he's still a top class striker in this system.
If Carrick isn't fit for the next game I suspect Van Gaal will play the Chelsea team but with RVP up front instead of Falcao. I certainly think we'd have gotten something out of the Chelsea game with RVP up front rather than the latter.
If Carrick isn't fit for the next game I suspect Van Gaal will play the Chelsea team but with RVP up front instead of Falcao. I certainly think we'd have gotten something out of the Chelsea game with RVP up front rather than the latter.
This is from the first half of this season, and I honestly can't see a real difference compared to highlights from his peak seasons. Maybe a bit unlucky, like at 2:28, if that goes through Hart's legs it's a legendary goal.
Can't see him leaving this summer although you never know for sure. But our strikeforce is great, Wazza still has some great years, RVP is 50-50 for me, the moment he hits form you have an absolute monster. We need that if we want succes next year.
I don't know, I've heard that argument a lot of times but I never really got it... Like, if he's injured, its not like he's resting. He's working harder then normal to get his body back to a playing level so that wears it out more then if he was fit and playing a match... At least that's how I always saw it.
Yeah, what you're saying makes sense and it's certainly been borne out by what we've seen on the pitch.
Glad he got 60 minutes, hopefully on the bench for Everton but if Carrick/Blind are still out he's a better option than Falcao.
Don't forget about Zlatan, who had his best season last year.
I still think, fitness permiting, he can lead the line for us. Especially in a better functioning lineup. I don't think he's look as bad as people are making out to be.
I agree, I am certain he would get 20 goals in the current setup. However, Rooney being captain will always play and hopefully up-front meaning RvP won't be a starte, for me this is the problem rather than RvP being past it.
Everton 3:0 Man Utd
How unfit or out of form is RVP that we're turning to Falcao off the bench before him.
He should've come on much sooner than he did.
Great display, he showed what we've been lacking up front all these games. Heh..
Should play next week seeing that Rooney limped off.
I wonder why RvP didn't want to take the Captain's armband, offered by Rooney. Because he knew he's off this summer?
Or he reckoned he'd look like a proper wanker coming on for 5 minutes with a captain's armband in a team that's 3-0 down?
Why? would you think he's a wanker if he took it?
Also apparently had to be told by LVG to go applaud the away fans. That coupled with the armband thing, is there not right behind the scenes?
Who ended up taking the armband?
Can't blame van Persie for being a bit pissed off either, as bad as he has been this season he has still been twice the player Falcao has.
Can't blame van Persie for being a bit pissed off either, as bad as he has been this season he has still been twice the player Falcao has.
Smalling. Unless DDG commits a 5-yr contract, I think it's about right that Smalling's third in captain's ladder.
Even if DDG commits Smslling is a better choice.
You're right. Come to think of it, seems like DDG isn't really vocal.
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