Why Rio havent settled well in our defense

devilish

Juventus fan who used to support United
Joined
Sep 5, 2002
Messages
62,928
I was one of those who had supported Rio’s signing. Yes it’s a fact that I preferred the more experienced cheaper and charismatic Alesandro Nesta but Rio came second in my wish list.

Why wanting Rio? Simple.

 At 23 years he is England’s best defender and the second most complete defender in modern football
 His technique is reached (defensive speaking) only by Laurent Blanc and Lilian Thuram
 He has all the papers to become the best defender in the world

Yet despite supporting Rio something told me that Rio would have never linked well with Blanc. Why? Because they are too similar

Just study them well. Both players are charismatic, skilled gifted and intelligent. Both prefer the smoother, more elegant approach rather than the dirty one. Both are able (and like to) take the ball out of the defense and both are born leaders. In few words Rio is a faster and less experienced version of L Blanc

An old friend of mine (and former Maltese international coach) used to tell me that ideally you need two different types of central backs if you want a solid defense, and he was right.

Who were Rio’s and Blanc’s best ever partners?

Sol Campbell and Marcel Desailly

It would be a wiser move to play one of them with Silvestre ( my faviourite) Brown or O Shea. My opinion is that Blanc and Rio are too similar to link together.

PN. Injuries haven’t helped much
 
i agree rio and blanc are similar but its for the longer term we are looking, and he can learn from blanc things he could never learn from a "stopper" (hoofer) like Campbell or even desailly, as their game is all about pace and power.
 
He needs games. It took Pally a season and a half to settle. We have more urgent issues to address, like Mr Giggs, for example!!
 
I believe that Rio was a wise buying ( mind you) but I disagree with you on 1 thing

Rio do not need Blanc's teachings. He is an extabilished England's int, World cup best defender and Former Leeds captian ( certainly not a rookie)

Stop treating world class players like fledglings
 
Originally posted by devilish:
<strong>I believe that Rio was a wise buying ( mind you) but I disagree with you on 1 thing

Rio do not need Blanc's teachings. He is an extabilished England's int, World cup best defender and Former Leeds captian ( certainly not a rookie)

Stop treating world class players like fledglings</strong><hr></blockquote>

When a footballer thinks he can't learn anything more, he might as well quit..
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i certainly do not believe that Rio is at the pinnacle of his career. True he had a good world cup campaign, but no one can boast that he has learnt everything in the trade.

Blanc has said himself he learnt from playing with the younger players, so why not Rio vice versa?
 
This thread is absolute b*llocks!.

With the exception of one game (in which everyone played poorly - Man City) he has played very well. I fail to see what more he could have done!. The guy is new to the club, its players and the style of play. Plus he has had numerous injuries.
 
We have mentioned the injuries and that he is new (if I didnt Im sorry)

On the other side I am not saying that Rio had reached the best of his career,and that he cannot improve. But for Godsake stop treating every player like a little rookies fresh from the youth academy. PPL like Silvestre and Rio are not fledglings any more, but 2 great players which make part of the setup of two world class teams (Manutd and their international team)
 
It's time to start the music,
It's time to light the lights,
It's time to get things started...
:rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by An Extremely Boring Man:
<strong>

When a footballer thinks he can't learn anything more, he might as well quit..</strong><hr></blockquote>

agreed, especially when you are talking about one of the most cultured and intelligent players of his generation and a World Cup winner to boot - devilish have you any idea just how more experienced Blanc is than our CB lads? theres a planet of difference old china, and if you said what you have said above to SAF he would laugh so hard even veron's knockers would fall off. ;)
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Originally posted by devilish:
<strong>I believe that Rio was a wise buying ( mind you) but I disagree with you on 1 thing

Rio do not need Blanc's teachings. He is an extabilished England's int, World cup best defender and Former Leeds captian ( certainly not a rookie)

Stop treating world class players like fledglings</strong><hr></blockquote>

Are you saying that Rio cannot learn anything from Laurent Blanc, world cup winner, vastly experienced in Serie A, the league with the best defenders in the world, and the player who knows best how to play in front of our 1st choice goal keeper?

You’re really talking out of your arse this time.
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QUOTE "Just study them well. Both players are charismatic, skilled gifted and intelligent. Both prefer the smoother, more elegant approach rather than the dirty one. Both are able (and like to) take the ball out of the defense and both are born leaders. In few words Rio is a faster and less experienced version of L Blanc! "

I think if this is true then we will have the best centre half in the world because if Blanc had pace in my opinion would be right up there with the best of them and if he was a few years younger obviously.

:) :) :) :)
 
"why Rio havent(sic) settled well in our defense"

Hmmm, let me see, could it be because:
a) He's hardly played that many games;
b) His season has been disrupted by 3 separate injuries?

How about reserving judgement until the poor lad has actually had the chance to settle into our defense full stop?! :rolleyes:
 
Devil, you're making too too much out of the Man Shitty game.

you need to chill out, relax, and enjoy the good run.. we haven't seen this kind of performance for almost a year!

in fact, we haven't beaten Pooshit and Arse for too long.. why can't you pick some nice things to say about these games?

This will go for your P.Neville post as well... not many of us in the forum rate him highly, but with the kind of performance he put on Saturday - out of position, mind you - it shows us what he is really capable of.

i agree with many posters here, i think him and Rio have lacked games consistency in their times here..

Maybe Phil can't play well being a sub that is used every now and then.. but for the kind of performance he can do - which he finally showed again on Saturday - i wouldn't trade him for anyone.

Phil is a red, and i would never trade someone like Kaladze for him..
 
Originally posted by golden_blunder:
<strong>

just this time?</strong><hr></blockquote>

He’s made some good points before about other players but never re Blanc. Most of the shite he spouts comes from rants about how we should never have bought Blanc etc etc sell him ASAP bla bla bla...
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How about reserving judgement until the poor lad has actually had the chance to settle into our defense full stop?! :rolleyes: [/QB][/QUOTE]

I wouldn't go as far as to say he was POOR. He almost knocked me and me mate over the other day on Cross Street. Nice motor, poor bloke!!
 
Stop being so bloody pedantic! I was talking figuratively!

So what wheels was he driving then?!
 
It was one of those super footy player cars. Either a Aston or a Jag - big feckin bonnet tho. And a nice camel coat. Think he loaned the jacket to Becks on Sat.

Don't wanna turn this into a UTD fashion journal, although is could be quite an interesting thread......Whaaddya reckon??

'Today Becks wore a green and serise neckerchief, to compliment Giggsys invisible cloak'
 
Originally posted by Ronnie:
<strong>It was one of those super footy player cars. Either a Aston or a Jag - big feckin bonnet tho. And a nice camel coat. Think he loaned the </strong><hr></blockquote>

I saw Rio's car on Sky during the summer, when he arrived for training at Leeds just after asking for a transfer. It's bloody beautiful.

Aston Martin it is...

Not a patch on KITT though :)
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Not a patch on KITT though :) [/QB][/QUOTE]

Don't fancy David Hasselhoff suring up our defence though.....although him and Keown could be an interesting pairing for the ARSE! <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
 
Originally posted by Amir:
<strong>

I saw Rio's car on Sky during the summer, when he arrived for training at Leeds just after asking for a transfer. It's bloody beautiful.

Aston Martin it is...

Not a patch on KITT though :) </strong><hr></blockquote>

Aston Martin, while being so beautiful, has a shit resale value..

the price of an Aston Martin is Thailand (import of coz) is about 230,000pounds.. and it's worth less than half after a couple of years.

not very popular in Thailand, but you can still find one if you are on the road long enough.
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Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>

Aston Martin, while being so beautiful, has a shit resale value..

the price of an Aston Martin is Thailand (import of coz) is about 230,000pounds.. and it's worth less than half after a couple of years.

not very popular in Thailand, but you can still find one if you are on the road long enough.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I think a guy who gets around 70k a week (over the past 4 months mostly for doing nothing
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" /> ) can handle the lost value.
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Originally posted by LenSharkey:
<strong>i agree rio and blanc are similar but its for the longer term we are looking, and he can learn from blanc things he could never learn from a "stopper" (hoofer) like Campbell or even desailly, as their game is all about pace and power.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Desailly played in MF with AC Milan in a 3-5-2 system, and Blanc also played in midfied at times in the French League. To call Desailly a hoofer is incorrect.
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Originally posted by Amir:
<strong>

I think a guy who gets around 70k a week (over the past 4 months mostly for doing nothing
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" /> ) can handle the lost value.</strong><hr></blockquote>

but isn't taxes a bitch in England? or is this 70k the net amount??
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I am not saying that Rio cannot learn from Blanc, I am saying that

1 Blanc and Rio dont link together, they are too similar

2 To stop treating Rio as a young fledgling.

About who I would choose between AC Milan's regular LB ( who had played equally well as defensive midfielder and CB) and our reserve of the reserve. Welll let me think.... difficult to choose isnt it?
 
Rio has not pleyd well for us. He has just been average for his standards. At his best he is awesome. The fact that we didn't concede many goals with him near his worst is just testament to what a great defender he really is. And I still bvelive he can learn from Blanc since he i at least two years from his peak. And he and Blanc are the best partnership we have becasue they are brilliant thinking defenders. If we get lucky and have him at his best upon his return alongside blanc people will see what an awesome combination they are. the chief has spoken. :cool:
 
Both players are good. But i think that they are cut to play with each other that's all
 
The poor bastard has been troubled by injuries from day one, he hasnt had a decent run in the side yet because he keeps getting injured! He can learn from Blanc of course but he is a world class player in his own right.
 
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