Now, some United supporters get very defensive about just how good he is but he was so poor today that not only did his own fellow defender, Juan almost start a fight with him but the Brazilian supporters booed him off the pitch. This game wasn't as some people are saying, a 'glorified pre season friendly', it was a game the whole of Brazil expected them to win and get their first Olympic football gold medal ever. Rafael (along with most of the Brazilian defence) have been poor all tournament and were caught out today by rudimentary schoolboy errors.
I personally think that Rafael is a good but not a great defender and makes far too many mistakes for someone we see as a long term right back for us.
Yes, he has potential but if he keeps making mistakes this season at what point will people see his limitations? Yes, he's good going forward but so is Jones and he's a better defender than Rafael.
Contrary to what you may think, I don't enjoy questioning the abilities of United players and have done positive articles about Scholes, Giggs, Young and Carrick among others but I personally believe that Rafael is never going to be a defender we can rely on and am just doing this article to see if anyone feels the same. If not, fair enough, but questioning a United player does not make me any less a United supporter than the ones that have spent the whole summer slating our midfielders.
Rafael
posted on 11/8/12
Funrob... ya got that right...the ol' sacrificial lamb bit....but he was more like a wild ram by the end of the game...the naughty little boy!
posted on 11/8/12
RBW
Fair enough. But this game wasn't just a pre season under 23 game. This was Brazil's first team squad trying (very hard) to win something they'd never won before and most of those players won't be playing WC qualifiers due to hosting the WC and saw this as an opportunity to stake a claim for WC places. I very much doubt Rafael will be seen as a first choice RB for Brazil after this.
posted on 11/8/12
Scapegoats will be sought and while I admit the whole Brazilian defence this tournament were awful, the supporters booing Rafael have probably given the manager a nice and easy sacrificial lamb.
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agree again.
Now rafael will have to react to his critics one way or another. and what better way than to improve his club performance. If there is any manager in the world who is able to take negative media attention and use it to boost his player(s) performance, that man is fergie.
I feel rafael has all the attributes but defensive discipline this experience will hopefully strengthen his mental toughness.
posted on 11/8/12
MuDD
We did take De Gea out of the firing line though. Remember when Lindegaard played a lot of games from October - January. It was that save against Chelsea which saved his season.
posted on 11/8/12
Was they booing Rafaels performance or his antics with Juan?
posted on 11/8/12
Not sure. Probably the performance but maybe used Rafael as an outlet for how they felt the whole Brazilian defence performed today.
posted on 11/8/12
comment by OH_AH_Cantona (U3577)
posted 37 minutes ago
I think signing an experienced rb would help rafael someone he can learn from the only problem is we need players in other areas more than RB
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Still yet to understand comments like these. Similar commets were made about welbeck and van persie. How does a player who needs experience benefit from lack of game time to get the experience.
posted on 11/8/12
^^ This
posted on 11/8/12
^^
this too
posted on 11/8/12
why are you comparing a performance in international football to club football... it's pointless.
Rafael will have Vidic and Rio next to him and Valencia and Carrick in front of him.