Good article. I especially agree about having someone up front. Nani thrived off of having Chicha always making runs in behind, and always being in the box. If he was there, he'd whip in some lovely early crosses in between the defence and attack, something Valencia rarely does.

Now, when there is nothing on, he either needs to try it all on his own, which doesn't always work, or waits and goes back. Valencia on the other hand puts in aimless crosses on these occassions.

Nani and Valencia will both thrive on having Kagawa in the team, if we are to change to a 4231, as It will mean having Rooney a lot further forward.

agree re rooney being furthest forward

However it will be an interesting start to next season with regards to rooney IMO, based on 2 things really

Firstly, despite having his best season goalwise rooney got shifted and IMO didnt seem to enjoy it

secondly, capello was very 'angry' with rooney not being disciplined enough to stay put up front when he first became england manager and I recall rooney having to work at it, getting good results but becoming agitated/frustrated for parts of the game

time will tell

The difference with Rooney for England is that it is understandable how he would get frustrated as the rest of the team is rubbish and he doesn't get any service. For United, I don't think that would be the case.

Was reading Alan Shearer's piece on Ibra earlier, and he made a valid point about how for Sweden he gets frustrated as his team mates aren't quite on his level, same with Ronaldo, and I also think you could apply that to Rooney.

Hope we sign a top cm as well, that will also make Rooney have less need to drop back to help out the midfield and he can influence the game where he's best - further up the field.

I'd expect Rooney to be swapping between the number 9 and 10 roles this season for when Kagawa plays and for when Welbeck plays. I must say I'm excited by the variations of formations we could possibly play this coming season and the players we could use in these formations.

Agree, Nani is possibly the most talented player we have and certainly the only one who can provide that 'magic' and get bums off seats like Ron and Giggs used to do, therefore its essential we have a player like him in our team.

Kagawa and a new solid passing midfielder should enable us to see the kind of Nani that Portugal see more regular, its common knowledge that he often is the main man for Portugal rather than Ronaldo.

I would agree but he also had some lovely play with welbeck last season too. I'm excited about next season. I think we've got real quality.
Having 10 first team players out for most of last season was a massive hinderence and I don't believe how much it was overlooked. Add Kagawa to that mix with possibly modric or Fellini. Not to mention bring vidic back into the defence. I think we can expect what we had a glimpse of at the start of last season.

My apologies OP I think I went a bit off topic.. Forgive me it's early

Nani for me is the second most frustrating player at United, blame injuries or whatever but too many times when we are chasing a goal he makes the wrong pass/tries to take on everybody.

Also his set-pieces are awful, imagine he worked on them like Ronaldo did.

Aside from that I agree that on his day he is devastating and I would only sell him if someone was offering stupid money.

I think this sums up Nani for me (Im Ronaldo),

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=3TyqIbXiCWg

Rooney spent most of last season playing behind a striker. He wasn't the furthest man forward. Welbeck was most of the time.

Nani's season was ruined by niggles. Nothing more.

Rooney can control the game in his number 10 role and it hardly affected his goal tally last season.

Moving him to number 9 and dropping Welbeck is something I really do not want to see

Nani's season was runied by Injuries and constantly being played out of position to allow the one footed wonder that is Valencia to play on the RH side.

I get slated for this all the time by United fans, but I can't understand why Valencia is given sooooo much credit when he can't kick a ball with his left foot. Nani is pushed out to the LH side and his game suffers for it, it's to his credit that he can play both sides but he has much, much more impact when he's on the RH side

DD

Couldn't agree more although to be fair, Valencia has had a very very good season. Voted player of the season by the other players

I get slated for this all the time by United fans, but I can't understand why Valencia is given sooooo much credit when he can't kick a ball with his left foot.

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Can Giggs kick it with his right?

Can Giggs kick it with his right?
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Go on Youe tube you'll see lots of Goals Giggs has scored with his right foot. You will alos see Giggs cross with his right foot. Show me one occasion when valencia has hit a cross with his left foot.

Go back and watch any game this season where Valencia comes to the fullback and can't get down the wing, he stops, then plays the ball backwards with his right foot, he never, ever cut's inside because he can't use his right foot. Seriously, go and watch any game and you'll see time and time again when he could cut inside and put the defence under serious preasure he can't do it.

Giggs has scored plenty with his right foot

everybody knows giggs biggest weakness has always been his right foot. Yes he has scored goals with it but how many times have people thought 'if only giggs right foot was better'. The same way tackling is scholes big weakness.

Im not going to trail youtube look for one cross - if you believe Valencia has not hit one left foot cross his whole career then you are deluded.

Players like Robben/Nani who cut in onto their left foot usually do it to shoot.

The way i see it we have young who sticks to the left - Valencia sticks to the right and Nani can play both to a a good standard. We are so lucky to have all three.

Look I'm not saying he's not a top player, but I am saying his inablity to use both feet has meant that Nani's form has suffered.

I can't ever imagine Valencia swapping sides during a game and Giggs can and has done that many, many times in the past. In any case, Giggs at the same age as Valencia is now was about 200% better.

its comes down to who provides more in that position. Obviously Fergie feels Valencia does. One thing which might come into play in that decision is Nani's ability to play on the Left.

Giggs Swapped with Ronaldo from time to time during a game for Ronaldo's Benefit. Not because giggs was capable of playing on the right Wing.

I think you might find it has more to do with the fact that Valencia can't play LW and not that he offers more.

As for Giggs, he swapped for years with Beckham and Ronaldo, and yes it might have been a greater benefit tothem rather than giggs, but the point remains the same, Valencia couldn't swap even if he wanted to, he is more limited and that's the whole point. Nani can use both feet, and can play both sides, valencia for all his good points can only use one foot and can't play LH side and for me for a guy we paid £17m for that's poor, to be fair for anybody at a top club it would be poor, players should be able to play two footed

I think you might find it has more to do with the fact that Valencia can't play LW and not that he offers more.

As for Giggs, he swapped for years with Beckham and Ronaldo, and yes it might have been a greater benefit tothem rather than giggs, but the point remains the same, Valencia couldn't swap even if he wanted to, he is more limited and that's the whole point. Nani can use both feet, and can play both sides, valencia for all his good points can only use one foot and can't play LH side and for me for a guy we paid £17m for that's poor, to be fair for anybody at a top club it would be poor, players should be able to play two footed

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Valencia provides more going back than nani and doesnt have these rushes of blood to the head where he shoots from a silly angles. He works harder for the team and is more disciplined which fergie prefers. If Nani has a bad game he is nowhere to be seen and usually ends up rolling about or crying about something. Has Nani the ability to do something special? Yes but does valencia do things more consistently? Yes

Some players just don't play on the other side of the pitch which is natural to them. Why?it takes away from their game. Many top players can only use one foot. Evra or Cole couldn't play on both sides of the pitch doesn't make them poor.

Does anyone think the Valencia/Nani debate is similar to the Beckham/Figo debate? One had decent deliver and was very consistent and worked hard for the team, but was also very one dimensional and could only really play on one side of the pitch. The other maybe not as consistent or hardworking but a far more talented player, and capable of world class things.

On both occasions most would rather have the magician.

Does anyone think the Valencia/Nani debate is similar to the Beckham/Figo debate? One had decent deliver and was very consistent and worked hard for the team, but was also very one dimensional and could only really play on one side of the pitch. The other maybe not as consistent or hardworking but a far more talented player, and capable of world class things.

On both occasions most would rather have the magician.

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to a lesser standard IMO. Beckham had the freekick and set piece ability at united which neither Valencia or Nani have or ever will have.

I think Fergie prefers hard workers in the team myself rather than some one who is capable of magic but could go missing the next game.

I really do think we are in a great position with wingers no matter who people think is better and who should play where. I think fergie will rotate the three of them through-out the season and select who he feels is right for each game and opposing players.

I did mean it to a lesser extent as both Beckham and Figo were both we're vastly superior to Valencia and Figo, but you get the comparison?

I agree we are in a good position. And I agree that Fergie does often prefer hard workers, something I feel has been part of the reason for our failure over the years in Europe.

I guess it's just a matter of taste. I would prefer to see Nani starting most games from the right with Valencia acting as back up and coming on as sub when he's inneffective. Some would prefer the reverse. Obviously rotation is inevitable.

yes i get what you mean for sure.

Yes, we have failed in Europe perhaps one of the reasons why.

I prefer Valencia, Nani frustrates me because he he can be greedy with the ball and shot instead of passing to a playing in a better position. Also his rolling around annoy's me.

Nani is one of the few technicians in our squad and it will be a shame if he is sold.

However, he can be very frustrating but i think when he is played the right way, he is arguably our top player.

Rooney frustrates me more, season after season, yet he doesnt get half the criticism Nani gets.
Is it because of his goals?

Agree with TRC. Plus I still think we are to see the best of Nani.

I raised a point about Torres and Carroll that could be applied to Nani also.

Torres set very high standards for himself due to the ability and consistency that he had shown at Liverpool and now he's not reaching those heights people are saying he's been poor. He hasn't been poor, he's just not reached he same heights, and his performances should be judged independent of his previous form.

With Carroll, his form was terrible, and now he started performing better people are saying he's playing very good, when in reality he's only playing good by his very low standards, not the standards of a top footballer.

And then there's Nani. The ability he possesses is incredible, and he shows glimpses of being an absolute world beater. But when he's not playing to his best, people think he's having a bad game, when even if he's having a fairly mediocre game by his standards, he's still much better than most players on the pitch. His ability is actually a detriment to him as the fans get on his back as so muh is expected. Whereas Valencia will have a pretty average game by high standards, but decent by his own, and people don't get on his back because he's showing consistency.