Tony V – remember him?
Six months ago the idea of United’s Ecuadorian winger being surplus to requirements seemed about as likely as Arsenal selling Robin Van Persie to us. Antonio Valencia was one of the main reasons United were able to take the title race right down to the wire and there was even a case to be argued had he started at Eastlands it could have been title number 20.
Fast forward to this season and the player who wears the coveted number 7 shirt- a move many felt was more than justified has become a shadow of the player we’ve all grown to love these past few seasons. Instead of terrorising left backs Tony V seems more intent on giving United fans nightmares as his loss of form has been nothing short of catastrophic.
The Wilfried Zaha to United rumours have gathered such momentum with so many newspapers claiming a deal is in the pipeline it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the idea that the young winger is Old Trafford bound. Eventually. Although Zaha can also operate as a striker or just off a front man, his services are more than likely going to be used on the right wing at United, an area that for the past year at least has been the domain almost exclusively of Valencia.
Despite what many have suggested, Nani doesn’t seem to be going anywhere- and unlike Valencia at least offers the option of being able to play in more than just one position. Nani may well end up leaving Old Trafford in the Summer, but that will still leave Ashley Young and Zaha if he were to arrive. When you consider the likes of Shinji Kagawa, Wayne Rooneyand Danny Welbeck can be used just off the main striker almost negating the use of wingers, then all of a sudden Valencia’s place in the side, or even the need for him looks far less assured.
As per usual with these things, there’s a lot of conjecture involved, but IF Zaha were to arrive and IF Valencia’s poor form were to continue is it really that inconceivable that United’s number 7 could fond himself surplus to requirements this Summer?
Have I lost the plot even suggesting such a thing? Is it all too possible we could be witnessing a ‘Lee Sharpe-esque’ decline with the winger?
Feel free to comment suggest and abuse below:
fergie rarely makes rash decisions. lets not fool ourselves, when valencia first arrived he was NOT the player he is even now. sure he had a peak after his injury but i remember before that run of games. at the beginning of last season he was PANTS. having returned from injury at the end of the season before he looked like he never went away but fast forward to games against the likes of wolves at home in the first half… TERRIBLE.
still… i cant accept that he is worse today than when he came here. but undeniably he isnt the player he was at the end of last season.
bring in zaha and what have we got… we will have young (who i see leaving some time soon despite his improved form of late), and giggs is on the way out… kagawa preferring a central role. we only really have nani and valencia who i would feel comfortable playing with in the really big games.
the only way i see valencia leaving is if someone of proven quality comes (or even RETURNS) to old trafford.
I think we don’t need any winger at all,but,why Fagie live poisnous rat&killing a kageable fowl?i think we need a superb midfielder,though i known we operate from wings,but,we don’t have much problem in that,i believe all those we have&i so much believe in Nani,so,please make Fagie realise all what we want is midfielder.
if fergie sold every player who had a bit of a barren spell…we’d be left with rvp and carrick maybe. i can’t imagine anybody at the club has wasted a second thinking about a possible sale. you’ll eat your words come may, he will surely be back.
Have you lost the plot? Simply, yes! At the moment we have AV7, Young and Nani. So Valencias form has dipped, but to say it is a sharpesque decline is ridiculous. Even if Zaha is to arrive I would sooner have him in the squad ahead of either Nani or Young. He has been consistantly brilliant since his arrival. He’s allowed a dip in form. I expect him to terrorise pool again this weekend.
I can’t say for sure if Toni will leave in the summer, or not. Only SAF knows this…
What I can say, though, is that in all of Toni’s time at United, he’s experienced dips and spikes in form every season. At times these have been a direct result of injury, or opposition just working us out.
The very episode you make reference to (end of last season), Toni had virtually been unplayable during the period we overhauled City. But he seemed to burn out – like many of our key players – as we meekly surrendered the initiative to City.
What’s very obvious with Toni right now is an alarming dip in confidence. This is very evident in the the unusually lengthy amount of time he takes to make decisions these days and the manner in which he turns his back on defenders, now, as opposed to skipping past them in what had become trademark fashion until recently.
His poor crossing, of late, for me, is further indication of some internal turmoil. The Toni we know is renowned for flat sharp crosses and audacious goals from unusual angles.
As you correctly state, he’s a shadow of that player now. But as much as his form might have abandoned him (for whatever reason), he’ll never stop being a classy player.
Its only a matter of time before Toni turns the corner…lets cut him some slack in the same manner that many of us are always very patient when a Rooney or Rio goes through a dip in form
Valencia wont be sold – his form will come back.
Zaha will be a good signing – I do think someone will leave though. Nani or Welbeck.
Don’t get me wrong, Danny is United through and through, but he has ambition and will not want to be 4th choice forever.
reading most of the comments ,people are not as critical of Valencia’s awful form as they are of that of nani.application of double standards.nani gets too much stick from fans I pity him. its quite clear what has happened to Toni v..he’s so 1 dimensional that he’s been found out by almost all defenders. there is no coming back.he can’t use his left foot too.I say get zaha. play him on the left so that he can cut inside n shoot like cr7 n play nani on the right.he’s too good to warm the bench.
I think that’s probably because at least when Tony V is in form his play is consistent. He’ll sprint forward, beat a player and 9 times out of 10 deliver a quality cross……..When Nani receives the ball he seems to slow to a walking pace and nullifies the counter attack, too often he tries to beat too many players or delivers a poor cross/pass. Nani is a talented player, no question, but he is nothing like consistent enough. When he is on his game he is a match winner but more often than not he frustrates the hell out if the forward players and fans. In my opinion he has had more than long enough at United to show he can deliver the performances we all know he is capable of on a consistent basis but continues to disappoint. As for his contract demands that seem to be an issue between player and club……laughable. Concentrate on getting your game right and consistent first Nani an then the contract will find its way to you. I personally feel he is on borrowed time at Old Trafford and should have been out the door long ago.
All what I believed is that fergie can easily convert him back to play from left back 2, and he should get complete passer mildfilder.
valencia will re invent himself just as hernandez, rio,rafael,young,evans did before him.he aint going nowhere.
We have midfield and defence problems. Need a good midfielder who can dictate play both in attack and defence, someone like Roy Keane.