This time last year, new signing Nani signed a couple of brilliant goals in the pre-season. These goals were followed by his audacious celebration, flipping in the air. Already you knew this was a player who was going to get on our opponents nerves.
Our first win last season came four games in against Tottenham Hotspur, following a screamer from Nani with 20 minutes left to play. Whilst plenty of comparison had been made between him and Ronaldo, it was clear there were plenty of differences. Ronaldo couldn’t strike a ball like that, and certainly couldn’t have managed it in his first season with the club.
Nani ran rings around Arsenal in the FA Cup match at Old Trafford and wasn’t prepared to take any shit from their bullyboy/cry baby captain, squaring up to him after the referee failed to punish the kick Billy Gallas gave our winger.
However, we’ve seen a negative side of Nani too, which was shown in his reaction against West Ham when he nutted Lucas Neil. To be fair to our player, Neil had just pinched Nani’s bollocks, and if a bloke did that to me, nutting them would feel like a natural reaction. However, on the football field, of course Nani has to behave more appropriately.
Following a brilliant pre-season, where for me, Carlos Tevez just pips him as our best player, Sir Alex Ferguson has given his opinion on Nani.
“Nani has gone through the same process as all the young players and you are looking for that jump up in performance level from the first season,” said Ferguson. “His maturity should be better as well, which is important. He is a very young 20. That immaturity showed itself against West Ham at the end of the season. That has cost us because he is missing for the first two games. But when he develops that he will be an outstanding talent. He has courage and speed, can play with both feet and does not melt in big atmospheres.”
Another difference between Nani and Ronaldo is the latter has a far better grasp of his temper. Whilst praise is lavished on Ronaldo for plenty of areas in his game, I don’t think his ability to ignore the constant wind ups is given enough recognition. He is kicked every match he plays in, yet he very rarely retaliates.
If Nani is going to fulfil his brilliant potential, he is going to have to take a leaf out of Ronaldo’s book, for he too will be kicked and frustrated in every match he plays. When an opponent can’t beat him with skill, he will attempt to beat him with force, and that will mean more situations like that against West Ham.
Fortunately, Nani is at the right club and I have every faith in Ferguson being able to have the positive influence the player needs. Whilst his fiery nature may not be quelled completely, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, we should see a more mature Nani emerging over the coming years. He is a player I’m very excited about and look forward to seeing him getting more game time this season.
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I would like to see nani play with a bit more pace to his game…he gives defenders time because he goes at them slowly..if he would just use his pace as ronaldo does he would penetrate defences more like yesterday when he just knocked the ball past the pompey defenders.He no doubt has a lot of potential.
Nani has got so much UN-tapped skill to offer. He skins defenders time after time, and he is too little appreciated by most of the Old Trafford fan base to be honest. How must he feel when Ronnie and Anderson are lauded with loud songs and chants, and he isn’t. With more vocal support from the terraces, Nani would feel more secure, and would come on volumes. I don’t think what the press called Nani’s showboating exploits in that game against Arsenal should have been stamped out by club and critics either. United has always let players express themselves, and I for one LOVED his show of football skill in those few showboating moments. Let him shine for goodness sake. I’ll tell you this, in the game that Portugal were knocked out of the recent Euro championships, Nani only got the last 20 mins of play, and did more in that 20 mins, than Ronnie did in the 90. If Portugal had a decent centre forward, they would have capitalised on Nani’s deadly accurate balls into the box, and would certainly not have been on their way home after that game.
Fergie says Nani “does not melt in big atmospheres” ? Is this a jibe at Ronaldo ?
Nani is on his way to being a certified first-team player – he’s fast, strong, skilful, tough, and brave. Plus, he has some up-side potential that has not yet been realized. And, like Ronaldo, he is a new-style winger in that he is incredibly dangerous when he cuts into the center of the field. But, unlike Ronaldo, he is not much of an aerial threat. Overall, he’s been a great addition to a double-winning team and I fully expect that he will become a much better player over the next year or two.
The charge of show-boating was just bull-shit – sure, he played keepy-uppy but he was doing so in order to maintain control of the ball as he ran away from his marker into space. It was a delicious moment that was made all the more memorable by the clearly-frustrated kick that he received. Gallas should have been red-carded but that’s another story.
When I was first made aware of our interest in him, I was excited as I thought even then he will come good, and I stand by that. Totally agree, he needs to show more maturity and rise above the negative tactics dished out by lesser players like Gallas and Neill. Looking foward to seeing even more brilliant performances from him this season – he didn’t disappoint yesterday either.