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CONFIRMED LINE-UP: United vs Reading

February 18, 2013

De Gea, Smalling, Jones, Vidic, Buttner, Valencia, Cleverley, Anderson, Young, Welbeck and Chicharito.

Scott Patterson

Scott is the editor of RoM and has a season ticket at Old Trafford. He started The Republik of Mancunia in March 2006. Follow @R_o_M on Twitter or @R_o_M7 on Instagram.

Ahead Of Our Game Against Reading

VIDEO: Nani and Chicharito Goals vs Reading

217 Comments

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mara February 19, 2013

Saf was saying that Jones was great, but didnt mention Nani, wich is not correct. He don t like him. I think that Nani did something that made him mad...he offer something different on the wing and he is tehnically very strong. We need more players like him...

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NBI Red Onion February 19, 2013

I am with @ Wayne here, Nani could be, but is not world class, there is a significant level of inconsistency in his play, questions about his decision making and a tendency to sometimes take risks and try the spectacular where the team would benefit from a wiser decision with regard to the flow of the game. That said, on form he is almost unplayable and a match winner, he is also a delight to watch though he can also make you fall off the sofa in despair. All in all I love Nani, I feel he is getting closer to the level he needs to be at and is good more often that not, but he will have to continue to work hard on what is missing, that level of intuitive reading of the game, decision making and timing that comes naturally to players like Rooney.

Valencia till this season has been consistent and I think he did a great job as RB. He has had a few serious injuries, he was not the same when he came back from the last one, he also seems afraid to shoot when well placed. I am not enjoying watching him this season as he is a shadow of the player Pep called the best winger in Europe, when he was crossing onto Roonys head for fun. I would like to see Nani and Valencia start, Young I am afraid I just don't rate him, Evra is much better going forward than he is. You look at Giggs, Ribery, Robben, Di Maria then at Young, he just is not in that world class league and never will be, he is more there to cover for Evra who is the creative attacker on the left.

Re Ronnie being a United legend, he is definitely a United great, but legend status is greatness plus loyalty and love, for me he is not a legend in the sense of players like Cantona, Giggs, Keano, Scholes, Rudd due to his lust for Madrid. I respect him, he may love United more on hindsight but I will always remember he wanted out and pushed for it and took the shine off the season a bit.

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NBI Red Onion February 19, 2013

@ mara - you are wrong - SAF said that Nani was terrific and that he knew he would change the game and that he won the match for us.

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NBI Red Onion February 19, 2013

@ mara - http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2013/Feb/sir-alex-ferguson-reacts-to-manchester-united-v-reading-fa-cup-tie.aspx

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denton davey February 19, 2013

NBI Red Onion @ 23:38: " I have to say compared to Valencia and Young’s indifferent form, I would take a gamble on a bit of inconsistency with Nani."

Young's form isn't "indifferent", it's just crap; Valencia's form is getting worse, too. In comparison, Nani gives you highs AND lows but tonight the highs won the match for UTD.

With Nani - as with any "box-of-tricks" player, you get some really stupid/shitty/dumb stuff but that's the price you pay for some brilliance and game-changing moments of stunning skill and audacity. He's greedy BUT he's not afraid to shoot - and you can't score if you don't shoot (and you can't score if you can't shoot accurately like AshleyYoung showed early on tonight).

For me, the biggest "educational moment" in this match was to see the gulf in quality between LittleRedRafa/NinjaEvra and the three guys who were fullbacks in their places.

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WeAreUnited February 19, 2013

so why when Nani is injured like on that year when Carragher tackled him and Nani couldn't come back to his best (as you claim), which I don't believe into, despite producing many goals and assists to our team, then his injury isn't considered.

Same thing is happening right now, did you know that Nani was 3 months injured and now is slowly coming back? and game by game being consistently good and now exellent?
No!!! you forget that, because he's your inconsistent player who is surrounded with this great MYTH.

Anyway, this threads of arguments of who should be respected and who is not is wearing me off, cause obviously opinions will differ.

Last thing to add, before I will try to concnetrate onyl in our teams game.
I have noticed that there's two kind of supporters of ManUtd. Those who loves technical football and all the tricks and highlight grabbers as Samuel put it, those who frustrate in one moment, but in the other wins you games. Isn't this a team game after all?

and then there's those who loves the hard working players . For this I am not surprised cause English football is more based on hard-work, but the world of fooosball is changing, Technique is here to stay.

I wonder what will people think of Zaha who is also a trickster and a player who seeks glory to become the best in the world. That will be another story then!

peace and good night!

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WeAreUnited February 19, 2013

@wayne

sorry I misunderstood you, I thought you said we don't need him ( about DDG)

Didn't come out? well maybe one time, but did federici come out that much? It's a thing that is also somehow surrounding DDG, he doesn't come that much out, but honestly, rarely keepers come out all the time, even though I get what you mean. They come when it's necessary.

peace.

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wayne February 19, 2013

WeAreUnited don't get the point about Nani having injuries so has Tony V,Nani was poor this season before his injury.Nani has had one great season prior to 2010 most fans thought he'd be gone and maybe the Carragher tackle caused a mental issue but his contribution since then hasn't been the same.I hope he turns it around and becomes the player that is ability justifies but the simple fact is over the last season and half his contribution hasn't been much

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wayne February 19, 2013

Tell you what want to prove me wrong tell me how many goals and assits Nani has had since that tackle,I'm thinking its not that many but I don't keep stats was looking for them today but couldn't find a site.

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samuel - united WE stand February 19, 2013

Mara - what on earth are you talking about? Have you even bothered to read interviews?

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samuel - united WE stand February 19, 2013

This so called valencia, how much has he really contributed? Judging.by the media's anaysis, you'd think he's been constantly brilliant but his goals or assists ratio are no where near nani's, bang on about nani hasn't done anything since 2010 but what has valencia or any other winger done? I'm confused here, the consistency thing doesn't hold up, this is used by those that do not know the role of wing player, no winger is an hallmark of "CONSISTENCY".

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samuel - united WE stand February 19, 2013

The whole point is, valencia is one dimensional and old fashioned. He knocks the ball past defenders and crosses, there's no technical brilliance or complexity, it's basic but this basic thing he does well to his credit, he nrver takes any risks hence any flaw in his game are hidden well. He's tagged with "consistency" but he never does anything to put that on the line, basically he's a very good player at what he does whilst adding a good defensive graft, i'm a fan of his style of directness and i hope this doesn't seem like i'm criticising him but he escapes the full brunt of criticsm from most, nani seems to get ridiculed when clearly he's got bags of talent and should be cherished for what he's good at and not what people want him to be. "He loses the ball" "he's greedy" blah blah, if it was up to these people, we would have square passing uninventive players around the team, those unwilling or incapable of being match winners. Nani has his flaws (no one is perfect) but at least he should be commended for his courage and willing to step on the ball and create, not mocked for being less of a basic player.

I also want to add that nani's best position is on the right but he's shunted out onto the left, his superb performances during 2010 season was on the right, position definitely plays a part in how effective a player can be, confidence can be added too. Nani is tge ultimate confidence player and when he gets the backing of fergie and fans, he flies like a kite and his performance will hopefully kick him on. I hope he signs the new contract, a wing collection of nani, zaha and valencia can be fantastic.

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kel February 19, 2013

Cant imagine so many fans supporting Nani. I for one support forever. He's a class above all winger and all he need is trust and more play time. People forget how good he is for us for 2 seasons. Until that injury came and he lost his form.

I notice that Nani playing well, fans also complain his decision making and such but he contribute more than any winger even when hes off form. There is a double standard on fans about Nani.

I have to say if you like Nani, you like him. If you dont like, you hate him.

I have nothing to say cause obviously, you dont appreciate what Nani brings to the team until you lose him.

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Red4ever February 19, 2013

Ferige is the greatest maneger of all time but he sometimes wastes talent he is just simply not giving NANI some game time valencia playing shit still getting time ,,nani is thrown on the bench even when he has a decent game ,,,,,

This guy needs support fergie plzzz don't waste him he is way way way way better than valencia and young both combined

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Voice of Reason February 19, 2013

Nani needs to be cut some slack by supporters - I watched young give the ball away on 4 consecutive occasions last might in middle of first half including one dreadful ball across field in our own half, miss a great chance and generally offer very little ... to mehe is another park someone who for me who was hugely overrated by a section of our support. I want to be entertained and excited as well and nani does that. Nani has delivered against the big sides - he has goals against Arsenal, Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Tottenham etc all on multiple occasions bar rhe scousers. Get behind the lad and see what he can do but some idiots in our crowd at home cantwait to get on his back

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DiegoForlanDK February 19, 2013

Wow Nanis performance last night seriously caused a lively debate between us in here. He performed so well that people seem to have forgotten what kind of performances brought him in his current situation in the first place. And that says quite a lot! You wouldn't think that a performance lasting little over one half of play against Reading should be able to fundamentally change a whole debate over Nani - but seemingly it has.

I don't think the fundamental premise around Nani has changed one bit after last night, so many of the posts in here quite surprise me. Nanis talent is undisputed, but his continuity is not. Some of us seem to forget that the lack of consistency in these kind of performances are what brought him on the bench in the first place. You don't get to play at this team by being occaisonally good. And if Nani wouldn't glow last night, I can hardly find a match in which he would.

To me, his performance last night doesn't merit him a starting spot from now on. To me, he simply proved that he should be in contention for a spot. Like everyone else in the team. But guys, let's not fool ourselves: although he might not need to play as good as last night to earn a starting spot, he needs to be a lot closer to this kind of performances than some of his dreadful alternatives to earn a spot.

Does he have to be more or less excluded from the starting XI for several months with talk about him being on his way out before he puts on a performance like this? If he could play like this even if the starting spot was his anyway- then he would be world class.

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NBI Red Onion February 19, 2013

Nani has always been rated by most fans, but also frustrated, when Valencia was on form that debate faded, but with his decline and Young's failing to step up, everyone is looking again at Nani because of the competition being poor and people want to see great wingers at United.

For me Nani does more good than harm, I think the contract dispute messed with his head early season and he was clearly on edge, lacked confidence and all over the place, totally admit that. However, he seems to have bulked up and put that behind him and got mentally more focused. Yes it was just Reading but they had 11 men behind the ball, it took his talent to unlock the door.

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