Tony Valencia

[jamesy1314]

Hello im new to the forum, but this has been really bugging me all season. (Warning this gets into a lot of detail!)

After last season (i know no one really wants to reminisce about that horrid season) i thought we had finally found the new David Beckham in the form in Antonio Valencia, I have always been an admirer of Valencia because of his attitude, work ethic and his ability to cross a ball. However last season he really upped his game (especially towards the end of the season), no matter what left back he came up against he could push past him and whip that ball in. Many people argued that hes a one trick pony because he is very right footed, but even with that in mind he couldn't be stopped, his pace and his power just stormed through defenders.

Also to add on top of all this he actually found an eye for goal (something i learned to not expect from Valencia usually), scoring some spectacular goals, most memorable from last season is the winner against Blackburn from an impossible angle. At the time this was such an important goal, and was what i thought would be the defining game of the season. (but lets not talk about that)

So during the summer Owen left and that famous Number 7 jersey was free and to my anticipation Valencia was given the honours, of wearing this prestigious shirt. In my head i could see another United great wearing the number 7 jersey, sadly this has not been the case.

I really dont understand what has happened to Valencia, as i have stated he was powering past defenders with his pace and strength, but this season i feel like he never wants to take on a defender and never get into a race. Every time i see him going towards a defender he almost always seems to turn back and lay the ball off to someone else. This is NOT the Valencia i know and love. I dont know whether these are tactics by Fergie to suit other players like Rafael or what.

Finally when Valencia has gotten clear of the last defender and has the time to whip in one of his trademark powerful and pin point crosses, he just cant seem to get the right balance at all. They are either too powerful and fly past everyone or they aren't precise enough at all! (I will admit he has produced some very nice powerful crosses across the ground, but when it comes to whipping them in the air they have been very ineffective)

So What has happened to the dangerous out and out winger i used to love? He just hasn't seemed to cut it since receiving that number 7 shirt.

[ScholesEvilTwin]

Welcome to the forum.

There is a Valencia thread near the top of the 2nd page, which includes this:

Jan 17, 2013 11:42:30 GMT ScholesEvilTwin said:

Valencia has been carrying a hip/back injury for quite a while now. Something to do with a disparity in his leg length.

At the time of writing he had been on painkillers for about 2 mths already as the injury was baffling the medical staff but he refuses to not play.

Why everyone thinks the "7" on his back has something to do with it is a mystery. Valencia asked for the number - he wasn't given it, so the theories that the "7" is part of the problem is bollocks - Owen was given it and it never caused him any problems.

[Dan United]

I'll tell you what's wrong with Valencia - he's still a United player. That's completely wrong.


Harsh, I know, but he hasn't just been poor, he's been shit - for far too long.

[SAF_Legend]

Either he's having a really bad dip in form (whether or not it's due to the no. 7 shirt or not), or suffering from whatever SET said he was suffering from.

I just hope it's the former tbh.

[Dan United]

His form started to dip last year. It's more than just a dip in form now.

We could well sell Rooney in the summer, and there is still confusion about Nani's future. If they go before Valencia I would be really pissed.

[Bestie]

It was before the number 7 shirt. It was when he was dropped for a utterly diabolical Nani vs. city away.

[Dan United]

Mar 10, 2013 18:57:00 GMT Bestie said:

It was before the number 7 shirt. It was when he was dropped for a utterly diabolical Nani vs. city away.

I hope you're not suggesting a link between being dropped against City and his shit form, because that's even worse than the No7 excuse.


Someone on Twitter has summed today's performance up nicely, saying that he looked like someone who is out his depths.

Another way of saying that is; He reminds me of Bebe.

And that's not a joke. The more I think about his recent form, the more I think back to Bebe's appearances in the first team.

[Stew]

That such bollocks its laughable Bestie. We've had this discussion before but every time you bring it up it just seems more and more ridiculous. Is Valencia such a poor, unconfident lamb that he gets left out for one game that it turns him into a pub player for NINE months?! Seriously, come on.

[Dan United]

Mar 10, 2013 19:02:37 GMT Stew said:

That such bollocks its laughable Bestie. We've had this discussion before but every time you bring it up it just seems more and more ridiculous. Is Valencia such a poor, unconfident lamb that he gets left out for one game that it turns him into a pub player for NINE months?! Seriously, come on.

That's such bollocks it's laughable Stew. Pub players aren't that bad.

[Bestie]

I say it everytime someone says it's because he got the number 7 shirt.

[redcase]

Mar 10, 2013 19:02:37 GMT Stew said:

That such bollocks its laughable Bestie. We've had this discussion before but every time you bring it up it just seems more and more ridiculous. Is Valencia such a poor, unconfident lamb that he gets left out for one game that it turns him into a pub player for NINE months?! Seriously, come on.

I agree. If that's the case where one dropped game and his confidence is shot for one and a half years, then he couldn't go out the door quicker.

Seriously, the excuses for Valencia have got to stop.

[ScholesEvilTwin]

Mar 10, 2013 18:36:14 GMT SAF_Legend said:

Either he's having a really bad dip in form (whether or not it's due to the no. 7 shirt or not), or suffering from whatever SET said he was suffering from.

I just hope it's the former tbh.

Yeah, cos the spiritual weight of a fucking number on your back is that heavy.

[SAF_Legend]

Mar 10, 2013 19:24:53 GMT ScholesEvilTwin said:

Mar 10, 2013 18:36:14 GMT SAF_Legend said:

Either he's having a really bad dip in form (whether or not it's due to the no. 7 shirt or not), or suffering from whatever SET said he was suffering from.

I just hope it's the former tbh.

Yeah, cos the spiritual weight of a fucking number on your back is that heavy.

I wrote "WHETHER OR NOT it's due to the no. 7 shirt or not" - I'm not stating a definite personal opinion, but the speculations of some on the forum.

Besides, it could be possible. I do remember a couple of times where Valencia started playing a bit differently from the way he usually did, as if with more flair. Which didn't work out. You might think it would never affect you, but the number 7 in our football club means a lot to fans, and it could to Valencia as well. It COULD have affected him, and COULD have compounded what he was going through at that time (injury, bad form, etc).

Think it like an additional responsibility, or pressure - like the captaincy. To some, it's nothing - to others, it's a whole new ball park.

Speculation. Not opinion.

[RedDevil'sAdvocate]

Valencia was piss poor.

a) if he is carrying an injury he has to deal with it and then come back and play
b) if that is just his current form then he needs to look hard at himself because I'd rather see Bebe play instead of him right now...

[fletchabey]

Now we've had such a long period of poor performances from him, I do worry if he's veering into Torres territory. By that I mean a player who relied on speed and physical attributes to scare and beat players to be effective. With Torres, once injuries took away the raw speed it exposes the limitations of the rest of his game. Tony V is somewhat similar, quite limited and hardly has the natural ability to reinvent himself if his ability to beat players goes. Not that I've given up on him, hopefully he can still turn it around.

Though i've always been of the view we're actually better as team without him. When he's been inform, we over emphasise him in our play as our main attacking outlet. Its can work well, but occasionally gets us caught looking stale and predictable when some teams put 2 and 2 together.