May 04
Is it really time up for Nani at Old Trafford?
It doesn’t look good does it? Brought off at half-time whilst trailing at home to Tottenham which rather ironically then helps spark that tremendous comeback. I can understand why he wouldn’t be desperate to stay behind and encourage his teammates but it was hardly the wisest of choices to make and it’s difficult to defend a quite childish, sulky and rather petty reaction to yet another below-par individual performance.
It didn’t get much better for the Portuguese winger in midweek either. A quick glance at Sir Alex’s team sheet for the Champions League encounter with Arsenal and the four letters ‘Nani’ were absolutely nowhere to be seen, not even on the substitutes bench.
I appreciate that I have to be careful with what I say from here on in as I am aware of the seismic split in opinions on the Cape Verde-born man of inconsistency and what he brings to our club but I’ll throw in my ten pennies worth and happily accept whatever flack is bound to be coming my way!
For a start let’s deal with this season and what exactly has gone wrong for Nani in United red. Well in the handful of Premier League appearances he’s made (just five as a starter would you believe) he’s hardly set the world alight but you can’t ignore the fact that he’s not even been afforded a full-ninety minutes.
Ji Sung Park’s notably impressive form (despite having tailed off somewhat in recent weeks) this season clearly hasn’t helped Nani’s cause either. You can bet your bottom dollar that if our tricky left winger were playing for anyone else in the Premier League he would have started far more than six league games and would’ve surely had more of a visible impact.
This may surprise you somewhat but I can actually reveal to you quite a different statistical story, especially if you purely take into account domestic league goals and assists. Park, for all his work rate, endeavour and tenacity, has scored one league goal and picked up three assists in the 21 Premier League fixtures he has been involved in. Nani on the other hand has played in only 11 Premier League matches (most of which were as substitute with miniscule amounts of time left) yet still has a goal and two assists to his name. Make of that what you will.
However well he does to cover it up, I’m sure Sir Alex will have surely expected slightly more from a player he shelled out around £14 million for in the summer of 2007. It can’t be denied that our manager has stood firmly by Nani’s side from the moment he stepped into Manchester, offering as much support as humanely possible. We saw it first of all with the Lucas Neill headbutt and since then Fergie has seemingly backed down in banning the 22-year-old winger’s somersault celebration too. Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha would certainly be wise not to take his current mentor for a ride as his patience is probably wearing pretty thin right now, however well he conceals it.
Incase you were wondering, Nani himself had this to say having been brought off at half-time against Spurs: ‘I have no problem with the manager but I am still in my apprenticeship here.’And it’s fair to say that at 22-years-old he is still learning his trade at a club where expectations are elevated like no other. Yet for how long can you keep blaming Nani’s immaturity and inept performances on age and how long will you give the apprentice to finally fulfil his massive potential?
Unfortunately for Nani, when you play for Manchester United, time is not something you can heavily rely on. With the acquisition of Zoran Tosic in January and rumours consistently linking Antonio Valencia with a move to the club, it’s really now or never if Nani is to grab his chance.
With all this relative negativity it’s about time I started talking about the strengths that Nani possesses and why he could still prove something of a valuable asset to us in the future.
Well we all witnessed exactly what he was capable of during his first season at Old Trafford last year and it was arguably one of the better debut season’s of any foreign import that has arrived at the club - certainly in recent times anyway. In 24 starts he scored four goals, created eleven and generally seemed much more confident in his own ability. He was no Stranger in Moscow either, coming on to play a part in extra time and then scoring in the shoot-out too.
Despite Nani’s lack of involvement in the league this season lest we forget that he has played a significantly important part in other competitions for us. Not only has he appeared in seven Champions League matches enroute to the semi-final but he was a major contributor to our Carling Cup success with three goals in six appearances. Add the couple of strikes he managed during our FA Cup campaign and Nani’s season starts to look less disappointing, even if ever so slightly.
Nani is now and always will invariably be stuck in the towering shadow of Ronaldo due to his style, potential and even nationality. It’s ultimately unfair as his Portuguese compatriot performed miracles last season and probably won’t ever achieve such lofty heights again during his career. Poor old Nani has come under stark criticism for not producing similar results but there is no other player in world football quite like Cristiano (bar Lionel Messi perhaps). To be fair you could argue that Ronaldo was some way behind Nani in terms of development during his second season at the club and look how our patience paid dividends then!
I’m going to stop rambling on now and place my cards firmly on the table by predicting that Nani will not only get a start in the lunch time game against Middlesbrough on Saturday but will also make an impression in the match too. Be it a goal, an assist or just a full-ninety minutes, Nani needs game time and when he has it, I’m sure he will produce.
Whatever your stance may be on Nani, there’s no question he’s been used in fits and spurts throughout this season and has clearly been unable to build up any real momentum as a consequence. I am by no means Nani’s biggest fan, far from it infact but hopefully Saturday will go some way to proving that the former Sporting Lisbon man does still have a future at Old Trafford. I sincerely hope he does anyway.
Ed: This was written prior to the Middlesbrough game.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Ronaldo: I like to know what’s happening at Old Trafford
- Featured Lookalike: Nani and…?
- Nani Controversy Helps United To Victory Over Tottenham
- Fergie’s Golden Brown on 25th Anniversary
- Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur: Match Preview
Tags: Manchester United News
Craig Mc (195)
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Ian (95)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=IE&hl=en-GB&v=-B6ucoSoIy4
Watch. Laugh. Legend
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@Eric the Red: Careful, Eric, we don’t need anymore hurt feelings today, do we.
@Grognard: Just-a-kidding my man.
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@Liam: Just goes to show how the game is still treated like a joke here. Gary Radnich certainly didn’t do his homework, but of course he didn’t need to, because 999 out of a 1000 wouldn’t know if that whole thing was real or a spoof!!
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@Redrich: He’s responsible for the greatest goal of all time, where’s the joke
according to the internet.
I love when he starts going on about Manchester and the clip they are showing is of a goal against Birmingham. I thought Huck handled it quite well though tbh
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@Liam: What gets me is that it is the lead story at the Guardian. Now the Guardian may be a lot of things but the Sun it ain’t. So it makes you wonder. My biggest problem is wanting my cake and eating too. I want Ribery as well as Ronaldo.
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@Eric the Red: Well Ah! Sven’s Mountie pimping was an act of desperation from a man clearly looking for a job. But we’ll be damned if we let that Swine Flu carrying jackass into Canada.
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My big gripe with Nani this year, is that he simply hasnt been giving a chance. He is constantly being jerked in and out of the line up. Then people love to moan about how when given the chances he doesnt take advantage. Anyone who has player sports at a decent level knows that confidence comes thru being played consistently(and before you bring up Ole remember that he is the exception and far from the rule.) Stats dont mean a fraction of what people make them out to be. People love to look at a players goal record in relation to his games played, but they never take into account games played consecutively or regulary. Players like Tevez, Nani and Anderson have played sporadically this season and so its no wonder that there performance is just as sporadic. You can also see that in those three they all have a tendency to run like a chicken with their head cut off or trying to do to much. This comes from them trying to make an impact and make Fergie select them for the next match, so you see how they just end up digging a bigger hole.
As for Nani leaving early, put yourself in his shoes. He isnt just a armchair footballer,he is a extremely talented player. first half against spurs(contrary to what the Nani-bashers will have you believe) he was one of our best players. How was he rewarded? He was sacrificed in a tactical change. I agree with Fergie with the move, but I also understand Nani frustration he just cant win. So i find it a little unfair that he gets shtick for leaving, because people dont take into account the events leading us up to this point.
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@Redrich: I personally think it’s BS but like you said the Guardian is generally reliable source and something like this might be found in a small paragraph in their rumor section, but for it to be the lead article means they seem pretty sure of themselves. Which also makes me wonder what the Hell is going on with Ronaldo?
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@johnsom33: That would mean that your gripe would not then be with Nani but with Fergie. It’s he who is not giving him a chance, not Nani himself.
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@Redrich: I dont believe it for a second. The UK media have been praying for Ronaldo to leave, and they just arent ready to chuck in the towel. Ronaldo is staying, end of story. I dont care how self absorbed he may be. No player would honestly believe that they alone could fix that Real Madrid team. Madrid need 3-5 years of solid team rebuildiung until they are capable of using a player of Ronaldos services. I think this year really made it clear to Ronaldo that the move just isnt feasible at this time. He is one game away from going back to the CL final, and for a higly competive lad like him winning is the most importnant thing. He may want to be in Madrid but he knows he wont win anything there for awhile.
I do however believe fergie has recognized the errors of his ways and is lining up a bid for Ribery. I think a figure in the 30-35 range should suffice, and he will prolly throw in a player like nani to sweeten the deal..
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@Liam: Isn’t blind ignorance hilarious?
Darren Huckerby a legend? After that I say there is hope for Nani if all you need to do is to reach the status of Huckerby to become a legend. Crikey! 
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@Grognard: Sorry about my poor wording(I had a million thought going thru my head). My beef was with the Nani bashers.
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@Redrich: I found the Mountie Pimping hilarious. They got the hat all wrong but it was funny. It was the Dr Who thing that made me laugh hardest though. Shutup Dalek! Special!
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@Stephen Darwin: Well congrats for rattling the cage here. Oh and I mean it!!
Every point of view will offend a few, engage a few, and probably put a few to sleep. You article was not such a point of view, as it was an examination. The only thing you didn’t state was whether he has a passing grade or not!
I wouldn’t be shy about your involvement here though. The status quo has propped itself up with arguments towards a commitment to free speech, but then want nothing more than to censor the content of any dissenting article that offend their fragile persona’s.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, so I would urge you (and RR) to continue with your polished journalistic ways, but add a little more spice to the proceedings. Give your observations more of a personal angle and commitment.
The idea of sitting on the fence is to give you time to ponder the day ahead, but sooner or later you have to get off to your left or to your right. It’s only then that your ponderings become fact or fiction!!
Keep up the good work, and may I suggest a poll on whether SAF is doing a good job or a poor one. Shit, I do think that may well fry my computer!!
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@Grognard: Im with you, I want Ribery but I desperatly want him with ROnaldo at the same time. I am 51% confident that we will sign him this summer. As you pointed out some time again, fergie along with Wenger and FSW all had a chance to sign Ribery for under 20m two years ago. I cant for the life of me figure out why, he was as close to a cant miss player as you can get.
Unlike Wenger, Fergie isnt afraid to splash the cash on a player that he knows he missed. I could easily see Fergie calling his buddy’s down in Bayern
and nick Ribery from under Barcas noses.
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@Grognard: Yes, Shut up Dalek will be a phrase used again and again. Absolutely, fucking precious!!
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@Grognard: My favorite part of S1tv, is when Mourninho is ranting about how managers can keep there job with out producing silverware, and then Sven leans over to wayne and says “why do you think im clmoring to get back in?” hahahahah I was crying .
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I know we all live all over the world so I have a question concerning The CL game. I live on the West coast of the US so its 8pm over here. those of you in the UK are obviously in the morning. SO my questions is this… Is it better to be in the UK because its already “game day”, or is it better to be in the States, where we get to sleep for the next 8 hours and wake up with in hours of kick off?
a silly question I know but Im just curious as to what people would prefer(for those of us who arent lucky enough to actually attend the game.)
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@Liam: That was hilarious.
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so… if we’re voting on most controversial post of the year,
this one’s got my vote.
is there gonna be a new post up for the game?
I think we’re gonna have it tougher than last week,
arsenal have their back against the walls, and with RVP back in the lineup, just gives our defenders more headaches..
either way, I reckon the battle will be won or lost in the midfield, where I do believe we are the stronger between the two!
just wanna keep my fingers crossed that rooney doesn’t get a yellow this game and misses out on the final..
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@johnsom33: Also living on the left coast, I find the the time warp horrible. Because I work, I have to record the game and then watch when I can later. I don’t really have to dodge the news reports because it’s almost never reported on, but I usually dodge all internet content including this blog and because of that I sometimes feel out of the loop.
Better though, than the old days, when I’d have to phone my cousin to see if we’d won or lost!!
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@Natzca: I agree that the way to play Le Arse is to flood midfield. With that, and Rooney out left, tracking back, its a winning formula. The only way we can loose this tie is if our key players just fall apart. Not happening!!
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@Liam: hahaaha!!!
“did the earthquake pay as much for you as AC Milan paid for Ronaldinho”!!
“Do you like Victoria Beckham?”
too many funny quotes in that!
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@johnsom33: mate, I’m in Australia,
we have to wake up at 4:45am to watch the game
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Dimitar Berbatov admits to being wannabe gangster
By Steve Anglesey
“The charge that Dimitar Berbatov always plays like he has a cigar on the go is closer to the truth than you might think.”
Manchester United’s strolling Bulgarian has confessed to practising his English by watching The Godfather gangster trilogy, and said of the The Godfather Part III’s star Andy Garcia:
“Lots of people tell me that I look like him. He has actually influenced my choice of hairstyle and I have even studied the way he smokes so I can hold my cigarette in the same way.”
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There’s no way Fergie or the Glazers will pay out 63 milllion. Sure we pay big money but we are not insane. Can’t help thinking the story is bollocks.
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anyway to do a poll on here?
who would everyone prefer -
Ronaldo
or
Ribery
put me down for Ronaldo.
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@Natzca: I am a big Franck Ribery but on his day, nobody beats Ronaldo. Ronny all the way. I’d even prefer Ronny over Messi because Messi is injury prone and soft despite his immense skill.
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@Grognard: Do you think left wing is rooney’s best position? from what I have seen from the last few games I am starting to belive that he is the answer to all our problems on the left.
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@Grognard: yup, I know he’s not always on his best “behaviour” but damn, when he’s on, he’s definately on.
If we could have Ribery on top of Ronaldo, it’d be brilliant, but not in exchange of…but that’s not gonna happen with a price tag like that!
all these mixed up messages in the media are doin my head in though,
first ronaldo says his Real dream is dead,
but then we “make” a move for Ribery?!
doesn’t really add up does it?
Anybody have any real information?
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@johnsom33: He certainly looks comfortable out there but it wasn’t always like that. Last year he would occasionally play out there and disappear or try to track back far too often. This year he still tracks back but he has concentrated on making more of an effort in attack. I still think his best position is as a second striker trolling just outside of the box. If Rooney can ever channel his energy and his temper properly, he has the skills and imagination to be England’s Leo Messi. He has an outstanding Arsenal of tools and I often think he is wasted by the way he is used at United. Capello and England actually get more out of him and more goals by playing him like a second striker.
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@Natzca: If Ribery come here you can count on the fact Ronaldo will be leaving. Problem is I love Ribery but Ronaldo and Messi aren’t worth that kind of money. Ribery is worth half that and so for me, it would be a foolish waste of money because with 75 million they could by three world class players and make the team stronger all round. If Ribery was as good as he is and only 21 or 22 I’d say yes, but he is 26 and although that is certainly not old, I fear he is close to peaking or may have already peaked.
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What I love about Ronaldo is he may whine and cry but he is actually very tough and durable. He also has a way of influencing a game even when he isn’t playing well or is invisible. He can disappear and then all of a sudden there he is with a great header or a free kick. He’s virtually impossible to completely shut down. Like in the first leg against Arsenal, he was quiet all game but then had a great header stopped by the fluke Almunia and then he hit a cracker that smashed on the crossbar. That’s greatness and having a flair for coming up big despite not being the center piece of the game.
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@Grognard: yeh, not a great idea to trade in a younger player for an older one.
ah it’s all prob BS anyway, just creating hype and distraction round this time is really unecessary, we have 4 games in the next 14 days?!
dam it’s the most important part of our season,
and we don’t need distractions like this, Kaka, etc…
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@Redrich: Thanks mate. Like you say it’s better to have an opinion on something than just sit on the fence to appease.
On the Ribery debate, I think £60 odd million is way too much but at the end of the day with City lurking about and Madrid’s pursuit of Ronaldo in the past, this is the current state of the market.
I would love to see the Frenchman at OT but I can’t see him turning down Barcelona. I expect Hleb to go in the opposite direct too to sweeten the deal.
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Looks like Madrid is interested in Evra?
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Would be real wonderful if we manage to get Ribery(i personally doubt it). If it happens, i feel that it would be to replace Tevez and not Ronaldo. With Ribery, it gives us the option of playing Ronaldo up top and not lose the threat down the right. Not bringing in a new “proven” striker would allow ours kids the opportunity to play. Anyway, which “proven” striker would be willing to come off the bench.
With Ribery(hopefully) and the return of Hargraves next season, we may have a more settled and stronger midfield than this current season. Wonder who Fergie would play alongside them in the middle.
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@Redrich: POLISHED journalistic ways????
.
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@Grognard: Delectable Darling and lush puppy Kimba Walsh versus RR and Stephen – no feckin contest Grog
. Lush puppy Kimberley WILL always be a major distraction in the mega interest ratings, than any other interests – MORE even than Man United and Lil Man Nani rantings 
. I love that girl BIG TIME 
.
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Og and Grog, Lush puppy Walshie is the only person to escape the EXPLETIVES, as in the presence of the heavenly, one has to have a somewhat MORE sanctified GOB
.
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@Craig Mc: I knew that one would get a…….RISE……out of you, if you get my meaning.
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@Grognard:
, yeah I get that rise OK – always 
.
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