You missed 2010/11, where Nani is list as #1. Rooney is #9 and Valencia is off the chart (injury?). Certainly having Nani be the BEST player in the league has to count for something? Maybe that shows what Nani can do if he isn't chopped and changed all season long. ps -- I've looked at these statistics below. I can't tell how objective they are. pps -- and other people have said this already. Rats. I just woke up.
Consistent? If that's your criteria, congratulations. You just proved that Rooney, Ashley Young, Gareth Bale and Florent Malouda are consistent players. Solid argument, johno.
Before joining United Ashley Young was indeed quite consistent. Like I said, the stats site counts things, so dribbles, shots on target, tackles etc help you. Tackles particularly, which is one reason Valencia gets a little boost compared to other wingers. I have a question Stud. Were you asleep during Nani's 40+ run of games with a goal or an assist? If not, how is that NOT consistent?
I don't know what you are referencing - Nani went 40+ straight games for us with a goal or assist? BTW, going back to whoscored rankings - check out their rankings for today's game. Evra, Valencia and Rooney all rated higher than Carrick (and Valencia with 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, 0 clearances). De Gea is rated as the second-worst player on a team. Just not a good way to measure performances.
Yes he did. It might even have been 50 games. I'm sure others remember this stat as well. As for your other point. Sure, we can ignore that website and go back to goals and assists. Oh wait, you don't want that either do you? PS, if you look at attackers only, across Europe, it generally tends to spit out pretty good lists. It has in the past.
Stud sounds like the Republicans having a go at Nate Silver because their individual biases didn't match with the stats. I will get back to individual posts tomorrow.
Nate Silver > whoscored. If he was measuring players statistics and came up with an algorithm (which surely would have been 100000 times better than whoscored), I would've agreed with any of his conclusions. Also johno, are you seriously saying that Nani had 50 straight games for us with a goal or assist?Syed posted his stats a few pages back - Nani's best season for us was 10 goals + 14 assists, it is mathematically impossible for him to have had such a long scoring streak. Although I'd be glad to be proven wrong if you actually have anything to back it up with. You want to talk about goals/assists - fine, Nani has had excellent production for us. When he's on form, he's easily the best player on our team. He also has the most potential of any of our players. It's not even close, really. Nani at his best is million times better than Valencia at his best (or anyone else). And he's had a bunch of great games each season, which makes his 'average' performance in a season pretty high. He also he can have excruciatingly bad games for stretches, where it seems like he's always making the wrong decision (hence, me calling him inconsistent). We obviously have a different definition for what it means to be consistent for a player, so no point to continue arguing about it.
A goal or an assist. It was a long stretch. I'm not making it up. I think those numbers you posted were for league games only. I don't think it was 50, that's probably off but it was definitely a pretty amazing streak. Definitely 30+ games with either an assist or a goal. I'm also uncertain as to whether that streak included international games too. I agree that Nani's play isn't always effective. Kinda like Valencia isn't ever effective against top teams. EVER. Nani sometimes fails to make an impact in a game, but even in his bad games, he manages to create dangerous chances for his teammates or himself. I guess we can agree to disagree as you say. I know Nani can be more consistent, but I don't think he's terribly inconsistent. I also don't understand what the point of consistency without product is? Perhaps where I give Nani a break in terms of consistency might be what you just deem as his base level?
The better player you are, the more is expected of you, simple as. So of course I judge Nani not just on pure product, but on how much this product deviates from his good form. You are clearly mistaking it for something else. You are a rational person johno (well, most of the time ), think about the numbers. 15 game point streak would be amazing - I wouldn't be surprised if Messi never accomplished it even this year, where he broke all kinds of records. 30+ game point streak is only possible in some lower leagues or in kids competitions. You need to have 30+ games where your team scores at least 1 goal (which is highly unlikely by itself), and where you directly contribute to a goal in every one of those. My guess is Nani never went more than 8 games in a row with a goal or an assist. I'll look up exact numbers if you continue to insist that you are not mistaken, but surely you must realize that you were thinking of something else.
He didn't get a goal/assists in every match in that streak, but it was approximately 35 goals/assists in 35 consecutive matches. But he didn't get more than 2 points (goal/assist) and there were only a handful of matches that he didn't get either a goal or an assist.
That's it. Alcohol has muddled my brain. What urbnzy said, he had an incredible run that averaged either a goal or an assist in many many matches.
that streak also included NT games as i recall. but it was a good sequence of games nonetheless but not 50+. it was also the average because i am sure in that run he missed out on a goal or assist but over the period chosen he averaged one of those a game
It approached 50 though, because I think people only started talking about it when it got to 35 or so. 35 goals or assists in his last 35 games. Then it continued.
or he got injured and was shunted to the left again and is subsequently underperforming whilst not being given a proper shot. this is all too familiar. player has a blip, goes into dog house and the sheeple proclaim they are shit and were never really that good. its happened before.
It is about decision making. Nani on the right, can get a cross off at pretty much any time because it is his stronger foot. He can basically make the decision to go down the outside at any point. Defenders must keep that in mind. On the left, Nani needs the best conditions to get off an accurate cross with his left foot. On the right, Nani's a threat to go down the outside and if you respect that he can come inside and play 1-2s and be dangerous. He can also shoot, but generally, he tries to get played through, so he can chip or finish right footed. Regardless, whatever the reason, he's more dangerous on the right and that's his preferred position. Nothing else really matters.
not true. it matters as it shows how limited he really is on a serious note to go off on a tangent though. Shouldnt a great player be able to be great playing in any similar position? for example, if you are an attacking player should you be able to play in any forward position and begreat at it. when i think of say Pele i have the impression (rightly or wrongly) that if you put him on the left right middle up top by himself he will still be pele. same with beckenbauer and other greats. should great players transcend the pigeonhole positions? note that this is not nani specific....