Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha’s recent performances for Manchester United have been just as frustrating as his first appearances for the club nearly two and a half season’s ago. It begs the question, with little improvement, is the Portuguese winger simply not good enough to play for United or just a bit simple?
The pointless stepover, a wasted pass, or an incomprehensible shot with better placed teammate ignored; all trademarks of which Nani cannot be proud. Yet for all Nani’s infuriating habits the Portuguese winger is undoubtedly talented. The former Sporting protégé’s début goal – a scorching 30-yarder against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford – symptomatic of the bipolar nature of the player’s gifts.
Indeed, many supporters – correctly – point to Cristiano Ronaldo’s inconsistency in the early years with United. The Real Madrid player did not reach a double figure goal tally until his third season at Old Trafford. At a similar stage of his Old Trafford career, Nani could yet match his more illustrious predecessor. Although, in his fourth complete season as a professional Ronaldo struck 26 times in total.
The goalscoring timeline is not wholly instructive of course. Perhaps a more relevant comparison is with the technical progress the two players made over the same period. Not only has Nani failed to improve but in his second season the 22-year-old was a shadow of the player who scored that stunning goal against Spurs. That the winger was largely relegated to the Carling Cup side, playing alongside the reserves, was a clear indicator of Nani’s fall down the Old Trafford player hierarchy last season.
This campaign Nani has delivered just one stand-out performance – against CSKA Moscow in the Russian capital a fortnight ago. It was the exception to a disappointing rule that has seen the winger misfire if trusted at all.
Statistics aside, Nani’s failure to mature is, surely, immensely frustrating for a manager who prides himself on youth development. While Nani is just over a year younger than the departed Cristiano Ronaldo, he is miles away from the Real Madrid player’s quality.
Perhaps even more enlightening is the rapid progress of Antonio Valencia at Old Trafford who, after an uncertain start, is looking every bit a Manchester United player.
Why then cannot the greatest manger United has possessed and the world-class infrastructure at his disposal not coach the worst of Nani’s excesses out of the Cape Verde-born player’s game? After all, the United coaching staff eliminated Ronaldo’s unnecessary showmanship; and experience improved the player’s decision-making and team work.
Yet such is the paucity of Nani’s credible performances this campaign that it is tempting to write-off his season already and hope that the player returns from the World Cup – should Portugal make it past Bosnia in the play-offs – significantly more mature.
But, five seasons into a professional career, Nani may have already peaked as a player. On Tuesday night he delivered yet another infuriating performance. The only surprise was that the wide-man made it past half-time before being hauled off.
This weekend Nani will surely be left on the bench once again, the peerless Ryan Giggs and aforementioned Valencia starting on the wings.
Then in January the highly-rated right-side player Adem Ljajić arrives from Partizan Belgrade.
While Nani’s place on the left is not directly affected by Ljajić’s arrival, speculation that United is preparing a bid for Benfica’s outstanding Angel di Maria or Valencia’s world-class left-sided forward David Silva will touch a little too close to home for the Portuguese.
Somehow it seems doubtful that Nani will get the message.
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Yeah he is talented . He knows how to cross we”ve seen it in the fa cup against arsenal . He knows how to dribble . He knows how to shoot he knwos how to pass it”s just making right decisions not the stuppid selfish ones. I hope fergie sorts this out coz now we are in need for him coz i dont think when adam comes he will get straight onto our team . He”ll need time to settle and raise his fitness and physical level just like zoran
Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh in jumping on that bandwagon? I mean come on, he’s not been that bad. Infuriating performance on Tuesday night? Did he not assist the only goal we scored during the time he was on the pitch? But that doesn’t seem to count for shit for some reason…
My point is, he’s being slated in every game despite not really playing any worse than the rest of the lads, but he’s being singled out just because he doesn’t single-handedly win us games like Ronaldo used to. He’s not Ronaldo, no-one is, try to forget Ronaldo ever existed and watch one game without comparing the two, then make an objective assessment, ok?
It is a sad fact that Nani, whilst actually performing at a pretty consistent level, is attacked with increasing venom after each match. Undoubtedly he needs to develop. But on the basis of this season alone his form is clearly not worse than that of the rest of the team (Rooney included). But there are two factors, other than irresponsible press coverage and certain shorter-sighted fans, which will probably make it impossible for Nani to continue at united.
The first is that Nani carries the Portugese, quick and tricky branding. It is therefore simply impossible that he will not be compared to Ronaldo. Many people make this point, though few seem to grasp its real significance. The comparisons with Ronaldo are not holding Nani back: rather they are creating a warp in the expectations of the fans. The world will probably never see another winger who can score 40 goals a season from the wing. Why expect that Nani can. Nani is very clearly a different player, but not necessarily the wrong one to replace Ronaldo. But of course we must be clear that this replacement is not, should not, and cannot be like for like. Behind all the talk of Nani coming good, I suspect, there lies the wish that he would BEcome Ronaldo. That will not happen.
The second is that Nani is an easy avenue of blame for English fans in the lead up to a world cup. Over the last five matches Rooney has been far less consistent than Nani. Yet the irresponsibility of the press, who simply will not highlight the failings of Scholes, Giggs and Rooney, has allowed Nani to become a kind of catchall scapegoat to explain away the malfunctioning of an entire team. Undoubtedly he has contributed to this: his histrionics, his occasional (sic.) selfishness, his Diouf-esque flashy-ness. None of these sides to him are attractive. But the treatment he receives, from even his own fans, is absurd and, worse, based upon false expectations and the press’s origami scapegoating.
I agree it’s unfair to compare him to Ronaldo but it’s inevitable. But I don’t think the criticism is just a media generated thing. Sure the red tops will always pick on United players, it’s part of the territory. If he was actually performing there wouldn’t be criticism. Plus he’s being out performed by Valencia now who has slotted right into the side. It’s up to Nani, he’s got to be better.
Was it not Queiroz who corrected the faults of Ronaldo?
Therefore could it be his departure and the failure of Mike Phelan and Rene Mulensteen to step into this development role which has slowed (halted) Nani’s progress?
He’s a technically gifted player, with his head in the ground. We should stop comparing him to Ronnie and give him time. Either ways, we are not going to get Ribery or Silva, who would be the only players I would have replace him.
Carlos Queiroz was a decent assistant coach, but his role in shaping Ronaldo is overstated. The man management of Alex Ferguson and the coaching structure of his club are the reason Ronaldo flourished. Similarly, you will see Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan hit the next gear soon. Jonny Evans? Fabio? Rafael? Welbeck? These are youngsters who are moulded by Old Trafford, not Carlos Queiroz. Mame Biram Diouf will be on his way, Adem Llajic will be on his way. Watch them grow under SAF.
You only have to listen to what Ronaldo said of Queiroz, with them both staying on the training ground together practising and bulding up hours of extra training to perfect free kicks and work on new skills.
We can only go on what we see on the pitch and what we hear from the players and coaches. Perhaps Nani just doesn’t work hard enough in the way others do. Most young players will always develop through first team football so choosing players who’ve not had much doesn’t really wash, thats half the task – putting them in at the right time! However Nani has had this football and is a slow developer, hence the frustration.
I believe he is an absolute brilliant talent, with it all to prove. I can see where some of you are coming from with regards to Mike Phelan stopping his progress. because his first season he was excellen, under his fellow Portugese coach Queiroz. Maybe maybe not I still believe he can succeed.
He plays well sometimes but lacks consistency. The most important thing is he never contributed when mutd was trailing.
He is good talent minus Good judgment and therefore the technical aspect simply not there. He holds the ball longer than necessary, does not know when just to let the ball roll over, when to hold on it, when to shoot or when to bring his mates into play. I sum it that talent without end result is unpalatable. If only, If only he developed to be all round player he would be in a class of his own. Please do not offload him but loan him out and have one trainer train and monitor him. My sure bet is that if Obertan stays minus injuries then it wont be long before he is overtaken.
I believe Nani will never get a fair shake at Utd. The boss prefers Giggs and Valencia who i think has less skill than Nani and is a bit one dimensional. He is always substituted first and that cant help his confidence. One thing I am sure about is that he should move from OT to a side where he will assume the main attacking role, we have not given him the same. Ferguson used to say of Ronaldo that they wanted to pass the ball quickly to him before defences have settled so he can run at them. We certainly dont have the same model for Nani. We are not looking to release him early, By the time he gets the ball all he can do is pass as the defence is set. Admittedly he sometime tries too much but I think its a factor of the time when we pass him the ball. Even Ronaldo was selfish we accepted that because we though he could score.
A good move may be to sign him for a further period and sent him out on loan to continue his development. The guy has enough talent we have all seen it, two great feet, trickery galore all the ingredients to a great player in fact good enough to be like Ronaldo…look at his impact in the Portuguese team. I am certain if we let him go we will regret it he will be one of the worlds leading players!