All posts by h79snht.top

After a five-year wait (which has seemed an eternity for their fans) Liverpool will finally be back in Champions League action this evening as they host Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets.

With the Reds being English football’s most successful side in European football, after 2005’s triumph secured the top prize for a stunning fifth time, they, naturally, have had a few great moments through the years on the very biggest stage.

We won’t delve back into the days of the European Cup, but instead we’ll take a trip through the Champions League records and remind ourselves of some of those magical nights at Anfield and further afield…

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CLICK ON LUIS GARCIA TO REVEAL THE FIVE

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5) ‘The nutter with the putter’

On their way to the 2007 final, Liverpool dispatched of Barcelona via away goals in a 2-2 aggregate draw. The first leg took place at the Camp Nou and was famous for the ‘golf incident’ between John Arne Riise and Craig Bellamy in the build-up… Reports suggested that the duo clashed on a team bonding trip to Portugal, with the Welshman – famous for his short temper – threatening the left-back with a golf club.

So what happens in the game? The two combine to lethal effect to net the vital. away goals for the Reds in Barcelona. Both players scored, and Bellamy celebrated his goal with the famous celebration. Who teed up Riise for the winner? You guessed it!

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4) The ghost goal

There were many moments of inspiration in the 2005 winning season, but perhaps one of the more memorable acts was actually one of controversy. To this day is seems that Jose Mourinho has failed to get over the ‘ghost goal’ scored by Luis Garcia at Anfield in the second leg of the semi-final, and has suggested that the Kop end actually scored it.

The impish Spaniard pounced after Milan Baros had been felled by Petr Cech to poke the ball towards goal, but it appeared that William Gallas has cleared before it crossed the line. Yet referee Michel Lobos gave the goal and the Reds went on to win 1-0 and book their trip to the final.

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3) Liverpool 4-0 Real Madrid

Perhaps Liverpool’s single greatest display in the Champions League came as they battered Real Madrid 4-0 to secure a 5-0 aggregate victory in 2009. The Reds entered the tie with a single goal lead and were expected to endure a tough night on Merseyside against a side boasting big names such as Fabio Cannavaro, Raul and Arjen Robben.

However Rafa Benitez’s men ran amok as Fernando Torres opened the scoring before Steven Gerrard netted a brace. Andrea Dossena then supplied the final effort to absolutely guarantee a quarter-final clash with Chelsea – which they eventually lost.

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2) Gerrard’s goal at home to Olympiakos

Mellor, down to Gerrard… ‘ohhhhhh ya beauty…’ Not many football fans like Andy Gray anymore, but that piece of commentary will forever live in the memory. I am of course talking about the famous 86th minute goal scored by Steven Gerrard to haul Liverpool kicking and screaming out of Group A in 2004 and into the last 16.

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Due to their head-to-head record, Liverpool had to beat Olypiakos by two clear goals after Rivaldo had put the Greeks ahead on Merseyside, a feat which was looking nearly impossible as Florent Sinama Pongolle’s effort left the scores level with ten minutes to play. Neil Mellor then popped to make it 2-1, and light the fuse for Anfield to explode. Gerrard then blew the roof off minutes later when he latched onto the striker’s knockdown to unleash a half-volley from the edge of the area. Words barely do it justice, so watch the goal below…

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1) That night in Istanbul

Could there be any other winner? The epic 2005 game in Istanbul is widely hailed as the best ever Champions League Final thanks to the Reds’ miraculous comeback. Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool were 3-0 down at half time to AC Milan, who had raced to what they thought was a guaranteed win with two goals from Hernan Crespo and a rare Paolo Maldini effort.

But some tinkering during the interval saw Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso grab three unlikely goals and take the game to penalties. Andriy Shevchenko was tasked with scoring the kick to keep the Rossoneri in the shootout, but his tame effort was parried away from Jerzy ‘Grobbelaar for the night’ Dudek.

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Why always Mario Balotelli? One way or another he simply cannot stop people discussing him and it usually revolves around something negative rather than positive.

Since signing for his new club Liverpool he has not quite set the Premier League on fire, despite being a big marquee signing that came with a lot of hype and the promise of being a direct Luis Suarez replacement. Yet he has been far from being anywhere near good enough to fill the gap left by the biting hero. Not that there are many players anywhere in the world that could emulate what the Uruguyan did at Anfield, but Balo is simply not fitting in to his big signing mould casted for him by the board.

He looks like a signing to appease those fans desiring a marquee player. In truth, those fans have been duped. Brendan Rodgers didn’t want him, yet the board authorised it, purely to sell shirts and insist that the club were remaining ambitious on the back of last season’s dizzy heights of second place. 

Many fans are already getting fed up of seeing the Italian in a Liverpool shirt and have realised that Mario is not exactly the quick fix required. He was a panic buy and simply cannot do enough to shine for the reds. Why? Because he has not got the right attitude towards the game.

He spends too much time skulking around the pitch, not really interested in chasing the game or creating chances as much as he is stopping the opposition players from winding him up and throwing anxious and sad looks at the cameras if he does not get his way. If Balotelli changed his attitude and put a good shift in, he’d be a far better player. He needs to improve his work ethic if he wants to have any sort of legacy like his predecessor Luis Suarez.

There was another player with a similar attitude problem but got away with it because of his sheer out and out quality and pure class. That was Eric Cantona. He could get away with being lazy from time to time as he was an incredible talent. Let him walk back, be flat footed, whine and moan. Why? Because you knew that in the blink of an eye he would do something out of this world.

You simply do not get that with Balotelli at Liverpool at the moment which is why he is already starting to look like a major flop for his new team. Although he still has it in his own hands to turn his fortunes around and become a very important player for the reds, it is highly unlikely he will be any sort of legend.

If Balotelli can sort his attitude out, focus on getting his work rate up and take attention away from his the negative sides of his game, he will go a long way to being a good player for Liverpool. However, Liverpool lost a great player, and right now Super Mario is very far away from that.

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With Raheem Sterling sunning himself in Jamaica, Brendan Rodgers was always going to have to make a change up front for the Sunderland game. In truth, the 20-year-old winger is enjoying a well-deserved rest – this is the first Premier League game of the season he won’t feature in – after enduring a tough few weeks of leading the Reds’ line, which has coincided with some better attacking displays.

Italian ‘ace’ Mario Balotelli was expected to step into the XI, or possibly Rickie Lambert, but Rodgers has opted for Borini… interesting! The Italian spent last season on loan with the Black Cats, so his knowledge of the North East side may be key, plus his movement is a little better than his compatriot.

So how did Liverpool fans take the news? And does this mean the end of Balotelli?

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For all of the criticisms that you can level at Brendan Rodgers this year, his (and Liverpool’s) dealings in the transfer market are probably where you  levy most of your criticism. It therefore seems somewhat contradictory to assert that Rodgers should be kept in charge until after the next transfer window, seeing as he’s likely to hinder the club further with his questionable outlays.

Ultimately, sacking Rodgers would be a mistake. His tenure is already beginning to mirror that of Arsene Wenger, in that both have become victims of their own success and both divide opinion quite strongly between their supporters and doubters.

His critics are becoming increasingly vocal. The ‘Rodgersoutclub’ twitter handle, a group which threatened and intended to fly a sign over Anfield last month, structures their argument primarily around his woeful performance in the transfer market. That, and his utter reliance on Luis Suarez. They tweeted, for example, on December 15- ‘Credit to Luis Suarez. The man conned the world into thinking Brendan Rodgers was a top manager’.

It’s the same old myopic, irrational and subjective conjecture that overlooks the huge array of factors that have contributed to Liverpool’s downfall this year.

First, Liverpool no longer have a director of football (usually the man tasked with dealing with signings) but a transfer committee, a product of Ian Ayre, operating CEO, to make the right decisions in the transfer market: ‘What we believe, and we continue to follow’ Ayre stated, ‘is you need many people involved in the process (of signing players).’ Rodgers, allegedly, has the final say on who is signed, but other than that, there probably is not a manager in the Premier League who has less de facto control over who their club signs.

Second, the losses of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez have been crippling- more so than many comprehend. Their contribution of 50 goals last year fails to actually illustrate the breadth of influence they had in galvanising the team. It allowed Rodgers to play immense attacking football, developing Raheem Sterling and Coutinho in the process, masking their defensive inadequacies and allowing Steven Gerrard to play with a freedom that was seldom exposed. Losing both of them is the difference between the top four and mid-table.

They are over-riding factors, however, which detract from why he should be allowed to rectify his mistakes this January. Having guided Liverpool to second place last year, he has shown that he can build a team to a meteoric level; there are not many managers in the world who can genuinely prove that at this level. He should be allowed the opportunity to re-build.

He adheres to a philosophy of wonderfully creative attacking football- a ploy that made Liverpool one of the most exciting teams to watch in Premier League history last year. Every chairman in the world seeks that- it made the club’s brand stronger and more attractive. He also gives youth a chance, which in an age of quick-jolt like decisions takes a lot of bravery; he deserves more credit for the Sterling’s development into one of the most exciting players in world football. While you can criticise the imports that have failed to integrate at Liverpool, the gelling of many new players always takes time- Tottenham in their post Bale-slump show that. Many of them are younger than people realise; there’s an excess of raw talent waiting to be developed.

And Rodgers is the man to over-see those developments. Steven Gerrard’s endorsement that he’s the best man manager he has ever worked with is huge. Man management is arguably the most important attribute of any manager- and that statement categorises Rodgers in bracket above Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier, Rafael Benitez, Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish, as well as Sven Goran-Eriksson and Fabio Capello. But he’s also a good coach- Jose Mourinho valued him highly when the two worked at Chelsea.

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The day a manager loses his dressing room is the day he must be sacked. With no sign of that being the case, Rodgers has earned the right to guide Liverpool through this troublesome period. It was in January  time two years ago that he acquired Sturridge and Coutinho- he should be allowed the opportunity to replicate that again.

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For all the love and respect Jermain Defoe amassed from the White Hart Lane faithful during his time in North London, it remains a questionable issue as to why Tottenham eventually let their beloved hitman leave the Premier League for the MLS roughly this time last year.

Yes – at 32-years-old the former England international may be no spring chicken and behind both Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order – but alongside the in-form Harry Kane, many believe Jermain Defoe could still be comfortably finding the net for Spurs in 2015.

With other attacking transfer targets likely to be prioritised by Defoe’s former employers this January, Tottenham’s loss is Sunderland’s gain now that Gus Poyet has managed to land the tricky forward on a permanent basis at the Stadium of Light. As the Black Cats have a great deal of work cut out this year if they are to successfully stave off relegation for another season, could the Jermain Defoe deal spark a surprise rise up the table for Poyet’s determined side?

Whilst Defoe is hardly going to perform any miracles with his new club right away, seeing as it will take a lot more than one player to cure all of Poyet’s problems, there is still much the former England international can do to appease their current woes. Although Sunderland have tightened up dramatically at the back in since their 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Southampton, they still struggle at the other end of the field.

Too many draws have therefore been something Gus Poyet has been looking to remedy in recent months, but now that Jermain Defoe has put on their red & white stripes for the first time, such issues may soon start to dissipate for the Stadium of Light faithful.

After all, they are hardly signing a fresh new face in this deal. Defoe is not someone who doesn’t know the league, or a player who needs time to settle into English football – he is a vastly experienced Premier League star and a good one at that.Everyone knows that he is a finisher. The new Black Cats no. 28 has a great turn in front of goal, intelligent movement off defenders when he doesn’t have the ball, and a seemingly constant awareness of where the goal is and how the keeper can be beaten.

Scoring goals is simply Jermain Defoe’s game, and Sunderland need all the help they can get in that department right now. Since Jozy Altidore has now made the switch back to the MLS in the wake of Poyet’s new signing, the Black Cats boss might finally see the goals start to become that bit more frequent for his team.

Although this deal won’t arrive without its fair share of problems –such as potentially unlucky injuries and the bedding-in time needed for Defoe to gel with the likes of Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham – on the surface it would seem the perfect fit. Whilst nothing is guaranteed in football however, the fact that Jermain Defoe wants to claim back his England place with Sunderland, shows a great deal of intent from the player at his new club.

Despite failing to score on his debut against Tottenham, of all clubs, last time out, things will only improve for the nifty striker down at the Stadium of Light. If he steadily shows his class of yesteryear, with a bit of injury avoiding fortune on the side, it becomes increasingly difficult to imagine Sunderland relegated with Jermain Defoe on board.

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Time, as always, will tell.

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As yet more bad news – or good, depending how you look at it – hits the press about Blackpool FC things could be looking up for the club, albeit marginally.

The 1-1 draw against Leeds on Saturday means the Seasiders need four more points this season to ensure they don’t go down as the worst Championship team in history. That title currently belongs to Stockport County who, in the 2001/02 season, managed to collect only 26 points.

Securing this title of the ‘worst team in Championship history’ would only cement what many Blackpool fans are already aware: they are terrible. This week Blackpool has hit the press once again on a number of occasions; it has become a bit of a regular occurrence this season.

About 100 fans have been sent letters and temporarily been banned as the club investigates how many Leeds fans gained access into the home supporters stands for the match last Saturday. The second big headline concerning Blackpool was about controversial owner Karl Oyston. The FA have announced they will be charging Oyston for the shocking and inappropriate texts he sent to fans earlier in the season.

So with things already in such a mess at Bloomfield Road and relegation looking certain are Blackpool really the worst team in Championship history?

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Let’s look at the stats, the Seasiders had won only 4 games this season with the previous manager Jose Riga (sacked in October 2014) and current manager Lee Clark only boasting a win rate of 18% – shocking for any club. They currently sit firmly at the bottom of the League on a goal difference of minus 48 having let in 78 goals. Even if they manage to get four points before the end of the season they will still be one of the worst teams ever in football history.

Many fans are embarrassed by the way the club has fallen from grace. Blackpool should be a solid Championship team but it has been turned into mess by one family. It’s hard to believe that it was only a few years ago that Blackpool were on the best trip they had ever been on surprising Premier League teams week in week out.

Just two seasons later and they are about to set a record no one really wants. Blackpool have the worst stats of any team in the Football League – not just the Championship – but when they started the season with just eight players it was never going to be the right sort of records that they would break.

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I strongly expect most fans don’t really care if Blackpool become the worst team in Championship history. It will just be yet another bad thing that has happened. Now when stories break about Blackpool instead of being surprised about what is being said most they just shrug.

I am not saying the Tangerines have given up – far from it – but bad news is expected now and it’s just more ammunition. Blackpool don’t need to break an official record; they already know they are the worst team. It’s just a shame no one at the club seems to want to change that.

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As reported by The Express and pretty much every other paper in England, Manchester United are allegedly targeting Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale for a summer move to Old Trafford. In fact, apart from recent revelations regarding Raheem Sterling, it’s probably the biggest talking point ahead of the coming transfer window.

Indeed, the Wales international seems to be enduring a rather rotten time at the Bernabeu, despite netting 38 goals in 83 apperances and last term helping Real Madrid claim their first Champions League title for over a decade, with fans so angry at his recent performances some even attacked his car.

We at Football Fancast, however, still view the Welsh wizard as one of the best in world football and think the Red Devils would be mad to pass on the opportunity of snapping him up this summer.

And just in case you need further convincing on the issue, we’ve come up with FIVE reasons why.

GOING TO REAL MADRID HAS ONLY MADE HIM BETTER

Don’t be fooled by all the hot air coming out of the Bernabeu at the minute – moving to Real Madrid for a world-record £87million has unquestionably made Gareth Bale a better player.

Although his technical qualities were never in doubt they’ve reached completely new proportions in the Spanish capital, with nifty foot-work, reverse passes, cute flick-ons and even the odd nutmeg aplenty.

The demands of La Liga have made the Welsh wizard a slightly different type of player, but they’ve also hugely improved his capability in tight spaces, adding a whole new dimension to his game from the more simplistic mode of proving incredibly destructive on the counter-attack.

Indeed, Bale’s looked finer-tuned and better-polished over the last two seasons, in my opinion anyway, whilst his goal return has remained relatively on par with his ultimate campaign at Tottenham.

United aren’t picking up damaged goods or a reject – they’re signing a player who has developed as expected since moving to Real.

He epitomises Manchester United

There’s always been something about Gareth Bale that just epitomises Manchester United.

A winger of power, pace, industry and goals sums up almost everything about the Sir Alex Ferguson philosophy – the philosophy that lead the Red Devils to 13 consecutive Premier League titles.

Of course, we’re in a different era now and United are working under Louis van Gaal’s somewhat more cautious ethos. But the 25 year-old would be the perfect throwback – a player that bridges new and old – whilst comparisons with compatriot Ryan Giggs are somewhat inevitable.

Paul Scholes believes Bale would be perfect for the Red Devils and I agree; there’s perhaps no other winger in world football right now, apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, who encapsulates the Old Trafford outfit’s fundamental beliefs so perfectly.

STATEMENT OF INTENT

Nobody doubts Manchester United’s ambitions to become the Premier League powerhouse of yesteryear once again, but signing Gareth Bale this summer would constitute an enormous statement of intent on that front.

Big signings, such as the former Tottenham star, can often bring a lift to the whole club, galvanising the fans, commanding a higher level of performance from the rest of the squad and subsequently striking fear into the hearts of their rivals.

Although Bale will likely cost a club-record fee this summer, it’ll be worth every penny if the confidence his sheer presence provides leads to the first Premier League title of the post-Ferguson era.

Threat in behind

From a tactical perspective, what Manchester United have lacked most this season is a penetrative presence in the final third who can contest the space behind the opposition backline.

Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria have provided this on occasion, but both are equally inclined to cut inside and link up with the midfield – so there’s no real consistent threat to keep opposing defenders on the back foot.

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This is epitomised best by perhaps Radamel Falcao and Robin van Perise, two forwards who have offered very little movement or physicality this term and resultantly struggled for goals.

Gareth Bale, on the other hand, would address that need in abundance. He was recently revealed to be the second-fasted player in world football, and has indeed made a career out of his devastating pace.

In addition to making United a formidable force on the counter-attack, the sheer notion of the Welshman’s blistering speed will force defences to set up deeper, allowing the likes of Rooney, Di Maria, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera considerably more space in midfield.

What are the alternatives?

In my opinion, Manchester United do need another winger this summer, whether it’s Gareth Bale or somebody else. The jury’s still out on where Angel Di Maria’s best position actually lies, whilst the likes of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young are some way below the standard required.

But realistic alternatives to the Wales international are currently rather thin on the ground. One could point to Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus, but he’s just signed a new contract. Maybe Barcelona’s Pedro, but he’s never quite been in the same category as the former Spurs talisman. Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery? Too old and seemingly happy enough at Bayern Munich. And there’s no way Arsenal or Manchester City are going to be surrendering Alexis Sanchez or Raheem Sterling to the Red Devils this summer.

Consequentially, it’s either an expensive but proven Gareth Bale, or a speculative punt on a player who may or may not come good. If Manchester United plan on winning the Premier League title again any time soon, they need established talent like the 25 year-old.

The dust has now settled on another enthralling Premier League season, with highs and lows and thrills and spills having been commonplace across the entire campaign. Although it was ultimately the players for the 20 sides that decided the title race, the relegation battle and all the spots in between, the managers in charge of their sides should not escape the limelight. Here are the FIVE we at FFC Towers believe to have been the best… Vote below to have your say!

Alan Pardew

A season of two halves for Pardew saw him come under increasing levels of pressure at Newcastle before relocating to Crystal Palace at the turn of 2015. At the time the Eagles were hovering round the relegation zone, but 28 points from 18 games saw the south Londoners end the campaign in the upper half of the table – they leapfrogged Everton on the final day. Known for being a bit brash and not always the most well-behaved of coaches, Pardew still deserves serious recognition.

Jose Mourinho

A stroll to the Premier League title sums up what Mourinho is all about. The Portuguese manager’s side somewhat limped over the line, but blistering form over the opening half of the campaign left the Blues with the foundation on which to build a successful title-winning season. The ‘Special One’ got the best from Diego Costa (when fit) and nurtured Cesc Fabregas’ talents to turn his Chelsea outfit, despite its critics, into an attractive and ruthless unit.

Garry Monk

A highest ever points tally and a record finishing spot (56 and eighth respectively) is some going for Swansea, who owe much of their success to Monk. The former Swans defender is one of the youngest coaches in English football at 36, but his lack of experience hasn’t been an issue, with the Englishman well-versed in the philosophy of the South Wales club – attractive football with sound organisation. And he achieved all of this after losing Wilfried Bony in January.

Mark Hughes

While Stoke are not always seen as a fashionable side, Hughes’ work should not go unappreciated this term. The Potters chief guided the club a joint record highest finishing spot on ninth and increased on last term’s 50 point-haul by four, all while spending £3m net on new players and continuing to alter the club’s long-standing reputation as long ball merchants.

Ronald Koeman

The work of Koeman over the season was little short of miraculous. Parachuted in over the summer to replace Mauricio Pochettino and then quickly faced with the loss of five first-team players, little was expected from the Saints boss over the campaign. However, despite early talk of a relegation scrap, the South Coast club spent much of the season battling for a top four finish, before eventually the demands on their small squad told. Europa League football is the reward, while the form of players such as Sadio Mane, Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic is a positive heading into next season.

Vote for your Premier League Manager of the Season below…

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The Best Current Soccer Players

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For every great signing, there seems to be at least one disappointing one It’s impossible to get every deal right – just ask Fergie who signed some absolute stinkers during his glorious Manchester United reign – but some deserve a ribbing more than others. So, here are the top five flops after lengthy discussions in FFC HQ, so have a look and vote below…

Mario Balotelli

Hailed as the successor to Luis Suarez at Liverpool, Balotelli has been a disaster in the red shirt, notching just four goals in all competitions – only one of which came in the Premier League (albeit it was the winner in a 3-2 home clash with Spurs). At £16m a greater return was expected from the Italian, who is surely now at the end of the road in terms of big clubs…

Eliaquim Mangala

Signed as one of the world’s most highly-rated defenders for a massive £31.8m, The Frenchman was expected to add some presence and solidity to Manchester City’s backline. However, the former Porto ace has been a one-man error machine, with his wayward positioning and nervousness having made him a complete flop.

Angel di Maria

The most expensive footballer ever signed by a British club could not get a game ahead of Ashley Young during the latter months of the season… let that sink in. Di Maria was Man of the Match in the Champions League Final and played in the World Cup Final just months before joining Manchester United, but he appeared to struggle to truly settle, perhaps because he never actually wanted to be at Old Trafford… just a thought!

Brown Ideye

West Brom’s club record signing is barely known outside of the The Hawthorns. If you blinked at any stage of the season there’s a good chance you missed the Nigerian’s handful of goals, with the man signed from Dynamo Kiev having been quiet to say the least.

Remy Cabella

Courted by some of Europe’s biggest sides, it was a bit of a shock when Newcastle won the race for Cabella last summer. But, it quickly became evident as to why the larger sides had avoided the playmaker, whose slight frame and hot and cold playing style frustrated through the season.

Vote for your Premier League Flop of the Season below…

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The Best Current Soccer Players

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Manchester United’s playing squad has been undergoing comprehensive surgery this summer, with upgrades in a number of positions as Louis van Gaal looks to push forward with a Premier League title charge in 2015-16.

The Old Trafford outfit have addressed areas of need such as central midfield and right-back to reinforce, with every chance that the historic club will be in the hunt for top spot come next May.

However, with every new signing one of the existing players’ positions came under threat, with Matteo Darmian’s acquisition from Torino the final nail in Rafael’s United tenure.

The attack-minded right-back has completed a move to French club Lyon ahead of the new season, putting to an end a fairly underwhelming last 12 months in England for the South American.

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Regarded more able and likely to make a real impression than his brother Fabio, the 25-year-old has undergone contorting fortunes in his time in England. When he has been able to stay consistently fit and available, Rafael looked like a full-back with the potential to be an ever-present for the Red Devils.

In 2012-13 the South American looked like the closest thing to a long-term replacement for Gary Neville, making 27 Premier League starts and tied down the right-back slot as his own.

However, since that injuries and a dip in form have cost him his place, with Rafael only starting 24 times over the last two seasons. Van Gaal’s appointment last summer was viewed as a fresh start for everyone at the club, with each and every player having to prove himself once more to a new manager.

But the Brazil international obviously did little to win favour with the Dutch maestro, as he was relegated to fringe status and afforded only a handful of games in 2014-15. Strangely, right-back has been an area of concern over the last 12 months for United, with the most usual incumbent in the position a right winger by trade in the form of Antonio Valencia.

Despite this, the versatile Ecuador international got the nod more times than not, while others were also played out of position to plug the gap.

Just why Rafael did not fit the mould of a player that Van Gaal valued remains to be seen, as looking at it from the outside the Brazilian has all the qualities that the former Netherlands coach wants in a full-back.

Aggressive in the tackle, solid in possession and with an enviable work-rate, Rafael looked like a player that would fit into Van Gaal’s expansive game plan.

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With the Dutchman also switching between a back four and three centre-halves and wing-backs, the Brazilian’s ability to play in both systems surely should have been a virtue.

Darmian looks set to solve the issues on the right-hand side for the Red Devils, while Rafael has left the club wondering just what could have been.

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