Can Rafael do the Samba?

He prowls about in a ceaseless manner – waiting for that ripe moment to teasingly steal possession close by the touchline. And then he sets off on a bellowing run that belies his relatively compact stature. Sometimes he fittingly settles it with a substantial passage of play. On other occasions, all the promising snipe just comes to naught. Exuberance of youth? Sure. But what about his rapid, inexplicable bursts of energy that will get you thinking about Tiger Blood? Sound like the ideal modern full back? Well, Rafael is quite the ideal modern fullback. And if you thought his Brazilian roots would limit him on the physical front – well, shame on you and your stereotypical orientation! Rafael is a tough nut. A tough Brazilian nut. And there you go, stereotypes can be positive too!

United’s latest number 2 hasn’t stopped evolving yet. Augurs well, doesn’t it? His vigour first gleamed in the winter of 2008, when he went on to score a howling volley at The Emirates. And as the season wore on, he began to feature in most of Sir Alex’s schemes. He was developing so fast that he was sometimes given the nod ahead of the geriatric Gary Neville and the fierce Wes Brown. This Brazilian bloomed under pressure.

It was the kind of pressure that could have fairly crippled him into disbelief. For that was a time many considered United would lose their plot, having let go of the covetous Carlos Tevez and the enormously gifted Ronaldo. United’s refined attacking ideals were compromised. And that compromise came as fodder to the herd of English sides that were once bulldozed by the nearly magical attacking prowess of the departed duo. These wounded squads shrewdly capitalized on the vulnerability that United exhibited. And United had to fine-tune their midfield accordingly. That was not an easy task.

The change had to stem from the firmness that was once United’s defence. Having lost their most efficient raiders, United displayed a dangerous wealth of space in the midfield. And United’s defence had very little screening. Sure, Darren Fletcher covered every blade of grass as if he had no regard for his aerobically abused lungs. But it just wasn’t enough. Owen Hargreaves’ miserable tryst with Sister Luck couldn’t have come at a worse time. And his subsequent descent only tapered into a point of no return. Anderson did not possess the dexterity to hold the sapless midfield either. That he is still not equipped enough to cope with the cut-throat rush of the Premier League is another charge. However, it was during this uninspiring period that Rafael was instructed to strut his Brazilian flair.

Conclusively enough, the signing of the Silva brothers was more than just a menial attempt to salvage a healthier fan base in South America. And Rafael’s contract extension, barely a year after his surreal admission, only went on to validate Sir Alex’s intent to build a team reminiscent of the early 90′s. And the move paid dividends. Rafael’s play induced a fresh charter of energy down the right flank. His bombing runs attracted a swarm of markers – thereby, creating enough room for the play makers to go about their business. His urge to attack defied the looming disbelief among the fans. It seemed as if he was destined to pull United out from the ghastly shackles of incredulity. In all honesty, Rafael’s influence was in no way lesser than the crafty Roy Keane’s inspirational tantrums. Its just that our Brazilian has been naïve about his uplifting aura.

His impact was bound to be instant. For he denoted a perennially pacey brand of wing play that most full backs do not. And this took the Premier League by surprise. Having grown accustomed to the lethargy of Gary Neville, and the complacence of John O’ Shea, teams found it hard to manage a resplendent Rafael.

Rafael of Manchester United is sent off during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between Manchester United and Bayern Muenchen at Old Trafford on April 7, 2010

His growth was appropriately rewarded with a place in the Champions’ League squad. However, this rather magical progression blemished when he collided in an unwarranted shoulder tug with Franck Ribery. His second yellow signaled the end of United’s Champions’ League charge. And with that, his reputation suffered. He was seen, in some quarters, as the sole reason behind United’s defeat. His absence provided enough room for Bayern Munich to pack a sucker punch. A bewitching second leg tie, until then, degenerated into a void of a match. The characteristic incorporeal atmosphere at Old Trafford was drowned. Only melancholy and disbelief prevailed. You could say it was all down to United’s failure to complete what would have been an unearthly comeback. We were denied the route to the Promised Land. And that was quite the disappointment.

At 3-0, Trafford oozed more optimism than Wilkins Micawber. But Ivica Olic’s improbable poke must have only put Dickens’ fabled optimist to shame. Olic had already done a Solskjaer in the first leg, and he was bound to be buoyed up by the daunting situation that Darron Gibson and Nani had enforced on his team. But shortly afterwards, the wave broke and the tide turned. And Arjen Robben rode the crest with an impeccable one-touch volley.

The fact was: Rafael was picked on. In what can only go down as an ugly mind game, Munich players constantly approached Rafael in a bid to unsettle his nerves. Ribery toyed around with his vibes. He pushed and hustled Rafael, and even went to the ground upon minimal contact. It was like watching a ring master beset his honey-bunch just for the sake of it. And eventually, Ribery’s trap worked. To the Munich players, the game was won when Rafael picked his first yellow. That was just about all the hatch they needed.

Much to our surprise, Rafael reemerged! During the 2010\11 season, he cemented his place at right back and went on to make 18 appearances. And since then, there has been a stark switch in his temperament. He still bombs forward; he still chases his man down like a pack of hounds. But, he doesn’t allow the opposition to dictate his play – which means he does not get dragged out of position, he does not get lured by the compelling possibility of winning possession. Instead, he chokes his man by offering little space down the flank. He has learnt his lesson.

And this season, he has been quite magnificent. It is as if the Alchemist reached into his footballing vitals and tweaked it with enough elixir. Such has been his improvement. That audacious curler against Liverpool only encapsulates his distinguished learning curve. And as United look likely to employ the Diamond, Rafael will have to continue the development that has landed him the number 2. With time by his side, Rafael could well conduct a new legacy at right back. The time is ripe for this young Brazilian to grow into the butch Sir Alex wants him to be. And that metamorphosis might just about extricate doubts that have blighted the Brazilian technique. It is now entirely up to Rafael to induce an exotic element of Samba to the highly physical Premier League.