haram
New Member
- Joined
- May 28, 2017
- Messages
- 12,921
1. Correlation =/= causation.
2. He asked what balance. Elaborate please.
3. Our front 3 should be fluid. The point is that Martial and Rashford should both play.
You keep asking me what balance Mata brings to the team and I have explained it about 3 times now.
Mata covers a lot of ground. He is the link player between transitions. He offers the link with Valencia. He creates space for Valencia. He sits inbetween the man behind our striker and Valencia. He tracks back well, he drops deep and helps the midfield, not only with defending, but with a higher press and with ball retention and ball circulation. He is a more natural attacking midfielder. Mourinho is extracting his best abilities and setting him into a a position which allows him to be effective in transition and build up play. He is also comfortable coming inside and is a good crosser. Mourinho is doing a great job with Mata.
Mata is not being used a 'defensive' option. It's about balance. It's about pressing effectively, it's about keeping the ball in dangerous areas, it's about aiding a two man midfield. He is not playing like a traditional wing man for a reason. Mourinho did not go after a RW in the summer for a reason. Mata has a job in the team which offers balance. It's about the positions he picks up both on and off the ball. The areas he works in, the area he presses in.
People keep saying the front three should be 'fluid'. Please explain this, not just in terms of 'attacking', but in terms of build up, transition and pressing. It makes more sense when Rashford is up front. Not on the right.