22/23 he got 2 goals in 32 appearances (low amount of minutes). 23/24 he got 19 in 39 and 24/25 he's got 15 in 33 games so far, season still going.
For age watchers, he'll be 28 this summer.
Jean-Philippe Mateta
- Thread starter Chairman Steve
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22/23 he got 2 goals in 32 appearances (low amount of minutes). 23/24 he got 19 in 39 and 24/25 he's got 15 in 33 games so far, season still going.
For age watchers, he'll be 28 this summer.
Just a short description about him. Not a recommendation to a top club.
He has been really consistent the last 2 seasons. Top and really good service from his teammates last season in Olise, Eze and others.
Lesser good service this season. Olise gone to Bayern and Eze out of injury a lot. Still he scores consistent.
But the key factor i think is. He suit to play for a counter attack team and set up. Crystal is counter attack and most of the time. Theirs opponent teams open more up and have low block against them.
But isolate skill. His timing of the run behind the defend, through balls is really good. A good first touch, good overall ball skills and his finish skill/end product is really sharp and consistent too. In others words he hit the ball correctly most of the time. So the ball went where he want it. Into the net.
All in all. He has been really conistent in the last 2 seasons in premier league.
He has been really consistent the last 2 seasons. Top and really good service from his teammates last season in Olise, Eze and others.
Lesser good service this season. Olise gone to Bayern and Eze out of injury a lot. Still he scores consistent.
But the key factor i think is. He suit to play for a counter attack team and set up. Crystal is counter attack and most of the time. Theirs opponent teams open more up and have low block against them.
But isolate skill. His timing of the run behind the defend, through balls is really good. A good first touch, good overall ball skills and his finish skill/end product is really sharp and consistent too. In others words he hit the ball correctly most of the time. So the ball went where he want it. Into the net.
All in all. He has been really conistent in the last 2 seasons in premier league.
Strong, fast, good on the ball, can hold it up, makes well times runs and is a clinical finisher...definitely not a player we'd be interested in.
I also feel that his name would inspire some beautiful chants
I also feel that his name would inspire some beautiful chants
We need to get him and Cunha in the summer for sure.
Would much prefer Osimhen and Cherki
I don't get it.
What don't you get? I would much prefer us to sign Osimhen and Cherki than Mateta and Cunha. Not the same ring to it?
What kind of a sodding chant is "A-Cherki Osimhen"!?
Same old lazy names. Signing Mateta, Delap or Dibling is perfectly fine if you want us to remain where we are. But preferably, I don’t want another 14th place finish.
We have to set our heights higher than these mushes.
Anyone can clutch straws on good attributes for ANY prem player, that’s why they are in this league. But we want to be challenging for footballs biggest prizes. Imagine starting a CL final with Mateta upfront…
We have to set our heights higher than these mushes.
Anyone can clutch straws on good attributes for ANY prem player, that’s why they are in this league. But we want to be challenging for footballs biggest prizes. Imagine starting a CL final with Mateta upfront…
How about we abandon "A-Cunha Mateta" and just stick with "Bendito Mantato"?
Lazy names
This sort of attitude is the same reason Woodward pissed a billion away.
Mateta - Scored 28 goals & 7 assists in 2 PL seasons must be sh1t, not better than Rasmus, why would we want someone who scores goals........
Delap - Scored 11 goals & 2 assists in PL in a sh1t Ipswich team, 22 has shown glimpses, who knows if he is going to be the next big thing, but can see why we're interested.
Dibling - Scored 2 goals & 1 assist in PL, in one of the worst ever PL teams, 18 Years of age was Southampton's best player at Old Trafford before he went off, talented dribbler, one of the best young English prospects, exactly what United used to buy under Fergie.
Who should we be targeting?
Isak? Watkins? Rogers?
Why would any of these top players you speak of come here when we are 12th and miles off it?
Imagine Starting a CL final with Mateta...
How about actually qualifying for it first.
Walk before you can run I say.
We need players who can at least get us into the top4 first, then players who can get us past the ECL group stage.
I wouldn't yet be worrying who should be starting in the ECL final.
Not that I want us to spend any proper money on Delap.
Lazy names
This sort of attitude is the same reason Woodward pissed a billion away.
Mateta - Scored 28 goals & 7 assists in 2 PL seasons must be sh1t, not better than Rasmus, why would we want someone who scores goals........
Delap - Scored 11 goals & 2 assists in PL in a sh1t Ipswich team, 22 has shown glimpses, who knows if he is going to be the next big thing, but can see why we're interested.
Dibling - Scored 2 goals & 1 assist in PL, in one of the worst ever PL teams, 18 Years of age was Southampton's best player at Old Trafford before he went off, talented dribbler, one of the best young English prospects, exactly what United used to buy under Fergie.
Who should we be targeting?
Isak? Watkins? Rogers?
Why would any of these top players you speak of come here when we are 12th and miles off it?
Imagine Starting a CL final with Mateta...
How about actually qualifying for it first.
Yes. Lazy names, there’s a lot of players outside the premier league mate and 2 strikers scoring a few goals this season doesn’t make them great players.
You’ve used Mateta’s last 2 seasons to fit your narrative. What about his first 67 games where he scored 10?
On average he’s scored 0.32 goals a game for palace. This is a moment in time for him. He’s not a proven goal scorer.
“Who knows if he’s going to the be the next big thing?”
- He won’t.
I’m a plumber, so asking me (someone who isn’t a scout) to prove your targets are correct is funny. You think that’s how the top clubs boards work? If I was paid and tasked with having a list of players worldwide I would… but I’m not.
When I think of prospect signings I think of what Real do in Brazil for example… signings like Vinicius, Rodrygo, Endrick etc… top talented technical, teenagers, who are quick exciting players with no ceiling… not Liam Delap or Mateta, who are 22 and 28 and technically average.
Did you want United to sign Charlie Austin and Adam Le Fondre 10 years ago? Because that’s what these 2 players are…
“Why would any of these top players you speak of come here when we are 12th and miles off it?”
- Mane, Firmino, Salah… all joined Liverpool when they were on a road to nowhere…
If you are basing signings off just qualifying for the CL you are hugely shortsighted. This is what Spurs and Arsenal have done for 20 years and why they never win anything. ‘Being better than Hojlund’ is not a measuring stick it’s basically any striker in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
It’s ‘would Real Madrid/Liverpool sign this guy?’ That should be our minimum.
Are you okay with making signings that are knowingly a step below what these clubs would make? If so it’s pretty damning.
When Mane, Firminio and Salah all joined Liverpool it's because none of them were big names at the time and had it all to prove.
It's all very well saying would Real Madrid/Liverpool sign this guy, but if the answer is yes, they mostly aren't going to come here!
I'm sure somebody will jump in and say what about Leny Yoro?! Well we had to pay way way over the odds to get him and he is the exception rather than the rule!
Last season we were 8th in the league, this season we will likely end up between 11th and 14th. Most of the top up and coming players will have much better offers than us on the table. The only way to get them would be to pay way over the odds in fees and wages again, which it's been made clear that we can't afford to do.
Sir Jim recently announced that our budgets over the next three years have been set based on Europa League qualification, because that's where we realistically expect to be. If we don't win the Europa League this season, we won't even have European football next season, so our budget is likely to be reduced.
Course there are plenty of players outside other leagues, they were the players you specifically mentioned in your post.
Ah how foolish of me for mentioning the most recent season for analysis, sh1t I must have put his whole career, do you want his stats from junior football?
A moment in time, 2 seasons is a moment in time, or maybe he is in the peak of his career and took longer to develop.
I’m a estimator of multi million point contracts, that has nothing to do with this either.
Prove your targets, don’t remember writing can you justify these for me oh great and powerful plumber man.
The only thing funny about this is your high and mighty attitude, the targets you named all went to Real Madrid so why would we be able to sign targets like them.
If you don’t know anything and are a plumber you certainly act like it.
Ah yes 2 random PL players, how about signing Louis Saha from Fulham, Carrick from Spurs and giving him Keanes number.
Nice references, Firmino was signed under Rodgers, Mane Klopps first full season with no Europe and Salah was the only signing after they got CL.
Well yeah, how can you be in a CL final if your not in it, course we should be looking to sign the best, your the only one chatting this nonesense.
With no CL or Europe most targets will look elsewhere or we would have to pay extortionate amount of wages and signing on fees.
For someone who claims to be no expert, your certainly bang on like you do.
This is just garbage.
Firstly the last two years are a "moment in time for him", perhaps but two years is quite the sample size. Progress isn't linear and it was clear for all to see that Mateta struggled initially in the Premier League, but the flip side to the argument is that Crystal Palace changed manager in February 2024 to a manager that plays a system remarkably similar to our own manager and since that change took place, Mateta has scored 28 goals in 45 games in all competitions (25 in 41 if you prefer just league games).
Second, you are saying that Mane, Firminho and Salah joined Liverpool when they were way off it, which is similar to us now presumably. But based on the rest of your post, you wouldn't have wanted us to sign Mane, Firminho or Salah when they joined Liverpool. Mane was 24/25 and had just scored 11 for a Southampton team that reached Europe, Firminho was 25 and had just scored 7 league goals in the fecking Bundesliga and Salah was 25, had a decent couple of years at Roma but had been way off the pace at Chelsea beforehand. We got linked with Mane before he went to Liverpool and there were people on this forum laughing at the idea, no dissimilar to you actually talking about players like Delap & Mateta who both funnily enough are on course to have seasons not dissimilar to the final the seasons any of Mane, Firminho or Salah at their clubs before joining Liverpool and both at worse teams.
What Liverpool did brilliantly was look past the visible numbers and looked at how those players would fit into the way they were looking to play football, what areas of the pitch they had the most impact on and they used a lot of data driven information which showed that players don't always slot into their supposed "position" which fitted into an overall team shape (I believe Klopp spoke publicly on that after they signed Luis Diaz). I'm not suggesting Delap or Mateta specifically are or are not the answer but I can clearly see why we would be taking a close look at both and I don't see what is wrong with looking at players from other Premier League clubs.
He’s not just physically strong, aggressive, and has good instinct in the box, he also has good ball striking. Some of the goals he has scored shows that he can also score from difficult angle with either foot, power, and precision.
I just saw his goal yesterday..ridiculous finish.Sign him up!
His price for his age is the only draw back of targeting him. Classic late bloomer like Watkins at Villa
Could be a nice, experienced striker to do a job for a few years while we get our house in order. If he isn't too expensive.
I'd prefer him over Delap. More proven, a better fit for the system, and just currently a better player.
But if Delap is £25m and Mateta £40m, I'd go for Delap. Because if things go in the direction we're hoping for, neither should be good enough for us in 2 years. So the spend should match that.
But if Delap is £25m and Mateta £40m, I'd go for Delap. Because if things go in the direction we're hoping for, neither should be good enough for us in 2 years. So the spend should match that.
I know what you mean but another perspective is we'd be buying a player at the peak of their career who should be good for 3/4 seasons. Strikers don't tend to tail off in the Prem until they reach their 30s so the price is at least warranted compared to a youngster like Delap whose development is a little more in the unknown bracket.
I personally get excited about these sorts of players more than younger ones, if just because they are at least consistently useful, rather than thrilling or frustrating.
What strengths would he bring? Aside from scoring goals in the PL.
Physical beast and decent pace.
Its difficult to assess him based on his highlights. He does look huge and gets on the end of things in the box. Just not sure if thats enough or I’m missing some other qualities.
His allround game is not United standard, but he would be an improvement on Höjlund. A realistic option but would prefer Gyökeres.
I get that too. If we weren't broke I'd love him to be a number one target. He'd have that Sheringham like impact. Or a longer impact similar to what Larsson had on a Rooney, for Rasmus, Zirkzee and Chido
His all round game has ALWAYS been his biggest strength. Goals were his weakness till 2 seasons back..
What does that include? What would he contribute to elevate things?
His link up play is very good. So is his pressing and ability to run channels. His hold up play is also excellent. He is also a very unselfish player. All things that would suit Amorim's system.
Would go for him over the likes of Delap.
Would prefer Delap.
In general I think there is merit in the idea of specifically targeting a more experienced, proven goalscorer at CF than our current options.
But Mateta has scored one just more goal than Delap so far this season, despite playing in a significantly better team. And his more "proven" ability as a goalscorer amounts to him scoring a similar amount of goals last season.
I don't think that's a substantial enough difference or track record to warrant opting for a much lower upside 28 year old signing over the 22 year old. Especially when both have been quoted for around the same £40m price tag.
There just isn't enough in it to reliably bet that Delap wouldn't score as much or more than Mateta from this point on. Mateta isn't a Gyokeres or Osimhen.
In general I think there is merit in the idea of specifically targeting a more experienced, proven goalscorer at CF than our current options.
But Mateta has scored one just more goal than Delap so far this season, despite playing in a significantly better team. And his more "proven" ability as a goalscorer amounts to him scoring a similar amount of goals last season.
I don't think that's a substantial enough difference or track record to warrant opting for a much lower upside 28 year old signing over the 22 year old. Especially when both have been quoted for around the same £40m price tag.
There just isn't enough in it to reliably bet that Delap wouldn't score as much or more than Mateta from this point on. Mateta isn't a Gyokeres or Osimhen.
He also got a good ball striking, which allow him to score in any angle. Look at his last goal for example and not the only time he scored that kind of goal. Proper no 9 attributes: can use both feet, tall, strong, good in the box, can head the ball, and strike the ball with precision and power in any angles.
Mateta has 6 675 minutes in the PL and average an npxg of 0,39 and an npxg+xag of 0,50. And he has been improving every year. Furthermore, he is very good in build up and when the opposition team have the ball.
Delap is at 2 375 minutes and at 0,28 and 0,35. In other words, Mateta have three times the amount of minutes on Delap and the difference is approx 40 % in underlying stats. Such a difference is likely to be quite significant for players exceeding their npxg like both these do.
Yes, Delap is young and played for a poor team. He is likely to improve with age. Maybe he would look better in a better team. But it dont always work out that way. Hojlund looked alot better last season and the pressure of playing for Man Utd is something else.
I also think Matetas physical attributes raise his «lowest level». The combination of pace and power is rare, and he is very hard working. I feel quite confident that a striker that has done an npxg of 0,39 in the PL over close to 6 000 minutes for Palace would be able to do the same for Man Utd in the PL. I also think there is a good chance he could improve on it. Both because I think Man Utd will be able to give him more chances and because he is progressing.
A report or two today, said he's our fallback option if Delap decides to sign for someone else.
Fallback, feck sake he's that experienced striker needed. INEOS are absolutely clueless with this position
Come on guys, we're better than this.