I wouldn't go as far as saying that it's a laughable decision since Mata hasn't been amazing for us, but it's very odd that he's not seen many minutes recently. As for the names you suggested, Rooney comfortably outperformed Mata earlier this season, and if he continued to play there I don't think there would be a debate regarding who fans would prefer in the #10. The problem is that so many fans overrate Mata and make him out to be an influential figure, when he's been anything but that in organised sides.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 2
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I don't know about that... loads of people hate Rooney in the #10 role because a) his touch can invariably be a bit rubbish and b) his close, intricate passing isn't great.
Still think he's been the best of a poor bunch of attacking players this year.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not really a big fan of Rooney as a #10 and you can probably see that through my posts from last season, but he's much, much more of an influential figure and offers us what Mata doesn't. I definitely agree that his touch and passing are inconsistent, but he knows how to impose himself and that's just something Mata hasn't been able to master in organised sides.
Mata has been fit all season. This is a player that you want fit and have him playing LvG has persisted with 2 strikers (none of them Rooney) for a long time. Mata's had one good run in the team. Played 4 - benched for 2 - played 3 - benched for 3 - played 10 and then suddenly benched for 6. That's not counting cup games where he has started 1 of 4 games. It is strange.
It's strange when you consider how poorly RvP and Falcao have been playing but not so strange when you consider Mata's performances. He did look to be coming good at one point (Spurs away and Newcastle at home) but generally hasn't been great at all.
Seeing as Van Gaal has finally given up on Falcao and RvP is injured it does present an opportunity for Mata. Fellaini got the nod against Newcastle, to give us a bit more physical presence in midfield but Mata might have a chance of playing against a more technical team like Arsenal.
Agree with these.
Fellaini could potentially drop deep as no.10, becoming a 3 man central midfield, obviously wasn't needed against the barcodes as they set up like the away team, but in crunch fixtures that flexibility could be useful, conceeding some attacking prowess but solidifying our options, his height and strength are fairly useful in both boxes,
Don't get me wrong I'm not considering he should be our no.10 for the next few years but right now, with the run of games we have coming up... it's something, personally I would consider, particuarly away from OT, particuarly because I hold the opinion Mata has the tendency to let the game go past him if his team doesn't have the upper hand in the middle of the pitch.
Personally I wouldn't be surprised if he was let go at seasons end, I don't think Mata has quite hit it off with LvG in the same way as some others in our squad.
Don't get me wrong I'm not considering he should be our no.10 for the next few years but right now, with the run of games we have coming up... it's something, personally I would consider, particuarly away from OT, particuarly because I hold the opinion Mata has the tendency to let the game go past him if his team doesn't have the upper hand in the middle of the pitch.
Personally I wouldn't be surprised if he was let go at seasons end, I don't think Mata has quite hit it off with LvG in the same way as some others in our squad.
Highly debatable and based on Mata's united form,not true at all. Di Maria creates chances no mater where he plays except when he played up top. Mata doesn't. That's the long and short of it.
And it is nonsense. Januzaj has played one game at AMC, one fecking game. As for how AMC performances shouldn't be so poor for United, seeing as Mata has played more games there than any of the other names you've mentioned, he's also the biggest culprit of why those performances have been poor.
The gulf between Mata and Fellaini is huge. Rooney's not as a good or better as Mata as you claimed despite having more chances to show this. Also, a part of his chance creation and assists come from corners, not just through balls. Not taking that away from him, just saying it doesn't count as a through ball. And if you're not sure what kind of balls that would be then I don't know how you can argue against it. Di Maria's pass to Rooney through on goal. That high ball from outside the box that goes over the defense through on to a player that makes a run. Like Henderson's pass to Sturridge last game. Those are the kind of balls that you see Di Maria and Mata make and almost no one else.
You cannot judge Mata and Fellaini purely on stats like these because the way they play the roles are completely different. Rooney has more assists from open play, more through balls per game, more key passes per game, more goals and this despite playing deeper than Mata and out of position for most of the season.
@the bit in bold. Very good. And how many of those passes has Mata made this season? Actually scratch that. How many of those passes has Mata played in his entire United career? Very very few I'd imagine and almost none this season. Almost no one else? Rooney has played more of those passes this season this season than Mata has for a start. Even Januzaj has played a couple of nice through balls despite being played everywhere but as a #10.
Another advantage of having Rooney, Herrera or Maria instead of Mata is they are less likely to disappear from games and provide a lot more defensively while not being any worse going forward.
@bishblaize. The picture crop was poor. It's per 90 minutes. First row is Key Passes. 2nd is Chances created. 3rd is Assists. 4th is pass completion.
Rooney is worse than Mata in every single aspect. Not better like you say.
Mata hasn't been playing as a 10. He's mostly played in the 3-5-2 formation as the right sided midfielder in a midfield two. QPR, Everton, West Brom, Chelsea. These are the games that he has started as a 10. We've starter 12 games in the league with a nr. 10 and he has started 4 of those game. That's my frustration with the manager.
100% agree. They are very similar. Unfortunately neither is quite there as a traditional number 10. Though I think Rooney is closer.
People still trot the "When we add pace and movement, Mata will be class...." stuff, when the reality is - he's a second striker. No system tweaks will make him a dictator, and no system tweaks will give him the ability to shield the ball, dribble past a man or to refrain from moving into the wrong areas.
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So play him as a second striker then with Rooney ahead of him. Problem solved.
If only it was that simple.
Hard not to see him being sold in the summer, if he can't get in the team now and isn't picked ahead of the likes of falcao and fellaini then it will be even tougher next season. No doubt he will be sold for a big loss but bringing in someone who fits into the team better is the right decision and we never should have bought mata in the first place.
I think it's the fact he offers nothing when we don't have the ball that has kept him out of the side, we are in an all hands to the pump situation with this run-in, Mata simply gets bullied too easily and doesn't do enough when he loses the ball, he can't play the 3rd man in midfield the way Isco does for example, he really needs to play with two holding CM's behind him and we have not had the option to do that this season as Carrick and Blind have pretty much been ships passing in the night as regards fitness.
I always thought that Mata is on level with the likes of Cazorla/Silva but not quite. He's great as 10 in 4-2-3-1 but when asked to play slightly different role he simply can't do that. Even Coutinho looks a better player now. He'll be off simply because he can't adapt. For me it's a shame he looks one of the most intelligent players we had in our team over a long time but he's not dynamic enough to form the new big team around. I'd still give him look into team ahead of Fellaini..
Its just not true with regards Fabregas, watch the games yourself, then come back. Unfortunately there's nothing else I can do but implore you make a factually accurate statement.
Regardless of whether or not you are right, that has to be one of the more insufferable comments I've read in this forum. And I think you're being revisionist in saying that Mata wasn't that good at Chelsea. I would agree that he hasn't hit the heights at United.
Its frustrating when people basically just make stuff up, you can even just look at the team sheets if you don't want to watch the game. Its also not revisionist, didn't rate Mata at Chelsea, wasn't happy when we bought him, still don't rate him now.
Why didn't you rate him? I'm genuinely curious.
Doesn't do enough work going backwards, doesn't get involved enough. Productivity isn't good enough for someone with those characteristics.
Was he not very productive at Chelsea?
He was. It was his lack of backtracking, as mentioned by Fiskey, that made Mourinho discard him the way I remember it.
Like what? He was never that good at Chelsea? How is that a factually accurate statement?
And who here hopes we see some of this tonight...
Has all the ability to be an absolute maestro in the right system. I think if he survives the summer we should build the team around him.
Hope to wake up and see his name in the starting line up.
I would be really surprised to see him starting next few games.
Mata played 2.55 time less than scholes, and by the end of his career Scholes recorded 61 assists and 148 goals, if Mata continues his career at the same rhythm he will end with 135 goals and 160 assists.
Needs to get back in the fecking starting 11. Absurd the way he's just dropped out of the team this past month after being our best player through December and early January. Technically we don't have anyone else on his level, and yet we're playing fecking Fellaini in front of him. Hopefully with Di maria out he starts and makes a point.
No excuses for not playing him against Tottenham.
Hope to see him start against Spurs this weekend. Criminal how little he's played recently.
If he plays like he did vs Spurs at WHL I would be glad, if he played like he's done generally, still wouldnt mind benching him.
I can understand if the team was playing well without him but they're not. And he's barely getting a look in. Not that he's been impressive either mind but even at his worst he's always contributed with goals and assists fairly regularly.
Are we really going to be a worse team with him in the side? Surely to god it's at least worth giving him a bit of a run with a proper striker ahead of him?
Please bring him back, play him behind Rooney and move Fellaini back into midfield.
He is not our saviour, problems are much more complicated than one player for another.
Maybe not our savior but things need changing up, it's not working as it is now. Get Mata and Carrick back in the starting 11.
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