[.Rossi]

Mata is an odd one....I find it hard to pick holes in him purely because we've seen what he is like in this league and know what he can do.....

Which begs the question, how can we not fit him in.

*I'm aware the question has been asked before but I'm wrecked tried and want a notification to wake up to tomorrow

 

[coolredwine]

You do know that they only kick a ball around for a couple hours a day so they have plenty of free time right?

And I fail to see how doing an AMA somehow takes away from his training.

It's not just kicking a ball for a couple of hours only. There are activities as well during the day for training/match preparation.

 

[olesmyhero]

It's not just kicking a ball for a couple of hours only. There are activities as well during the day for training/match preparation.

Even if he's there til 1700, that still gives him loads of free time.

I remember people having s problem with Rio being on Twitter because it took away from his training. I don't get that mentality at all. Players have free time, if they want to spend some of it answering fans' questions I don't see the problem.

 

[Eric'sCollar]

What? People are saying him doing something like this will affect his training?

 

[ZDwyr]

Ask Me Anything. Like a Q&A session with the fans/general public.

Oh right, thanks.

 

[NinjaZombie]

There's nothing wrong, but he should be out playing on the pitch/impressing and convincing the manager to let him play rather than doing a chat show.

Is he supposed to be camping outside Van Gaal's home after hours doing keepy uppies and shuttle runs?

 

[ipodnani]

It's an absolute travesty the way one of our most talented players gets consistently ignored while we're left to watch the dross served up by Fellaini and co. I'd love to know quite what Mata has done that has led to Van Gaal's aversion to playing him.

I've read a few things about how Van Gaal believes that every player has to contribute defensively, hence his falling out with players like Rivaldo in the past. Perhaps he's against Mata as he is relatively poor defensively. However, it isn't exactly like Van Persie, and even Rooney at times, work all that hard defensively. It also seems to be a worryingly limited way of looking at things. Does that mean he wouldn't pick Ronaldo because he doesn't put a "shift" in defensively. There are 11 men on a football pitch, it isn't always necessary for all of them to be defensive lynch-pins, particularly when the team's attack is so impotent.

While Mata wouldn't solve the problem we have with pace, at the very least he can control the ball and play with it on the deck - unlike Monsieur Toilet Brush.

 

[Sarni]

He'll be gone in the Summer anyway. He's come here at a wrong time, I reckon Ferguson might have got the best out of him.

 

[Speak]

Is he supposed to be camping outside Van Gaal's home after hours doing keepy uppies and shuttle runs?

Nearly spat out my drink.

 

[decorativeed]

It's not just kicking a ball for a couple of hours only. There are activities as well during the day for training/match preparation.

Maybe 50% of the activities the players are given on a daily basis are not training related. They all have a schedule of PAs and sponsorship related appearances throughout the week after training, this is just one that you've heard of from hundreds that have happened this season.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

His best game of the season was against Spurs... can't see any real reason now why he shouldn't start on Sunday. (Bar LVG stubbornness)

 

[Solius]

Definitely needs to play more.

 

[Borys]

The Mata transfer is another one where we ovrpaid by about 20-25% , never suited or suits or style, very much like ADM seems a panic buy, if we can get rid of both and reinvest into squad I would be very happy.

Mata was a panic buy, but Di Maria is far from it. He finds it hard to adjust to this league, so he isn't playing well but it made sense for us to get him.

 

[coolredwine]

Maybe 50% of the activities the players are given on a daily basis are not training related. They all have a schedule of PAs and sponsorship related appearances throughout the week after training, this is just one that you've heard of from hundreds that have happened this season.

The other one was filming a commercial for South Asian markets with a ninja.

*cringe*

 

[Cnaiür urs Skiötha]

I still think it would have been the best to stick to the plan to play Kagawa behind Rooney. I could imagine that Herrera and AdM would have been the perfect fit for Kagawa.

However Mata is the best one we have available so he should play.

 

[caisenma]

His best game of the season was against Spurs... can't see any real reason now why he shouldn't start on Sunday. (Bar LVG stubbornness)

i was at that spurs game... first and only united match i've ever been to. i was amazed by his ability. even the small things... i dunno, it's hard to explain, but watching it on tv never really gave me the appreciation that i gained seeing him in person. what a fantastic talent.

 

[Sam]

If he doesn't start today, I think it would be fair to say his United career is over.

 

[SonnyTheHaloPro]

If he doesn't start today, I think it would be fair to say his United career is over.

It's already over. He hasn't been anywhere near good enough for the amount of money we paid for him last year. Having said that, he starts a game then is benched for the next 5 games, so I can hardly blame him either.

 

[Sam]

It's already over. He hasn't been anywhere near good enough for the amount of money we paid for him last year. Having said that, he starts a game then is benched for the next 5 games, so I can hardly blame him either.

He hasn't lived up to his price tag, no. But the way LVG has sidelined him on favour of Fellaini over the past few months is utterly ridiculous.

 

[roykeane19]

To be honest his goals and assists are very good, despite not being a striker, and playing in such a dysfunctional, and uncreative team

 

[Freak]

He'll be here and starting regularly next season once LVG gets his midfield and defense balance right.

 

[NoPace]

Bentaleb is pretty chill out there. I think we could risk Mata on him, Herrera on Mason and Blind on Eriksen.

 

[Eric'sCollar]

Besides a very bad miss, Mata was very good against Spurs earlier in the season. Always seems to do well against Tottenham, some players just have those teams.

 

[Pexbo]

I still think Van Gaal likes him, I just don't think he has the two other midfielders to play him with.

Blind and... nobody else does enough work defensively to accomodate him.

 

[MDFC Manager]

I still think Van Gaal likes him, I just don't think he has the two other midfielders to play him with.

Blind and... nobody else does enough work defensively to accomodate him.

Yeah agreed. Not only do I expect him to be here next season, I think he'll be one of the centerpieces

 

[Orton]

If he doesn't start today, I think it would be fair to say his United career is over.

Don't people say that every week when a player doesn't start for a while?

Watch him sit on the bench and witness us lumping long balls to Fellaini all game before getting a nice little 10 minute appearance at the end (unless our defenders get crocked again and we don't have subs left)

 

[golden_blunder]

I still think Van Gaal likes him, I just don't think he has the two other midfielders to play him with.

Blind and... nobody else does enough work defensively to accomodate him.

If LVG liked him,he'd be going out of his way to play him

Said it from day 1, mata is not an LVG player

 

[Sammyjunn]

Some act as if he actually has more influence than Fellaini has, for the biggest part of the season he just disappeared in matches and passed everything sideways, Fellaini has more use than that. He played very well against Spurs last time, where he put Falcao 1 vs 1 at least twice, but ofcourse he squandered both chances. If he can put in performances like that more often, LVG will play him.

 

[Orton]

Some act as if he actually has more influence than Fellaini has, for the biggest part of the season he just disappeared in matches and passed everything sideways, Fellaini has more use than that. He played very well against Spurs last time, where he put Falcao 1 vs 1 at least twice, but ofcourse he squandered both chances. If he can put in performances like that more often, LVG will play him.

Lvgs logic behind his line up choices is flawed to say the least

 

[Sammyjunn]

Lvgs logic behind his line up choices is flawed to say the least

Think the same, but Mata doesnt warrant any place based on what he's shown this season, besides a handful matches he has been very non existent imo.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Tweet is from yesterday, but this guy is reliable.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Some act as if he actually has more influence than Fellaini has, for the biggest part of the season he just disappeared in matches and passed everything sideways, Fellaini has more use than that. He played very well against Spurs last time, where he put Falcao 1 vs 1 at least twice, but ofcourse he squandered both chances. If he can put in performances like that more often, LVG will play him.

I'd say they've been more or less the same with regards to their influence. i thought Fellaini was more effective in a midfield two when we played 3-5-2 earlier in the season, and has been very average since moving further forward. Mata, on the other hand, seems to have traded places with Herrera, and has not started a league since the win against QPR (?). I believe that we're at our best with both starting, Fellaini gives us the needed physicality we lack without him and Mata provides the creativity.

 

[Orton]

Think the same, but Mata doesnt warrant any place based on what he's shown this season, besides a handful matches he has been very non existent imo.

Fellaini is playing ahead of him in a forward role though, and his performances there have led to us playing some awful stuff that's barely effective. Mata deserves to play more, as does Rafael yet LVG will persist with players who put in a shift. Actually, Fellaini contributes nothing but fouls recently, and he's more effective as a plan B. Not the plan from the start of a match.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

Tweet is from yesterday, but this guy is reliable.

It makes sense to start him against this Spurs side. Their pair in front of the back four, Bentaleb and Mason, is very lightweight and offers only the basic off the ball movement when Tottenham are defending. Mata is a clever player, he can find space and time on the ball in between their lines to pick the right pass and expose their defensive line.

Furthermore, their only threat from the midfield positions is Eriksen and we'll have a holding CM to keep an eye on him. It seems like a reasonable risk, at least on paper and it nearly paid off at the Lane. Plus Fellaini could prove a very useful substitution in this one because Spurs can really step on the gas in the last 20-25 minutes of their games.

 

[SonnyTheHaloPro]

It makes sense to start him against this Spurs side. Their pair in front of the back four, Bentaleb and Mason, is very lightweight and offers only the basic off the ball movement when Tottenham are defending. Mata is a clever player, he can find space and time on the ball in between their lines to pick the right pass and expose their defensive line.

Furthermore, their only threat from the midfield positions is Eriksen and we'll have a holding CM to keep an eye on him. It seems like a reasonable risk, at least on paper and it nearly paid off at the Lane. Plus Fellaini could prove a very useful substitution in this one because Spurs can really step on the gas in the last 20-25 minutes of their games.

Our midfield is incredibly lightweight as well if Fellaini doesn't play.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Fellaini is playing ahead of him in a forward role though, and his performances there have led to us playing some awful stuff that's barely effective. Mata deserves to play more, as does Rafael yet LVG will persist with players who put in a shift. Actually, Fellaini contributes nothing but fouls recently, and he's more effective as a plan B. Not the plan from the start of a match.

Not true mate, because of Fellaini we can get up further on the opponents half very easily, we did it against Arsenal and he created 2 chances for di Maria and 1 for Young. He is let me say, a short cut for us, to penetrate teams. To say he's just there for fouls is really unfair.

 

[Sammyjunn]

I'd say they've been more or less the same with regards to their influence. i thought Fellaini was more effective in a midfield two when we played 3-5-2 earlier in the season, and has been very average since moving further forward. Mata, on the other hand, seems to have traded places with Herrera, and has not started a league since the win against QPR (?). I believe that we're at our best with both starting, Fellaini gives us the needed physicality we lack without him and Mata provides the creativity.

Which creativity? He has been passing it sideways all season bar some matches.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

Our midfield is incredibly lightweight as well if Fellaini doesn't play.

I know that and that's why i said it would be a reasonable choice to start him only in this particular game, because he will get more chances to play his game without someone closing him down all the time. I would not have any problem to see Fellaini start either. I can see LvG's logic behind that and i believe that a midfield of Carrick (Blind), Fellaini and Herrera would be better against Arsenal, City, Liverpool and Chelsea.

 

[ottosec]

With Carrick back, I think Mata will be back in the first 11.

 

[LonelyFire]

If Mata is indeed playing, Herrera won't be