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2014-15 Performances

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6.0 Season Average Rating
Appearances
35
Goals
10
Assists
4
Yellow cards
2
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Mata : 31 goals, 34 assists in 9009 minutes = 139 mins per goal/assist

Hazard : 34 goals, 24 assists in 8109 minutes = 140 mins per goal/assist
 
vidic blood & sand said:
Mata_zps5l7hbygi.png
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hspeoo.jpg
 
It will be interesting to see if he can lock down that right forward role in the front 3, as I don't see LvG wanting to play him central in his midfield 3.
 
Class player, hope he keeps it up and is a key player next season. hope he starts taking our free kicks :drool:
 
Devil may care said:
It will be interesting to see if he can lock down that right forward role in the front 3, as I don't see LvG wanting to play him central in his midfield 3.
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I think he already used him there in quite a few matches, though it depends on what you mean by 'central'. It's confusing because of all our switch ups, but when we were playing 5-3-2 I think he put Rooney in central midfield for the physical balance, so Mata could play as the most attacking midfielder in a midfield three.

I guess that's what he means with balance, he doesn't seem to like Carrick/Blind - Herrera - Mata as our midfield, if Herrera plays CM then he wants a physical player there with Fellaini, when Mata played in midfield he either played Rooney or Fellaini as CM.
 
#07 said:


This is JuANFIELD
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I didn't realise his output was that good! Blimey thats impressive, especially as there are two clear periods in that time he hasn't even been first choice for two teams.
 
Sam said:
I didn't realise his output was that good! Blimey thats impressive, especially as there are two clear periods in that time he hasn't even been first choice for two teams.
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This.
 
Henrik Larsson said:
I think he already used him there in quite a few matches, though it depends on what you mean by 'central'. It's confusing because of all our switch ups, but when we were playing 5-3-2 I think he put Rooney in central midfield for the physical balance, so Mata could play as the most attacking midfielder in a midfield three.

I guess that's what he means with balance, he doesn't seem to like Carrick/Blind - Herrera - Mata as our midfield, if Herrera plays CM then he wants a physical player there with Fellaini, when Mata played in midfield he either played Rooney or Fellaini as CM.
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We've tried so many combinations and formations this season that it does get confusing I agree, but I think the fallout of all the testing is that Di Maria and Mata will compete for an inverted wide role on the right, with neither doing enough physically to suit LvG in a midfield role. I think our 3 CM set-up next season will see Carrick/Blind/Herrera/Fellaini/New CM and when needed Rooney as the 6 options for the 3 spots.
 
prarek said:
Liked this part-

Certainly during the past three months it has been possible to question the Mourinho-ish vogue for insisting the one quality attacking midfielders must have above all others is defensive discipline. For one thing Mata’s defensive frailties are perhaps overplayed. He will never be a tackler but under van Gaal he has made more interceptions per game than Cesc Fàbregas, Oscar, David Silva and Mesut Özil. Willian has made marginally more tackles (by 0.2 per game) and been dribbled past 0.3 times fewer. Against that Mata’s passing accuracy is better and despite playing less than Willian he has been directly involved in twice as many goals. At which point you start to wonder exactly which of these two attacking midfielders is failing to do some vital part of his job.
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This was the part of the article that struck me too. An attacking midfielder's primary focus should be goal creation and goal scoring - it's incredible that people lose sight of that. Mata may have been surplus to Mourinho's requirements, but I'm very happy to have him here. I can't imagine many football fans in general who would say Chelsea get the best of the deal in trading Mata in for Willian.
 
Mata means "eye" in my language. So there has been plenty of times when someone's made daft unfunny comments when him and Blind are in the lineup.
 
He just gets better every day of the week. He will cure a disease by the end of his career, mark my words.
 
We needed to get more out of him. When he came we looked towards him and he was pretty decent. He had a few influential games but I think Di Maria was more the guy we looked towards for creativity. These last few games have to be Mata's level. That's what we want. He's too good a player to be a passenger. He's scored some very important goals in his career. He has a great mentality. He's really flourishing. He might even be better with a better quality full back offering width but I would hope he ends his days at the club. To me, he has the mentality of a United player and we need to ensure we get these performances out of him week after week.
 
SmashedHombre said:
That was a bit awkward.
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Only because the guy was being a bit stiff and awkward. I mean how do you allow yourself to be in the presence of Juan Mata and not ask for a hug? Juan, if you are reading this, and ever find yourself in Toronto, please drop by my school with a signed jersey. I think I'd burst into tears.
 


Does he say that his favourite player at United is David Herrera? :lol:
 
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For a split second I was a bit confused when he said Iniesta was the best player he'd played with... sometimes you forget that he's a World Cup and European Championship winner...
 
How can anyone have ever wanted rid.

I'd happily see us build towards playing every game with Mata just off the striker. Ridiculously productive, and you'd imagine he'd be here as long we want him.

Great man, and great attitude.
 
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