What's all this about him leaving. Am I missing sthing?
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
Wonder what Van Gaal's reasons behind dropping Mata against Leicester were? Unless he was chatting rubbish to fit in Falcao, Rooney and Van Persie.
If Mata leaves i'll be very annoyed. He is one the best number 10's in the world. We'd be mental to let him go.
This kind of comment is utterly retarded. One might ask why you bother to read his blog if it bothers you so. By any measure, the guy comes across as a well-rounded decent fellow, the sort who is first to give credit in positive situations, and indeed, hold up his hands in negative ones. Which is more cringeworthy? A star player trying to apologize to fans, or some gimp behind a keyboard nitpicking in a desperate attempt to find things to criticize? It's obviously the latter.
An insight to the United's number 10 options; or rather why Mata isn't the best to play there: http://livelifeunited.com/misunderstood-juan-mata/
I don't give any time to articles that use still photos to get their point across. A photo never tells the whole story, where did the ball come from earlier, what was the previous play etc. You could very easily take just as many snapshots to display him in a positive way.
Rumors say Leicester were too physical for him, and we wanted more protection from Rooney dropping deeper and helping out.
What was in my opinion right decision, we didn't really miss him in that game.
But those photos shows where he ball comes from and his before and after positions. And the point about hi drifting out of position is true as well.
I understand that but you can't just look at the last 5 seconds. Was he back doing a defensive duty etc?, a photo just doesn't tell the story. He is open to analysis on his performance as much as anyone but in my opinion, he is a great number 10, one of the best in the world.
Really hope he's in the 10 role today. feck trying to get Van Persie firing or fit Rooney into the system.
That article is awful. He criticises Mata repeatedly for drifting out wide to receive the ball as, supposedly, he should stay central for the entire game. The author doesn't even acknowledge that as United were using a diamond formation, some of the attacking players will have to drift out to provide a degree of width as there are no wingers.
"It will be gradually better once there is a stable back-four playing together for a run of games." 
God how long have I been hearing this line? It feels like at last 3-4 years that this is the standard excuse for our defensive shakiness yet nothing has changed we still can't field a consistent back 4 for more than a couple of games.
God how long have I been hearing this line? It feels like at last 3-4 years that this is the standard excuse for our defensive shakiness yet nothing has changed we still can't field a consistent back 4 for more than a couple of games.
So basically the article says Mata is more of second striker than no10 in playmaker mould, because of his poor back to goal play and is best paired with one striker.
Interesting that he doesn’t feel comfortable in the role between midfield and attack and prefers to move high up the pitch to make intelligent runs.
Of course that might be instructions from LvG, but it seems Rooney played this role differently.
On the other side he is moving into pockets of space which is good, but I think it would be better if he stayed in the centre as he looks poor in wide areas IMO.
I must admit that I thought Mata is different kind of player when we got him.
Watching back when Neville interviewed Scholes just after he retired, and Gary asked him who is favourite PL players were, and he instantly said Mata (and Hazard) and that he loves watching Mata play, and since he signed for us they've both been fairly critical of him. Reminds me of something Fergie once said about a cow and a field.
Anyway, I hope he's back in the team today. He was getting into a nice little scoring/assisting rhythm and he shouldn't be dropped just so we can unbalance the team further and cram 3 strikers in. Mata is better for balance.
Anyway, I hope he's back in the team today. He was getting into a nice little scoring/assisting rhythm and he shouldn't be dropped just so we can unbalance the team further and cram 3 strikers in. Mata is better for balance.
I know neville doesn't seem to like him, but Scholes? I don't remember hearing him being overly critical of him.
Scholes said he likes intelligent football with the likes of Mata and last season under Moyes was anything but intelligent football. I don't think anyone this season, bar Di Maria, has hit their form.
I don't think we missed him neither. Thought Rooney was fine in the number 10 role, but I don't buy that rumour about Leicester were too physical for him.
Two managers, top managers at that, have found him lacking I think rather than packing his bags, this time around, it's about time he looks into his game and think about making adjustments or else he is about to take a step down. I'd stay and fight if I were him, look to make the necessary changes if possible because it can't be a coincidence that he's lost his place for the second time in twelve months under two managers.
That being said I think Mata has a stronger case to play than Van Persie atm, though.
That being said I think Mata has a stronger case to play than Van Persie atm, though.
Hope Mata plays as a #10 to prove his critics wrong today!
However well he plays, the likes of Gary Neville will be critical of him.
I love Gary but that's how I feel when it comes to Mata.
Scholes criticised him a couple of times last season iirc - I suppose the whole squad was open to criticism last season to be honest but I'm not sure Mata deserved singling out at a newcomer into a poorly performing team.
He doesn't start again today. IM not happy.
Think he will be sold in January.
I think so. This is just the similar thing what happen to him with Mourinho.
This is ridiculous. Van Persie is the one who should be dropped.
Shame. Hopefully he can come off the bench in better circumstances than last week and perform well.
Our attack was perfectly fine last week and RVP scored...
Said it in the other thread but if mata wants to be starting, he needs to have di Maria levels in attack to make up for doing nothing off the ball defensively, and he's hardoh been any better then RvP.
Agreed. He's done.
Both Mourinho and van Gaal have dropped him, there appears to be more than meets the eye... Neville doesn't rate him either. He's a likable player with a beautiful touch who contributes goals and assists nearly every game, there has to be more to it.
Of course he wasn't going to start. LvG already mentioned that he doesn't feel Mata is a good fit for the role he needs the player behind the two strikers to play. If we stick with the 4-3-1-2 I'm almost certain Mata won't get much games this season unless someone gets injured, which is a pity.
An easy header which was perfectly set-up by Falcao, hardly the achievement of the season. He has been well below par.
It's the lack of doing anything at all defensively which hurts him. Attacking wise he's pretty much been a poacher for us, he hasn't exactly been creative or someone who can go past players. He has a good goal record because he has intelligent movement but he doesn't create loads of chances like you'd expect. And in his role, rooney will always have a better output then him.
Um...
And how has Mata been? A tap in against Sunderland and qpr, while not doing anything else, even less defensively then van Persie does? I agree RvP has been shite but mata has been equally shite which is why I don't care too much for who starts between the two.
Why is anyone surprised? We looked pretty good without him last week and it's not like he's done anything creatively for us. That said RVP is a bit lucky to still be starting
I don't see where is the problem. He was poor when he played, last week he came on and we lost a goal because of him. Also he played 5-6 games more than RVP and didn't manage to get any good for going, let RVP have that luxury too.
He missed a few easy chances that di Maria put him in for, his hold-up play was awful, he often dithered on the ball in attacks and just made a long pass backward, and his movement was pretty poor. Our attack definitely wasn't perfect, we lacked an actual #10 for ball rentention and controlling possession, as we are forced to put Rooney there because of van Persie.
In the current set-up I'd probably agree, yeah, Rooney can contribute more.
He has eight goals in his last ten, and has been directly involved in so many of our goals. (I'm sure someone has the specific stat for that) I'm hardly his biggest fan but he has been far, far better and deserving than van Persie to start.
Are you saying rooney isn't as productive as mata? Which would be completely wrong because if anything that's the best part about rooney. Always gets goals and assists. Also mata had 4 assists in 20 games for us, all last season. Hardly great numbers.
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