Goal and assist stats are looking good for him since joining, but I had so much more hope of him here. He's been a bad signing I must admit despite being a huge fan of him.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
Think he just gets lost a bit when he's playing alongside the rest of the attacking talent. He needs the game to go through him like how it was at Chelsea. And that isn't ever going to happen here.
Another poor away performance. Almost invisible today.
Just does not seem to fit into our team. No matter how hard we try to accommodate him.
I honestly don't remember him being so slow and easy to dispossess on the turn when he was at chelski.
I honestly don't remember him being so slow and easy to dispossess on the turn when he was at chelski.
Pretty hard to find him from Rome.
He does nothing. Nothing at all.
I obviously don't know? Of course I know. That ball to RvP was a very low percentage ball. Good pass but very doubtful it was going to amount to anything. Through balls via air are easier to execute but harder to put away. Mata plays more with the back to the goal than Rooney because in this formation he's supposed to move across the midfield, not control play. One of many reasons it's such a poor tactic for United.
He never does anything.
...
Where is his through balls? Falcao was making runs, so was RvP, but he never even tried to send them a pass. He's been a big disappointment. All he does it passes sideways most games. His stats are good, but looking at him with your own eyes he could do far more.
I'm really surprised by this too. Have absolutely no confidence when the ball is played to him and he's turning trying to get away from his marker. The way Sanchez won the ball off him towards the end happens far too often.
Unlucky not to get on the pitch today.
RVP had a shot on goal, so it did amount to something. Rooney also made a great reverse pass to RVP in the second half that forced a great save from Guzan. I just don't see Mata doing that.
You can make up all the excuses you want, but the fact is, although neat and tidy with the ball, Mata doesn't take risks, because it seems he's scared of losing the ball, whereas Rooney will try those passes, even when he plays as a number 10 with his back to goal.
That's not a through ball.
You're being too simple with this. Doesn't take risks is just bullshit. He doesn't do things with the ball that are more likely to result in lost possession than not. Especially with through balls when our strikers are RvP and Falcao with no space behind defense because the defense is sitting so deep. Only example you can count is that Rooney pass and that resulted in a volley from a very tight angle with the weaker foot. It's a poor chance. Goals from that are goal of the year contenders. Mata isn't scared of anything. He's sensible. Rooney isn't any different. He just likes his long balls more. What can you in this formation. You got the two in the middle, the two strikers in front and Valencia and Young to the sides with Fletcher next to you. What kind of passes are you going to make with that against a team that plays with a tight 5 man backline and two deep midfielders? The only space is wide and we got wide plenty. Unlike the Moyes instructions we just didn't mindlessly cross it.
When Carrick came on we got an extra body in attack and a quicker passing game. That's about it. The main outlet was still out wide, just a tad quicker.
Really, the only players that were really poor in the game where Evans and Fletcher. The others played like the system allowed them too.
I'd relegate him to bench warmer to be honest. Mourinho did well to sell him off for so much.
He's really good at keeping possession but he just isn't a creative player for us at all. He had that great pass to RvP last weekend but that's about the most creative thing he's done during his time here at United.
Mourinho coned us proper. To think I was excited for the signing
I was very happy when we signed him but right now I'll sell him in the summer if it was up to me. I know he's fantastic, but he hasn't done it since he moved to United. He's not a go to guy, the one you can call upon when things aren't going too well, he goes missing always in these kind of high tempo away games.
These kind of games.. and every other type of game.
Thanks for the £37.1m 
Was he this bad at times at Chelsea too?Thanks for the £37.1m
Thanks for the £37.1m
The thing is he is has dropped in form since moving to us. He was a genuine world class player during his two seasons at Chelsea and didn't have as many bad games for you as he has for us now. Right now he is a passenger even against weak opposition which shows how much he has dropped
He's world class when everything goes through him, he's the key man and team mates bounce off that.
When that doesn't happen he goes too much on the periphery. I get he may not be the central playmaker but that doesn't mean he loses creative responsibility. Need to see more from Mata in games like this where we have lots of possession. Ironically his best performances have been when we're counter attacking. I don't think it's a question of his mobility.
When that doesn't happen he goes too much on the periphery. I get he may not be the central playmaker but that doesn't mean he loses creative responsibility. Need to see more from Mata in games like this where we have lots of possession. Ironically his best performances have been when we're counter attacking. I don't think it's a question of his mobility.
We had most of the ball. He had plenty of the ball to dictate the play.
I want him to start taking more responsibility that he did at Chelsea. Rooney does it for us where he's always making himself available for the pass and trying to start moves. Mata is symbolic of this 3-5-2 as he gets the ball and the first thought is to retain the ball, rather than try to attack.
Zero creativity this season, frustrates the shit out of me. I wonder if he is asked to keep it simple or he just doesn't have the confidence to try something else than sideways and back passes.
It's very disappointing because he's probably one of the players I want the most to do well.
It's very disappointing because he's probably one of the players I want the most to do well.
He does, but only when the team is clicking attacking wise. Against packed defences he struggles. The pace of the passes needs to be faster for Juan to show up.
Won player of the year at Chelsea for years running, now according to a couple of keyboard warriors he provides absolutely 'nothing'. Shocking stuff today on the cafe.
I like Juan, but the midfield did him no favours today. The ball was going sideways all the time and when he ran into areas nobody had the courage to risk the pass. That is where Herrera helps him and why he says he enjoys playing with him.
Agreed, maybe he offered little today but the performance overall wasn't anything to write home about. With the right combinations he provides productivity that our other midfielders don't. But the cafe has spoken, flog him because he is useless.
Oh yeah, it's just the Cafe talking nonsense, he's been absolutely flawless.
It doesn't matter if he won the bloody ballon d'or for Chelsea. He brings nothing to the team as it is. If Herrera is fit and not in prison he should replace Mata.
I said it when LVG arrived and see no reason to change my mind, he won't survive at United. He's not dynamic enough or able to play multiple positions. That's the type LVG likes. Mata needs a team built around him.
shame because he seems like a nice guy who loves being at United
shame because he seems like a nice guy who loves being at United
My thoughts exactly...
Not flawless, but since we're speaking in hyperboles then the cafe is a total pinnacle of football intelligence, and we should judge players only on the opinions of those here. He is our 3rd highest scorer, but clearly that doesn't matter.
He brings nothing to the team, except 5 goals and 2 assists in 14 appearances, the 3rd best for our whole team.
It doesn't, it really doesn't, as all it does is mask his glaring deficiencies when he plays as an attacking midfielder.
You have to take the good and the bad with Juan. He's delightful or frustrating. A luxury player really. You love him when he's good but you hate when he's not.
- Status