In this 8 game run of ours he scored the winner from the bench vs Palace, winner against Stoke, goal +assist vs Liverpool and another superb performance yesterday. I think if he starts consistently he will reach reach numbers like 10 goals plus more than 10 assists which is not bad at all
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
mata was too focus in decorating his own statistics as shown in too many games earlier of the season. what he needs to do is exactly the same what he has just done in this newcastle game, dedicated himself to the team play:
linked up the play in midfield;
dragged up opp defenders, looked for our runner and sent out a killing pass;
explored the hole appeared in opp defense and made selective run to charge into the box looking for a goal, just like what rooney did.
then i'll be fine with him. otherwise...
linked up the play in midfield;
dragged up opp defenders, looked for our runner and sent out a killing pass;
explored the hole appeared in opp defense and made selective run to charge into the box looking for a goal, just like what rooney did.
then i'll be fine with him. otherwise...
He should start every single home game, if fit. As for the away games, I'm not convinced. He seems to drop a level or two beyond what you'd expect to the point where he's almost a non-entity and we're playing with 9 outfield players. Contrast that with the fact that he's often our best player when we play at home, and I don't know what the feck to make of it. It's bizarre.
Mata at home, Herrera away?
I have given him plenty of stick for doing nothing in games but this was a welcome change. His best overall performance for United so far imo. More of this please.
mata is more discipline when he plays in ot, and he more tends to play his own game when away
I forget the overall details of his performance against Newcastle where he scored 2 last season (obvious the goals make it stand out) but I think that was a similar performance from memory (OMG it was an away game too
). Must be a Newcastle thing, think he scored a few against them for Chelsea too.Yup. Seems to be getting his swagger back. Such a classy player when he's on his game. More of the same please.
Last season he got two goals and an assist away from home against Newcastle, and his record home and away was identical - 3 goals, 2 assists. This season he's been significantly more productive at home, we can all see that. That said if you take a look at the two half-seasons together the most obvious underlying trend is that Mata plays well when we play well. Mata hasn't been as productive away from home this year because we haven't played as well away from home this year.
We've played 9 away games; lost 3, drawn 4 and won 2 including the losses against MK Dons and City, neither of which Mata played in. So I'd say his away form is reflective of our away form this season and the reason he was equally productive home or away last season is because we were equally inconsistent home or away last season.
Some players are more comfortable, confident and composed playing at home and that may well be the case with Mata, but teams being more physical? Come on. That's the kind of rubbish Paul Merson comes out with.
Actually, we were quite good away last season.
But I do think that our tactics away are the problem, especially as we played some strong teams away. And also, it's the start of the season, where we were not good at all which makes it look worse, then it really is.
This 3-5-2 tactics doesn't really suit a number ten, as they have a lot of work to do, especially if the WBs are not doing their job properly and attacking wise our fullbacks are just average (Valencia almost not existent, while Young is giving something, especially in the last games), which puts even more pressure on the number then, who also has to be a proper CM and it just doesn't work that well and it won't till our WBs and CMs start playing really good.
Good to see he finally grew some balls. His best performance this season by far.
the perfect home player imo. would not mind to see this falcao-rvp-mata-rooney-di maria- carrick front 6 at OT, as gung ho as it sounds.
I think he's more effective at home because teams tend to defend deeper at OT unlike when away from home when they push higher up and restrict those pockets of space that Mata loves
Probably his best performance of the season yesterday. He played some very important passes into the strikers. The combination of him, Rooney, RVP and Falcao is mouth watering.
My thoughts exactly. He was excellent yesterday but I want to see him doing this kind of stuff on regular basis and not only every now and then, when the opposition gives him acres of space. But there is clear improvement- he wasn’t afraid to run with the ball towards the goal and tried some difficult passes. I don’t care if it doesn’t work every time, he has to take some risks- he did that against Newcastle and it was probably one of his better games for us.
I am probably one of his biggest critics but fair play to him, if he plays like that I will be very happy. However, the comments about him recovering good form are a bit exaggerated, as he was poor against Villa (see the comments). Play to your standards and you will get the deserved praise.
True.
This is a very bad idea IMO, as he is twice the player when played up front behind the striker(s). Why would you do that, considering Di Maria best games were as a midfielder? It’s should be the other way around.
I don't buy into this stuff about Mata being too physically weak to play as a 10 for us. I think it's the job of the midfield to control the game and feed Mata, instead of Mata having to control stuff whilst being the creative outlet. Against Newcastle, Rooney pretty much had the middle on lockdown which allowed Mata to stay high up the pitch and thus when he got the ball he didn't have to negotiate the ball around 10 oppositions players which meant he could pick out runs without playing perfect balls every time. Too many times do I see Mata dropping the deepest to pick the ball up because nobody else is and as a result the opposition end up being sat behind the ball whenever Mata gets into a decent position, but yesterday it was refreshing to see that Rooney was making himself available for a pass when the defenders had the ball and playing an early ball into Mata.
More of the same today Juan! He was quality against Newcastle.
Tottenham 0:0 Man Utd
His best game in a United shirt ever today
But, but he can't play away from home.
Talk about pulling the strings.
To think people wanted him out just a few weeks ago. Class.
He is having a great game, now if only our strikers can learn to finish.
Absolute class so far. Much more of this please!
Yeah he has been class
what a performance, absolutely class every time he has the ball
Great game so far-slick passing. Guess he can play away against a pressing team.
Great first half, no criticism from me whatsoever. Creating chances after chances, retaining the ball so well, linking up.
Magical Mata. The player we all admired at Chelsea has arrived!
Absolute class, this is the Mata I know from Chelsea. Let it continue.
Him and Young best players by far
Been excellent so far, think his free kick was goal bound before the little deflection. More of the same please.
He's been nifty and useful today. Searched space wider than usual but it has been important for us.
Has been very good when given the ball. Starting to gain confidence and is really pulling the strings. His defensive work has also improved where he is no longer a liability.
Best player on the pitch and easily at that
He's absolutly brimming with confidence, God knows what we'll do when Di Maria is fit
He has created two or three clear goal chances through the middle too.
Best United performance I've seen from him.
Prepare ourselves for Rooney's inevitable ankle injury?
Great to see on the ball. Really pulling the strings for us in midfield
Sublime! Give him some movement in and around him, he'll pick the passes.
- Status