Which one of our attacking players has been better than Mata over the last couple of months?
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
He shouldn't have played against West Ham. He would have been bullied physically and not impacted a whole lot. However I'd bring him in for Januzaj for Burnley, and I expect LvG will do just that.
If we switch to 4-3-3 next season I don't see where he fits in at all, maybe in 4-2-3-1 but even then I think LvG would use him as Rooney's back up.
Mata has never been given a run of games in his actual position.
It's absurd how we waste one of the best #10s in the league.
It's absurd how we waste one of the best #10s in the league.
Didn't he get like 7-8 games in a row at #10 more than once this season? He's just not the player we expected when we signed him.
Possibly but in a diamond which is so far off the 4231 second striker he was at Chelsea.
Why do we keep signing brilliant players and not play them properly
If he doesn't come back in against Burnley, I might cry.
He would have an absolute field day against them, I would back him to be involved in a few goals.
He would have an absolute field day against them, I would back him to be involved in a few goals.
This is a really pertinent question and one I have alluded to a few times in recent days. I think the answer is because our transfer activity is not being overseen by a manager with intimate knowledge of the squad and a clear plan of what he wants. Last summer we had Van Gaal coming in at the 11th hour and doing the best that he could without really knowing what we had or what we needed in any great detail, and before that we had Moyes who should have had a bit more of an idea, but clearly didnt, or wasnt willing to make any decisions with the level of knowledge he had.
We've had a magpie approach to our transfer activity since SAF left, buying anything shiny that catches our eye without any great consideration of where it fit into the squad, how it would be used, what implications it would have on the other players or anything else as far as I can see. Its been about muscle flexing, rather than strengthening; perception rather than building.
That's why, regardless of how Van Gaal does this season (and even of his own transfer record in the past, which as I understand it is pretty sketchy) I think itll be fatal to go into the summer without him in charge. We cant afford to leave the buying to a manager who doesnt know us and a CEO who doesnt know football. we need someone with a strategy - almost regardless of what the strategy actually is - so we can buy players that fit into some sort of system. Or else we're going to end up buying more quality players who dont fit into any coherent shape.
Disappointed not to see him start today. It's not like the strikers are in undroppable form. I think he's gone in the summer sadly.
Most of the attention is going to the strikers all playing and Herrera being left out again but Mata is even more strange to me. He's been good whenever he's played and has pretty decent returns in goals/assists yet he gets dropped for two severely underperforming strikers. Fellaini has a case as well, I may not like how the team plays when he's in but he's turned plenty of games around this season yet still finds himself on the bench.
Thought he deserved to play. He should be ahead of Di Maria, imo.
He should be one of the first names on the team sheet. Even at his worst he still contributes and is always making himself available. From October to January he was a regular starter and did well and at the end was fantastic. Why is he out now?
One of the things that is most annoying me about van Gaal now. His run in the side coincided with our good run pre xmas, and hasn't stood out as being poor since September yet he still finds a place for RvP and Falcao.
Mata in for Falcao, Herrera in for Januzaj.
Quite obvious, can't see why LvG doesn't see it.
His kind of game tonight. The more blindingly obvious the decision, the less chance we appear to have of it actually happening.
Depressing not to see this guy play. Has bags of quality and doesn't deserve to be on the bench. Especially after good displays and has to make way for names, not performance levels.
In the diamond off the striker he works, but playing him four on one in a three is costing us thrust.
It seems like our more productive players in Mata and Herrera are needed on the bench instead of the pitch. Philosophy.
would fit in there
His problem is that he's physically feeble, which is strange because I don't remember thinking that about him when he was at Chelsea.
The likes of Silva and Cazorla both have a deceptive amount of strength and a turn of pace, which marks them apart from Mata.
I feel a bit for him though, because he's never played in the position that he was ridiculously productive in for Chelsea.
The likes of Silva and Cazorla both have a deceptive amount of strength and a turn of pace, which marks them apart from Mata.
I feel a bit for him though, because he's never played in the position that he was ridiculously productive in for Chelsea.
I don't see it as a positional issue. I think it's a tactical issue. Despite being technically sound and very tidy, he's not a possession player. Slower possession-based systems detract from his game.
I don't know if that's what you meant by 'position' though.
How? His game focuses on positioning himself in killer positions to compensate for his lack of pace. He has the passing range and first touch but his inflexibility and lack of defensive abilities would nullify any chance of starting there.
@Speak's post also gives solid reasoning.
Ah, my bad.was meant more sarcastically
Sarcasm never resonates well through the net, anyways.
Hopefully he gets a start against preston move di Maria back to CM where he actually plays very well, move rooney to striker where he actually plays very well and play mata behind Rooney and hopefully wilson.
Now linked with Atletico today (not sure which paper though)
Very talented but unable or unwilling to do the dirty work that top teams require of all of their players.
2 of Mata, RvP and Falcao should leave in the summer (in Falcao's case, not be signed), IMO.
I hope Mata stays, and we add another pacey attacker to the team, but unless we move Rooney up top, we'll never get the best out of Mata, and at 37m, it's a real (expensive) shame.
A swop for Koke will do nicely.
As much as I like him, we appear to be going through a spell of getting shot of players LVG doesn't rate as capable of playing out the finer details of his fabled "philosophy".
Wouldn't surprise me to see the club make a huge loss on him this summer on that basis. Happened to play his best football for us when the likes of Di Maria, van Persie and Falcao were playing like donkeys.
Wouldn't surprise me to see the club make a huge loss on him this summer on that basis. Happened to play his best football for us when the likes of Di Maria, van Persie and Falcao were playing like donkeys.
I don't get it. This lad is absolute quality. LVG is over complicating things for me, Mata should play 10 and Rooney up front on his own.
He's been a massive flop under 2 managers here. Jose knew what he was doing. Mata is a wonderful player but I just don't think he is cut out to play for the very biggest teams. If he goes to Barca then they'd probably use him as a super sub. If Atletico are willing to pay 20 million for him then we should snap their hands off and reinvest that money into getting a pacey winger or a top central midfielder
Are we already back to wanting to sell our best attacking player this season?
The frustrating thing is it appears he was bought without any thought to where he would play initially and in the long term.
Then last summer even more players were bought making it impossible to actually get the best out of Mata in his preferred position.
When you consider the total cost of Mata, Herrera and Fellaini it is absurd to see them sitting on the bench most weeks.
Then last summer even more players were bought making it impossible to actually get the best out of Mata in his preferred position.
When you consider the total cost of Mata, Herrera and Fellaini it is absurd to see them sitting on the bench most weeks.
Best attacking player this season? Di Maria, Rooney, Herrera and arguably RVP have all been better.
Just wait till he scores a few and it'l all be rosy again.
I can't see Simeone wanting Mata, he likes grinders, Mata doesn't work nearly hard enough for his Atleti set up.
Rooney's been poor and in midfield most of the time, Herrera has barely played & RVP has had maybe 5 good games. Di Maria has been exceptionally hit and miss also (which is somewhat expected given new League etc). I certainly wouldn't say any have been better than Mata.
Fellaini bizarrely enough would probably the only shout; but again he's been injured or on the bench more often than not.
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