I think LVG likes him coming in from the right. He clearly trusts him, Mata/Smalling/Blind/Darmian have started every game and played the most minutes. Maya's the only attacking player out of those 4 and that speaks volumes for how much he trusts Mata.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 54
- Goals
- 11
- Assists
- 11
- Yellow cards
- 7
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
I think LVG likes him coming in from the right. He clearly trusts him, Mata/Smalling/Blind/Darmian have started every game and played the most minutes. Maya's the only attacking player out of those 4 and that speaks volumes for how much he trusts Mata.
Bring back Tony? Love the way opinion whip-saws on the Caf.
Still want him central. He's a much better player then Rooney, and with a two pacey players on either side, and upfront, Mata would thrive (even more).
Kind of why the off day against PSV is frustrating. His movement was good and got in great positions, but his touch and passing let him down which is so uncharacteristic from him. Rooney will play there when fit most of the time, which means Mata will be on the right, so he has to take the chances he gets in hole in order to stay there.
I think he's easily marked out of games in the middle. Especially if the opposing team sits deep.
He has an invaluable ability to pop up with a goal or an assist even if he's struggling. I thought he played well in the 2nd half today, was much more involved.
As always a fantastic finish for his goal, made it look easier than it was.
As always a fantastic finish for his goal, made it look easier than it was.
Been easily better than Rooney this season. When he imposes himself on games, he is fantastic.
He just has a habit of disappearing at times which is annoying. His technique is probably the best in the team.
He just has a habit of disappearing at times which is annoying. His technique is probably the best in the team.
Trying to be sensible in this thread is folly. It's amazing to me that posters can brandish words in here like "non-existent", "luxury player", "liability" when he's our most productive player. How can a non existent player literally win us the game?
Another game, yet another direct impact on the result. Average performance but in the right place at the right time again and just keeps on producing. Great to see.
I've literally seen posts from people that say "didn't do anything but score" or "only time I noticed him was when he scored" ... which Is mind boggling really.
That's all well and good Mockney, but as someone in this thread has told me before "The goals stat only tells you the number of times a person has had the last touch"...
Yeah but you wouldn't sign Gerrard which renders that table useless.
*booooom* (inception sound).
maybe he disappears on purpose....so he can reappear for the goal/assist?!
*boooooooooommmmm*
There's one thing I noticed about Mata, he really has quite the tendency to fool linesmen that he's not offside. Goal against Liverpool last season, goal against City last season and now this assist, all offside but still got away with it 
It's true and long may it continue.There's one thing I noticed about Mata, he really has quite the tendency to fool linesmen that he's not offside. Goal against Liverpool last season, goal against City last season and now this assist, all offside but still got away with it
I agree. It's Juan Bloody Mata. He always delivers when needed the most.
All a player needs to do to be rated again on the Caf is lose his place in the team. Valencia did have a good game yesterday but Darmian deserves his spot.
Shoes on the other foot now, isn't it!I think some posters just want a direct winger who is going to try beating his man every time they get the ball and then whip the ball in, even if that fails 9 times out of 10. You simply can't afford that kind of wastefulness in modern football. I'm glad that Mata plays more patiently and waits for the right opportunities instead.
I fully agree with that. One player that I really can't stand is Jesus Navas. He's a traditional wide winger - as traditional as you can get: and I can't stand him. It's always the same thing. Try to beat your man with speed, try to curl the ball into the box. Can't shot.
Mata is a phenomenal player with a skill set that is only matched by Barcelona. I think people need to cool down and see the bigger picture.
Guarantees double figures every season.
That is what @NinjaFletch wants. c-c-c-c-c- COUNTER WUM.
He's playing at inside forward when he is up on the right though. Since he is a left footer he should be playing on the opposition fullback and driving at goal and inside for a shot or to link up with the 10/9. There is a lot of dribbling out toward his own goal and passing back and sideways. That is the main argument.
I don't think he is that kind of inside forward at all actually. He's more like a wide playmaker who drifts inside and makes disguised runs behind the defence. So you can say he's a kind of forward in that he gets into scoring positions, but he does that by making a run and receiving a pass into space, not by dribbling into them. The rest of the time he helps keep possession and circulate the ball, while making the odd incisive pass.
The wide threat on the right needs to come from the right back instead, and Darmian isn't good enough at that atm. Rafael probably would have been, but had other issues.
THE SPECIAL JUAN!
Juan Mata might not necessarily be the main man for Manchester United going forward, but you cannot deny his goalscoring record at the club. It is excellent for a midfielder — only Robin van Persie (18) and Wayne Rooney (25) have bettered the Spaniard’s 17 strikes for United since he joined in January 2013.
With the signings made in the summer a lot of people assumed Mata would be the man to lose his place in the starting XI. Right now he’s doing more than enough to justify his place.
He must be a dream player to work with. He is a class act, never complains, is such a gifted technical player and with pace around him he can really make United tick. He’s the thinking man’s footballer.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ed-risk-doing-justify-role.html#ixzz3mMFgrrAw
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Juan Mata might not necessarily be the main man for Manchester United going forward, but you cannot deny his goalscoring record at the club. It is excellent for a midfielder — only Robin van Persie (18) and Wayne Rooney (25) have bettered the Spaniard’s 17 strikes for United since he joined in January 2013.
With the signings made in the summer a lot of people assumed Mata would be the man to lose his place in the starting XI. Right now he’s doing more than enough to justify his place.
He must be a dream player to work with. He is a class act, never complains, is such a gifted technical player and with pace around him he can really make United tick. He’s the thinking man’s footballer.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ed-risk-doing-justify-role.html#ixzz3mMFgrrAw
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
What do you mean?Yeah that is the main argument, he's leaving the right side almost unmanned and lacking any directness at all. A lot of the time because he drifts inside and out of position with how he plays the role. But like you (and finneh and Ninje) said, goals, keeping possession and high retention and none of that really means anything, in the end if he score then it is job done. I still think personally he has to strike more of a balance in his attacking play and add into his game that directness that Depay offers. Because he almost becomes pretty predictable and it allows the defence to be tighter because they know he's not going to offer anything.
I meant that he has amazing technique. Only the players in Barcelona (maybe not only) have got that standard of one touch football and magic flicks. We should be happy he's with us.
He was better in the 2nd half. He just needs to find a way to be more involved and avoid these phases where he's just out there like a stranger.
Oddly enough, him and Darmian hardly combine over the right flank
Oddly enough, him and Darmian hardly combine over the right flank
He's wasted on the right. Much prefer him when he's in the middle.
It's never going to happen, but Mata behind Martial would be great to see. Flanked maybe by Young and Depay. its criminal that Rooney will start ahead of Mata as a number 10 these days.
He was superb yesterday. He changed the game. He was the one player brave enough to try and create something (while everyone else just focused on keeping possession). I cant tell if its his own nature to be brave or LVG has given him more freedom than the others. Either way it worked a treat. A great performance AND an assist and goal. Well played. To play that well after having a mare v PSV showed character
It happened 6 days ago.
That's true - looks like he instantly put that bad performance behind him, which is great to see.
I battered him the other night but he was much, much better yesterday. Good on him.
That happened against PSV didn't it?
Yes it did
Actually he doesn't pass the ball to Martial as I thought, it's the defender who kicks it. Has any stats center gave him the assist?
Don't think many have. It's not an assist, but obviously the goal wouldn't have happened without him, so it's as good as one.
I like him on the right actually. He is a key player for our current possession setup. The fact that he is so productive is just a massive bonus.
That being said, to get the best out of him in this role you need a beast of a RB behind him, like a prime Alves
That being said, to get the best out of him in this role you need a beast of a RB behind him, like a prime Alves
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