Ermm he's been virtually undroppable since the last seven months or so.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 54
- Goals
- 11
- Assists
- 11
- Yellow cards
- 7
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
Wow the obnoxious levels have been turned up a notch tonight in here. Cracking game from Mata though, the assist for Smalling's goal had an air of Cantona about it.
Undroppable and not dropped. Van Gaal clearly has him down as one of our most important players. Excellent tonight. Classy player.
No one's being particularly obnoxious. Just mocking some of the increasingly ridiculous criticisms of Mata, who's continually showing himself to be one of our most valuable and most important players at the moment.
Went for smalling as my motm but could easily have been Mata
Although I'm not sure that's overly important
Although I'm not sure that's overly important
I had my doubts about him but he's really impressing me now. Such a wonderful footballer.
so why again did Jose sell Mata?
Bet Mourinho wouldn't mind De Bruyne and Mata right now
Him and Smalling won us the game. Think he was involved in every chance we got.
I wonder if any of our rivals are as dependent on one player for their goals/assists? Mata must have been involved in a huge percentage of all our goals this season, no?
Anyway, seriously classy little footballer.
Anyway, seriously classy little footballer.
His close control is absolutely brilliant, that flick to Smalling was orgasmic.
I don't think Mourinho particularly saw a place for Mata in his team: was only using him sparingly, and they had a number of attacking talents. I'd have kept him personally if I was in Mourinho's position, although I assume that the money we spent was probably enough to tempt Mourinho considering he didn't particularly see Mata as part of his plans.
Eh? He's started every game since about March. It's the Caf that doesn't rate him.
A central midfield pairing of Mata and Schweinsteger is almost as good as it gets. They complement each other as well as Scholes and Keane.
Martial and Memphis' pace shouldn't be underestimated either. Last year we only had an inconsistent Di Maria to provide that, Mata thrives on quick forwards creating space and making runs.
I'm not convinced that beautiful flicked assist to Smalling was intentional, but I don't care 
How are we dependent? Martial has 4 goals, Rooney has 5, memphis has 4 goals and 4 assists... If anything our goals are nicely spread around the front 4.
think this is right. But Mata is a much stronger player now. van Gaal has obviously worked on him.
His close control, speed and holding on to the ball when tackled is all much better.
Also his shooting at every opportunity.
My MOTM Deserves it imo even though Big Mike came close.
Deserves it imo even though Big Mike came close.Beautiful Spanish bastard!
Nah they don't have a patch on the De Gea-Fellaini midfield duo of last season.
I don't know if he's any better than he was at Chelsea, as such. His 2012/2013 season was superb and he was one of the best players in the league at that time. I think he's just managing to find that level on a consistent basis again, and is having a very productive season so far. I was actually quite critical of him during the first half of last season, despite being a fan of him as a player, but I think he's been very good this season. Lovely player to watch when on form.
you do realise Mata has never played a single game in a central midfield pairing?
He spends most of his time in the middle.
Technically such a brilliant player, he's really grown as a player here and has changed my mind about him too, long may it continue.
See he played right inverted winger again, it works. In ideal (normal?) world we would bring Herrera for Rooney and play Mata high, almost like a second striker.
Love that he makes those beautiful crosses/passes in recent games. Today to that header to Memphis The flick was beautiful too. He has cemented a starting spot for the rest of the season if he can keep it up. Fantastic performances the last few games.
The flick was beautiful too. He has cemented a starting spot for the rest of the season if he can keep it up. Fantastic performances the last few games.He's slow and sometimes looks weak, but his work rate is pretty good. He does more than Memphis defensively.
I'm certainly one of Matas biggest critics on here but he was very good tonight.
His talent & natural ability has never been doubted, but he needs to show it more consistently IMO.
His talent & natural ability has never been doubted, but he needs to show it more consistently IMO.
You can't be serious
Look at where Mata's creating most of his chances. It's in the traditional attacking midfielder positions.
Excellent tonight. His touch, spacial awareness and vision was superb. Having more attacking fullbacks has helped give him loads of room inside.
Jose knew nothing. He tackles more than most attacking players in this side and tracks back just fine.
He'd be even better with a number ten in form.
Jose knew nothing. He tackles more than most attacking players in this side and tracks back just fine.
He'd be even better with a number ten in form.
So does Martial.
Mata is our most active player in the areas Scholes used to excel in and Schweinsteiger is our most active player where Keane used to dominate. When they are both performing it's like we have found a way to fit Keane-Scholes into a modern midfield.
great player
A new one. Boss approves of this post.Maybe dependent was the wrong word (though maybe not). It just strikes me that Mata has been involved in an usually high amount of our goals this season. Off the top of my head I can't think of any of our rivals' players who have been involved in such a high proportion of their goals? Which makes me wonder how well we'd fair if Mata was to get injured for a spell. I have a nasty suspicion we'd look very short of creativity as we seem to be relying on his productivity quite a bit, particularly in the PL....
He needs space. Most PL teams that come to OT sit in and that is when he looks poor. WF came to play and we should have crushed them in the first half.
Yes, he does his best work when he drifts into the attacking midfielder position, but you can't call him a part of a centre midfield pairing because of that. Not if you want to be discussing football using the agreed upon meaning of words.
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