He needs to play #10 position with fast players around him or dont play him at all. Playing him on the right (especially without Herrera on the pitch) is crazy.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 54
- Goals
- 11
- Assists
- 11
- Yellow cards
- 7
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
Disgrace
Yep. Mata slows our play down so much as well.
Sorry, did you just say he "slows our play down?!?!"
He doesn't slow it down. He shits himself half the time and passes the buck. But, he writes a blog so, in his mind, he's fine. He's a leader.
Almost a bigger fraud than Fellaini ffs
Shit Rossi. For a second I thought you were going to have a go at me
Yeah, Mata's time at United has not really impressed me at all. And he gets a much easier ride than some other guys.
Shit Rossi. For a second I thought you were going to have a go at me
Yeah, Mata's time at United has not really impressed me at all. And he gets a much easier ride than some other guys.
Sorry but, after that shambles tonight, I will come across as aggressive. Apologies
Not getting the Fellaini stuff! Fellaini is an honest player that is very limited and one dimensional but he gives his all every game and never hides. He's the complete opposite of Mata.
Never hides?
Said it the other day but, the time Liverpool hammered us 3-0 at Old Trafford, he went out kicking the smallest players on the pitch. Gerrard wasn't having it and put him in place with an elbow....The result? Fellaini shat himself and wasn't seen for the rest of the game. Now, imagine that was Keane, Butt, Ince, Robson, Scholes or even Becks......Gerrard would have had to be helped off the pitch.
Fellaini hides. Committing a few fouls, throwing elbows and jumping for a few headers does not constitute as "never hiding"
The guy is a fraud along with Mata. Both talk the talk but hardly ever walk it
Such a strange footballer. Taking into account his natural talent, and in fact, his first 3 seasons at Chelsea, he should be one of the elite players in this league, but instead he's often impressive, sometimes decisive and frequently pointless. I don't think I've seen such a talented player at United lack authority, ambition and drive to the extent that Mata does. With Berbatov, he was languid but he did have the bollocks to to play his game. Di Maria had a miserable time here and was affected by off the field factors. Mata is given all the opportunities in the world, and you can't say he is bad for us, given he often has spells of good end product and other spells of good number 10 play, but there is simply no reason he shouldn't be the star of this team. The only reason I can think of is that he lacks of the authoritative mentality that should come from a star player, and is past his best (Chelsea).
He's physically weak and lacks pace. When playing in a dysfunctional team like he is now he's exposed more often than he would be in a team where he could rely on his team to offer good runs, passes, touches etc.
I think so much comes down to the fact he's not very capable of shielding the ball well or going past people (due to not being quick, having a great turn or strength with the ball.)
What compounds it is that he's fully aware of his limitations. And, as a result, he basically surrenders possession as soon as someone comes near him. He rarely gives himself the opportunity to hold the ball in dangerous areas for long enough to do anything effective.
You could give him that pass Coutinho scored from all night, and he still wouldn't attempt to go past his man. He just wouldn't. It would be a pass inside before the man closed him down.
At Chelsea, he tended to receive the ball in transition, carry it a bit (as the stretched opposition defence retreated), pass it off wide, run into the box, and shoot quickly. Very rarely did he need to dribble past players towards goal. Alongside that, a chunk of his assists where aided by having Drogba, Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic heading in his set-pieces.
Many of his assists were also cut-backs, having been played in behind the defence.
He has loads of technical ability, passing ability, and shooting ability, though, to make up for it. How many great long passes has he made this season? How many beauties has he hit from long range? No doubt that you are correct a dysfunctional team brings everyone down, but the great player are supposed to stand out regardless (even if their stats are effected). Martial is a good example.
It does make you wonder if he was a bit overrated due to his time at Chelsea where everything was tailor made to make him a success. I get the dribbling bit, he's a puny little fellow who scares no defender, but I think he could be showing a lot more initiative. The bolded bit is key. There's one things having limitations, and another being consumed by it. As I said in the previous post, where is his famed left foot? Why aren't we seeing him play at least a few wonderful long passes or long efforts once in awhile? He hides IMO.
He's programmed to keep the ball so even if there are interesting runs and openings ahead of him but they require creating a little space for yourself by dribbling or accelerating, he'll more than likely pass it back. I think he is a good passer but he doesn't put himself in the situations where he can showcase his passing. The rare times we saw great passing is when he has acres of spaces, under no pressure and even then he can still pass it back. I truly hate this lack of initiative from someone who is supposed to be one of the leaders, who captains the team at times.
Seems like internal programming to me. I don't think we saw much of this from under Moyes either?
He's a second striker for me. We need to stop even considering him as a number 10. A number 10 is a completely different sort of player, one who dictates play, gets involved in intricate moves in the middle of the pitch open up space for everyone. Mata does very little of any of that. He has great ball control, is a safe and reliable passer and can (sometimes) score goals. His natural movement is to play a short pass and move forward, and very rarely to pick the perfect pass to set up a chance.
For me, the type of player he is doesn't relate to the kinda passer he can be under certain circumstances. Suarez is a striker but whether that was at Liverpool or now at Barca, if he can quickly release his teammates, he does it. Mata can pass the ball much better but he prefers the safest option. It is annoying because we were screaming for pace and movement in attacking and we have that with Rashford/Martia and even Lingard.
Would you sell him in the summer? Our options are Mata, Herrera and Rooney in the #10 role. I mean, it's alright, and I'm sure they'll look better when we get a better manager in, but for me, A) Rooney is not a 10 B) Herrera is a CM and C) Your main 10 being weak, slow and lacking in leadership (Mata) would be a worry. I'd personally get one top class #10 in, or at least one with top class raw ability on the ball.
I would tbh but then again if it were up to me, you wouldn't call it a clear out but a decontamination.
I agree with the second striker bit, and have said it before (though it's perhaps a bit pedantic).
He's a player who works best once defences are stretched; not one who stretches defences himself.
His best work is pretty much inside the 18 yard box, and he struggles to make any mark once he moves away from there. How people consider this to make him a top number 10 baffles me.
Yep. I've actually always considered him a SS. But I thought with possession play and a lack of creative players, he'd step up and show his "true creative side", which apparently, as it turns out, doesn't actually exist.
Christ. Creative #10 my arse.As touched upon a big factor could be that he's mentally tired/demotivated/scared of making mistakes after being coached by Moyes and LvG for 3 years. That said he clearly isn't as great as many would've thought when we signed him from Chelsea.
I find it difficult to judge a lot of our players simply because our team is/and has been dysfunctional for so long that any player would lose his spark. Would be interesting to see how he would do under a new manager, if he even gets a chance. Would Mourinho find him good enough for his style now compared to at Chelsea?
That's the issue. Should we take the risk of going into the new season with Mata, Herrera, Rooney and Fellaini as our #10s?
No need to apologise mate. I meant more along the lines of "i thought you were going to defend Mata!".
But agreed, alot of these players, along with the manager, needs to hang their heads in shame and feck out the club.
Not if we have any ambition of competing for the title, no. Then again Mata is the least worry out of those four, and there is no reason to sell him before Rooney and Fellaini. The new manager might prioritize other positions in the team in more urgent need of replacements.
Yeah, I'd personally sign a quality AM, and have Mata and Januzaj as his backup. Herrera back to CM, with Rooney and Fellaini leaving.
But the problem with that is selling Rooney which is going to be difficult. Only last night, Roy Keane was hugely critical of us and mentioned how important Rooney is to us. The whole club is engulfed with this misconception about this huge importance and relevance Rooney has, and I can see it dragging his United career on, pointlessly.
Also I suppose it depends on what sort of #10 the new manager likes. Mourinho, for example, would prefer Herrera and Rooney (hard working ones) to Mata
Tbf, Mata cant operate when Fellaini is playing. Whenever Fellaini plays we generally play that hoof ball crap and the physicality of the player comes into play, and that is Mata's single biggest weakness. He has been inconsistent, but there is a pattern that has to be noted. Whenever there is Herrera behind him, he plays well, whenever Fellaini- not so great. He plays well with Schweini behind him, but not so well with Carrick
Juan needs dropped and given the boot in the summer.
So many gutless performances.
90% of his games for us he looks and plays like a child amongst men.
So many gutless performances.
90% of his games for us he looks and plays like a child amongst men.
I think the point is that they are both gutless, and this is reflected in our play. For players like Fellaini and Mata there's always another pass backwards or sideways rather than a pass forward or taking a shot.
You are taking one isolated example and also presenting your view on it. Fellaini is more than happy to dish it out and mix it up. Comparing that side of his game of his character to Matas is just way off in my opinion.
Cant wait til this fraud is no longer at the club.
Man City 0:1 Man Utd
Put on a great team display in the first half. He has hustled his ass off defensively and won 3 key tackles, and set up Rashford for the goal.
His new mean streak is weirdly hilarious.
Excellent in the first half. What's werid though is that his average position is more defensive than Schneiderlin's, on average he is almost next to Carrick.
Maybe we should start playing 3-5-2 again and have him as a wingback
This
Not a bad game but he really shouldn't be playing on the wing anymore. Great effort today and solid defensively (he Mata-ed Sterling). But that's like asking Messi to play right back. What's the point.
Played very well, especially in the first half.
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