It's certainly harder to argue against that statement than for it. Though it's never stopped people trying.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 42
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 5
- Status
It's certainly harder to argue against that statement than for it. Though it's never stopped people trying.
I've seen this said for most if our players.
So who is really the current best player?
Becoming a very important member of our team. Always seems to score in big games. Was probably MOTM after Herrera, even without the goal. Very good game from him yesterday.
Still can't decide whether I prefer him on the right or centre.
Still can't decide whether I prefer him on the right or centre.
It's around that time Mou likes closing shops and park the bus so Mata is the first to obviously be hauled off.
It's not that, when your #9 is as slow as ours is you need to flank him with pace in a 4-3-3, we could use Mata as part of the midfield 3 if Pogba learned some defensive discipline but that is a ways off.
He adds so much yo our play and is one of our most important players.
He should be wearing the number 7
He should be wearing the number 7
Was it Mou at Madrid who would seemed to take off Ozil at around 70mins? Remember when I used to watch them and Ozil seemed to never finish a game.
I was whatsapped this stat so I haven't yet verified this but apparently we've only earned 1 out of a possible 12 points when Mata is left out the tean this season.
When the team has to defend on the wing and it's very closed inside, we don't have the quality to play him like it was at Liverpool.
Yesterday, we were fortunate to play against Clichy and Nolito on his channel, but I tought he were not so good in the first half.
He was clearly told to stay right, and not coming inside too much at the risk of letting two or three players (Clichy Nolito and Sané) against Valencia.
He was better when our tempo was higher, and when our midfielders clearly took the ball and started to play football. We played higher on the pitch and it allowed him to come centrally.
I prefer him behind Ibra to be honest, but with our struggles in midfield I think that he'll play mainly on the right channel
Yesterday, we were fortunate to play against Clichy and Nolito on his channel, but I tought he were not so good in the first half.
He was clearly told to stay right, and not coming inside too much at the risk of letting two or three players (Clichy Nolito and Sané) against Valencia.
He was better when our tempo was higher, and when our midfielders clearly took the ball and started to play football. We played higher on the pitch and it allowed him to come centrally.
I prefer him behind Ibra to be honest, but with our struggles in midfield I think that he'll play mainly on the right channel
The manager likes pace and power apparently from his line ups with most of previous games. But though the power guys we have don't have much of pace up front anyway.
I would always play either carrick or mata in a game. None other than blind in the squad can pass through effortlessly like he and carrick can atm.
When you take those players out, are we surprised we look shit and go for hoofing ball?
Funny he is a big game player yet he didn't start many of them this season so far.
Hopfully jose has realized now that we can carry a 'weak' player and look much better for us up front.
I would always play either carrick or mata in a game. None other than blind in the squad can pass through effortlessly like he and carrick can atm.
When you take those players out, are we surprised we look shit and go for hoofing ball?
Funny he is a big game player yet he didn't start many of them this season so far.
Hopfully jose has realized now that we can carry a 'weak' player and look much better for us up front.
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He has such a good record against Liverpool. I was surprised that he was left out. If you could play Mata in only one fixture then that was it. In a way maybe Mourinho coming has done him good. He knows he has to perform consistently or he's out. Jose seems extra hard on Mata probably due to his size and strength.
In my opinion it's between Mata and Herrera.
Some weirdly naff passes aside, he was very good yesterday, and (once-again) popped up with a goal at the crucial moment. He has to play going forward... we play better when he's in the side.
I genuinely think that only him and Herrera are the only combo in our team that could pull off a move like this.
I genuinely think that only him and Herrera are the only combo in our team that could pull off a move like this.
Carrick in behind Herrera lets him push higher up the pitch, which in turn lets Mata have a bit more freedom with Ander doing the legwork behind him. They work so well as a unit together.
Charrager:
"He has played 116 games [for United]," Carragher said. "We looked at the stats, he has been involved in nearly 50 goals. He has scored 29 and assisted 18".
^^when you consider who he's played under up until this season, its quite remarkable really. Even more remarkable that many posters on this caf often slated him for much of his time here. Glad to see him recognised more now though and he's delivering the goods too - not just by way of goals and assists, but linking play quicker and increasing the tempo of our game.
"He has played 116 games [for United]," Carragher said. "We looked at the stats, he has been involved in nearly 50 goals. He has scored 29 and assisted 18".
^^when you consider who he's played under up until this season, its quite remarkable really. Even more remarkable that many posters on this caf often slated him for much of his time here. Glad to see him recognised more now though and he's delivering the goods too - not just by way of goals and assists, but linking play quicker and increasing the tempo of our game.
Love Mata. Some pretty impressive stats there considering how the last few years have gone.
Only player in the final third who tries to inject pace into our game. He needs to start every game if we want to be able to disorganise the opposition.
I can't see how our midfield isn't nailed down at this point with Mata being pretty consistent (he has a tendency to disappear for large parts of games, but then still score or set something great up out of the blue). Pogba, Mata and Herrera just seems so obvious, with Carrick floating in when needed. My only concern is that Jose is going to force us to play a 4-2-3-1 which obviously can't suit all of them players.
Games pass him by, and he's not fast enough or physically imposing. Luxury player...
...said idiots!
...said idiots!
I have to admit I thought under Mou he certainly would be a goner but so far I feel he has been one of our better players under José this season. Great to see him doing well and I hope he gets even better the more the team is going to gel.
surely our player of the season so far?
His work rate improved a lot over the last 3 years. I really like him nowadays and he should play as our no. 10
Herrera? Valencia?
yea i'd probably say its between those three. my nod goes to mata though
Bailly's been MOTM more than any other player. But he didn't play in our most recent game so he basically no longer exists.
Who doesn't?
Nor does Mata's heavily criticised start to the season (although I thought it was stupid).
He''ll have one bad game and people will be asking for him to be dropped.
Hope he features more in the team.
Hope he features more in the team.
He's been very good
The more we mantain Mata and Herrera bromance (with De Gea on the side), I'm happy. It was a great game yesterday.
Mata can not be a reserve anymore.
Mata can not be a reserve anymore.
Bailly has been our best player this season and constantly so.
I still think we would be better with genuine pace out wide, but when he's on the pitch he always links our attack up nicely.
He has the gift of always moving in the box too, he sniffs out where the ball will be and is pretty lethal once he does shoot, must have 1 of the best conversion rates at the club I would expect.
The stats don't lie, when he plays we win, and he generally scores or assists. He works his ass off every game and clearly loves the club.
Mata
He has the gift of always moving in the box too, he sniffs out where the ball will be and is pretty lethal once he does shoot, must have 1 of the best conversion rates at the club I would expect.
The stats don't lie, when he plays we win, and he generally scores or assists. He works his ass off every game and clearly loves the club.
Mata
He really is underrated at the moment, he should start every game from now on to be honest. He is reliable as well considering he is never injured.
Plenty of us have been making this point throughout his time here, but when the team is playing badly, and the knives are out for anyone who isn't lunging into goal saving tackles or dribbling around entire defences, it tends to fall on deaf ears.
There was a point at the beginning of last season when the stats actually showed he'd been involved in more goals than any other midfielder since he arrived in England, and scored more than any other since he arrived in Manchester.
http://metro.co.uk/2015/09/24/manch...-any-other-premier-league-midfielder-5406911/
http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/24/missi...ier-leagues-most-prolific-midfielder-5117861/
But he "went missing" in matches, so you'd get posts unironically bemoaning that "all he does is score and assist!" as if producing even when you're off form was a criticism, rather than the hallmark of all good-to-great players. They would've fecking hated Cantona, for one..
But as others have said, a couple of "anonymous" displays and he'll be in the firing line again. No doubt abou' tha'... As Fergie would say.
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Personally, most of the criticism Mata's faced during his time here has been justified in my opinion. Right now, though, he's one of our players of the season and I have no complaints to how he's performed (iffy passes aside).
Anyway, I just saw that the City game yesterday was his 100th(?) game for us. What a way to cap off the century! It honestly doesn't feel like he's played 100 games for us to me. Hugs xoxo
Anyway, I just saw that the City game yesterday was his 100th(?) game for us. What a way to cap off the century! It honestly doesn't feel like he's played 100 games for us to me. Hugs xoxo
Captain Mata
I'm glad to see he's worked his way into the starting eleven. Let's hope he has another great match and maybe gets another goal or two.
- Status