You couldnt write the script. Minutes after 2 posts saying no one in his right mind can call him a luxury player and highlighting his stats in the league we have a guy calling him a luxury player and saying he provides the occasional productivity 
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Well, he didn't fit in naturally to LVG's plans, as 90% of the people on here kept saying he shouldn't be out right. And now, as he's been pushed out right again, he (along with the rest of the attack) take away any chances of countering, which Jose has built every one of his successful teams to do. So he seems out of place or at least in a place that throws off the manager's philosophy. Oh, and as our best player he's carried us to battles for 4th and produced less than Wayne Rooney.
Just watched it. Not a great deal to it. Carragher just saying it's about time people should consider him as one of the elite no.10 players. Basically that he's underrated.
How do you figure that?
The point is? What's your actual thinking behind that statement? Is that a slight on Mata? Because it sounds like bollocks.
It's total bollocks. You could say the same about De Gea being our best player and carrying us to battles for 4th, it'd be equally bollocks.
As a squad we need to build around our best player's and Mata (like De Gea) is firmly and categorically in that group.
Then explain how Manchester United should build around Juan Mata and expect to be anything more than in a battle for 3rd or 4th. Lay it out.
My point is still the same as when I first posted. Sell him for good value and get a proper right winger who can beat players and cross a ball so that our only approach from wide areas is not - get the ball to feet and cut inside.
Juan Mata is a very good player. If we had more players around him of similar quality we would win more games. We've seen much improved performances this season having other very good players such as Herrera & Pogba closer to him. For us to make another step forward our other players have to either up their performances to the level Mata is at, or we need to replace them with players of Mata's quality. Our other attacking players need to vastly improve: if Ibrahimovich, Martial, Mhkitaryan, Rashford & Rooney were putting away the same kind of chances that Mata does on a regular basis and/or playing to the same high standard we'd be up there at the top of the table with Chelsea.
Asking me to explain how we'll be better than 3rd/4th with Mata in the team is like saying "how will Spurs be better than 3rd/4th with Kane, Alli, Lloris, Alderweireld in the team". You have it the wrong way round. You say "how can we be better than we are without x in our team" in regards to the worst performers, not the best.
I'm sure our rivals are also looking to dispose of their most creative players in order to buy "proper wingers who can beat players and cross a ball". I bet Man City are looking at flogging Silva/De Bruyne because they don't fit that description. I bet Liverpool are looking to sell Coutinho, Arsenal looking to sell Ozil & Chelsea looking to sell Hazard because they likewise don't.
Modern Football often includes a lop-sided formation where one wide midfielder cuts in to create chances and the other stays wider and beats his man with pace. The latter style is what Martial should be doing much better (like Walcott, Sterling, Mane etc). The former style Mata is performing very well.
I think you need to watch more Football than just United under Fergie 10 years ago. Some of the best teams ever formed don't include the style you are purporting.
I'll close by asking this question: if Barcelona or Real Madrid were given a free choice choosing our players on a pick by pick basis, how many do you feel they'd choose before Mata? The ones they'd choose last are the ones holding us back.
This is my point. Those teams each have more balance because Sterling, Walcott, Mane offer width, pace, and quick counters from their sides. Pedro as well. A lot of blame goes to our left side as well, admittedly, but I could flip it and say the left side should have a pacey left footed player if we are going to accommodate Mata on the right. We're forcing a style of play that Barca, Real, and Bayern have been using, only our wide forwards don't belong in the same conversation as theirs.
I've been impressed with him this season, i feared that after Mourinho sold him at Chelsea and getting panned for being too soft he may not have the stomach to fight and prove himself but he has established himself as a pretty important creative fulcrum who can be relied on for productivity. Him and herrera have been positives in this season so far for me.
You don't need to have Bayern, Real or Barca level forwards to play with an asymmetrical attack. It's really rather common. The notion that we have to play with a "proper" winger on the right is nonsense, especially when your plan for doing so involves selling our best attacker.
He upped his game for sure, which shows his strong personality. His work rate also became top notch! He needs to start our games as a no. 10 now, period
Width comes from the full backs.
Counter attacks don't, however. And ideally, good crosses would come from our fullbacks as well, but they don't. The only players I think back to that have assisted or delivered good balls in from the wide areas are Pogba, Rooney and Herrera.
So, as I keep alluding to, our attacks are slow and predictably through the middle most of the time.
Then please explain to me what other successful teams are playing with inverted wingers on both sides who aren't suited to quick counters
Our entire team is ill suited to counter attacks. Unless you plan to change the entire top 4, changing Mata alone wont do much. Moreover, we've not needed to play on the counter in too many matches and thus selling your best player just to get someone who'll help more in these few games doesnt make much sense.
Re the 2nd point, again, the width comes from fullbacks.
You do realize that counter attacking game is not possible when your striker is 35 years old.
I didn't say we had to play a Mata on each wing. Just that if you're going to have an inverted winger on one side then it probably makes sense to go with your best attacker, as opposed to selling your best attacker and hoping for the best.
City often played with Silva as their nominal LW. Hardly peak 90's Giggs. Arsenal have played Ozil in a nominal wing position too. Again, not a "proper" winger. Not sure either of them had an actual winger playing as their supporting full-back either. It's not a problem.
And I'm saying that we have zero wide players, fullbacks included, that can get to the endline and/or deliver good crosses. And that is a problem as it means all of our threatening attacks get funneled through the middle. Even though Valencia wants to do just that, he's not capable of actually doing it with any level of consistency. And nothing at all comes from the left.
So if Mata needs to be the focus of the attack then the LW, LB and RB all should be upgraded significantly. Or you could could just upgrade Mata's position to bring a better balance to the attack.
Or, you could just keep beating the same horse that's been dead for 3 years.
I agree, get rid of your most productive player and you'll probably start winning again. Logic.
I'm glad Jamie Carragher said that. Cause I've been saying it for years. Mata is my favourite CAM in the Premier League. I wouldn't swap him for KDB, Coutinho, Ozil or Silva... why? Cause he is ours. He is a big game player and he is one of the classiest blokes in the game. Play him behind the striker and watch the football improve. He is key.
Again, I will praise him once more. He's been great this season. He tends to be disappeared during the game but this season he's different, he always wanted to get involved in every minutes when he was on the pitch. I didn't like his performance vs Chelsea though but then again we already lost that game before he came on anyway, other than that he's been great. I didn't expect him to perform this well.
Man Utd 4:0 Feyenoord
Such a great player, his touch and vision are sublime.
That one thing Moyes did right. (with little help from Jose.)
Quite easily the most technically gifted player on the team.
Our best player this season. It isnt even close
Does anyone not love this guy?
Is it just me, or does he seem to take on his man a bit more recently? His runs in behind the defense are really something, if a little mis-timed today, but still a great goal.
Is it just me, or does he seem to take on his man a bit more recently? His runs in behind the defense are really something, if a little mis-timed today, but still a great goal.
He oozes quality. He's simply world class in this kind of form.
No matter how good a player is, they are - most of the time - still human, and can be affected by confidence. Is it coincidence that he's responding to the faith Jose has shown in him?
Our most important and best player this season.
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Of course not, and he had to prove himself to Jose as well, but he has mostly been good for us, except for some bad patches. He may not be one to carry a team, but damn he is good in a functional one.
I think his 'bad patches' were down to a lack of continuity, lack of momentum, lack of confidence. I hope he stays at OT for ever, and sits in the stand like Bobby does when he's old and grey
I think his 'bad patches' were down to a lack of continuity, lack of momentum, lack of confidence. I hope he stays at OT for ever, and sits in the stand like Bobby does when he's old and grey
He could play for a long time - not very dependent on pace; if he was, he would be rubbish. He's been really, really good this season though.
Barely ever gets injured either, so you'd think he has a fair few years left in him alright.
Most important player in the team, and has been all season.
I really hope that Mourinho has realised that he needs to start every game.
Such a shame that chip didn't go in.
Such a shame that chip didn't go in.
He's class. So far he's really stepped up. Love him
That chip attempt was so good. Had that been a goal, would have ranked as among the greatest goals in our club's recent history
I didn't think he touched his previous two performances tonight but still played well, got a goal and came close to a classic with that chip attempt.
Hold my hands up and say he's been really good lately and very happy for him, it's looking more and more like LvG's system neutred him previously.
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