Not a good game, but not anything that will drop him out of the team. To be honest the team didn't look at its best because we were trying something different, so both him and Herrera didn't look as effective as usual. We put Fellaini into the team thinking they would be hard to break down and you could see early on the plan was to get it out wide and whip crosses in to him and Ibra. when it turned out st Etienne came to play we ditched fellaini but it was a bit too late to get the best out of Mata.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 42
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 5
- Status
It looked like there was plenty of space and time and with how great he is technically, he wouldn't have any problems bringing that ball down and then placing it.
If anyone has the clip, can you post it? Very curious to see on 2nd look now.
Thought he was poor. A lovely run for the Pogba pass, and a the cross for Zlatan's offside header were his two real highlights, which isn't enough.
St. Etienne 0:1 Man Utd
I'm surprised there's no comments about him, he's basicaly operating as a SS for us and his movement was superb in the first half, and that delivery for the goal was top class. He didn't get as involved in the second half and then had to come off, but another good game in a good run of form.
It's you Juan, Juan, Juan!!!
Good game, beautiful assist
Him and Mkhitaryan are so creative, funny everyone thought mou would get rid of Mata but hes actually flourished under him and must be one of the first names on the team sheet now.Quietly goes bout his business and rarely gives up possession he`s become a vital piece in our attacking unit imo if he had pace he would be unplayable.
Spot on!
Will he have the energy to play on the weekend too?
Very good assist for the goal, surely he'll be starting on Sunday.
Watching on TV you could see the ball was on to Mkhi. But Mata to actually recognise that and deliver the ball was fantastic.
Yeah, should defo start on the weekend. His movement around the box is crazy. Its nice that we have people who can actually pass it to him quickly as well which makes use of his movement. And always lovely to watch him pick out people too rather than having slow static players around him.
Yeah, should defo start on the weekend. His movement around the box is crazy. Its nice that we have people who can actually pass it to him quickly as well which makes use of his movement. And always lovely to watch him pick out people too rather than having slow static players around him.
Love this little fella. Only criticisms are that he doesnt have much pace and that his stamina seems to wear off in second halves. With that said, the good overshadow the bad side of his game and i cant stop admiring this guy and his phenomenal first touch and his brains on and off the ball. Every now and then it is written in this forum that stats only show one side of the game, but this guy is a "stat specialist", always come up with a goal or an assist, thats his game.
I hope Juan stays many more years with us
I hope Juan stays many more years with us
I'm not his fan but he was very good yesterday.
Prior to the goal he took the ball on the half turn and went forward with it and it completely opened up the attack for it to flourish. I want to see him do more of that and more often, I think it is an underutilized part of his game.
The guy is very productive.
Brilliant assist! What a player to have.
He is very good and productive, cant think him out of the team at the moment.
Remember all that talk about Jose wanting him and Blind gone at the beginning of the season? Turns out that only 5 players have started more games for us then those 2.
He wasn't going anywhere last summer, he won't go anywhere this summer.
He wasn't going anywhere last summer, he won't go anywhere this summer.
Played 34 games already 
and people said during the summer Jose would sell him cause of what happened at Chelsea!
9 goals and 5 assists, not a bad return really, hopefully he can reach 15 goals and 10+ assists by the end of the season.
We've finally started to spread our goals across the pitch too, beginning of the season it was Ibrahimovic bailing us out, now Mkhitaryan, Pogba, Mata, Martial are all finding form, just need Rashford to start firing and we'll be fine.
and people said during the summer Jose would sell him cause of what happened at Chelsea!9 goals and 5 assists, not a bad return really, hopefully he can reach 15 goals and 10+ assists by the end of the season.
We've finally started to spread our goals across the pitch too, beginning of the season it was Ibrahimovic bailing us out, now Mkhitaryan, Pogba, Mata, Martial are all finding form, just need Rashford to start firing and we'll be fine.
Expecting a big performance from Mata on Sunday. Always delivering.
Nice interview
It was a ridiculous cross to be honest. World class vision and execution to pull that off.
Everything about that passage of play was great. Blind making the overlapping run to clear out space for Mata to deliver the cross, Mata putting the cross around the man and Mkhi getting the faint touch to score. Loved it.
Nice interview
Liked that. There's certainly something in what Linekar was saying about Spanish players (and many European players in general it seems) being more intelligent, or maybe more worldly is a better term, than their English counterparts. The discussion about why British managers aren't good enough to take the top positions is related to this I feel. The PL is so international these days, obviously managers with experience of more than one footballing culture and language are at an immediate advantage, and that's before we get into their more sophisticated tactical approach as well. Probably something Linekar, who spent time playing abroad, appreciates as much as anyone.
Southampton 2:3 Man Utd
Love him but he's struggling badly.
the pitch and the tempo of the game seems a bit too much for Juan today, it's simply because we are not having the ball enough on our feet.. he's lost on the wing, switch hm with lings...
Just play him centrally! Lingard behind Zlatan makes no sense at all. Plus Lingard can help Valencia in defence
He's had a hard week, too much for him today
Yeah with how much trouble Bertrand and Redmond were causing us it's weird we didn't switch to that.
Fair call. Game drifted by Juan.
Terrible. Perhaps the worst individual performance by any player this season.
Could not cope with the intensity and pace of the game. Called it. He seems almost like our own Ozil. Nevertheless, poor game from a good player.
Deserves no criticism today after coming back from his grandfather's funeral to play. His head couldn't have been in the match at all.
Indeed. Though you then have to question the decision to start him.
Crippled our entire attack by making Valencia hug the half way line. Mata was always going to struggle isolated on the wing
He looked very emotional holding the trophy up just then.
Yeah, Valencia was excellent when he came off no doubt.
Yup, doesn't look very happy even while celebrating now
Not his day. I trust him to bounce back though.
It must have been difficult with the recent passing of his Grandfather. I just wish him and his family well.
Practically invisible in the first half, which is understandable really.
- Status