Juan Mata image 8

Juan Mata Spain flag

2016-17 Performances

View full 2016-17 profile

6.2 Season Average Rating
Appearances
42
Goals
10
Assists
6
Yellow cards
5
Status
Not open for further replies.
Yeah thought he used the ball wall and was a good outlet to ensure we kept possession.

Happy he managed to get back in time, do the work to start the final. Do wonder what next season brings for him cos going forward, will he be a starter in a 433? Or do we use him just for teams who will sit back against us at OT?
 
The instigating factor in both goals tonight. ... but hey, whatever, it's not like he's ever been important for us or anything. His FA Cup Final goal was deflected too, so just as void as Pogba's was tonight, innit @Raees?

(I don't think he was particularly great tonight tbf, but from your earlier rant - that I valiantly maintained a far too consistent level of drunkenness to ever actually reply to - I noticed you omitted that goal from your "meager subjective things he'll be remembered for" bank.)

(Also I'm very drunk now.)
 
Last edited:
I'm usually too hooked on Lingard's off the ball movement to pay attention to Mata's contributions to our goals.
 
Mockney said:
The instigating factor in both goals tonight. ... but hey, whatever, it's not like he's ever been important for us or anything. His FA Cup Final goal was deflected too, so just as void as Pogba's was tonight, innit @Raees?

(I don't think he was particularly great tonight tbf, but from your earlier rant - that I valiantly maintained a far too consistent level of drunkenness to ever actually reply to - I noticed you omitted that goal from your "meager subjective things he'll be remembered for" bank.)

(Also I'm very drunk now.)
Click to expand...
You should drink more; I think your writing improves with alkohol consumption. Carry on!
 
Rossa said:
You should drink more; I think your writing improves with alkohol consumption. Carry on!
Click to expand...

I genuinely don't know whether that's a compliment or a diss! I get a lot more flowery, that's for sure, and invariably more concentrated. Like a drunk tryna get his keys into a lock at 5 in the morning.

Making obvious spelling mistakes is fake drunkenness. Real drunkenness is ramblingly over explaining simple shit, in my experience. Often with multiple caveats.
 
Mockney said:
I genuinely don't know whether that's a compliment or a diss! I get a lot more flowery, that's for sure, and invariably more concentrated. Like a drunk tryna get his keys into a lock at 5 in the morning.

Making obvious spelling mistakes is fake drunkenness. Real drunkenness is ramblingly over explaining simple shit, in my experience. Often with multiple caveats.
Click to expand...

Obviously a compliment, mate!

Agree with your last sentiments also. I'm convinced that all great philosophers must have been drunks!
 
Mockney said:
The instigating factor in both goals tonight. ... but hey, whatever, it's not like he's ever been important for us or anything. His FA Cup Final goal was deflected too, so just as void as Pogba's was tonight, innit @Raees?

(I don't think he was particularly great tonight tbf, but from your earlier rant - that I valiantly maintained a far too consistent level of drunkenness to ever actually reply to - I noticed you omitted that goal from your "meager subjective things he'll be remembered for" bank.)

(Also I'm very drunk now.)
Click to expand...

You're very fortunate I came across this post as it didn't tag me for some reason.

Too happy at this moment to debate but I thought he had a alright game in fairness, but hardly the sort of game where you can drunkenly rant at me about how I was wrong :p. Let's recommence this after the summer.

Love you though and glad you came back safe from Stockholm! Ps your Alien Covenant post was hilarious
 


I didn't notice this at the time due to nerves but look at Mata behind the wall! I've never seen anything like it!

Herrera shoving him down :lol: Was the plan to trip them or something?!
 
Pogue Mahone said:
That's odd as feck. Maybe the plan was to block a daisy-cutter under the jumping wall?
Click to expand...
I just read that from someone on United subreddit, too. Makes sense but why would the ref tell him to get up? I don't think it's illegal.
 
Yagami said:
I didn't notice this at the time due to nerves but look at Mata behind the wall! I've never seen anything like it!

Herrera shoving him down :lol: Was the plan to trip them or something?!
Click to expand...
Yeah, saw that during the match :lol:

Just laughed. I think it must have been to anticipate/block the daisy cutter.
 
I love the idea of a player lying on the floor to stop a clever low FK. :lol:

Can't think why it'd be illegal though. If you can attack ingenuously, you should be able to defend so too.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
If you go to ground in a tackle you're supposed to make an effort to get back up and if you don't you can be penalised. I suppose deliberately lying down is against the same rule.
Click to expand...
I think the referee just doesn't like fun. It'd have been hilarious to see them try the shot under the wall only to hit Mata. Unlike @Ish , I did not see Mata there and it'd have been so funny just from the shock.
 
Yagami said:
I think the referee just doesn't like fun. It'd have been hilarious to see them try the shot under the wall only to hit Mata. Unlike @Ish , I did not see Mata there and it'd have been so funny just from the shock.
Click to expand...
Hahaha, but if I were an Ajax player, I'd just have run into Mata, lying on the group and fallen over for a penalty appeal ;)

It's probably half the reason the referee ordered him up :lol:
 
So here are the rules which means players will be penalised if they lie down on the ball.

12.13 PLAYING IN A DANGEROUS MANNER
Playing “in a dangerous manner” can be called only if the act, in the opinion of the referee, meets three criteria: the action must be dangerous to someone (including the player committing the action), it was committed with an opponent close by, and the dangerous nature of the action caused this opponent to cease active play for the ball or to be otherwise disadvantaged by the attempt not to participate in the dangerous play. Merely committing a dangerous act is not, by itself, an offense (e.g., kicking high enough that the cleats show or attempting to play the ball while on the ground). Committing a dangerous act while an opponent is nearby is not, by itself, an offense. The act becomes an offense only when an opponent is adversely and unfairly affected, usually by the opponent ceasing to challenge for the ball in order to avoid receiving or causing injury as a direct result of the player’s act.
Click to expand...

Not sure this applies here.

EDIT: Actually, it does. He stops an Ajax player standing in the wall because they might stand on him if they did.
 
Mockney said:
I love the idea of a player lying on the floor to stop a clever low FK. :lol:

Can't think why it'd be illegal though. If you can attack ingenuously, you should be able to defend so too.
Click to expand...
Exactly! Jones vs Arsenal being a prime example.
Ish said:
Hahaha, but if I were an Ajax player, I'd just have run into Mata, lying on the group and fallen over for a penalty appeal ;)

It's probably half the reason the referee ordered him up :lol:
Click to expand...
Yeah, there was a risk. They could've claimed the ball hit his hand, too. I think it'd have been worth it just for the laughs, though!
 
Yagami said:
Exactly! Jones vs Arsenal being a prime example.

Yeah, there was a risk. They could've claimed the ball hit his hand, too. I think it'd have been worth it just for the laughs, though!
Click to expand...
Yes and No! Imagine they'd pulled 1 back in the 80th minute. My poor heart in those final 10 minutes....
 
Yagami said:


I didn't notice this at the time due to nerves but look at Mata behind the wall! I've never seen anything like it!

Herrera shoving him down :lol: Was the plan to trip them or something?!
Click to expand...

Wouldn't have been very funny if the shot was on target, parried away by Romero and then the whole defensive wall falls over a sneaky Juan on the floor, leading to every one going head over arse. :lol:
 
Ish said:
Yes and No! Imagine they'd pulled 1 back in the 80th minute. My poor heart in those final 10 minutes....
Click to expand...
:lol: I was already a bag of nerves so I couldn't imagine how I'd be if they'd have actually pulled one back with 10+ mins to go. I mean, it would've been fitting because we seem to love doing things the hard way as a club but I appreciated the easy win this time.

Ah, thanks @Pogue Mahone .
 
unitedbhoy said:
Wouldn't have been very funny if the shot was on target, parried away by Romero and then the whole defensive wall falls over a sneaky Juan on the floor, leading to every one going head over arse. :lol:
Click to expand...
Honestly, I think that's the only scenario that includes us conceding in a European final that I'd actually laugh at. :D
 
Mata is worth keeping around. He can be a great influence to players like Lingard and Pereira for a while longer yet. After all, he's a World Cup and European Championship winner, he's won youth championships, he's won pretty much every club-level cup going... and he's never won the league. Not with us, not with Chelsea, not with Valencia. He should be eager to rectify that.
 
Herrera tries every trick to win the final, the guy is great. I love how he anticipate and behaves in these situations, he is the only one looking for stuff that could go wrong and tries to do something about it. Also the freekick of Sigurdsson where he was initially on the line.
 
Yagami said:
I didn't notice this at the time due to nerves but look at Mata behind the wall! I've never seen anything like it!

Herrera shoving him down :lol: Was the plan to trip them or something?!
Click to expand...
The plan was to not let the ball go under the wall.
 
nyanza said:
The plan was to not let the ball go under the wall.
Click to expand...

Seems that way and it worked :) You don't typically see that. Anderson used to fool about trying to put the goalkeeper off but that little bit of doubt could have changed the players mind. I like seeing us using a bit more smarts. We've been a bit naive in the past and I hope this kind of trend (providing it's all legit) continues
 
I was convinced this free kick was going to fly in the top corner.
 
Mockney said:
I love the idea of a player lying on the floor to stop a clever low FK. :lol:

Can't think why it'd be illegal though. If you can attack ingenuously, you should be able to defend so too.
Click to expand...

I love that its Mata that's the one nominated to be the one lying on the ground, lets face it he is realistically not going to be heading it away or anything so may as well use him to best effect :lol::lol:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.