Took the penalty nicely but other than that he was terrible I thought.
Only player to have scored for every manager post Fergie though.
Only player to have scored for every manager post Fergie though.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 32
- Goals
- 6
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Status
Don't know how to judge him. Always seems misused to me somehow, seems more suited to a slower tippy tappy style of football. Seems a lovely guy though, hate to criticise him.
I honestly think that was probably the worst match I've ever seen him have. Normally in his poor matches he just struggles to get involved, but this time even when he had the ball he just seemed to not be able to do anything right. Other than the penalty of course which was well won and taken.
Those minutes in the centre of midfield when he gave the ball away at every touch and couldnt pass to save his life was a bit sad to see 
Definetly lost it but thats what happens when you age.
Definetly lost it but thats what happens when you age.For me he needs to go. He wasn’t what we needed when we signed him and was a panic buy at the time.
I’ve never been his biggest fan, has scored some very important goals but just doesn’t do enough in a game and/or do it often enough.
we need to replace Mata with a proper right winger who will hold the width in the summer.
The issue isn’t that he’s bad. I think he look worse on the wing or in a front 3.
He needs to alternated in a number 10 position, interlinking with pogba, Herrera and the 3 attackers. I think that’s his best position, it hides his weaknesses.
When you play him on the right, he weakens us on that side. He doesn’t have the physicality for it.
He was always about having a great touch, interlinking, vision, and getting into the right positions.
He never had the physicality, therefore, we should keep him as he won’t age like milk. He can continue being an effective squad man.
He needs to alternated in a number 10 position, interlinking with pogba, Herrera and the 3 attackers. I think that’s his best position, it hides his weaknesses.
When you play him on the right, he weakens us on that side. He doesn’t have the physicality for it.
He was always about having a great touch, interlinking, vision, and getting into the right positions.
He never had the physicality, therefore, we should keep him as he won’t age like milk. He can continue being an effective squad man.
He's one of those players that, even on a horribly off night, can turn a match for you in a few seconds. That's why he gets picked.
There was a funny moment today where the ball broke to him and there was space that if it was Rashford or Martial you’d think great a threat but the commentator goes “ It breaks to Mata and he’s got a lot of grass I front of him” so you hear this kind of get caught up in the commentators excitement then remember it’s mata. To his credit he tried to stick on the after burners but 100m sprinter he will never be. Other than that, another standard Mata performance. I’m really starting to hate the amount of time he spends in the centre instead of out on the wing but then he doesn’t have the pace for that so I just get frustrated that such a good footballer is ineffective for us.
Out of interest, why do people keep saying he's a 'good footballer who just doesn't work for us'
I kinda got butchered in the match thread for saying he is terrible and lamenting his touch, awareness, and passing, and was told these are the best parts of his game. I'm failing to see it.
For me, his touch is poor under any sort of pressure, and his passing is worsening by the week. He doesn't run, gets the ball nicked constantly, and barely keeps things ticking over.
He's like a black hole who eats space in the centre, unlike Pogba and the much maligned Lingard who create space in the centre. If he plays in the middle or even when he drifts centrally and deep, we find zero space there, so I don't see why people think he's effective there.
- He's good at set pieces.
- He's got good movement inside the penalty area
- He can pass when under zero pressure
Is this good enough to be Manchester Utd player? For me, hell no. Waste of a space. McTominay gets far more hate and criticism here of course, but this is a senior pro bought for a big fee and with plenty of experience.
I kinda got butchered in the match thread for saying he is terrible and lamenting his touch, awareness, and passing, and was told these are the best parts of his game. I'm failing to see it.
For me, his touch is poor under any sort of pressure, and his passing is worsening by the week. He doesn't run, gets the ball nicked constantly, and barely keeps things ticking over.
He's like a black hole who eats space in the centre, unlike Pogba and the much maligned Lingard who create space in the centre. If he plays in the middle or even when he drifts centrally and deep, we find zero space there, so I don't see why people think he's effective there.
- He's good at set pieces.
- He's got good movement inside the penalty area
- He can pass when under zero pressure
Is this good enough to be Manchester Utd player? For me, hell no. Waste of a space. McTominay gets far more hate and criticism here of course, but this is a senior pro bought for a big fee and with plenty of experience.
It's purely selection for me.
He generally looks poor on the right, but brilliant in central AM. Yes he is still let down by his physicality, but his movement, padding and ability to arrive in the box more than makes up for it.
We get half the player as a RW. If we are not going to play an AM then he is wasted at the club
I agree with all your points about him. Might be useful as a squad player if we actually played him in his best position. We almost never do so I would ship him out
We can never play him in the centre as there are better players than him to play in the centre. He is not as good as even Fred or Pereira. He should be sold. If we played Pereira on the right instead of Mata he would have played much better than Mata.
I think we miss a trick by not bringing him on when we are under pressure. His ability to keep the ball moving and us in possession (and taking the sting out of a game) could have been used yesterday. was thinking him for Lingard would have been the sub I would have made. The players were running out of steam so saying lack of pace wouldnt have mattered as we werent keeping the ball.
Fred nor Pereira have shown anything at United to even suggest they are as good as Mata.
I hope we resign Mata. He’s not in our starting 11 anymore, but he can provide cover for the #10 position, is extremely professional and can be a good option off the bench depending how the game is going.
Christ. On their highlight reels maybe. This is a guy who has played nearly 400 top flight games and you think he's not as good as a new joiner with 10 (questionable) appearances to his name and a kid who is very much touch and go whether he will even make it at the club.
If he had a touch of pace he’d be the best player we’ve got. He’s still a very useful player if played behind the striker but we need to stop sticking him on the right as that just doesn’t work.
There's no point selling/releasing a player of his quality who doesn't mind being on the bench. Fred and Pereira haven't done anything to show that they can replace Mata (hell, they aren't even competing for the same position).
We've signed Mkhi in the past, Sanchez last year thinking they'd replace Mata, however that hasn't happened. Sign a player, let him show that he can actually replace Mata and then sell him
Mata is a cracking player, someone who can really make a difference. I'd try and get him to retire here along with Ander.
Mata is a very good player and has his uses, but it's not a common occurrence that we play with a central attacking midfielder (433 appears the way ahead, although we appeared to use a diamond against spurs), so I'm unsure how much gametime he would get in this position, while I'm sick of shoehorning him into an attacking right position
Its time the club got ruthless and started offloading players, particularly those on higher wages and with contracts about to expire. Given our new pressing approach and quick counters, Lingard appears 1st choice while by offloading Mata, there is a good oppurtunity to give the likes of Gomes the squad role you outlined above.
Also, I think it's a crime for Mata not to be a starter. Conditions are not right for him to fully thrive here, but I reckon he has 3 to 4 years left as a top AM at an Italian or Spanish club
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I love Mata, he seems like a true gentleman but I don't think he fits the United way of playing Ole is reintroducing. He's not made for a high press high energy game really. Don't think he's gonna get to play much, which is a shame as in a different system he could be a very good player. Think it would be best for both parties if he left.
https://en.onefootball.com/juan-mata-opens-up-on-his-ridiculous-wage/
Probably the most down to earth professional there is.
Probably the most down to earth professional there is.
So you're basically saying Andreas is a better player than Mata...
In other Mata related news:
The guy is a class act.
The guy is a class act.
On the personality alone he is worth a new contract. Such a gentleman, such a classy behavior. The only question is, whether he is ready to play second fiddle in the team or prefers to move on... A player of his talent shouldn’t be on the bench - but our new system is likely not for him
Has there ever been a more likeable footballer? Does anyone have a bad word to say about him?
Yes exactly. Andreas is better than Mata on the right. Mata never stays there and even in the Newcastle game, Ole could be seen trying to get Mata to stay on the right. Mata is not good enough to play in any other position because we have better players than Mata to play in other positions. Should he be kept as a squad player? I do not know. In a game where the other team is always defending inside their box, would I prefer Mata or Fellaini? I would prefer Fellaini.
Would only keep him to be pogbas backup when we need to spell pogba or if he gets injured/suspended for a game. Would never play on right ever again. Been proven that just doesn't work. Would only bring back to save on finding a transfer target to fill that role of pogba backup, since we can't sell him due to contact being up.
But you also said this: "We can never play him in the centre as there are better players than him to play in the centre. He is not as good as even Fred or Pereira."
So you are saying he's not as good as Pereira in the centre, and that Pereira is even better on the wing. Which basically means you think Andreas is a better player than Mata, full stop.
All this about a player (Pereira) who has scored how many goals for United? I think you want, or hope, that Pereira is better than Mata, but there is nothing to back it up, other than your own desperate need for it to be so. Strange, to say the least.
Strangely, he seems more attach to us than Chelsea and Valencia the clubs he played for before coming to us. Said he loves Manchester and the people here, and talk about being a Mancunian himself. Great to see
Exactly.
Pereira is unable to dislodge any player from the team. In any of the positions. Not to forget that people don't even know what is his best position.
I would also love to have an exciting young player come up, but then the more matches it goes, it looks more and more unlikely.
And it is not like he has set the stage on fire whenever he got a chance. Hardly noticeable performances.
He still has a lot to offer because his game does not rely on pace. Off the pitch he is also an excellent example of how a player should behave which I think benefits the team, particularly the young players. I really think Fergie would have given him a new one year contract.
When you look at the positions that is up for grabs there is only one position. That is on the right wing. Yes Perieria will be better than Mata there. In midfield Fred will be better Mata. The reasons are that Mata is way too slow. He gets dispossessed too easily and he cannot press. Fred is better than him in those things. Fred himself cannot dislodge Pogba, Herrera or Matic.
Really is a phenomenal human being. Deserves the success he's had in his career.
Not all agree but Juan is easily good enough to keep in the team. He's shown on so many occasions that's he's the quality player you at least keep in your squad as a team expecting to challenge for every trophy. If he's happy to stay and play that role, I'd love to see him finish out his career with us.
As a quick reminder, Mata was on that Chelsea team that made an unexpected run in the Champions League under a caretaker manager, winning the bloody thing. I could do with a little serendipity like that.
For this alone he should get a new contract. Niicest player in the world.
PS he is also good at the footy stuff.
PS he is also good at the footy stuff.
I love the way you persist in mentioning this as if it were a widely-recognized truth, a consensus shared by all right-thinking United fans rather than the fantastical yearning of a certain Foxbatt....
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