so poor. Not even cheerleader status
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 37
- Goals
- 3
- Assists
- 7
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Status
If we were in the Europa next season, and there was still the league cup for us, you could see him being wheeled out.
But surely can't be playing much next season?
But surely can't be playing much next season?
Yes. He was atrocious. Fecked up good opportunities over and over. The two assists were simple passes anyone could have played.
Mata will never lose his technique, when he's in good positions and has space he can show it. The problem is he is finding it tougher and tougher to get in those positions and find those spaces. The pace of too many games passes him by. That happened pretty much all of today, with Mata getting constantly crowded out and being forced to go backwards until LASK tired. If he finds it hard to impose himself against teams like this and Norwich how can we justify the new contract he got last summer?
How can you possibly say he was worse than James? Unless you are just seeing what you want to see.
Over Dan James or Scott McT? Really.
Sorry that's just nonsense. Second half he was part of some decent interplay... And he literally set up two goals. Assuming that doesn't count for shit?
Agreed. But what works against Mata is that he actually needs players around him playing on a similar wavelength to him to perform decently. So, when he plays with Bruno/Martial and Ighalo (if there are a few more decent players on the pitch as well), he performs quite well. Due to his physical attributes, he wouldn't ever have a game where he has taken everything by the scruff of the neck.
Although, it makes me sad, but think his time here is up, as the above scenario (where he plays with Bruno/Martial) is not something that we'll see often
Missed that one shot in the second half, which puts him in the company of McTominay and perhaps others I'm forgetting (ie. he was hardly alone in that respect.) He was unable to get his cross in off that great ball from Fred early on, but then Dan James had numerous blocked attempts. Not sure I can think of too many other egregious feck ups. I think he was pretty average, but played two good passes for assists, put in some good corners and could have easily had another assist had Martial converted (I don't think he was offside, but in any event, a great pass from Mata.)
That was James mate
James and McTominay were about at his level, but Mata edges it for me. -And- he's played like this for years. Stealing a living.
He struggled in the first half but was better in the second. He still has some silk to his play but he's clearly struggling to keep up with the pace even against this kind of opposition.
He was poor overall, but he can still play some decent passes.
It’s crazy enough. He does so many poor things in a game and he’s so easy to take the ball off and Then bang he’ll punish you like that. He’s strange player, Juan. I always thought he should have been used at 10/right off the striker. A lot closer to goal, Drawing fouls and laying the ball off but I’m not totally sure if he had enough aggression for it at any stage with us. It Doesn’t matter now anyway as his time is probably coming to an end here soon. Strange transfer. Very expensive. Really nice guy. Obviously he was once a very good player who didn’t fully fit in tactically and then he started to physically decline.
Very poor performance, if not for 2 assists. But 2 assists automatically make it a good performance.
That said, still he was absolutely terrible in the first half as a RW. In the second, when he moved centrally, things improved, and assists speak for themselves
That said, still he was absolutely terrible in the first half as a RW. In the second, when he moved centrally, things improved, and assists speak for themselves
I'll never really understand the constant starts on the right. Sure his lack of pace is less-exposed, but then what one gives up there one more than gains back in his vision, link-up play and passing in the final third. Also you can try and get him to win dangerous free kicks there which is a perfectly valid tactic.
Feel sorry for him.. He was a real player but looks like a pub player playing in the CL.
Many has him as MOTM (journos)
Most Assists
Most chances created
Most fouls won
Most successful take ons
Most completed final third passes
Surely not THAT bad?
Most Assists
Most chances created
Most fouls won
Most successful take ons
Most completed final third passes
Surely not THAT bad?
Needs to drop down several levels (MLS etc.), he doesnt offer us much anymore despite tonight’s assists, he doesnt justify his salary. He plays like someone in their late 30’s rather than their early 30’s.
Bruno would have been praised for that performance 
But seriously, a move this summer would be best for all parties. Not bothered if he stays though.
But seriously, a move this summer would be best for all parties. Not bothered if he stays though.
He is well past it, it is sad to see. I know he got 2 assists but should have 6 the way Lask players were out of positions in defence all the Time, his positioning to recive The Ball is great but his legs are long gone, that even his passing is missing.
The most valuable thing he got is nr 8 on the shirt, and I would love that Bruno got it ASAP can not watch Mata anymore. He has some testimony former players match level of fitness being hardly over 30 and training without any injuries.
There is just no place for him in our squad and to rest first team players i would rather see some young guys getting experience because playing Mata is not doing anyone any favors.
The most valuable thing he got is nr 8 on the shirt, and I would love that Bruno got it ASAP can not watch Mata anymore. He has some testimony former players match level of fitness being hardly over 30 and training without any injuries.
There is just no place for him in our squad and to rest first team players i would rather see some young guys getting experience because playing Mata is not doing anyone any favors.
He's always been a good footballer. Technically brilliant, can see a pass. We all know the qualities he's got.
Shame he's over the hill now. He just looks so slow and laboured.
He's past it.
Playing RW for so long has done nothing for him, he's probably wasted his best years being played out of position.
He's at the point for us where he is practically non-existent. There's no way you could rely on him for a PL or a competitive Europa game even.
He's given us some good moments. He deserves an easy season or two in the MLS now though - he'd be great there
Shame he's over the hill now. He just looks so slow and laboured.
He's past it.
Playing RW for so long has done nothing for him, he's probably wasted his best years being played out of position.
He's at the point for us where he is practically non-existent. There's no way you could rely on him for a PL or a competitive Europa game even.
He's given us some good moments. He deserves an easy season or two in the MLS now though - he'd be great there
I don’t understand people giving him pelters in here, I personally thought he played ok, especially in the 2nd half and to suggest he was worse than James is just a bit
Because some people make their minds up before a ball is kicked.
Amazing isn't it? I don't think he had a great game tbh, but one can argue that among midfielders and strikers, he was arguably the 2nd best player after Fred.
And, I think in Mata's case, people really need to look at stats of what he is bringing to the team. He does pass quite a lot of ball sideways and backwards, but in terms of progressive passing distance, he was bettered by just Maguire, Romero, Williams and Bailly.
He had most number of progressive passes (13), applied 8 pressures (bettered by only Williams, Fred and McT), created 7 shot creating actions (5 more than the 2nd best player - Andreas), 2nd most number of successful dribbles (4), most passes in the final third (7), most passes into the penalty area (3), 2nd most number of passes when under pressure (10), was fouled more than anyone (3). But somehow, people just don't want to see that and would focus on how many times he was dispossessed or had a miscontrol(5 -highest in our team)
I really don't get why people are standing up for him? He's lost his legs about 2-3 seasons ago and he can't muster a competitive sprint to save his life.
Yes, his touch is still good, but so is Rooney's. Should we bring Wayne back?
Two assists against the 4th in the Austrian 12 team league is the bare minimum from Manchester United's #8. Wake up.
He's on £160k a week, just to play against the likes of Partizan, Astana, etc. He has 8 starts in the league. He has to go. He has no place in that squad, if we are to move forward.
Yes, his touch is still good, but so is Rooney's. Should we bring Wayne back?
Two assists against the 4th in the Austrian 12 team league is the bare minimum from Manchester United's #8. Wake up.
He's on £160k a week, just to play against the likes of Partizan, Astana, etc. He has 8 starts in the league. He has to go. He has no place in that squad, if we are to move forward.
Probably wasn’t the right purchase at the time but moyes/we were desperate.
to Malta’s credit I thought he fit in really well to the 4-3-3 LVG stumbled on to in the Spring of 2014/15, where he was the part of that front 3 and formed that right sided triangle with Herrera and Valencia. He was perfect for that role and a big reason we played some of our best stuff post SAF. Also felt he looked good when he was coming off the bench in Jose’s first season, when we were on that run of draws, feel like he played himself into the team then. Still think he can do a job somewhere, it’s just not the premier league.
I would be inclined to agree with all of that. Mata has had some class moments but he was never really as important a player for us as his billing would have suggested. We kept signing technical 10s when we didn’t play with a 10 and then putting them out on the right when we were crying out for a true winger or 2. Just another baffling chapter in the history of the club.
Before Mata there was Kagowa. Both misused, a real shame for Mata as he’s spent the prime of his career being played out of position.
100% agree with this.
Same applies to Lingard and Pereria.
We have to be ruthless, very ruthless with players. When it's obvious their legs are gone, we should let them go. Mata's contribution to the team is pretty useless for what his wages are.
Maybe some people can't accept the fact that we don't have a good depth and that we're far away from challenging for the big trophies, so they try to find virtues that aren't there and give excuses to players like Mata, Pereira, Lingard etc; even if in reality they have no business playing for Manchester United anymore. That or just delusion.
Can we give him back to Valencia for free, Hopefully that would suit both parties.
2 years contract at Valencia around 100K a week.
Jones/Rojo/Mata/Perrera/Jesse, hope these 5 will be gone by september end.
2 years contract at Valencia around 100K a week.
Jones/Rojo/Mata/Perrera/Jesse, hope these 5 will be gone by september end.
It's a bit of a weird one. I don't think he had a great game by any stretch, he misplaced a lot of passes, slowed down the tempo, yet was involved in some of the only few bits of quality. It was an inconsistent performance.
We did play some lovely stuff away at Newcastle in the moyes year when resting players for the CL. Think we put Januzaj, Mata, Kagawa behind Hernandez.
One shot blazed over is enough to trigger the 'his worst game ever/he's rubbish' posts.
It's not the shot. It was the miscontrolled pass from TFM and Mata's look of disaproval. It was his poor passes and mostly how he lost the ball when he had nearly 5 yards head start, yet couldn't get to the ball first.
The thing with Mata is he is such a great professional, seems to have a grat character and personality as well. He is really a likeable guy, hence your apathy for him, totally understand.
This sums up his time here for me though. He has always been a player with very good technique and a great football brain, we saw that in his time at Chelsea but he ISNT a wide player. I know he started off there at Valencia but he has always been a number 10 for me. As much as I like him as a person and have respecged him as a player, for me he was a really poor signing for us. He was a club record at the time and another number 10 we tried to shoe horn into a position not ideal for him.
I think if it wasnt for his personality an dcharacted, fans would have turned on him a long time ago, which would have been a shame anyway as not really any fault o fhis own, he doesnt fit our style, never has. But the last contract given to him was ludicrous, he should have been sold a couple of years ago not handed a fairly long contract for his age and now we have done th eexact smae thing with Matic.
What does a look of disapproval have to do with anything?
I agree he never reached the heights people thought he would but because he is a lovable character we have taken him to heart. He is way past sell by date and should have been handled better by us. Long contact our not no player should get prolonged stay at Old Trafford if he can't offer us anything and I am struggling to see what he offers us..
Agreed
Great player and personality. Never fitted in any of our managers tactics. Should have stayed in La Liga and become one of the greatest in the league history. EPL became too competitive for his type of players as soon as came to us
- Status