Very good performance today!
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I've criticized him so much recently. I have to say he was brilliant today.
Excellent from Matic. Maybe he was suffering more than anyone from our lack of movement under Mourinho.
Matic was supposed to be Jose's man yet he's stepped up today like everyone else.
I'm starting to think it was the manager's fault after all
I'm starting to think it was the manager's fault after all
Did better on the ball today, lots of long passes. Still doesnt do a huge amount defensively, but did help out on the long throws with a couple of headers
I thought that he was always in the right area and he played at the correct tempo. That's a lot better than a large portion of his previous games.
He was excellent today. Played like the old Matic and hopefully it continues!
Matic was shit in Mourinho's last season at Chelsea as well. And he bounced back. Hoping we're seeing the same from him.
Actually resembled a footballer today. That touch in the first half 
Would be fined a weeks wages if he tried that under Jose.
Would be fined a weeks wages if he tried that under Jose.I think people were overly harsh. He came back from injury to a dysfunctional team, and unlike other players, due to his slower style, people were willing to hammer him. Fans have not been patient with him at all. It reminds me of Carrick somewhat. He needs a bit of rotation and resting at the end of games. He's too old to be played as consistently as he has.
Credit where credit is due!! Unnoticed but great game today. Never been a man that looks like he should be playing boring football and as Jose boy, happy he had a good game.
Interesting thing with Matic, like many of the players, yes he can be a destroyer but mostly he wants the ball, and if everyone's static he looks conservative but like most good players if there are options and runners he will pick great passes. He wasn't deliberately trying to play bad stuff!
Also, he presses well at the right times, I remember MotD doing a bit on him stepping in and taking the ball off players during Chelsea's 14/15 title win. Simple stuff, and yet this time Mourinho wanted his players to defend deep, but the pressers like Pep and Klopp will tell you if there's space in the midfield and a player gets to turn and run at you, you're in trouble. Far better to step up and aggress, and too often Matic has been on his own and simply passed around or run past.
Today though, there was pressing all over the pitch, and the United players were sprinting to get into decent triangle positions. His position was also as a screen, not as the entirety of central midfield. Hey presto, Matic, though not the most mobile, looked skilful, physical and controlling.
Also, he presses well at the right times, I remember MotD doing a bit on him stepping in and taking the ball off players during Chelsea's 14/15 title win. Simple stuff, and yet this time Mourinho wanted his players to defend deep, but the pressers like Pep and Klopp will tell you if there's space in the midfield and a player gets to turn and run at you, you're in trouble. Far better to step up and aggress, and too often Matic has been on his own and simply passed around or run past.
Today though, there was pressing all over the pitch, and the United players were sprinting to get into decent triangle positions. His position was also as a screen, not as the entirety of central midfield. Hey presto, Matic, though not the most mobile, looked skilful, physical and controlling.
Not playing as deep as he did under Jose. I am sure Jose's system restricted him as well, but we also have to admit that Cardiff is not enough sample size to gauge his return to form. He has looked brighter in the last 3 games though.
So happy for him with his performance. Very very good. Hopefully he can play like today for the next matches. He also suffered under Jose tactic like other players.
I've been critical of him in the past but he was good today. He seems to have upped tools again.
He was fine but much like Young he needs to be a squad player and not a starter by the end of this season.
Disagree. If, and it’s a big if he continues to play like today, and against better oppositions, then he would be a valuable first team player. He deserves as much of a chance as a number of other players to show he’s a different player without Jose.
His lack of mobility will be found out time and again against the better teams and he's not good enough on the ball to be the midfield playmaker we need in that midfield 3. Nothing wrong with being a squad player at United.
This is the part i do not understand. Why is it that Matic, a player who was good for us last season, who also faced similar restrictions ( becoming a half back) is not given the excuse of not playing in the right position or being injured after a poor first half to the season, yet so many of our players have been given that....same goes for Lukaku. The ease in which those two have been turned on is staggering.
He had a decent half a season for us and ran out of steam, I've never thought him or Lukaku were good enough when they were elsewhere, the other players like Pogba I'm guessing? Has impressed me many times when used correctly, especially for Juve and France. Matic is fine as a squad player where his lack of stamina can be managed, but if we want to build the best midfield 3 we can, he doesn't feature IMO, his lack of mobility and basic passing will remain an issue no matter what..
Closer to that first performance under United colours.
He wasn't pressed once. However he still showed more urgency in his passing than he has in a long time. Mostly because there were players infront of him that actually wanted the ball and wanted to play football. Either way, decent performance, still think we need an upgrade right there.
Released the ball much more quickly today and also won the ball back quite a few times.
Seemed like the Nemanja, who played when we had just signed him.
Seems he had instructions to sit back when one of the cb's went forward and worked out quite well.
The tactics that were used today seemed to suit him much more.
Happy!
Seemed like the Nemanja, who played when we had just signed him.
Seems he had instructions to sit back when one of the cb's went forward and worked out quite well.
The tactics that were used today seemed to suit him much more.
Happy!
I was a bit shocked to hear some of the stick he was getting on here, especially during the latter stages of the Jose reign. Understandable to some extent.
Despite the abuse he's still one of our better midfielders and, despite being Jose's pet, also looks like he'll benefit from having the shackles taken off. He still needs a rest though. He'll never regain the form from when he last won the league with Jose at Chelsea but we'd be mental to completely write him off now. He can still play a role in our rebuild. Maybe even teach Andreas and Herrera a thing or two.
Despite the abuse he's still one of our better midfielders and, despite being Jose's pet, also looks like he'll benefit from having the shackles taken off. He still needs a rest though. He'll never regain the form from when he last won the league with Jose at Chelsea but we'd be mental to completely write him off now. He can still play a role in our rebuild. Maybe even teach Andreas and Herrera a thing or two.
I thought he was very good today. I was one of them who thinks he should be dropped but today he was brilliant. Give him credit for that.
You know why i quoted you, don't you? Matic is very good player and today he showed how he can be good in right formation and in right playing style. He was isolated in Jose's formation but give him time and space, he does his job very good.
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Much better tactically. It was very odd to see one of Mourinho's boys, choose and pick his best way to play and actually look good under another manager. I like him a lot
He does well when he’s given time on the ball. Played especially deeper today and our team pressed the opposition which combined afforded him plenty of time. He had a great game but he’ll have tougher tests in future.
I had no issues with his performance against Cardiff. However, I still think this should be his last season here. We need an upgrade. Digging in the crates I see, trying to see which of your favored players i've unjustly criticized huh?
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Good game.
Thought he should be rested, but considering the context that this is the first game the team try a new superb risky open football, his selection is necessary to provide the backbone, and he sure delivered.
Thought he should be rested, but considering the context that this is the first game the team try a new superb risky open football, his selection is necessary to provide the backbone, and he sure delivered.
Mourinho is gone and then he has his best performance of the season
He was very good, his passing, decision making and his willingness to make a difficult pass forward was great.
He dominated the midfield yesterday. He was actually the one who was controlling play and setting the tempo for us. Lovely to see him release it quickly.
He was fine yesterday but no need to rewrite history and blame fans who rightfully criticized him.
I think people are being carried away by yesterday performance and because he was less shit than before, but I think we need a new playmaker to replace him as soon as possible. Just watch other's team DM and you can notice how even the yesterday's version of Matic isn't good enough for a team with serious title ambitions. He doesn't press, he's too slow, he lacks incisive passes that immediatly creat danger in the oppo box, he isn't creative enough and doesn't protect the back 4 well. There's a reasom why Chelsea were happy to let him go without hustle and no other big team were after him.
If we want to go far we need to upgrade on player like him. Matic, Fellaini, Young, Mata are players holding this club back. I'd prefer a midfield trio of Pogba, Herrera and Fred, 3 good creative players with lots of energy.
Welcome back Matic.
He was good yesterday, but would like to see him have a rival for the position. No more 90mins every game.
Matic is far from being my fav player but just wanted to show you how every poster criticized some players( which is normal thing to do imo).
Back to topic; why this should be his last season? Like many players he looked bad in Jose's formation. I think that with Ole( and next manager) he can be very good holding midfielder.
Just rotate him with Herrera, problem solved for matic, fred and ander. 3 of them rotate for 2 spots essentially, sometimes just the 1 spot if we go for a midfield 2 on the rare occasion.
Very good but look knackered towards the end.
Herrera is not his replacement though. We need a player like Carrick who can take over from him to start from deep.
His willingness to give the pass to feet of the forward was so good and the moment they got it, it was all quick and incisive.
Herrera is not his replacement though. We need a player like Carrick who can take over from him to start from deep.
His willingness to give the pass to feet of the forward was so good and the moment they got it, it was all quick and incisive.
Looked like a football player again and not like a snail who got confused and wandered onto the pitch.
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