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2015-16 Performances


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5.7 Season Average Rating
Appearances
54
Goals
11
Assists
11
Yellow cards
7
Red cards
1
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Sylar

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Least of our problems today. Did well for the assist and was covering as last man at times. We should have moved him to #10 position as soon as it went 2-2.
 

Manny

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That's why Mata rightly plays all the time. For all his flaws he's one of the only players we have with that sort of composure and class.
He had his head up to track Martials run whilst receiving the ball, beating the defender and releasing the pass.

Class and intent to make sure the ball he put in was not just an aimless cross.
 

Charlie Foley

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As @Sylar said, least of our problems tonight.

I actually feel the 'he goes missing' comments are a bit unfair, I think he's always trying his hardest, his work ethic is pretty good, he's not Suarez but he's better than people on here would have you believe. There's only so much he can do with it given his physical...capabilities but I can't fault him for trying.

Lovely moment for the goal, after getting the winner Saturday. One of few players I'm not incredibly pissed off with right now, though I am a fanboy I admit.
 

sullydnl

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He is a luxury player to carry in such high intensity games.

Goes hiding mostly. Didn't at the time but clearly now see the reason Mourinho dispensed with him.
Scores the winning goal on the Saturday, sets up the equalizing goal on the Tuesday. I wish we had more of these luxury players in our team.

Mourinho sold him because he preferred Oscar as his #10. Oscar has since been much worse than Mata. Maybe not the smartest move after all.
 

Hellboy

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I think we should cash it this summer. I really love the lad but he is not what we need, he flattered to deceive at times even if he put some good performances here and there. If somebody offers anywhere near £25m (as we always get trounced when selling players), we should let him go.
 
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Drifter

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Jan 27, 2004
Messages
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Who has taken his place?
Here's the squad

Squad
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Porto), David De Gea (Manchester United), Sergio Rico (Sevilla)

Defenders: Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, Marc Bartra (all Barcelona), Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta (both Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City), Mikel San Jose (Athletic Bilbao), Koke, Saul Niguez (both Atletico Madrid), Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Isco (Real Madrid), Bruno Soriano (Villarreal)

Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez (Chelsea), Alvaro Morata (Juventus), Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Bilbao), Nolito (Celta Vigo), Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid)
 

Leftback99

Might have a bedwetting fetish.
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No surprise. I certainly wouldn't fear Spain if Mata was starting for them against us.
 

Lennon7

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More surprised by Costa and Torres not getting a look in.
Shit yeah. Didn't notice that. Who's Soriano too? Did he used to play for Sampdoria (dunno why I know that)?
 

sammsky1

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Spain has never really favoured him, have they?
he isn't that good. Its only because he plays for us that he gets an inflated status on this site.

Mata is not much better than Fellaini vis a vis the positions they play in: both of them are top 7 club material AND NOT Champions material, which is why we are where we are.

Would be one of the first players Id sell if I was Mourinho.
 

.Rossi

ever get that feeling of déjà vu?
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Shit yeah. Didn't notice that. Who's Soriano too? Did he used to play for Sampdoria (dunno why I know that)?
Jonathan Soriano Casas (born 24 September 1985) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Austrian club FC Red Bull Salzburg as a striker.

He spent his early career with Espanyol and Barcelona, mostly with the respective reserve teams. In January 2012 he moved to Red Bull Salzburg, where he won three league and cup doubles, also finishing as the Austrian Football Bundesliga's top scorer twice; he totalled over 150 goals for the team.

Soriano gained 25 caps for Spain at youth level, scoring 27 times. He also played for Catalonia.
From Wiki. Never heard of him myself

I'm just waiting for Stobzilla to come along and make a shit copying and pasting joke/reference now.
 

sammsky1

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Here's the squad

Squad
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Porto), David De Gea (Manchester United), Sergio Rico (Sevilla)

Defenders: Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, Marc Bartra (all Barcelona), Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta (both Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City), Mikel San Jose (Athletic Bilbao), Koke, Saul Niguez (both Atletico Madrid), Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Isco (Real Madrid), Bruno Soriano (Villarreal)

Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez (Chelsea), Alvaro Morata (Juventus), Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Bilbao), Nolito (Celta Vigo), Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid)
Doesn't look great up front. Surely Costa would have enhanced this squad?
 

Lennon7

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From Wiki. Never heard of him myself

I'm just waiting for Stobzilla to come along and make a shit copying and pasting joke/reference now.
That's a different player, ain't it? The one in the squad is a midfielder who plays for Villareal.

Edit: ohhhh, it's Bruno. Not sure why they've got him down as Soriano like
 

Nuts

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he isn't that good. Its only because he plays for us that he gets an inflated status on this site.

Mata is not much better than Fellaini vis a vis the positions they play in: both of them are top 7 club material AND NOT Champions material, which is why we are where we are.

Would be one of the first players Id sell if I was Mourinho.
Mata's problem is he's a luxury player that can't play CM, isn't really a winger but isn't as good as various other No.10s for Spain. He's bloody good, still, but like a lot of others has lost out to competition in a strong era for Spain.
 

sammsky1

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Mata's problem is he's a luxury player that can't play CM, isn't really a winger but isn't as good as various other No.10s for Spain. He's bloody good, still, but like a lot of others has lost out to competition in a strong era for Spain.
Do you think he can be our 1st choice no 10 or luxury player in a Mourinho United? If so, where does he fit in?

I really don't know. Even a flushed Rooney is preferable at no 10 for me. Plus is Ibra comes in, then increase in competition for no 10 and also wide right from Rooney, Rashford, Memphis and Januzaj (plus new signing). Does not look good for him.
 

Nuts

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I think Mata's been wasted really, at United. Never been played consistently in best position and, if I'm honest, he'd be part of a large clear out if it were down to me.

I've the same problem with him that Mourinho had - he's too lightweight and unbalances a team selection. You can't really play Depay on the left, Rooney deep and Mata at No. 10. Our whole squad is poorly planned and balanced and two of those three should be moved on, allowing the future to be planned around Depay.
 

sammsky1

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Not better than Fellaini? Honest to god. I mean seriously. Ffs.
He may be more talented but performances relative to position this season, I don't think so. I think Mata has been as disappointing wide right as Fellaini has been in central midfield.

Even the redcafe average rating for the entire season (Mata 5.7 vs Fellaini 5.1) shows this could be true, the scores are quite close and I think Fellaini is always under scored because of a negative bias and Mata over scored because of positive bias.

Lets not forget how many games Mata has gone totally missing, how many times his stray passes led to a break down of our few attacking moves, and how few assists he has contributed.
 
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ottosec

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I don't know if he should have been called or not, but I see that the likes of Fabregas, Isco and Pedro were called and they had worse seasons than Mata.
 

NinjaFletch

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He may be more talented but performances relative to position this season, I don't think so. I think Mata has been as disappointing wide right as Fellaini has been in central midfield.

Lets not forget how many games Mata has gone totally missing, how many times his stray passes led to a break down of our few attacking moves,
I think its different though, the position Mata plays means a play will almost always go missing if you can't get him the service. I don't think we've had a single player thats looked great playing number 10 under Van Gaal and thats a large part down to the fact we suck at getting them the ball quickly in positions where they can hurt teams. The same defence can't really be offered for Fellaini.

Personally I'd like to see Mata utilised properly for us and then judge him, but if its not going to happen then he's better off leaving.
 

sullydnl

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I don't know if he should have been called or not, but I see that the likes of Fabregas, Isco and Pedro were called and they had worse seasons than Mata.
As did Silva, though injuries contributed there.
 

finneh

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He may be more talented but performances relative to position this season, I don't think so. I think Mata has been as disappointing wide right as Fellaini has been in central midfield.

Even the redcafe average rating for the entire season (Mata 5.7 vs Fellaini 5.1) shows this could be true, the scores are quite close and I think Fellaini is always under scored because of a negative bias and Mata over scored because of positive bias.

Lets not forget how many games Mata has gone totally missing, how many times his stray passes led to a break down of our few attacking moves, and how few assists he has contributed.
Bizarre comment considering that difference between Mata and Fellaini (0.6) is similar to the difference between Mata and Smalling/Rashford (0.7) who have both been hailed as excellent this season. Which would mean 0.6 is the difference between awful and decent; and decent and very good (with all ratings being between 5.1 and 6.9, a difference of 0.6 is huge)

In terms of attacking players with 20+ appearances he's second only to Martial (albeit with poor competition like Fellaini, Rooney, Lingard & Depay).

If there are two players that have been hindered more than most under LVG and deserve a chance under a new manager it's our two (outfield) Spaniards.
 

Snow

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Barely touched Souré. Clattenburg carded him because he had some making up to do this game.
 
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