Love Mata. One of the best free takers around.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 32
- Goals
- 6
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 3
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
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Best freekick taker in the world from that distance. The ease with which he gets the ball up and down over the wall is ridiculous
Great player, just has no legs. Leave Mata on the bench. Any free kick whatsoever, bring Mata on.
Caresses the ball in, no need to welly it. I'd build a team around him.
He should be playing for the sole purpose of these free kicks alone. 
No one plays them better than him in the team.
No one plays them better than him in the team.
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He’s basically a 20 yard penalty taker. I said it out loud at the time that this is his range, I expect a goal.
Nobody better from 20 than him. Get’s it up and down the best.
Nobody better from 20 than him. Get’s it up and down the best.
The Juve GK (who I'm not going to try to spell)
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So good at free-kicks. What a hero!
Love him. Hugs
Ditto. He's superb at that range.
Completely overshadowed Ronnie's goal, espceially considering the sheer importance of it. Thanks Mata <3
What a guy.
Still maintain he hasn't taken as many of our free kicks during his time here as he should have.
Still maintain he hasn't taken as many of our free kicks during his time here as he should have.
Juan Mata rocks!
Never understood that hate he gets. Alright he’s slow, but so what, he’s fantastic in many other areas of his game. Hope he stays here for many years to come.
It’s not as if he can get slower!! Problem is we play him wide, where you do need space, you wouldn’t notice his lack of pace if he played through the middle. He’s a lovely player, but we don’t play to his strengths enough, and despite that he scores important goals for us.
I assume he’s scored more goals for us than anyone else who currently plays?
I assume he’s scored more goals for us than anyone else who currently plays?
He is so deadly from that distance it's fecking lovely
Does anyone know who Mata ran to after his goal?
We found our form when he came back in first 11. Must play.
I've watched too many matches in the past few years where he's been overlooked for free kicks. He should take every single freekick with a shot opportunity. He is sensational at keeping the ball down.
Knew it was 1-1 when he was the one taking it.
Cracking goal.
He doesn't really get any hate, people don't like seeing him out wide myself included. But he's probably the most ikelable player in the squad.
Knew he was scoring that free kick. Has the perfect deft touch required for those. Had been far too polite over the years allowing others to take instead of him
I just hope he sticks in and around the squad long enough to see us get good again (whenever that may be?) and grab a League winners medal. Like McClair or Robbo did. He’s been with us throughout our post Fergie period, plugging away, scoring more goals than anyone else, watching Chelsea get two titles in the meantime... I’d love him to win one here.
Best free kick taker we've had since Beckham, whenever the ball is in his comfort zone it feels like it goes in every time. I've been extremely critical of him in the past but he's having a good season and I'm happy for him, he's offered plenty when starting and coming off the bench.
No, he gets hate. Serious hate, usually about his speed or lack of. Followed by a lot of shit that isn’t really true.
Like others said, I felt so confident with him on that free kick. In the post match thread I said I reckon he's scored 1 in 3 free kicks he's taken for us, but I think it might even be better than that. I wonder if anyone knows the exact stat. Anyway, he's completely fecking deadly at that range. AND it was basically his first kick of the game. Amazing composure
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Apparently he's the top PL free kick scorer since 2011. Not that surprising
Range is very important, and probably why he doesn’t take more free kicks. He’s got great accuracy, but doesn’t have a great deal of power. Further out he doesn’t have the power to trouble the keeper, and others are a better option.
If he’s really scored 1 in 3, that’s stunning - I don’t quite believe it mind!
Who doesn't fecking love this man?
I was really pissed when we got the first one which Sanchez took. It was so perfect for him.(i know he was not playing at that time)
Cant complain but a share of credit should go to Young as well which made the GK take a step to the right before jumping to left. Would have saved it had he not taken that step.
Cant complain but a share of credit should go to Young as well which made the GK take a step to the right before jumping to left. Would have saved it had he not taken that step.
Well i can't say i've seen that. I've seen people get very frustrated with him being so ineffective on the right wing but that fair criticism in my opinion. He's much better centrally without someone else on the right.
Great freekick, good to see him making a difference
Class freekick, who was that guy he ran to, to hug before Herrera ran over to get in on the huggage?
That is fair, out on the right wing he is wasted. But I’ve seen it followed up by a lot of “get rid”, “past it”, “running in treacle”, “doesn’t offer anything”, “always loses the ball, never try’s to get it back” etc etc. all the usual shit a player having a bad game every now and again gets. It’s not a lot, but when I’ve seen it it’s been quite a strong reaction.
Mata on the right wing for us is like Scholes on the left wing for England.
I have seen that mate and i have said some of that, i wouldn't necessarily classify that as hate it's frustration. Not only because it weakens our team attacking and defensively when he plays on the right, but also because it deprives the team of him where he is best.
I said on here a month or two ago i thought he was done physically, but he had that run centrally and looked a different player. I was more than happy to hold my hands up and admit i was wrong. I don't think he never tries to not get back but when he is deployed on the right he quite often just can't get back, especially because of his style of play where he wanders around and doesn't stick to the right.
Had a feeling he was going to tuck it in. What a superb free-kick! Couldn’t have hit any better
He simply has to play in Europe, no one offers his class going forward in our team.
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