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2018-19 Performances


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5.3 Season Average Rating
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32
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6
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3
Yellow cards
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el3mel

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I still think we should keep him as a squad option. He just should never be a starter. He doesn't complain about lack of game time so no reason to throw him in the main lineup for the sake of it. Keep him as a sub option.
 
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A squad option who would likely be on over 80k ?
I dont think the Glazers would be happy with that investment.

If we dont get CL for next season,which seems likely,then I'm expecting a big cut in the playing squad.Which has been much needed.
 

SAFMUTD

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He is a really good player, the problem with us is that we keep using him in a position that doesn't suit him. We want width and he always turns to de middle, he doesn't have the pace, power or streght to make it as a winger. His attributes completely dissapear in that position, he should play in a squad like Barcelona or City that focus their game on long posesions and passing, he is never going to work for us the way we are playing.

I like Mata but he doesn't suit us and he is not that good so we build the team around him. We should let him go, is frustrating seeing him fail and fail again due to a poor set up.

Today against Burnley we could confirm how bad we need to add some quality to the squad, our starting XI isn't bad but the replacement either don't suit the style or are not good enough.
 

el3mel

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A squad option who would likely be on over 80k ?
I dont think the Glazers would be happy with that investment.

If we dont get CL for next season,which seems likely,then I'm expecting a big cut in the playing squad.Which has been much needed.
I think he's a point he can even accept a pay cut to just hang around. Don't see him refusing a 70k salary. He's past making money for living anyway.
 

Hugh Jass

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Hopefully Ole does not play him in the RW anymore. Just so slow. Has been so slow for a long time. We need speed on the wings. Even Lukaku is a better option on the wing i feel.

City play the two Silvas in the MF and they dictate the play. Mata looked good in the MF tonight. Better than Andreas anyhow.
 

Wanderlust_09

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Mata has declined steeply since the start of last season. He was pretty productive until the 2016-17 season, scoring 10 goals a season, and was also our most creative player during that period.
Was reminded of the same fixture in the 16-17 season where we drew 0-0, had 37 shots with Mata creating 8 chances.

He is unfortunately not the same player anymore, neither does he score, nor does he create enough.

He also lost his cool today earning that silly Yellow card, it was a clear foul by Lindelof and there was no reason for him to react that way.
 

MikeKing

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He also lost his cool today earning that silly Yellow card, it was a clear foul by Lindelof and there was no reason for him to react that way.
Uhm. Mata doesn't loses his cool very often. Also, I don't think that was a clear foul. It was a clean tackle, very hard tackle but a fair one. Didn't go through his legs to get the ball, he reached around.
 

RedMilo

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If the reports are true Barca are in talks with his agent, adios Juan..
 

Wanderlust_09

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Uhm. Mata doesn't loses his cool very often. Also, I don't think that was a clear foul. It was a clean tackle, very hard tackle but a fair one. Didn't go through his legs to get the ball, he reached around.
Uhm. Mata doesn't loses his cool very often. Also, I don't think that was a clear foul. It was a clean tackle, very hard tackle but a fair one. Didn't go through his legs to get the ball, he reached around.
Yeah it was very uncharacteristic of him to lose his cool that way, he has a silly tackle in him at times, but I was very surprised to see him throw the ball that way..
 

Eriku

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People are being sooo OTT about Mata. Not his finest match, but in the second half he had some incredible movement to make himself available around their box.

Definitely not someone I would single out today. I’d be far more eager to have a go at Sanchez, Pereira or Lukaku. Rashford -also couldn’t do anything right in the first half, I felt, yet people are making this the final straw regarding Mata’s future.
 

bond19821982

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Thought he will put that FK in. God knows what he and Sanchez tried there but it was a mess.
 

WR10

Correctly predicted France to win World Cup 2018
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When we had them pinned he was brilliant. When we required someone to have some strength, some pace and some height, he was horrendous. He has no effective press off the ball, he has no counter threat and he has no ambition to drive wide. Essentially he’s everything you do not want in a fast, aggressive and breath taking united team. The only thing he does well in first 2/3 phases of play is take the ball on the turn a spray a nice curved pass out to one of the wings - that is all.

The last 15 minutes he was phenomenal because he required no athletic ability. He got to play football in close quarters.

Move on swiftly please - I don’t want ole feeling guilt tripped into throwing him in the rotation like he did today
 

amolbhatia50k

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Too slow and too passive. He's fine coming off the bench to retain possession but not really starter material.
 

Davicho

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He is afraid to put a quick forward pass. Not good enough to be a main player in a top club.
 

SoCross

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Thought he was much better in the middle than on the wing. Use him as a CM for the rest of the season.
 

RG 11

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He's too slow for the wing and lacks strength and can't press as a CM. Our team becomes horribly unbalanced with him starting.

He made some intelligent runs into the box today but his other attributes are severely limiting. Agree with people suggesting using him as a sub.
 

Footyislife

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Either start him besides Pogba with Herrera as DM against teams that will park the bus. Or bring him on as a late sub when we need a goal.
 

Sauldogba

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Far too often we turn to shit when he comes back into our starting 11. This is a theme i have noticed that after a good run of form without him,he comes in and we look clueless in attack and at breaking down teams.
Im actually a fan of his but i think its either time to say goodbye or let him come off the bench.
 

Canagel

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I still think we should keep him as a squad option. He just should never be a starter. He doesn't complain about lack of game time so no reason to throw him in the main lineup for the sake of it. Keep him as a sub option.
Hes squad option now. We rotated and straight back to Mata again.
 

anant

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Far too often we turn to shit when he comes back into our starting 11. This is a theme i have noticed that after a good run of form without him,he comes in and we look clueless in attack and at breaking down teams.
Im actually a fan of his but i think its either time to say goodbye or let him come off the bench.
When was this run where we were playing great without him?
 

buckooo1978

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maybe it was a poor game last night but I expect so much more from Mata - if this is more a wider reflection of his effectiveness in this team and he can't do it at home to a packed Burnley defence then it tells you all you need to know

he's supposed to be our Silva, our thoughtful and incisive passer which he isn't really is he

if we could sell him for 10/15 million along with Fellaini that could fund bringing in a player who suits our style more

be good if we'd added a buy back option on Zaha - there's one on Depay I think which wouldn't be the worst idea if he can play as effectively on the right - i haven't followed him at Lyon closely

he's never really suited the United style and his best football came under Van Gaal when the pace was slow and it suited him better. If he has a chance to sign for Barca he should take it for his sake and ours. Hugs
 

Bola

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This.

Hope i never see him play on the right wing again, though sadly i know i will have to endure it again at some point.

Centrally he's fine, played better when he moved in, but jesus does he hamper the right side of our attack when he's deployed RW.

You can hope, but manager after manager keeps doing it.

Very glad to have OGS here, but he made a very stupid decision to play Mata there. If he hadn't learned from previous games under Jose, then he should have learnt after the Newcastle away game.

Mata is not an attacking right player. Putting him there makes our attack worse
 

Annihilate Now!

...or later, I'm not fussy
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People are being sooo OTT about Mata. Not his finest match, but in the second half he had some incredible movement to make himself available around their box.

Definitely not someone I would single out today. I’d be far more eager to have a go at Sanchez, Pereira or Lukaku. Rashford -also couldn’t do anything right in the first half, I felt, yet people are making this the final straw regarding Mata’s future.
People being OTT on the Caf? Madness!

Seriously though, people have already made their minds up it seems, so unless Mata scored last night, this was always going to be the response. Doesn't really matter that he played well, because that doesn't fit the already established narrative.

If Fred had come on and played like Mata had in the last 30 minutes, people would be wetting themselves.
 

anant

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Most of Oles first 8 games.
Theres even been times under Mourinho as well when i have noticed this.
This is his 3rd start ffs! And in the 1st game, we played our 2nd side and had 9 changes!

And which instances under Mou?
 

mad1max954

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May 31, 2016
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I personally just do not think he was ever a united player. Yes he is clearly technically ept, and if you set a team up around him I’m sure he would be very good - play him central, lots of runners and pace around him. Give him that free role..

Problem is, that he has never been that exceptional that you want to build a team around him and as a team that wants to challenge for honours we need everyone to contribute to all phases of play. We therefor can’t play him centrally as he isn’t physical or defensively good enough and and he is too slow for the wings.

Square peg round hole unfortunately.
Even when we signed him, I thought it didn’t make much sense. Seems like a nice guy and good professional but time to let him go.
 

Adisa

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We need the conviction in our future as a club to be willing to allow him leave.
Enough of run of the mill players.
 

Irish Jet

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People being OTT on the Caf? Madness!

Seriously though, people have already made their minds up it seems, so unless Mata scored last night, this was always going to be the response. Doesn't really matter that he played well, because that doesn't fit the already established narrative.

If Fred had come on and played like Mata had in the last 30 minutes, people would be wetting themselves.
What are you talking about? 30 minutes? Mata was absolutely atrocious for 80 minutes, our worst performer other than Pereira. Offered nothing, slowed the play down and easily rendered ineffective. He only became useful when Burnley got a second and literally switched to 10-0-0 formation.

If anything fans are too kind on him because he’s Mata, because he’s likeable, because he’s got this reputation as a great player, which he’s not.

His United career has been a huge disappointment. For a player who was our record signing at the time he’s offered nothing but mediocrity since. Has never established as a key player under 4 managers. He had one decent spell in LVG’s first season and couldn’t sustain it. Excuses made for him about managers, out of position, style of play etc. All garbage. He just hasn’t been good enough. Even in games where he’d score he’d often offer little else. From the Top 6 clubs it’s tough to think off too many attacking players that are easier for teams to play against. Any LB that isn’t a spaz like Moreno would be delighted to see Mata on the teamsheet.

Overrated player. We need to be ruthless and get rid. Nice guy or not.
 

SqueakyWeasel

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Taking the next corner instead of Jones!
What are you talking about? 30 minutes? Mata was absolutely atrocious for 80 minutes, our worst performer other than Pereira. Offered nothing, slowed the play down and easily rendered ineffective. He only became useful when Burnley got a second and literally switched to 10-0-0 formation.

If anything fans are too kind on him because he’s Mata, because he’s likeable, because he’s got this reputation as a great player, which he’s not.

His United career has been a huge disappointment. For a player who was our record signing at the time he’s offered nothing but mediocrity since. Has never established as a key player under 4 managers. He had one decent spell in LVG’s first season and couldn’t sustain it. Excuses made for him about managers, out of position, style of play etc. All garbage. He just hasn’t been good enough. Even in games where he’d score he’d often offer little else. From the Top 6 clubs it’s tough to think off too many attacking players that are easier for teams to play against. Any LB that isn’t a spaz like Moreno would be delighted to see Mata on the teamsheet.

Overrated player. We need to be ruthless and get rid. Nice guy or not.
:lol: This place is funny
 

Annihilate Now!

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What are you talking about? 30 minutes? Mata was absolutely atrocious for 80 minutes, our worst performer other than Pereira. Offered nothing, slowed the play down and easily rendered ineffective. He only became useful when Burnley got a second and literally switched to 10-0-0 formation.

If anything fans are too kind on him because he’s Mata, because he’s likeable, because he’s got this reputation as a great player, which he’s not.

His United career has been a huge disappointment. For a player who was our record signing at the time he’s offered nothing but mediocrity since. Has never established as a key player under 4 managers. He had one decent spell in LVG’s first season and couldn’t sustain it. Excuses made for him about managers, out of position, style of play etc. All garbage. He just hasn’t been good enough. Even in games where he’d score he’d often offer little else. From the Top 6 clubs it’s tough to think off too many attacking players that are easier for teams to play against. Any LB that isn’t a spaz like Moreno would be delighted to see Mata on the teamsheet.

Overrated player. We need to be ruthless and get rid. Nice guy or not.
Oh come off it, this was a game that had Rashford and Lukaku both not playing well, and Young wasting tons of good crossing opportunities, and you'd say he's our worst performer with Andreas?

Pretty much as soon as Lingard came on, him and Mata were driving us forward. He was picking the ball up deep, playing the right passes, bringing us forward, getting into good positions and was just easily one of our better players along with Lingard and Matic.
 

Bola

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Got to question whether it is worth United extending him.

Unless he plays in a defined AM position, his presence on the pitch just disjoints our whole attack.

With his contract expiring at the end of the season, I'd let it run down and would possibly let him go early if we got a £5m+ bid.

If the rumours of him extending are true, we are liking at a 10 - 15m cost to keep him, not to mention the intangible impact of him blocking the path of someone like Gomes.

A key player in Deadwood FC. Unless we are going to switch to an attacking mid formation (but Pogba would be 1st choice), it's time to let him go
 

youngrell

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Mata the scapegoat again? :rolleyes:

He made countless good runs into the box in the first half and was instrumental in us getting back in the game and piling the pressure on Burnley.

His limitations will never go away, so no idea why people keep bringing them up like it's news. Last night he performed better than all our other attackers.
 
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