He would have been a far better option to use in the last 20 minutes of a match to try open up the opposition compared some of the other options that ole has used to try and do such a thing.
Ole freezing out Juan Mata | He didn’t, Juan’s mother has just passed, RIP.
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Mata at least has a brain, so yes, he would be useful but somehow Ole doesn’t care.
Spot on. The idea that we'd still be in the title race if Mata played these four games is obviously based on the player he was in 2012.
Because the current version would laugh at it himself if he read that post.
Aye its over egging it a bit to say he'd be keeping us in the picture, but I don't think it's crazy to say he could still positively contribute, particularly against Sheff Utd and WBA, and that's based off performances from this season.
When you're naming 4 defenders on your bench and limiting yourself off attacking options for no discernable reason it just seems like weird squad management.
Same reason no one wanted him on a free, because he's finished.
He clearly isn't and has shown that for us earlier in the session. For a start he has more goals and assists this season then either DVB or James.
Seems very revisionist. I personally couldn't stand having him in the team, as much as I like the guy.
Mata would have created a chance in those games. You make him sound like bloody Andreas Pereira.
What is going on with this "where is Mata"? Where has this guy been for six years, for me Juan Mata is one of the representations of where the club went wrong after SAF. The guy has done nothing since arriving at OT. Now he can't move, do our fans do this, we lost points and its "why isn't __ playing". Mata for me has always been a waste of space.
That's the camp he should be stationed in. And regularly is on the "who should we clear out" thread we have every single year.
I’ve edited that bit; not title race, but he’d get us closer to City no doubt. He’s the type of player to create something against a team like SU or WBA to win us the game.
He had moderate success early on, but never really fitted in.
Unsurprising really as Moyes bought him as an utter panic buy in his first January, and we've basically had 6-7 years of debating how and where to play him, and the usual chat about who he needs round him for it to succeed. That for me is always a sign a player doesn't work. We had it with Rooney for years.
Completely agree with it. More time for better players with more of a future at the club.
Mata is so much better than Andreas and Lingard that it’s not even funny. This gets me on to another mistake Ole made. Last season, at the start before Bruno, why was Lingard and Andreas above Mata in the pecking order? That would have cost us points too. Can you justify that?
Don't get me wrong, in a game of skill Mata is superb. He's be a 6 a side kingpin.
But in the premier league he just didn't have enough for where we want to be.
Perreira was never going to make it here, but for a period of time Lingard suited us. Mata peaked before he joined us unfortunately.
As usual, players get rated more the longer they're gone. I'm sure he could do a job coming off the bench. Not sure who he'll displace from said bench though..
I get a feeling there is lobbying in the team. Ole seems to accommodate certain players way more than others. Rashford being top of that list.
Mata fecked his career joining United and United continues to ignore one of the last truly great pass masters.
Mata fecked his career joining United and United continues to ignore one of the last truly great pass masters.
Can agree on that, but the guy, which is the point of this thread, still has many uses and is more likely to win us a game against a low block like this one than Martial or Rashford. He should start in games against WBA, Fulham, Burnley, SU and the like, and should have certainly been first choice last season until Bruno came.
No problem with Mata being out of the side he should have left last summer. He’s not the answer to our problems.
Next you'll be calling back Jesse Lingrad!!!!!
It is evidence of his tactical naivety that we simply play with as many forwards as we can. We lack creativity. Martial and Rashford are both too poor and selfish to create. Greenwood too young and still developing and Cavani is there to score not primarily create for anyone else
Our set up is quite juvenile. We’d be more creative and make more chances if we didn’t pile on the forwards
Our set up is quite juvenile. We’d be more creative and make more chances if we didn’t pile on the forwards
Give it a season or so, and a few more Lingard goals and I guarantee some will.
We had it with Welbeck for about 5 years despite him scoring about 3 a season and averaging 4months out injured.
So true.
I honestly think Mata has a pretty great record against those sorts of sides, he's always been kind of up there in the clubs top scorers lists.
The fact he hasnt played at all is bizarre and will only become more bizarre with Pogba out.
I have him at the same point as Matic in our squad now - essentially he's finished at this level and this is his last season with us. But taking into account opponents and injuries he is clearly a much better option to have on the pitch than, say, Martial has been at any point this season. Same as I would rather have Matic on the pitch if Fred or McTominay weren't at least putting the effort in.
Bruno can't do it all alone against low block teams. He's at his best when he has someone of equitable football intelligence up there with him, ideally a fit and firing Pogba, but if not him Mata is the next best option.
I have him at the same point as Matic in our squad now - essentially he's finished at this level and this is his last season with us. But taking into account opponents and injuries he is clearly a much better option to have on the pitch than, say, Martial has been at any point this season. Same as I would rather have Matic on the pitch if Fred or McTominay weren't at least putting the effort in.
Bruno can't do it all alone against low block teams. He's at his best when he has someone of equitable football intelligence up there with him, ideally a fit and firing Pogba, but if not him Mata is the next best option.
If Mata's the answer we're in bigger trouble than it looks.
Yes he was instrumental to us winning the last 6 league titles and4 champion leagues.
FFS hes never been good enough. Hes had odd good games, but overall is easy to knock off the ball, way too slow and cost us games by losing the ball in the past. Hes saying he hasnt been offered an extention on his contract. Why would they? We need better players not 30 odd year old never good enoughs.
FFS hes never been good enough. Hes had odd good games, but overall is easy to knock off the ball, way too slow and cost us games by losing the ball in the past. Hes saying he hasnt been offered an extention on his contract. Why would they? We need better players not 30 odd year old never good enoughs.
Honestly, there seem to have been a few games in the last couple of months where, had we had Mata/brought on Mata, it could have made a positive difference. Today, the WHU game are just 2 such instances.
He has his limitations, and no one here in their right mind would want him starting games regularly or maybe even at all, but give him 30 mins against a low block and his movement and intricate passing will do the trick more often than not. We really need to realize that as good Rashford is, his pace can be countered by a low block and his trickery can be shut by putting 3 players on him. Martial lacks intelligent movement most of the time and even though he is decent at 1-2s, there is a player much better than him on the bench.
What we need is a player who will run across the backline making marking him a menace and Mata mostly offers that, something arguably no one offers in our current side - There have been glimpses of that from Donny but there is a lack of chemistry/understanding there right now, whcih makes it difficult for him to be on the receiving end of those smart passes
He has his limitations, and no one here in their right mind would want him starting games regularly or maybe even at all, but give him 30 mins against a low block and his movement and intricate passing will do the trick more often than not. We really need to realize that as good Rashford is, his pace can be countered by a low block and his trickery can be shut by putting 3 players on him. Martial lacks intelligent movement most of the time and even though he is decent at 1-2s, there is a player much better than him on the bench.
What we need is a player who will run across the backline making marking him a menace and Mata mostly offers that, something arguably no one offers in our current side - There have been glimpses of that from Donny but there is a lack of chemistry/understanding there right now, whcih makes it difficult for him to be on the receiving end of those smart passes
One of OGS’s better decisions.
Lack of pace against low block teams? Dan James says hello.
I'm not sure Ole is freezing him out. He hasn't been on social media since January and I heard he hasn't trained either. There's no way he shouldn't be at least on the bench if everything is ok. He's still capable of a cutting pass, and he's still had a better understanding with both Bruno and VDB than anyone else. Mata is obviously not the future but ridiculous how he gets compared to Lingard, Jones etc. He's still got quality and if he's being frozen out after being nothing but loyal and patient, I'd be disappointed in Ole but only last month Ole was saying how important Mata and Matic are to the younger players. There seems to be more to his absence than we know.
I don't believe he wouldnt have been sold in January if we didn't want him.
I don't believe he wouldnt have been sold in January if we didn't want him.
He's obviously over the hill but he'd be one of the better options for 20 minutes off the bench while Cavani is up top.
Sure he's slower than the brexit trade agreement but he's still one of the better crossers in the team.
Sure he's slower than the brexit trade agreement but he's still one of the better crossers in the team.
He's not actually that slow - he chased a defender, caught him and retrieved the ball, which raised a few comments a couple of months back but seems to have been forgotten about. Obviously not the quickest, unless you're talking about the brain, which - pun - is a whole different ball game. We're sadly lacking in skill right now, and the passing is dire.
Even now his legs are completely gone his movement in the final third is second only to Cavani. So he could definitely have made a difference today. Although that says more about some of the other players in our team than it does about him.
What makes it even more frustrating is how well he’s linked up with Bruno in the very short time they played together. All the opposition defenders need to do is mark Cavani and Bruno’s all out of options for a clever pass. Martial and Rashford might as well be statues. Must be so frustrating for him.
What makes it even more frustrating is how well he’s linked up with Bruno in the very short time they played together. All the opposition defenders need to do is mark Cavani and Bruno’s all out of options for a clever pass. Martial and Rashford might as well be statues. Must be so frustrating for him.
There is no way if pep was in charge we would see james getting more game time than mata, if anything mata would probably be a regular under him but ole prefers physical qualities, agression and passion than technical ability.
Again. A few seasons ago in 2015/16, Mata was younger, fitter, and one of the first names on the teamsheet across the entire season.
United dropped points against that level of team way more often than they are now, scoring 49 league goals all season. And Mata scored 3 and made 3 after September, with a run of 15 consecutive starts without a goal or assist as the team's season fell apart.
He didn't create jacks*** then, and he definitely isn't going to do it now. Complete nothing player with a reputation that somehow persists to this day, probably because people remember him being great way back and forget when he actually is on the pitch now. Because he's invisible.
I think it's that old adage that you can pass the ball faster than you can run with it, too many of our players seem to forget that.
Sure you might not want Mata in an end to end physical game but in a game like today, particularly towards the end if you're able to think quicker than others and have the technique to pull it off then it doesn't matter if you aren't athletically gifted. As you said Mata creates spaces for others but he almost directs them to move into more sensible positions both in his movement but how he passes the ball. Similarly I think the attackers know if they make a move then he will try and find them, he's not a selfish player he's looking to make the right decision for the situation.
Even if he just played a bit deeper it probably could have helped, imagine instead of Maguire being the free man with the ball in attack it could have been someone like Mata. I really can't get how he's been completely frozen out.
I can't believe Ole killed Mata!
100% sure he'd definitely contribute more than Martial. That itself giving us more chance to win.
So, I'm not sure how some think that Mata wouldn't make any difference, while diminishing different opinion with such confidence
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