Nemanja Matic image 31

Nemanja Matic Serbia flag

2019-20 Performances


View full 2019-20 profile

5.9 Season Average Rating
Appearances
34
Goals
1
Assists
3
Yellow cards
4
Red cards
1
Status
Not open for further replies.

mav_9me

Full Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
12,400
Probably not match sharp or fit in anyway but he still looks poor.

hopefully he just needs some minutes to play much better than that and he gets it along with the kids in the Europa league this Thursday
That's the only hope that he is not match fit. Cuz otherwise the more he plays the less likely he is to play.
 

ottosec

Full Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2012
Messages
6,550
He didn't have a good game, but we looked more settled with him playing.

We were all over the place when he was subbed and we got dragged into a back and forth game that could have cost us.

I wonder if there is someone out there with a similar skill set as Matic that we can realistically buy?
 

Alexit

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
Messages
383
He didn't have a good game, but we looked more settled with him playing.

We were all over the place when he was subbed and we got dragged into a back and forth game that could have cost us.

I wonder if there is someone out there with a similar skill set as Matic that we can realistically buy?
Exactly. The usual moaning about Matic is in full swing but the fact is we're more stable defensively w/him in the side. He also brings a sense of calm to the side which isn't harmful. I'd like to see a few games w/him and Scott in the double pivot and Pogba further forward.
 

MAME DIOUF 32

Full Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
3,577
If his role is pretty much just to hold his position to allow McTominay to affect the game, is there really nobody else who can do that?
 

sugar_kane

Full Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Messages
3,424
Worst player in a red shirt yesterday.

Regularly giving the ball away and like last season just happy to run alongside opposition players as they waltz past him.

Hopefully Fred will get a full game on Thursday and seal his place in the first team so we don't need to rely on Matic anymore.
 

red woppit

Full Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
2,229
Location
Buchebi
Supports
Northampton Town
Shame to see his decline. He may be used in Europa League matches, as the pace may be slightly less, but I think he may be gone in January, especially if the likes of Garner and Levitt get minutes in the first team, and impress, otherwise will definitely be gone in the Summer.
 

Alabaster Codify7

New Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
6,553
Location
Wales
Useless, as he was for pretty much all of last season. Such a shit signing. If anyone but Jose was in charge that summer, we wouldn't have signed him. I'm just dreading Ed giving him a new contract then struggling to shift him in the summer window. Absolutely awful player nowadays.
 

Tel074

New Member
Joined
May 8, 2019
Messages
1,531
He is clearly past his best but we are a more settled side with him in it atm .
 

Terminator

Full Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Messages
1,928
Definitely declined a lot but we look a lot more assured with him in the team.
 

Based Adnan

Full Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Messages
4,063
For all of the grief he's getting for yesterdays performance, ultimately a 2 man midfield of Matic and McTominay completely nullified the 3 man Leicester midfield of Ndidi, Choudhury and Tielemans. Rodgers himself said they struggled to create anything due to the missing link between the midfield and Vardy. He played his part, particularly in the first half, and whilst I think he shouldn't be starting every week some of the comments are a bit harsh imo.
 

haram

New Member
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
12,921
You have to have that deep player in there and let Scott and Pogba play box to box. For that reason he has to play if Fred cannot step up.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,518

That's so poor also he has passing completion of around 68% which is just shit for a CM, especially for the non creative ones.
 

mav_9me

Full Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
12,400

That's so poor also he has passing completion of around 68% which is just shit for a CM, especially for the non creative ones.
That's remarkably awful. Wow. And all he does is sideways and back passes now. I bet you Carrick now could play better than him.
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,029
You have to have that deep player in there and let Scott and Pogba play box to box. For that reason he has to play if Fred cannot step up.
He is a liability we should look at an alternative solution. Maybe try playing Tuanzabe there if Fred cannot handle it
 

SAFMUTD

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2018
Messages
11,787

That's so poor also he has passing completion of around 68% which is just shit for a CM, especially for the non creative ones.
Still amazes me how fast he declined, he looks finished atm.
 

LoneStar

Full Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2017
Messages
3,558
Considering he had not played a game before, he was not as bad as people are suggesting. Let's not kid ourselves, he will be used more and more because we have such a thin midfield. Hopefully he gets more match fit and plays better.

His positioning and calmness helped McSauce move around and go forward with more confidence. He doesn't offer anything going forward, but he does help us defensively.

Anyone expecting Garner to come in and play like prime Carrick is kidding themselves. He will not play better than Matic, he's a kid ffs.

I would play him for some matches at least till January, where hopefully we will sign someone for that position.
 

Robbie Boy

Full Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
27,694
Location
Dublin
Why do you say that? He never relied on his pace a lot.
Not so sure about it always being clear he would age terribly but it was obvious to anyone with a set of eyes that he was well past it when we signed him. His form for Chelsea had turned to utter shit and their fans were delighted to get rid of him. He was a ridiculous signing and literally only Mourinho would have signed him for us. Unless you class a-few good months as a good signing, then he's been a pretty awful signing, all-in-all. He'll be off to Serie A at the end of the season where he should have gone in the first place when he left Chelsea.
 

LoneStar

Full Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2017
Messages
3,558
Not so sure about it always being clear he would age terribly but it was obvious to anyone with a set of eyes that he was well past it when we signed him. His form for Chelsea had turned to utter shit and their fans were delighted to get rid of him. He was a ridiculous signing and literally only Mourinho would have signed him for us. Unless you class a-few good months as a good signing, then he's been a pretty awful signing, all-in-all. He'll be off to Serie A at the end of the season where he should have gone in the first place when he left Chelsea.
Fair enough. His last season at Chelsea wasn't really good. But he really looked very good for the first couple of months we signed him. If Jose had used him more carefully, I think he could have done well for a longer time.
 

Robbie Boy

Full Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
27,694
Location
Dublin
Fair enough. His last season at Chelsea wasn't really good. But he really looked very good for the first couple of months we signed him. If Jose had used him more carefully, I think he could have done well for a longer time.
I personally think he was totally done when we signed him. Maybe the 'new club bounce' made him play better for a little bit when we first signed him, but after that, his form went to utter shit and it's been that way since. Had he been brought in to be a rotation option, that would have been fine, but starting him as much as Mourinho did was madness.
 

dev1l

Full Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
9,598
I personally think he was totally done when we signed him. Maybe the 'new club bounce' made him play better for a little bit when we first signed him, but after that, his form went to utter shit and it's been that way since. Had he been brought in to be a rotation option, that would have been fine, but starting him as much as Mourinho did was madness.
Not to mention the transfer fee...40m
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,699
Considering he had not played a game before, he was not as bad as people are suggesting. Let's not kid ourselves, he will be used more and more because we have such a thin midfield. Hopefully he gets more match fit and plays better.

His positioning and calmness helped McSauce move around and go forward with more confidence. He doesn't offer anything going forward, but he does help us defensively.

Anyone expecting Garner to come in and play like prime Carrick is kidding themselves. He will not play better than Matic, he's a kid ffs.

I would play him for some matches at least till January, where hopefully we will sign someone for that position.
Losing the ball every 3 touches is alright for you? I don’t get the stoic defence of the bloke. He’s completely shot.

The irony of course is the usual excuse given for him is he played too many games.
 

LoneStar

Full Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2017
Messages
3,558
Losing the ball every 3 touches is alright for you? I don’t get the stoic defence of the bloke. He’s completely shot.

The irony of course is the usual excuse given for him is he played too many games.
Any player who's not played a single match would be expected to be a bit rusty. That would be the same reason I would give Fred as well.

I'm not a big fan of Matic, but let's not pretend like we are benching Carrick and Busquets to play him. We don't have any options, and under these circumstances I don't mind him starting some games.
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,699
Any player who's not played a single match would be expected to be a bit rusty. That would be the same reason I would give Fred as well.

I'm not a big fan of Matic, but let's not pretend like we are benching Carrick and Busquets to play him. We don't have any options, and under these circumstances I don't mind him starting some games.
There would be some merit to that if he didn't look exactly the same when he has had previous game time, and then the line of excuse pivots to him being overused and that he needs resting.

We could be benching Mark bloody Noble and it would still be a downgrade. He is, by far, the worst midfielder at the club.
 

Alabaster Codify7

New Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
6,553
Location
Wales
Those stats are horrendous. He is a dreadful player nowadays, looking forward to seeing the back of him - he's built up no goodwill at all from me, so I have no issue with saying that. Never warmed to him as a United player, in his prime he was solid as hell though.
 

Vissy

New Member
Newbie
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
148
Absolutely do not like watching him play, but Matic still does something no other midfield player does for us - he covers the space in front of our midfield very effectively. His positioning is the best at our club right now among our midfielders, which is why he can still so effectively allow his midfield partner to play their game. We do need someone like him.
 

UncleBob

New Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
6,330
Absolutely do not like watching him play, but Matic still does something no other midfield player does for us - he covers the space in front of our midfield very effectively. His positioning is the best at our club right now among our midfielders, which is why he can still so effectively allow his midfield partner to play their game. We do need someone like him.
Mental
 

OhGee

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
271
Absolutely do not like watching him play, but Matic still does something no other midfield player does for us - he covers the space in front of our midfield very effectively. His positioning is the best at our club right now among our midfielders, which is why he can still so effectively allow his midfield partner to play their game. We do need someone like him.
Huh? Did you not watch him in pre-season...he was solely responsible for a few goals especially the one against Milan. Matic is too slow and afford the opposition plenty of time to press and turnover possession. He also takes at least a few seconds more on the ball to make a pass and that results in lost opportunities for fast breaks and counters. I’m glad Ole hooked him off and brought Fred on against Leicester - Leicester started to dominate us in the second half and had he persisted with Matic (and Mata) we would have conceded.
 

Winmove

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
46
He made us more compact and difficult to break down just by being there. I don't care about his misplaced pass since it doesn't turn into anything , when Pogba lose possession it always turn into goal scoring chances for opposition.
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,029
He made us more compact and difficult to break down just by being there. I don't care about his misplaced pass since it doesn't turn into anything , when Pogba lose possession it always turn into goal scoring chances for opposition.
I don’t believe he did. As a team we sat back more and kept our shape
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.