Has Juan Mata been a flop?

Shimo · Oct 5, 2019

Juanfield - never be a flop for that reason alone !

Would not say a flop but, obviously didn't hit the heights expected for the calibre of player he was before he got here.

ManRed · Oct 5, 2019

Yes. He came with a big reputation and did not perform to the level expected. Irrespective of how other signings have been Mata signing has not been a hit at the club.

It's not his fault alone, we never had a system that would suit him and playing him out right is not going to get the best out of him.

Foxbatt · Oct 5, 2019

He was a flop. A bigger flop than Anderson for sure.

Eric's Seagull · Oct 5, 2019

After he had such higher numbers in 2012/13 (16 goals and 20 assists) in all competitions I thought he was was going to be something special here. Sadly I'm disappointed. Seems like a really nice guy but I don't think he should have been given his last contract.

Samid · Oct 25, 2019

Eric's Seagull said:
After he had such higher numbers in 2012/13 (16 goals and 20 assists) in all competitions I thought he was was going to be something special here. Sadly I'm disappointed. Seems like a really nice guy but I don't think he should have been given his last contract.

Harsh. He's just 16 goals and 20 assists short of reaching similar numbers this season.

Ekeke · Oct 25, 2019

Nikelesh Reddy said:
Berbatov And Veron couldn’t thrive in terrific teams with world class talent around them,so I think it would be fair to use the word “flop” to describe them.Mata has had to play in an era of great uncertainty and lack of quality....Considering the quality around Mata,I certainly wouldn’t call him a flop.I would say that he’s been a good signing for the club,so I would classify him as a “success”...

One of the reasons for our lack of quality is that Mata was one of our big name signings.

Eric's Seagull · Oct 25, 2019

Samid said:
Harsh. He's just 16 goals and 20 assists short of reaching similar numbers this season.

berbasloth4 · Oct 25, 2019

Mata is kinda like a luxury player in a successful team good passes tricks set pieces in very good and quality teams where he can get away with lack of speed and work rate.

since he has been here we havent been good and have needed players who dig deep and work hard. he has shown undoubted moments of brilliance and class but with us at a real bad era.

Wouldnt say flop or a great signing.

Its bad when he has been one of the better players of the last 7 years.

starman · Oct 25, 2019

I think if Herrera stayed Mata's contract wouldn't have been extended. By promoting quite a few young players as permanent members of the first team sqaud the club's thinking, imo, is that they wanted them to be surrounded by experienced players, unfortunately Mata's days for leading by example on the pitch are well gone.

Web of Bissaka · Oct 25, 2019

What is a flop?

Sanchez and Di Maria for me are flops.

Schweini and Schneiderlin are rubbish. Did they even contribute anything

Mata and Veron are poor/disappointing considering their reputations and skills prior to joining. Except for Juanfield, just what else.. Veron did fine in Europe. Same with Mkhi and Berbatov. Few "big" contributions + extreme inconsistencies.

Alabaster Codify7 · Oct 25, 2019

Flop but could have been much different.

If he'd joined a functioning, good United squad he'd have played as a #10 closer to his prime.

Instead, he spent much of his time here wasted on the RW because we had nobody else to attempt to play there. Under shit managers.

Copa Mundial · Oct 25, 2019

Why is this thread being bumped, the whole world must know by now he's been a first rate flop?

buckooo1978 · Oct 25, 2019

Samid said:
Harsh. He's just 16 goals and 20 assists short of reaching similar numbers this season.

Samid · Dec 12, 2019

Thanks for Juanfield but time to retire grandpa.

Red00012 · Dec 12, 2019

Has he Another 18 months of his contract to run?

United58 · Dec 12, 2019

Red00012 said:
Has he Another 18 months of his contract to run?

With the option of a further year

Ali Dia · Dec 12, 2019

He’s been shocking for so long. Pointless player. Running around losing the ball in every 50/50. Last good thing he did? The free against Juve to knick the draw when we were getting battered in Turin? A set piece. That’s taking the last 4 years into consideration. He’s been a flop. Too many nice guys was our problem for ages. I don’t care if someone is nice. I want them to want to win at (almost) all costs. A blog repeatedly apologising for being crap, what use is that? The USA beckons

Saddy · Dec 12, 2019

It's like watching a young lad trying to play against his big brothers - lovely bloke but just a waste of space on the pitch now.

Even had a great chance on his favoured left foot and powder puffed it !

Please Ole take him off....

yamo123x · Dec 12, 2019

Yes 100% a flop.
I’m not doubting he hasn’t scored a number of very important goals for us, but he has never looked a class act to me, I genuinely don’t know what he adds to the team. He has been poor for 4 seasons and you have to ask yourself are we a better team with him in or not?

He goes down as a nice guy who gave us some good memories but no lasting legacy.

Eckers99 · Dec 12, 2019

I honestly can't remember his last decent game.

charlenefan · Dec 12, 2019

I don't get bumps like this, it's not like he's playing in an important game tonight (or has played in any important games this season)

SAFMUTD · Dec 12, 2019

Glad we secured him for next season as well or he would had been clubless.

RUCK4444 · Dec 12, 2019

Ali Dia said:
He’s been shocking for so long. Pointless player. Running around losing the ball in every 50/50. Last good thing he did? The free against Juve to knick the draw when we were getting battered in Turin? A set piece. That’s taking the last 4 years into consideration. He’s been a flop. Too many nice guys was our problem for ages. I don’t care if someone is nice. I want them to want to win at (almost) all costs. A blog repeatedly apologising for being crap, what use is that? The USA beckons

This bold bit made me laugh, so true. He’s just impossible to hate though.

In fairness there was Juanfield, class day that was

stevoc · Dec 12, 2019

He's been a flop no doubt but mostly because 3 managers insisted on playing him on the right wing instead of his best position. Waste.

youngrell · Dec 12, 2019

Still managed two assists and a goal tonight, but I agree that time is pretty much up for Juan. I have backed him longer than most but he doesn’t even look to have the desire anymore.

I wouldn’t call him a flop but neither has he been a blinding success.

jem · Dec 13, 2019

Ali Dia said:
He’s been shocking for so long. Pointless player. Running around losing the ball in every 50/50. Last good thing he did? The free against Juve to knick the draw when we were getting battered in Turin? A set piece. That’s taking the last 4 years into consideration. He’s been a flop. Too many nice guys was our problem for ages. I don’t care if someone is nice. I want them to want to win at (almost) all costs. A blog repeatedly apologising for being crap, what use is that? The USA beckons

This is such a moronic post. I somehow doubt Juan Mata's personality, which is a rare find in today's world, is responsible for his underwhelming performances. Who are these other nice guys that have contributed to our problems?

Rood · Dec 13, 2019

Raees said:
Simply put if we overlook the nice guy persona and his blog contributions and performance of his club colleagues and just focus on his own performances in isolation - has he been a success or a flop considering the money that was shelled out for him at the time.

Was he any better than say Berbatov or Veron other big money slow signings who didn’t quite fit the United style and has he got lucky by having such a long career here or have we been fortunate to have him, would have been even worse without him and it is more our fault for failing to utilise him to his maximum potential?

@Damien possibility of a poll perhaps?

Better than Veron, somewhere around same success level as Berbartov - certainly not a flop

And given price inflation, not as big as signing as either of those either

Ali Dia · Dec 13, 2019

This is such a moronic post. I somehow doubt Juan Mata's personality, which is a rare find in today's world, is responsible for his underwhelming performances. Who are these other nice guys that have contributed to our problems?
[/QUOTE]

He’s been a flop. His lovely personality aside, which I like, he seems like a nice guy who id probably like if I met but I support united and not Juan mata. Nice or not He’s been yet another flop.

Champagne Football · Dec 13, 2019

He cost more than Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Firmino.
When you compare what he's given Utd compared to what those 3 have given Liverpool, he's no doubt been a monster flop.
We basically signed a squad player for superstar money. A bit like Tottenham offering us €60 million for Andreas Pereira.

Ekeke · Dec 13, 2019

Rood said:
Better than Veron, somewhere around same success level as Berbartov - certainly not a flop

And given price inflation, not as big as signing as either of those either

Veron was good in europe. Mata wasnt good anywhere

harms · Dec 13, 2019

Champagne Football said:
He cost more than Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Firmino.
When you compare what he's given Utd compared to what those 3 have given Liverpool, he's no doubt been a monster flop.
We basically signed a squad player for superstar money. A bit like Tottenham offering us €60 million for Andreas Pereira.

All 3 are not just good transfers, each of those would have a place in a list of the greatest bargains of this decade though. It's not a binary world where you can either be a bargain or a flop.

Bastian · Dec 13, 2019

Rood said:
Better than Veron, somewhere around same success level as Berbartov - certainly not a flop

And given price inflation, not as big as signing as either of those either

It's hard to compare him with Seba who arrived in a team that already had an outstanding midfield partnership and had no previous Premier League experience like Mata who was a star player in the league. I just think they were both very good players bought maybe at the wrong time. With Seba he had some major injuries that I think he carried most of the time he played for us, but the type of player he was and the talent he had he would have been a better fit for the post SAF side than Mata was.

And even though Berba didn't really produce as expected - and again, was probably the wrong purchase when we could have secured Tevez - I still think he had more about him than Mata.

I'd rate the Mata deal at about 6/10.

Shark · Dec 13, 2019

For what we thought he was going to be based on his Chelsea career, he has been a flop. You look at his highlights for them and it's like looking at a different player, he looked so much more dangerous every time he got the ball in or around the box.

Denis' cuff · Dec 13, 2019

Disappointing, yes. A flop is a step too far.

7/10 for me, especially as he has played out of position for most of his time here.

SAFMUTD · Dec 13, 2019

Shark said:
For what we thought he was going to be based on his Chelsea career, he has been a flop. You look at his highlights for them and it's like looking at a different player, he looked so much more dangerous every time he got the ball in or around the box.

This, it’s almost impossible to imagine Mata was as good as he was with Chelsea, with United he has been average at best. For the expectations we had for him he’s been definitely a flop, never nailed to a starting XI and a sad sad way to end his career here, looking like a passenger just looking for the check.

jem · Dec 13, 2019

Ali Dia said:
This is such a moronic post. I somehow doubt Juan Mata's personality, which is a rare find in today's world, is responsible for his underwhelming performances. Who are these other nice guys that have contributed to our problems?

He’s been a flop. His lovely personality aside, which I like, he seems like a nice guy who id probably like if I met but I support united and not Juan mata. Nice or not He’s been yet another flop.
[/QUOTE]
That's fine, but your previous post implied that his personality was having some kind of adverse affect on performance, which is ridiculous (by that same logic, Depay and Sanchez should have been superstars for us.)

Shark · Dec 13, 2019

SAFMUTD said:
This, it’s almost impossible to imagine Mata was as good as he was with Chelsea, with United he has been average at best. For the expectations we had for him he’s been definitely a flop, never nailed to a starting XI and a sad sad way to end his career here, looking like a passenger just looking for the check.

I remember dreading playing Chelsea because of him, he was lethal and dangerous. You’d never describe him as dangerous at United or feared. Not sure what happened him.

criticalanalysis · Dec 13, 2019

Anyone noticed he looked a bit more trim and sharper movement wise today? He even tried a few dribbles and took balls on the half turn.

I've wanted him replaced for years but as a squad player, if he improves his conditioning and is able to contribute in games like these we will need to utilise his skillset until the end of year.

Champagne Football · Dec 13, 2019

harms said:
All 3 are not just good transfers, each of those would have a place in a list of the greatest bargains of this decade though. It's not a binary world where you can either be a bargain or a flop.

I think the warning signs were there when Mourinho was desperate to offload Mata and David Luiz, as soon as he started his 2nd Chelsea spell. Moyes signing Fellaini and Mata was symbolic of the start of a very dark period. But we had dominated for the past 20 years so a downturn was inevitable at some point. Just how deep we sunk was the only unexpected part. Ole seems to be getting us back on track though.

caid · Dec 13, 2019

I'd say Fellaini and Mata are our 2 best post Ferguson signings tbh. They did about as well as can be expected considering the quality elsewhere. Both were good #10's who largely performed to the same above average level every week. There being no midfield, defence, full backs, strikers or wingers for a lot of their united career wasn't really on them.
Now is different obviously and I'd be wary of playing either Mata or Matic. Playing both is a fairly terrible idea i'd say.

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