He had very good game, Bruno and his link up play was very good. He made good runs and Bruno picked him most times.
Hopefully he will keep this up.
Hopefully he will keep this up.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 37
- Goals
- 3
- Assists
- 7
- Yellow cards
- 1
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
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Came here to post this. Really like how he played with Bruno, against the smaller teams that sit back we need them 2 playing together.
Was one of our best players today.
NiceHe can thank Bruno for that. Finally a player on his wave length
Bruno Fernandes' nickname should be Messiah cos he's brought several players back from the dead, Mata being at the front of the line. The connection between Fernandes and Mata had Bruges on toast. Delightful to watch.
Great performance tonight, the second time hes played with Bruno and both games hes been great. Mata is a very good footballer, he is dissed far to much on this forum.
Suddenly finding himself in the same team as another actual footballer seems to take years off him.
Even past his best and with all his flaws, he shouldn't be getting lumped into the same category as Lingard and Pereira.
Even past his best and with all his flaws, he shouldn't be getting lumped into the same category as Lingard and Pereira.
Wasted under LVG and Jose. He‘s unleashed under Ole and now he has a mate who is on the same planet as him.
He’s always been top class, he’ll do well for 30-35 games a season
He’s always been top class, he’ll do well for 30-35 games a season
Been two games now that he seems to have a good balance with Fernandes.
I'd consider starting him if our forwards are I jured and the ones we have need alot of creativity around them.
I'd consider starting him if our forwards are I jured and the ones we have need alot of creativity around them.
Mata cannot play games where he has to defend. In these games, especially in Europe he can be very good. We have to take into consideration that Ighalo is a proper CF and can hold the ball and the CBs so it helps Mata in having that space.
Just goes to show it's the players around him that let him down, very good performance today.
You could tell he really enjoyed playing with Bruno tonight. They were linking up so well and there was so much movement. Great to see.
Very good today, him and Bruno together against Weaker opposition will be useful.
Class. Probably MOTM. Knitted everything together for us, and controlled the game. With Bruno and players like Ighalo, he just lent the ball to them, and was confident he would get it back. I guess, that's the beauty of playing with players who are quick thinkers upstairs.
If the other team is as toothless as Brugge were today, Mata is a brilliant player to watch. Playing next to another creative player on his wavelength obviously helps a lot.
Its only half the truth in this game we played against ten men most of the time. We controled the whole game and its much easier when you have the ball and the oponent has to run after it. Last game at the end he was out of power. I agree with Ole it was better to sub Bruno and save him and Mata still had enough energy to go the full length.
Genuinely looked like he was 6 or 7 years younger playing with Bruno.
At home against the weaker opposition I can see Bruno and Mata putting a lot of teams to the sword.
At home against the weaker opposition I can see Bruno and Mata putting a lot of teams to the sword.
His best performance for a long time. It was like the Mata from Chelsea 2011-2013. You can tell him & Bruno have a great understanding together. Link up play is terrific between the two.
Its incredible what having another player that can actually play football can do. Mata looked way younger last night.
I don't think Matas general play was related to Brugge being toothless. His chemistry with Bruno and those around him was incredible, even in very tight positions when surrounded by defenders. I reckon Bruno and Mata are able to create these sorts of moments in the Premier League too.
This. Have always said that Mata's game has mostly been dependent on how others around him are playing. Mata makes those kind of runs like the one he made in buildup to Ighalo's goal multiple times every game, and was rarely ever spotted.
Yep, even even dribbled past a player at one point, and sprinted (not casually jogging) in behind their defenders a couple of times. I remember thinking he didn't look slow! He was great yesterday.
Bruno freed him like Gendalf freed Theoden from Saruman's spells and Wormtongue's (Lingard's/Perreira's) influence
More often than not playing against 10 men is harder for whatever reason.
Today after the first goal Brugge capitulated but Mata and Bruno have looked good in the couple of games they have played together and I hope for many more.
Looked like a man given new life. Thought he was brilliant. There are a few who all of a sudden look like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. Hopefully the run continues but I would imagine he has played himself in to the team bs Everton with a performance like that.
My only worry is, we’ve seen this too often with Mata where there is an uptick in what he does and we all think “just maybe” only for a month later to be thinking man he might need to go.
Hopefully it’s not one of those and he has finally found that soul mate in Bruno as some of the football and runs those two made/picked out last night were great.
My only worry is, we’ve seen this too often with Mata where there is an uptick in what he does and we all think “just maybe” only for a month later to be thinking man he might need to go.
Hopefully it’s not one of those and he has finally found that soul mate in Bruno as some of the football and runs those two made/picked out last night were great.
Absolutely. He's one I've argued for keeping because it is clear he is a very good footballer. Putting Bruno in the team is showing that, and their combination play is excellent. Mata can be a vital cog in the machine for us before the end of the season. Even then I'd keep him as a squad player for another 12 months.
His ability to play is obvious. He’s very neat and tidy player. Only issue in PL is that the amount of running back towards your own goal you usually have to do. It makes it harder for a creative player to be on the front foot and close to the opposition goal.
With Bruno you can see he is able to sprint back and then sprint forward again. In order to get best out of Mata, we have to be suffocating the opposition so he can play his game. That’s my opinion.
Mata combined very well with Martial earlier in the season. His upturn in form predates the arrival of Bruno. His best game was definitely this game though. I think Mata is having a mini renaissance this season
This is true actually.
This will definitely happen. That's one of the reasons he's a squad player rather than a regular starter though, I'm not sure he needs to be particularly amazing to justify that role.
In Mata's case in particular it's about horses for courses. He can be very useful in certain games, much less so in others. As long as he actually is being useful in the former then I'm relatively content.
Feel sorry for him actually, you could see the joy in his face from playing alongside someone on the same wavelength as him.
How many years has had to endure having players unable to ready his passes or one two's.
How many years has had to endure having players unable to ready his passes or one two's.
Wow. Best game I've seen from him in years, out of nowhere too. Needs to bulk up a bit though
There could be lots of games for him in what remain of the season. The set-up yesterday could also work in the home matches against the likes of LASK, Sheffield U., Bournemouth, Southampton, West Ham.
I think that he really benefited from having a natural focal point in Ighalo, something we have missed for some time. And Bruno of course, who seems to think football in a similar way to him. Mata is busting a gut in a lot of games but there is rarely anyone on the same wavelength. He had some fun playing with Alexis too but Bruno is just a level above at pretty much everything. He had a big smile on his face last night.
I honestly think mata is one of the strangest players ever to play for us. Mostly because his speed is in his mind. So when he plays with dross like lingard and pereira he is ineffective because they will never spot clever runs or 1 2s. Briefly with both sanchez and Di maria there were moment where you saw players who were also capable of fast, intelligent football.
Now bruno is here I can see mata becoming a more important player for us. Shame he's older now really, he wasted his peak playing with mostly shit players.
Honestly think this was one of the biggest problems, too many United players lack the skill to get Mata the ball after his intelligent runs. Mata's best days are past him but he is still a higher quality than many of the players who get time like Lingard and Pereiera.
Is anybody really surprised an intelligent player plays well with more than 1 brain cell around him???
his time at OT has been somewhat spoiled by the intelligence/nature of the players he has had around him. I hope he can close out his playing days reminding people what playing with intelligence is capable of.
his time at OT has been somewhat spoiled by the intelligence/nature of the players he has had around him. I hope he can close out his playing days reminding people what playing with intelligence is capable of.
Definitely got a new lease of life with Bruno in the team.
He genuinely looked 6-7 years younger, he had a spring in his step and his link up was crisp. Great to see.
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