Do we need to talk about Matic?

[Fredo]

Matic is 31, been a regular under Mourinho, played in the world cup, played in most of our games this season in a position that requires the most effort. We did not think we have good cover for him until our injuries mounted up and decided to give McT and Fred a chance, which they took. Would be a good option to rotate him as he is not exactly a young player in that position. Still a good squad option to have but he needs to be rested.

 

[Gopher Brown]

He’s testament to how poor we’ve conducted transfer business in recent years - £40m and has played well in about 5 games in 2 years.

The worst thing is I remember most people on here, me included, thought he would be an excellent signing and to some extent the missing piece in Jose’s boring, boring jigsaw.

Shows how much we know.

 

[Gopher Brown]

Matic is 31, been a regular under Mourinho, played in the world cup, played in most of our games this season in a position that requires the most effort. We did not think we have good cover for him until our injuries mounted up and decided to give McT and Fred a chance, which they took. Would be a good option to rotate him as he is not exactly a young player in that position. Still a good squad option to have but he needs to be rested.

No, he’s 30. You could have looked that up easily. I’m fed up of people on here inflating players ages to somehow make their point. It doesn’t matter if Matic is 27 or 34, he’s not good enough.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

McTominay was dropped after PSG for the Arsenal game so Matic could walk back in and it was an awful mistake.

McTominay should start all our games now as long as fit. If he plays like he did against Barca and PSG, then we don’t need to sign a defensive midfielder in my eyes. Money can be saved then for other positions.

 

[Bwuk]

McTominay should be given his chance now.

Matic should remain a squad player for another 2 years. He’d be a lot better if he didn’t have to play every week.

 

[Ekeke]

A bit of both - Ole also seems to prefer to have 2 big players in midfield, hence why he never (or very rarely, haven't checked) played both Herrera and Fred with Pogba.

Yeah its Fred with McTominay who is very athletic, good strength and our best player winning the ball in the air now that Fellaini has gone - at least on the evidence of the last few matches

 

[TRUERED89]

McTominay was dropped after PSG for the Arsenal game so Matic could walk back in and it was an awful mistake.

McTominay should start all our games now as long as fit. If he plays like he did against Barca and PSG, then we don’t need to sign a defensive midfielder in my eyes. Money can be saved then for other positions.

Fully agree, let McT play every game until May, and we can judge whether we need additions. He understands what we're about, he reminds me a bit of Carrick but more aggressive! Very happy for him!

 

[Eckers99]

Mctominay seems more of a box to box midfielder than Matic, who's just a straight up DM. So they're not really fighting for the same position. If anything, MCT is our ready made Herrera replacement.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

That he does. He just normally takes about 10 touches in the build up and slows it all down. He definitely looks forward though

Agree. I’m not saying we can’t improve on him (and he’s past his best now anyway)

 

[Jazz]

This is why some of us were against his transfer. £40M for someone who needs replacing in two seasons. It's just crazy.

Just play McT. Matic should be sold or just used as an option when we have injuries etc.

 

[BlueHaze]

He should not start for us anymore. It was an awful signing, £40m for someone with his age and limitations to his game, a typical Jose signing. He had a very good start to his career here but has fallen off drastically since. Now he's 30 and has absolutely zero re sale value. If we want to get rid now we are going to make a big loss. The club needs to never make these type of signings again.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

That’s Matic. I have watched him since in his Chelsea and I never impressed with him, he was a decent player but was never or nowhere near top class midfielder. Overrated by a lot of people. Slow, positioning is poor, often being lazy & passing ability is average. For now I think Fred & McT are the best option for us.

 

[Class of 63]

He started off as a no.10, maybe whilst he's in contract we should try him further forward.

 

[Red00012]

He’s testament to how poor we’ve conducted transfer business in recent years - £40m and has played well in about 5 games in 2 years.

The worst thing is I remember most people on here, me included, thought he would be an excellent signing and to some extent the missing piece in Jose’s boring, boring jigsaw.

Shows how much we know.

You certainty aren’t alone there, I also had the same thoughts. Chelsea probably thought it was too good to be true.

 

[Vidyoyo]

No longer an autoMatic starter.

 

[Tiber]

A far from world class cm who is on the wrong side of 30 and who should never have been signed in the first place.

I have little else to discuss

 

[laughtersassassin]

Not much to discuss. As many of us said before we signed him. He was a player at 28 had shown signs of his legs being gone.

Could see the downfall a mile away. Certain players age poorly and he was always going to be one of them. Said that fans could see it and we still bought him.

 

[MadMike]

Let's put the grand plan in motion and offer him back to Chelsea in exchange for Kante + £. Kante is wasted in Sarri's redonkulous system. He would create a very dynamic duo with Fred.

 

[quackattack]

Mou signing so obviously not looking too bright as a starter, but could be useful as rotation.

 

[Adnan]

I don't mind Matic but we need players that can run.

This...His problem in general is he can't get from A to B quick enough. We need players that can do that and play football to a high standard. McTominay isn't the most talented player but offers legs in the middle of the park which is something we lack with Matic.

 

[MadDogg]

Matic has been poor for over 12 months now, barring a brief resurgence when Ole took over. Indeed, that is becoming a bit of a recurring theme with him. He started well at Chelsea, then his form dropped away. Then we bought him and he started well, before his form dropped away. Then Ole took over and he started playing well again, before his form once again dropped away. Each time his period of good form seems to be getting shorter.

McTominay and Fred should be given the opportunity to show what they can do given a run of games. They've done quite well together the last two or three times they've been given the chance, and considering Matic and even Herrera were playing very poorly before the injuries there is no reason to change things up unless McTominay and/or Fred are playing poorly.

 

[charlenefan]

The problem with Matic and its something I've only just noticed is his form seems to dip very quickly, take a look at the evidence

Jan 2014 - signs for Chelsea, excellent initially including a MOTM display away to City in a Mourinho 'masterclass'. Following season while part of a title winning side the star performers being the likes of Hazard, Costa and Fabregas. Plays a massive part of the downed tools brigade in Mourinho's awful third season. Part of the title winning side under Conte but again the star performers being the likes of Hazard, Kante and Costa which the general consensus from the Chelsea fans being they're not fussed when he leaves at the end of that season

August 2017 - signs for Man Utd, excellent initially but question marks begin to be asked half way through the season

December 2018 - having been largely awful under Mourinho thus far this season Ole comes in and Matic is excellent again, gets injured before the Liverpool game and has been crap in his appearances since

Seems he can't sustain a new manager/new club bounce longer than a few months

 

[SadlerMUFC]

Apparentlly Inter is prepared to off 10m plus Nianggolan for Matic. Not sure how true it is and I know Nianggolan has had some trouble in the past with teammates, but perhaps that's the type of character we need in the dressing room. Someone outspoked who isn't afraid to call out some of our primadonnas

 

[R'hllor]

You know what might top it all? Us offering him 1+1 extension.

 

[DWelbz19]

Apparentlly Inter is prepared to off 10m plus Nianggolan for Matic. Not sure how true it is and I know Nianggolan has had some trouble in the past with teammates, but perhaps that's the type of character we need in the dressing room. Someone outspoked who isn't afraid to call out some of our primadonnas

Nainggolan has problems because he’s a boozer and a chain smoker. Absolutely not what we need.

 

[mattsville]

Matic is an excellent very intelligent midfielder, I just think he played too many games and struggled, if rotated to be kept fresh he is still a very good player to have around.

 

[Varun]

Matic needs to go but not for nainggolan ffs.

 

[Mr. Meeseeks]

You know what might top it all? Us offering him 1+1 extension.

He is still a class midfielder on his day. It is just hard for him to shine with the shambles we have atm in midfield and defence. I have no problem with him staying a few years longer. I only wish we got him when he was younger

 

[Art]

Matic needs to go but not for nainggolan ffs.

Has he been bad for Inter ?

 

[fergies coat]

He should stay and be used in rotation. We need some experience in the squad. It can’t be full of inexperienced youngsters.

 

[koop]

Nail has been hit on the head here.

He's not a full-time first team player. In rotation he would be pretty good for us I believe.

 

[caid]

Has he been bad for Inter ?

They're offering him and 10m for Matic. Take a wild guess.
Letting Matic go is debatable, shouldn't happen without a pile of reinforcements imo. Taking Naingolan isn't debatable

 

[Varun]

Has he been bad for Inter ?

He finished. Not much of a surprise given his lifestyle mind.

 

[Red Dreams]

I would not let Matic leave in this trade.
Matic cannot play every match.
But he is still an excellent reader of the game.

 

[-Supreme-]

Matic is still a useful squad player, I wouldn't consider anything less than £20m given he's still 30 (turns 31 in August)

Let's not forget we have already got rid of Fellaini and Ander, with Pogba potentially leaving as well so we can't be making too many changes to the most important area of the pitch.

 

[witchtrials]

Let's not forget we have already got rid of Fellaini and Ander, with Pogba potentially leaving as well so we can't be making too many changes to the most important area of the pitch.

You could probably make an argument that we can't make enough changes. Hard to know what it is about our midfield play that we'd be worried about disrupting.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

He'll be on a fortune, and is on the way down, so it'd make sense to sell, but it'd maybe mean a midfield of, Mctominay, Longstaff, and Fred, so lets leave it for now.

 

[hobbers]

Gold one season and utter garbage the next.

Last four seasons: gold (won title with Chelsea), garbage (mourinho sacked), gold (finished second), garbage (mourinho sacked).

Impossible to trust someone at that age who can literally give a full season of 4/10 performances.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

He was terrible last season. Some of the goals that we conceded was because he went missing to close down the opposition player, losing his men that he’s supposed to mark on, got beaten easily one on one, & of course him being both poor in positioning & slow also had been problem for our defense.

To describe his performance in a short sentence, it was a full ball watching performance by him.

Is there still anyone who wants to defend him? Give me good reasonable reason & evidence to convince me & makes me to have faith in him because right now he’s on my top list of deadwood. I would rather see McTominay plays in his role at the moment than seeing a player who is ball watching in front of our back four.

 

[Bastian]

I think he's one of the most professional players we have. Intelligent, humble and important for the group. Like Mata, he won't be playing every game, but if he's used sparingly, he can obviously be a very important player for us. We just can't be playing him +40 games a season. He needs to properly recover in between matches.

A worry that there is no other defensive midfielder in the squad. I hope Ole doesn't keep trying out players there who clearly aren't up for it.