Has Juan Mata been a flop?

[Raees]

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?

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I wouldn't call him a success.

I think calling him a flop would be harsh though.

He's had his moments - good and bad.

 

[humdinger]

Definitely disappointing for me. Flop might be harsh but he hasn’t had much impact apart from the odd game.

Not his fault he was played wide right though.

 

[GDaly95]

Definitely wouldn't call him a flop.

Mad to think he came in during the Moyes period. We've had pretty much nothing but bad times since and we also kept playing him off the right wing, it wasn't exactly the best environment for him to thrive.

 

[Dozer]

Yes. A couple of great moments at JuAnfield but he came to us as Chelsea's player of the year, and I expected more.

Then again, we have expected more of pretty much everyone in the last 5 years. He may have thrived with a better squad around him.

 

[thedano]

I said in the other thread one of the best #10’s in the game currently, never played at #10 exactly the same as Kagawa . Hasn’t been a flop, would say he was a decent signing but could have been quality if played correctly.

 

[flappyjay]

I think the proper term for him is "he didn't live upto expectations"

 

[AJ10]

Buying one of the best 10s in the prem then playing him on RW, With the help of Hindsight it probably wasn't a good idea.


Just need to convert him into a FB now.

 

[Swordsman]

He wasn't as good as when he was at Chelsea..

 

[Kostov]

I had higher expectations when he arrived. And I don't really remember about Veron, but imo Berbatov was better for us. Not sure I would classify him as a flop, underwhelming signing though.

 

[fezzerUTD]

Mata on the right wing is a joke, whereas through the middle he is a workhorse. Only problem with Mata is pace. If he had pace he would have been brilliant.

 

[chillooout]

NO. The deadwoods in the team are the culprits. They cant move what we call intelligent movements so Mata gets frustrated.

 

[Zoo]

Not a flop but I would say that he hasn't met expectations. Still he has brought something different which we often lacked, has accepted a diminished role and generally has always been available when called upon.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

If you take into account where the club has gone since his arrival and the other signings post-Fergie have done, then no, I don't think he can be considered a flop at all.

 

[Nevilles.Wear.Prada]

Personality/conduct=10/10

But that doesn't get you trophies.

At his peak comfortably top 4 player.
Can't exert enough influence over 90 minutes course due to stamina and strength and other Physical issues.
Many times in the past Maroene Fecking Felliani picked over this guy by 3 different managers with varying success.

I'd say solid 6.5/10 (mostly due to the juanfield thingy)

P.s=love him to bits though.

 

[Ish]

Definitely not a success. Probably not a flop either. Though he came with quite a massive price tag (at the time especially). He's been underwhelming.

Though he probably signed for us at the worst moment, considering the past 6 years or so.

 

[Raees]

I think the proper term for him is "he didn't live upto expectations"

For me that means flop if we are being totally honest. I think because he’s a nice guy and no one wants to say a bad word about him we skirt around the issue and as @Annihilate Now! points we have had so many flop signings and bad performers - the fact he is professional and not a cnut means he goes under the radar as what has IMO been a poor signing overall.

If he wasn’t such a loveable guy off the pitch - would we be saying things like ‘underwhelming but not a flop’?

 

[Samid]

A monumental flop and pretty much a symbol for our demise. His blind lovers love making silly excuses for him but the reality is that he has been finished at this level for quite a while. Can't run, can't press, can't do anything physical. Pub level player and I hope he has played his final game here.

 

[Renegade]

Mata played on the right for Chelsea with Oscar in the centre. Am I imagining that?

I don’t think his ever been good enough to be a title challenging number 10.

I wouldn’t call him a flop, his been just okay. Could have been much much better.

Park ji sung (£4m) > Mata (£38m)

 

[Raven]

Whenever he plays as a 10, I feel he's excellent, unfortunately that's generally not how we play. Flop is definitely harsh.

 

[NoLogo]

I expected more when we signed him. Probably hoped he would return to his best Chelsea days but that never happened. I like the lad, seems like a great guy but yeah I so far have been disappointed with what he has brought to the team which too often wasn't a lot.

 

[Skills]

This is the only club in Europe where the onus is on the players to carry underperforming coaches, rather than where coaches are expected to maximise the players they have. Good players like Mata and Pogba have thus suffered as a result of being part of poorly coached attacks in poor teams, and the fingers are pointed towards them as to why they aren't elevating the teams up a level.

So no, I don't think he's been a flop. I think he's been a good player who's been for the most part coached poorly, and hasn't been able to transcend that.

 

[That'sHernandez]

Mata has rarely ever been played in his best position at United, but he's never complained or kicked up a fuss, he's won the Europa League, FA Cup and Community Shield () while here and always contributed as much as he could. He hasn't been a flop at all, the club just hasn't been successful as a whole during his time here.

 

[Skills]

Mata has rarely ever been played in his best position at United, but he's never complained or kicked up a fuss, he's won the Europa League, FA Cup and Community Shield () while here and always contributed as much as he could. He hasn't been a flop at all, the club just hasn't been successful as a whole during his time here.

Scored in the FA cup final too and his goal knocked out City in the run to the League cup final.

 

[Escobar]

Compared to his earlier Chelsea form, yes

 

[That'sHernandez]

Scored in the FA cup final too and his goal knocked out City in the run to the League cup final.

Forgot about the League Cup in our almighty treble. I hope in 20 years time Adidas will be making retro inspired kits based upon that.

 

[ricky-romeo]

6/10.

a number 10 that has to play on the right wing. not his fault but it kind of make us weaker and non existent down the right hand side.

 

[redDNA]

Not a flop and definitely not a success.

Buying an AM who had more than above average stats in that position and playing him as a RW highlights what is wrong with us as a club.Is it not common sense to put a player in a position where he is best at?

Juan Mata 2012/2013 season at Chelsea.
Played matches 64 scored 19 goals,made 35 assists.

Number of matches played as an AM was 38,he scored 10 goals and made 26 assists

Number of matches played as a RW was 17 ,scored 7 goals and 9 assists.

He made 174 apps for Valencia scored 46 goals and 52 assists. Chelsea 135 apps,32 goals and 58 assists.United 218 apps,46 goals and 37 assists.

It is safe to say that we ruined him by playing out of position and surrounding him with below average players.

 

[Roboc7]

I think he has, was one of best players in the league at Chelsea and has never even got close to that here. He was a record transfer and very highly paid which reflected what club thought they were getting.

The huge escalation in the transfer market has helped him not be labelled a flop as has the fact there have been worse players.

 

[spaceboyRSA]

I think that if Alexis is the yardstick for a flop, and Ronaldo the definition of success.....

Juan Mata is somewhere in the middle. Definitely not a flop, but not a raging success either.

Also a bit harsh to call him a flop considering how rubbish the team has been for a while.

 

[Enigma_87]

Certainly not a flop, but neither a success. Would go as a good player for us down the line, and probably potential DoF in 5-6 years time.

 

[Offside]

He's never been as good as he was for Chelsea in 12/13 but he's by no means a flop.

 

[sullydnl]

Nah, someone like Di Maria was a flop. Mata has produced too much to be considered in that light.

 

[MoskvaRed]

Verging on a flop considering the price tag and the level of expectation based on his time at Chelsea. In his defence, United has been a mess for most of the last six seasons so it’s not easy to shine in this environment.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

50 goals and probably 20 assists for a player who is a rotation/shunted out wide.

Flop?

 

[McGrathsipan]

Mata has been good for us . Hes not world class but he has done a job - and his attitude is spot on. He should be commended for that

 

[Zlatattack]

Yes. Not entirely his fault, he was played out of position for most of his career with us, but when he signed he was a very good number 10, and with us has only shown glimpses of that quality.

 

[Class of 63]

Not a flop nor a success, in 25 years most fans will have forgotten he even played for the club until somebody is asked on a forum who their favourite Spaniard, small bearded geezer or no.10 was.

 

[Shark]

I wouldn't call him a success.

I think calling him a flop would be harsh though.

He's had his moments - good and bad.

My thoughts. You wouldn't call him a success or a flop. Same as I'd regard Berbatov, who also did a number on the scouse bastards, mind you.

 

[SteveW]

Big money for someone who never nailed down a place. Expected much more than he ever delivered here.