Mourinho smart to not play too many new players at once. Martial-Rooney-Mata is a stable attacking line and Mkhitaryan needs to adapt. Might also not be 90 minute match fit. Despite Mata not being a winger he's playing his balls off and has all pre-season. Definitely prefer the triple Ms behind Zlatan but at the moment Mourinho's got a selection headache, a delicate balancing problem. Mata is 3 years younger than Rooney so I imagine Rooney will be phased out next season but at the moment this added competition in the side is doing him good and has given him a boost.
22
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 41
- Goals
- 11
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 4
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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Lively cameo. Bodes well.
You can already see in these small cameos how good he is. It won't be long before he is in the first XI.
Counters will be so dangerous with him in the side.
His two foot dribbles are some of the quickest I've seen, there were times when I thought that there is no way in hell he is controlling that when moving it so fast from foot to foot, but he did.
...back four
..cm pogba
rash mkhi mart
........zlat
Would absolutely destroy teams.
...back four
..cm pogba
rash mkhi mart
........zlat
Would absolutely destroy teams.
This. His first start is surely imminent. He was so silky and gives the bit of pace that Mata doesn't. I hope his first start comes against Hull because I don't see it coming vs City.
Told ye all he was a bit of a punt
Ditto that. If he comes in for Mata I think we will be even more dangerous on the break, if we bring the Pog further up the pitch - unstoppable.
Mata is playing very well right now. If anything he should come in for Rooney and play on the RW while Mata moves to the middle.
Would like to see more. Very nippy.
Will be a huge upgrade on Rooney.
This team all bloody day!
Would be a big plus for the counter attack, a few times we broke away today but outside of Martial lack speed upfront, he'd help in that regard.
Won't dispute that but Rooney is not going to be benched and having a quicker, more defensively sound player on the right will help immensely.
I think Mourinho will start him against Hull as it will surely give him confidence and he can easily have a good game considering the quality of the opposition which in turn lifts his confidence higher.
I expect he will soon take Mata's place in the team.
It's pretty smart from Jose to give Mata confidence at the beginning, but we already knew he normally is good at group motivation and psychology. He let Lingard play over Henrikh in the CS and I assume one of the reasons for that was to specifically reward him for his goal in the FA Cup final.
Now by playing Mata over Henrikh, I feel he's making sure Mata gets enough minutes and recognition from the start so he doesn't feel it's the situation at Chelsea all over again and loses motivation or gets upset.
Mkhitaryan probably doesn't like that he's being benched, but because he's new, the season has just started and he needs to adapt a bit it's not the end of the world for him. Gradually Henrikh will get more minutes, and in the end everyone will feel like they have been treated in a pretty fair and decent way.
Now by playing Mata over Henrikh, I feel he's making sure Mata gets enough minutes and recognition from the start so he doesn't feel it's the situation at Chelsea all over again and loses motivation or gets upset.
Mkhitaryan probably doesn't like that he's being benched, but because he's new, the season has just started and he needs to adapt a bit it's not the end of the world for him. Gradually Henrikh will get more minutes, and in the end everyone will feel like they have been treated in a pretty fair and decent way.
NahShocking that he doesnt start, we'd be so much more dangerous.
Like Pogba, Bailly, Ibra right.
Will now get more and more game time. He looks class on the ball, so much quality
They're all physical monsters to be fair.
He'll get his chance, i'm not worried about that and I'm sure he's willing to earn it too.
Mata knows every game he has to impress and I think he has the consistency to do just that.
It's captain fantastic that should be worried about his position in the team.
Mata knows every game he has to impress and I think he has the consistency to do just that.
It's captain fantastic that should be worried about his position in the team.
Yeah, you're right.
Our world class manager is clueless and has no idea no manage his players.
Different type of players and none of them remotely the type that might get a physical shock in the Prem.
Miki is being eased in and rightfully so. God, it's not like Mata is some dogshit footballer playing instead of him.
That moment at exactly 80 minutes was wonderful. Completely rinsed Højbjerg with the two-foot dribble, poked it to Rooney and started motoring up the field. Of course Rooney ran himself into an alley and lost the ball afterwards, but the skill and intent of Mkhitaryan was there for all to see.
Shame it happened outside our own box instead of further up the pitch. He needs to get a chance to show what he can do when we're looking for goals at the other end of the pitch.
Shame it happened outside our own box instead of further up the pitch. He needs to get a chance to show what he can do when we're looking for goals at the other end of the pitch.
He looked very smooth with the ball. Whereas Mata - and it's not a criticism - is jerky in possession, all stop start, Mikataryan just glides with the ball and when you can do that you will take defenders out with one touch. Saw glimpses tonight of what an exciting player he is going to be.
I have no doubt he will start against Hull next weekend. Hes a weapon mourinho has been hiding.
I don't think Mkhi is better than Mata, but I think they should both be starting.
Fellaini, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Martial, Zlatan - that should be our front size for foreseeable future.
Fellaini, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Mata, Martial, Zlatan - that should be our front size for foreseeable future.
Sure, but Mata was played ahead of him and most men are physical monsters compared to Mata.
I think he'll need to come in sooner rather than later. Our defensive line was pretty narrow tonight, but Mata's not remotely quick enough to cover overlapping runs on the flanks when he's positioned narrow, so Southampton had absolutely acres of space on their left wing all night. Mkhitaryan should help in that regard.
But Mata has been playing in the league for 5-6 seasons now. The point was that Ibra, Bailly, and Pogba are physically strong and can adjust easier to the physicality of the Prem. Micki is not, and Mourinho is easing him in. I don't see how Mata's physicality or lack of is a factor.
Well the difference with Mata is that he's used to this league. Mkhitaryan isn't, and he isn't so much a physical beast to trust him to slot right into the starting 11 with ease.
We'll see plenty of him this season, no doubt.
He will get his chance especially with the influx of games coming next month. I have no issues with how hes being used so far, especially since weve won 3 out of 3 so far.
all I can say is.. it's nice to have options, and something to keep the opposition guessing and make us less predictable. with Mata, Martial Memphis Mkhitaryan Marcus and Jesse that can play out wide.... we are looking really good for all fronts
Get him and Rashford in the team and we have one of the fastest teams in the league with the likes of Smalling, Bailly, Shaw, Valencia, Rashford, Mkhi and Martial. I think Pogba is fairly fast too but not sure.
Anyway, him and Rashford/Lingard and we're golden. United of old: Youth, Pace and Power.
Anyway, him and Rashford/Lingard and we're golden. United of old: Youth, Pace and Power.
He should be in the starting eleven. Sorry Mata
Pretty much. Would rather the two of them in there as opposed to Rooney.
Never going to happen with Mourinho, too small physically I think. One of the two at a time at most is more likely to see.
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