Age appears to have caught up to Matic and he should be used only to close out matches where we're defending a lead or are otherwise suffering from an injury crisis. There's just not enough in his game now to warrant a regular starting role in the squad. A brilliant player at his peak, but all good things come to an end.
Is Matic a big reason why we can't build attacks?
- Thread starter Adam-Utd
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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.
It's hard to believe he started his career as an attacking midfielder. His passing range is poor.
In certain games he has certainly aided our ability to keep the ball, but this isn't useful if you aren't winning.
He's a good honest professional, but I'm not entirely sure what his actual role is on the pitch. I hope he can crispen and speed up his passing from deep.
In certain games he has certainly aided our ability to keep the ball, but this isn't useful if you aren't winning.
He's a good honest professional, but I'm not entirely sure what his actual role is on the pitch. I hope he can crispen and speed up his passing from deep.
I couldn't have put it better, myself.
Definitely age but barring one season he was just never good to begin with overshadowed by the rest of the Chelsea midfield. I remember he was slow in that team too towards the end.
Massimiliano Allegri has told the Italian media Matic is the weak link for Manchester United
I watching a rerun right now and it's clear in the 1st half he was targeted by Juve. So much of their interchange and movement came around the positions he occupied. He didn't have the speed or the mobility to deal with the movement of Dybala in the false 9 role. Fred needs to take his spot . Mourinho's obsession with playing him needs to end.
I think playing both Andreas and Pogba either side of him could help with the creativity part things
One of Mou's squad's inheritance.
Pereira and Fred need to come back into the team
West Ham and Wolves did this same thing to Pogba.
I dont know that he did, even in the first 5 games or whatever. I think people expected him to in the same way they expected a schneiderlin, schweinsteiger midfield to be brilliant. Just a bit of confirmation bias that didn't last the season. He was meant to release Pogba and give him a freer role but Pogba got dropped for not defending after christmas (or maybe it was just because he was playing woeful).
Those few games at the start of the season just seem like a blip to me nearly. A bit like Van Gaal beating City and Liverpool.
We were probably better balanced at the time really. Martial, Mikhitariyan, Lukaku and Pogba is the making of a great counter attacking team. We sold Mikhitariyan, dropped Rashford and Martial, pulled Pogba deeper into midfield and lost a relatively straight forward and functional attacking plan. That would be my interpretation.
I dont think Matic is a problem personally. Probably not the player to plug gaps and get around to cover for the likes of Pogba but hes a good player, maybe not the right fit.
Fred isn't someone who plays DM alone either. Stepanenko was playing all of their CL games last season and he's able to put his foot in and make tackles too.
Imo, he's been a poor signing. £40m for a 30 year old and he's only been at the required standard for 6 months at a stretch. We are already talking about replacements ffs!
Think he and Pogba is such a poor combination against hard working teams as well. Juve were running rings round him, was difficult to watch.
I think the new manager will move him on.
Think he and Pogba is such a poor combination against hard working teams as well. Juve were running rings round him, was difficult to watch.
I think the new manager will move him on.
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A retired Carrick with a dodger ticker would still be better at controlling our midfield than a current Pogba and Matic
It would help but I think he needs to be dropped entirely. It's just too easy to exploit his weaknesses.
Creativity isn't our main problem in midfield.
It's that we have no control of games and seem incapable of stopping opposition attacks.
I feel for our CBs. They might not be great but the number of times they end up in one on one situations despite the team playing with a mid-low block is ridiculous.
It was the best we were playing in a long time and Matic was sweeping up everything in midfield with Pogba playing well ahead of him. Pogba got injured, things didn't click as well and it all went back to normal. Then Pogba came back and was woeful.
I don't know what the deal is with Matic now, but it's not working so well.
Pogba is the only creative midfielder, and if you have a more mobile DM who can cover Pogba it's not a big issue. Matic is not that player.
What about Fernandinho? I thought he also wasn't the lone DM at Shakhtar. Even Wijnaldum has played that role for Liverpool a lot this season. Regardless, it's worth a try
Not a big suprise since any same semi-decent manager nowadays exposes our dinosaurs’ shortcomings as a tactician/coach. Heck even complete rockies like Lampard are getting the better of him.
Herrera is the one who should be replacing him short term.
I disagree entirely. Matic is not the problem. He often finds space beyond the opposite team's press and moves the ball into the midfield from defence. What we lack is the link player to then take that one step forward and distribute it to the wings or to the forwards. Pogba is not intelligent enough to make those plays, though he definitely has the skill to make those plays. And Lukaku cannot hold play at all...
We need a better #10 and #9
We need a better #10 and #9
Hell of a player in the past, over the hill now, cost quite a bit, one of the managers favs. Can not control the midfield, legs are gone, out of sync with his team mates. Can not blame Nemanja, as I am sure he is trying his best, but it is just not working out. He can be a useful rotation option when the new manager comes.
Massive flop I think, had his moments, but I think our standards have just been awfully low lately.
Its strange, he's got it in him to pick out a pass and move the ball around a lot quicker, at his worst he should at least be shielding the defense but he's getting bullied off the ball a lot of the time, he just seems lost this season, but what player doesn't.
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Matic is the main reason we cant win the possession back, and can not hold the play, without the ball, and are too slow to get forward and are a sideways team rather than going forward.
Matic is the reason Mourinho failed at Chelsea and he is the reason he is failing now, and the funny thing is mourinho keeps playing him every game every minute , as his attitude is right, but boy he is getting overrun and is slow on the ball and his movement has been abysmal this season.
Matic is the reason Mourinho failed at Chelsea and he is the reason he is failing now, and the funny thing is mourinho keeps playing him every game every minute , as his attitude is right, but boy he is getting overrun and is slow on the ball and his movement has been abysmal this season.
I'm not even sure Mourinho would select Fernandinho over Matic or Fellaini now, let alone when he first signed for City. If I recall he transitioned to playing as the lone DM as there was a period where it was him and Fernando in a midfield 2.
Also City's selections and tactics will never be the same ones that Mourinho makes. Different football philosophies. Give Mourinho and Guardiola £200 million to spend and you'll see almost the complete opposite in terms of transfers and team set ups.
Mourinho would spend the majority on players with physical attributes he likes, size, strength and some pace. Guardiola would spend it on players with technical skill. I doubt Guardiola would do that well with Mourinho's signings and I doubt Mourinho would do that well with Guardiola's. So yeah, best to compare and contrast with the other teams in the league and leave City to one side. We arent like them and never will be, unless we change both Mourinho and Woodward.
Now imagine if we had spunked £140 million on Alderweireld and Willian. I bet we’d be talking about replacing at least one of them in 12 months time as well.
I never thought I’d ever hear myself saying that I’m glad that the board didn’t back the manager.
He is currently a major part of the problem. Its a pity Herrera has been getting injured. He'd have kicked him out of the team by now till he finds his form again. Because even Fellaini when fit had already replaced him as the anchor man.
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The only reason anyone thinks he has been a good signing is because our forwards had statistically abnormal chance conversation rates last season which led to us getting second and him being heralded. When judged on his own contribution he has been a significant downgrade on Herrera and with Lukaku being out of form and not bailing us out his deleterious effect on the team is obvious to everyone.
His days at United will be numbered the moment that Mourinho is sacked.
His days at United will be numbered the moment that Mourinho is sacked.
He's got even worse. Now he's not only doing a poor job at building but defensively tracking runs he is terrible 
The amount of times he just stands there ball watching as his marker runs off the back of him?! he's supposed to be a defensive midfielder.
The only thing he brings right now is size and reads interceptions fairly well, but that just isn't enough.
He is nowhere near mobile enough for a 2 man midfield, that's for sure.
The amount of times he just stands there ball watching as his marker runs off the back of him?! he's supposed to be a defensive midfielder.
The only thing he brings right now is size and reads interceptions fairly well, but that just isn't enough.
He is nowhere near mobile enough for a 2 man midfield, that's for sure.
With the ball he takes too many touches which slows down our transition and dribbles into blind alleys or he passes it to the opposition.
Without the ball he doesn't track his runner and his positioning is suspect, he doesn't protect the defense either.
So what exactly is his job?
Without the ball he doesn't track his runner and his positioning is suspect, he doesn't protect the defense either.
So what exactly is his job?
He's never been a particularly useful link between defence and attack, almost always passes at most 10 yards up the pitch, typically to the full backs just over the half way line. Which is disappointing but fine I guess.
My main worry is the number of times we've conceded or given up chances because he just hasn't followed a midfielder into the box this season.
He's unfortunately becoming an immobile defensive midfielder, and when Pogba is your partner that simply means a fast midfielder will just be able to jog through us into the box.
Real problem for us this season, at least as much as Lukaku. Look at the number of goals we've conceded.
My main worry is the number of times we've conceded or given up chances because he just hasn't followed a midfielder into the box this season.
He's unfortunately becoming an immobile defensive midfielder, and when Pogba is your partner that simply means a fast midfielder will just be able to jog through us into the box.
Real problem for us this season, at least as much as Lukaku. Look at the number of goals we've conceded.
Didn't read the thread but none of our performances on the pitch are down to any one player.
It's down to the coach/ coaching
It's down to the coach/ coaching
Too many problems across the board
- Defence lacks leadership and organization
- Full backs too old
- DM too slow
- CMs too lackadaisical and lacks tempi
- WFs lack creativity and struggle 1v1
- CF offers almost nothing outside the box
- Manager is a petulant toddler
- Exec is clueless on the game
- Owners are leeches
- and most fans live in la la land
- Defence lacks leadership and organization
- Full backs too old
- DM too slow
- CMs too lackadaisical and lacks tempi
- WFs lack creativity and struggle 1v1
- CF offers almost nothing outside the box
- Manager is a petulant toddler
- Exec is clueless on the game
- Owners are leeches
- and most fans live in la la land
Every day there's a new thread asking if such and such is the problem. Clearly there are many problems. I'm sure we all know what the biggest one is.
I understand they have different philosophies, but my point is Jose at this point has to reshuffle the midfield and drop him for a more mobile number 6.
We've been a shit attacking team for years before Matic got here because we have shit forwards. Nothing's changed.
The board can back the manager without bending to his every whim. While William is too old imo, Alderweid is still ok for a CB and would have brought some of the leadership that our defence currently lacks. Even without getting the specific players, we could have still brought in a quality CB and attacker.
What the manager really wants are quality additions to address the needs he perceives. The list of targets he provides are simply a reflection of it which likely had input from the scouting team in most cases ( excluding former players). The list provided by the manager cannot always be conclusive as alternatives can always be brought to his attention.
A good DOF would have likely better understood the needs of the team the manager wants to fill and still brought in quality additions to address them without necessarily signing specific players requested by the manager. The key step is to consult with the manager of going outside his list
He's basically Haye vs Bellew II level of finished but I think it's harsh to blame him for our problems in attack. It's not his fault Lukaku has attached tiny trampolines to his shins and Sanchez ages a year for every million he's paid.
To me it's not so much Matic; it's that he and Pogba together are about as creative as a stuffed rabbit