Most wanted rid a week ago 
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
I'm loving the U-turn. As a guy with an unhealthy man crush on Mata, I know my judgement is clouded but it was hilarious seeing people say he can't play away from home.Most wanted rid a week ago
Was wonderful. Play a diamond with him at the tip and we have a winner.
He was good, but was he that good?
I mean, he should've won us the match (like many others) but obviously created a couple of huge chances.
He didn't really help us play out from the back at all though, in the second half both he and Rooney disappeared.
I still think he should start in our strongest XI but I'm not sure how I'd fit him in.
I mean, he should've won us the match (like many others) but obviously created a couple of huge chances.
He didn't really help us play out from the back at all though, in the second half both he and Rooney disappeared.
I still think he should start in our strongest XI but I'm not sure how I'd fit him in.
Well considering he was playing in a more advanced role than Rooney and Carrick, so I don't think it was his responsibility to help get the ball off the defenders. I thought he made him self available very well and constantly turned their midfield around and put their back four on the back foot.
I don't think it was his best display but he was our best on the day in my opinion.
I don't get people thinking that LVG wants rid of him because he is a little too slow or is too weak. The same manager favors Sneijder who is far from a rocket himself, although probably a little stronger. Mata isn't slow either; he's pretty nippy off the mark, but lacks outright pace down the wing, but he isn't a winger. His passing is sublime, he can dribble and his runs are very well timed. He's definitely the kind of player our squad needs, but he needs the striker to be making runs, like they did today in the first half. On another day, he could have had two assists and a goal.
Not saying he is fast but I thought he showed a few good glimpses of pace against Spurs. Chased a few balls down that really surprised me.
Work rate has certainly improved. I think he has realised that in order to make it here that a bit of graft is needed.
Maybe I worded it wrong but When I say physical I don't mean 6ft 4 mean machines, just players who track back, keep the ball under pressure and latch onto second balls. Mata pretty much does none of these things and is only in the team right now due to Di Maria being injured. LVG has no choice but to play him really.
Yeah I do prefer physical players in the United team tbf, you can't really win the league with a weak team(Look at Arsenal)
Welcome to redcafe. First DDG during early season, then RvP.Most wanted rid a week ago
I reckon the next big star on the shooting list might be Di Maria. If you are an experienced Caf reader you can sense the ominous atmosphere in that thread and already hear them pitchforks being sharpened once he adds another one or two average performances after his pelvis injury.
He did against Newcastle too, and he's no slouch when we are counter attacking.
His first touch is invariably beautiful. I could watch Mata (and Isco) pluck the ball our of the air and gently bring it down, all day.
I love how he's been playing lately. Our selections have been quite attacking which has helped.
Regardless of whether he scored or not, I just knew he was going to have a good away performance after the comments about him only playing well at OT. It's funny how the narrative always has to shift. First he's anonymous, doesn't influence the game, and then pops up with a goal or assist then disappears again. Then when he's influential over 90 minutes the excuse is that he only plays well at Old Trafford. What will it be next?!
Rojo ,Falcao and Herrera are above Di Maria, but we will come to him, he is one injury away.
About Mata he was very good, and i feel that he is better after each games, i'm curious to see what Van Gaal will do with him, when everyone is injury free and after the buy of a couple of midfielders.
I think there is something in that. Not that he can't play away but we have been very poor away, and I do think Mata generally needs to be in a team who are moving well, making runs, passing quickly etc. to flourish. Something we haven't been doing away this season.
More explosive or physical players won't suffer to the same detriment likely as they can atleast 'get stuck in' which is something the fans take note of and put huge stock into.
There's every chance that LVG might fancy sacraficing Mata in the summer seem as we have Di Maria and Rooney already who can play a similar role but with added pace......but mata when on form can make things happen when nothing looks on and we've not had a player that can do that for a while and we look outstanding in attack when mata hits form
We have a brilliant player on our hands here. Spurs' despite their pressing and constantly fouling couldn't do anything to stop him. Shame it took so long for people to realise this.
Now he handed over the torch to Herrara. He's safe for now.
the little mystro is back!!!!
To be fair, all the shift in opinions after his last two or three performances really only confirms he hadn't been up to scratch before then. All the praise in the more recent pages in this thread proves that nobody is blind to his positive contributions now that he's started making them.
To me, the really big difference is the penetrative passing, which just hasn't happened before. The little jinks and tricks we're all seeing are part of the same pattern. Somebody who is finally taking risks and playing with the sort of swagger you need from someone playing a position that should be the team's creative hub.
Thank you Pogue. There seems to be a bunch of people who think they are some kind of Superposters because they always knew how good Mata is. Guess what, we all knew that. He’s been playing much, much better now and deserves the praise. Before that he was quite poor in some games, therefore the criticism was justified. Not really hard to understand.
I think this was his best performance since joining us, all things considered. I can’t recall any other game when he created so many chances.
Hopefully we can keep him on this form, he was brilliant and exactly what we've been missing lately (a creator). Still love to see a diamond of Carrick, Herrera, Di Mara, Mata and two strikers of Rooney and RVP.
Glad he's upped his game, he can be a wonderful player to watch.
I also think it benefits him when he is no longer directly compared to rooney, and now playing alongside him instead.
I also think it benefits him when he is no longer directly compared to rooney, and now playing alongside him instead.
I think his top speed is actually not that bad, but he has shocking acceleration and turning speed. When somebody is tight and about to tackle he really struggles to get away.
This is the thing we know what he's capable of doing but have not seen enough of that from him. But now he is starting to kick on and make a real difference. What I love about him is his vision and intelligence, his uncanny ability to pick out defence-splitting passes. As you said, he's playing with a certain swagger and that all comes about from renewed confidence. I hope he gains a little bit of consistency from now because on his game, he's an absolute asset.
Get away maybe but he a fantastic ability of creating space for himself when it looks like there isn't any.
Definitely, where he lacks pace he makes up with his clever Movement. Just wish he learnt to shield the ball a bit better like silva. He certainly has looked better for us in the last few games though.
Mata's inability to withstand heavy pressure in midfield is one of the reasons we found it so difficult to play it out of defence in the second half against Spurs. To be fair, Carrick's lack of pace and Rooney's high positioning didn't help either. Blind and Herrera will help when they come back. At the moment, we're a little too easy to nullify.
I love Mata, but he shouldn't be played in the middle against teams that are capable of pressing high and causing us problems.
I love Mata, but he shouldn't be played in the middle against teams that are capable of pressing high and causing us problems.
Also, his legs are so short, he just doesn't have the stride over that first 5 metres to burst away.
I sort of agree but think he can definitely play as the 10 in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-2-1-3 or whatever you want to call it.
Our squad is just sort of all over the place and makes no sense. But if he was the 10 at a club with 2 solid CM's behind him and at least 2 of the front 3 ahead looking to get in behind often, he'd thrive playing balls over the top. We just don't really have anyone who makes runs in behind except the litany of number 9's we have and playing them all together causes the problem you would expect it too.
I think he's struggled at times, but I assume the lack of penetrative passing is more a result of a lack of quality runs up top and time and space to hit the pass, some of which might be partly Mata's fault.
I don't think he's Carrick, who seems to go through spells (in one now) where he can pick out dangerous balls over the top but stops doing that when he lacks confidence or whatever happens to him. If there's a penetrative pass, Mata will make it. His problem is the physical work needed to get in position to do that (he's not Silva in terms of getting open), his teammates, our lack of runners from midfield or wide (save Rooney when he plays deep) and the lack of defensive help he provides.
Anyone else smile a little every time he delivers a pin point crossfield pass from the right to switch play to Young with his left foot and Rooney do the same to switch play from the left to Valencia with his right? The quality in midfield with those two dropping back is ridiculously good.
Well I just smile when I see him but yes, he has been switching the play quite well in recent weeks. Not only with long cross field balls but his ability to carry the ball across the field and spread it out wide before he gets forward. Just like his goal against Liverpool.
I wonder where he will play once we have some midfielders back. I assume Rooney will then play either upfront or in Mata's current position just behind the strikers
the players who have to start as a part of the front six when everyone is fit:
Carrick, Di Maria, Rooney, one out of Rvp/Falcao
Players whom I would want to join these four: Herrera(based on the fact that he has played as a slightly defensive CM too), Mata.
Considering these six players, I would like to see the following formation:
------carrick---herrera-----
--mata----rooney----di maria
-----------rvp/falcao----------
this can also change to:
-------carrick------rooney------
-herrera----mata----di maria---
----------rvp/falcao--------------
We can lack width on the right in both these formation. But with Di Maria+Shaw on the left and Rafael providing attacking support on the right, we should not become too narrow.
In some tough away games, Fellaini/blind can replace Herrera and Valencia can replace Mata. Making the following formation:
-----carrick---fellaini/blind---------
valencia----rooney-----di maria---
----------rvp/falcao----------------
Carrick, Di Maria, Rooney, one out of Rvp/Falcao
Players whom I would want to join these four: Herrera(based on the fact that he has played as a slightly defensive CM too), Mata.
Considering these six players, I would like to see the following formation:
------carrick---herrera-----
--mata----rooney----di maria
-----------rvp/falcao----------
this can also change to:
-------carrick------rooney------
-herrera----mata----di maria---
----------rvp/falcao--------------
We can lack width on the right in both these formation. But with Di Maria+Shaw on the left and Rafael providing attacking support on the right, we should not become too narrow.
In some tough away games, Fellaini/blind can replace Herrera and Valencia can replace Mata. Making the following formation:
-----carrick---fellaini/blind---------
valencia----rooney-----di maria---
----------rvp/falcao----------------
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Go on Juan, show the haters you can do it away in a physical type of game! Love to see him score. Feel a free kick going in for him today.
Hugs.
Hugs.
Thats not really impressive to be fair, nor by him, nor by playmakers in the PL. Fabregas alone has like 12 assists in the PL already, he'll probably end up with 20 assists in the PL in one season. 8 Assists per season is not really special for a #10.Tweet
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Stoke 1:1 Man Utd
Doesn't get the ball enough to be fair.
Sometimes we seem to bypass him. Not sure whether its just a lack of vision from our makeshift midfield or that we don't have the confidence to play a short ball to him under pressure.
Sometimes we seem to bypass him. Not sure whether its just a lack of vision from our makeshift midfield or that we don't have the confidence to play a short ball to him under pressure.
Come alive in the second half.
Good stats, appalling performances like todayTweet
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Did not notice he was playing against stoke until I saw this thread pop up on Redcafe
Expected performance vs stoke so far
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