[SonnyTheHaloPro]

What did you want for di Maria's price? Messi? What did you want for Herrera's price? Scholes to return to football and become 24 years of age?

Agree with the other part for the most, Mata hasnt been good enough at all generally.

Di Maria's price I wanted Di Maria or Reus
Herrera's Price I wanted Kroos or Fabregas

We always get ripped off on transfers usually anyway but for Mata we look like we got absolutely conned.

 

[finneh]

He's been our best player over Xmas and should be one of the first names on the team sheet.

When Di Maria returns RVP or Falcao should be relegated to the bench and it should be the most out of form of the 4 of them that sits out. Currently that's Falcao I'd say.

That's if we go on the premise that Rooney starts 100%.

 

[bosnian_red]

Di Maria's price I wanted Di Maria or Reus
Herrera's Price I wanted Kroos or Fabregas

We always get ripped off on transfers usually anyway but for Mata we look like we got absolutely conned.

Mata is a 30m player without a doubt, though we did pay that extra 7m over the odds but it's not a big deal, considering the 2 years prior he was amongst the best players in the league and Chelsea's 2 time player of the year. He just needs time as there has been so much change at United in his year here. He has consistently been getting better recently and hopefully it's not just a spurt of good form, and he'll keep progressing as he can be world class as he was for Chelsea. It's harsh to make your mind up on him because of 5 months with Moyes then the first half of this season where we've had so many changes with Van Gaal in, and a half season where everyone has been inconsistent. He has a pretty decent goal and assist record as it is, but that will no doubt improve this next year.

Also, I'm not sure why so many people care so much about the price. He's a class player obviously so it's better to have him in the squad then not, and it's not like we spent a feck load on a player who isn't good enough long term. He just needs to find some consistency.

 

[Amar__]

Great half from him, been comfortably our best player.

 

[Red Shorts]

He just knows how to play pretty football. Love him.

 

[JinnerJamie]

His introduction changed our play, the only player that seemed to know what to do with the ball.

 

[bosnian_red]

Huge reason we played better after half time. Glad he's starting to come into form, the biggest problem with him before was he just went hiding and didn't look to get that involved while now he's always on the ball, and on the ball he's brilliant and always picks out the right option.

 

[Truedevil]

Just put him on the pitch alongside Herrera and Di Maria and we will be winning matches.

 

[Devil may care]

Had a calming influence on the hyper Herrera and angry Rooney and brought some control to our possession.

 

[VanGaalEra]

Was really good again today! Seems like he's settled and playing his best football again.

So happy for him.

 

[Raw]

I am loving his recent turnaround, he and Herrera need to start more games together.

 

[Cheesy]

I am loving his recent turnaround, he and Herrera need to start more games together.

A lovely player to watch when he is on form.

 

[Kag]

He played well today, I thought.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Getting all the credit for the turnaround by MOTD pundits. I agree. Had a really positive impact when he came on.

 

[Pexbo]

He gets accused of being too slow time and time again yet he moves quicker than anyone else off the ball.

If all our players made themselves available like he does we'd dominate for 90mins.

 

[saivet]

How bad were we in the first half?

I only managed to catch the second half and while I thought he was one of our better performers I still didn't think he was all that good.

 

[Acole9]

From the very few highlights I've seen of the game it looks as though he was our best player and changed the game for us. Maybe if he had started it would've been more comfortable.

 

[pocco]

Been class these last few weeks. Fighting for every ball too and working hard off the ball.

 

[JackXX]

Really good 45 minutes. When Di Maria came on he was playing some beautiful football.

 

[the hea]

Was pretty poor at the start of the season but he has been getting better and better as the season has progressed and on current form he should be one of the first names on the team sheet.

 

[Winrar]

How bad were we in the first half?

Horrendous. Only reason we weren't behind was because Yeovil didn't capitalize while they were on top.

Mata did well when he came on.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

I really hope that he keeps his place in the team regardless of most of the attack and midfield returning now.

Earlier in the season he seemed to fall out of favour when everyone was fit to play, but you'd have to say at this moment in time there isn't an outfield player playing better than he is for us, so he definitely merits a place.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Anyone think he is running with the ball a lot more in central areas? He almost wasn't doing that at all until now.

 

[bosnian_red]

I really hope that he keeps his place in the team regardless of most of the attack and midfield returning now.

Earlier in the season he seemed to fall out of favour when everyone was fit to play, but you'd have to say at this moment in time there isn't an outfield player playing better than he is for us, so he definitely merits a place.

Hopefully. At the start though he didn't deserve his place in the starting 11, this past month for the most part though he's been doing a lot more in games and trying to make an impact and control games, and hes done really well, so he should definitely keep his spot. I think he will, too, as Van Gaal rested him today when he could have easily started him if he didn't plan on using him next weekend.

 

[Eric'sCollar]

Wasn't able to see the game but good to read about him playing well.

Feels good after being one of the few defending him a month ago.

Again, have not seen it but not surprised to hear him do well with Herrera and Di Maria on the pitch together.

 

[ottosec]

Our best player in these last 2 weeks. Great to see him do well!

 

[Offside]

Class player if him and Di Maria play every week we will win a lot of games.

 

[Mockney]

He's been consistently one of our most productive players since the day he joined, but I'm glad a 0-0 against Spurs and a decent half against Yeovil have convinced the masses he's worth keeping.

He has been performing better of late, no doubt, but the criticism was always as daft as Christmas. The Caf is usually OTT about poor performers, but rarely have I seen it so OTT about obviously useful ones. Even the media bought into this "disappointing" narrative, despite the fact his stats have remained perfectly consistent with his time at Chelsea, in a far less consistent team. In fact he's already only 7 goals shy of besting his total league tally over 3 years at Stamford Bridge (18) in 50 less games!...Read that again...50 less games!

But stats don't tell the whole story, obviously. I agree. Yet he's been pillored for everything from only playing well when the team plays well to only contributing goals and assists when we're not. Now, call me weird, but surely these are the ideal returns for such scenarios? Every player plays well when their team does, and if Mata's best performances have genuinely been his last few, then logically that surely means he's been pulling a goal or assist out of his arse every 1.5 games whilst playing dogshit? And call me weird again, but that's precisely the kind of player I want in a team that's playing dogshit. As dogshit goes, that's some neat and tidy easily bagable dogshit. Great when we're great, productive when we're not. Isn't that the definition of a great attacking player?

I'm not claiming he's been amazing or anything, he can clearly improve, but by every measurable standard bar "I've watched the game and wasn't impressed" he's been a very succcesful signing. Seemingly one of the few players who've helped to drag us through a notoriously low and lackluster period. A period where pretty much everyone has been struggling with form and confidence. And after years of defending players like Kagawa and Welbeck for their intangible contributions in every department but productivity, to have written off a player like Mata, a new player, with an unusually good return, to the extent some had only a couple of weeks ago, or even to claim that he's only now becoming useful, is frankly bum clenchingly, dick punchingly bonkers.

 

[Brwned]

Van Gaal obviously wasn't happy with his performances earlier in the season too so there's clearly more to it than you're suggesting. You can say all that about spoilt/impatient/stupid fans but it's different when even the manager openly criticises him.

 

[Mockney]

Yeah, those 4 games he didn't play in the 22 we've had this season certainly proves a years worth of fan overreaction is justified.

De Gea aside, who hasn't underwhelmied at times this season (or last)..And of those, how many have the return/criticism juxtaposition Mata has? I'm not talking about "should do better" either. I'm talking "He'll be off in the summer/no place for him/flop" type bollocks.

 

[Brwned]

A year's worth of fan overreaction...right. This '"disappointing" narrative' came straight from the horse's mouth which echoed the thoughts of the fans and the murmurs in the media - it wasn't just temporarily dropping him, it was openly saying he wasn't doing the job asked of him. Since then he's been asked to do a different job and over time he's adjusted to it well.

 

[Lynk]

For £37million I want an Aguero type player .

lol.


Good luck with that nowadays.

 

[Mockney]

A year's worth of fan overreaction...right. This '"disappointing" narrative' came straight from the horse's mouth

No it didn't, it started as early as late Moyes-era. Where he wasn't fitting in/was a luxury buy/struggling to impose himself etc. All whilst contributing to 50% of all our goals in his first 8 months.

which echoed the thoughts of the fans and the murmurs in the media

Spoilt/impatient/stupid fans, and headline junkies in the media, yes.

Since then he's been asked to do a different job and over time he's adjusted to it well.

And yet these other roles which he so spectacularly failed in still yeilded more goals than in his first year at Chelsea, and more assits and Januzaj's miraculous break through season. But you're right, the critics were grounded to feck.

I'm not talking sensible, considered "well he could do better" criticism here Brwned. I'm talking "Sell him/redundant/he's off in Jan" type stuff. Which you only need to look back a few pages to see.

The fact even you think a 4 game period during a unianimously poor start to the season is a reasonable prism through which to see his first year here through is silly enough. Apply that logic to shitter posters and you'll see where my annoyance comes from.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Currently, we seemingly play much better football with him in the team... largely because he can do things like control a football, and pass.

 

[jem]

He's been consistently one of our most productive players since the day he joined, but I'm glad a 0-0 against Spurs and a decent half against Yeovil have convinced the masses he's worth keeping.

He has been performing better of late, no doubt, but the criticism was always as daft as Christmas. The Caf is usually OTT about poor performers, but rarely have I seen it so OTT about obviously useful ones. Even the media bought into this "disappointing" narrative, despite the fact his stats have remained perfectly consistent with his time at Chelsea, in a far less consistent team. In fact he's already only 7 goals shy of besting his total league tally over 3 years at Stamford Bridge (18) in 50 less games!...Read that again...50 less games!

But stats don't tell the whole story, obviously. I agree. Yet he's been pillored for everything from only playing well when the team plays well to only contributing goals and assists when we're not. Now, call me weird, but surely these are the ideal returns for such scenarios? Every player plays well when their team does, and if Mata's best performances have genuinely been his last few, then logically that surely means he's been pulling a goal or assist out of his arse every 1.5 games whilst playing dogshit? And call me weird again, but that's precisely the kind of player I want in a team that's playing dogshit. As dogshit goes, that's some neat and tidy easily bagable dogshit. Great when we're great, productive when we're not. Isn't that the definition of a great attacking player?

I'm not claiming he's been amazing or anything, he can clearly improve, but by every measurable standard bar "I've watched the game and wasn't impressed" he's been a very succcesful signing. Seemingly one of the few players who've helped to drag us through a notoriously low and lackluster period. A period where pretty much everyone has been struggling with form and confidence. And after years of defending players like Kagawa and Welbeck for their intangible contributions in every department but productivity, to have written off a player like Mata, a new player, with an unusually good return, to the extent some had only a couple of weeks ago, or even to claim that he's only now becoming useful, is frankly bum clenchingly, dick punchingly bonkers.

That is just beautifully put.

 

[The Mitcher]

He didn't do anything really when he came on at Yeovil.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

For me it's simple, playing Mata equates to goals and assists.

 

[jem]

He didn't do anything really when he came on at Yeovil.

He was somewhat muted I thought, but he did bring a measure of composure that was largely missing in the first half.

 

[izec]

His ball control and technique are miles ahead of everyone in the team. The ball just sticks to his foot and he barely loses posession. Just love Mata, has his best period at the club atm

 

[Gannicus]

I'd like to see Juan, Wayne and Ander in front of Michael and Angel and behind Robin. With a solid back four, whoever that might be.

Do that and maybe, just maybe, we can close the gap on Chelsea and City.

Continue to feck around with a 352 and we'll have to settle for fourth place, perhaps third if we're fortunate.