[Trizy]

If only he was rapid he'd be one of the best in the world, easily. He doesn't even need to be strong.

His finishing, passing, dribbling, first touch, movement.. everything to be a one of the best. Except, obviously, physical attributes.

 

[Ekeke]

This was your original point. As i said, him not being good at tracking back is a myth. If it wasnt, you could easily point to times where this has happened and cost us / or weve conceded when his man has been free.

Much like im saying, "Im pretty sure United have conceded goals when hes come off (or been sacrificed) cos of the fact that one part of his game, which is under-rated, then goes missing." - where I can note two obvious examples against big teams where hes been subbed off, (Arsenal and Chelsea) which has lead to United not having / keeping the ball as much in the opponents half / having somebody to relieve us off that.

As I said, Mata has something not a lot of our players can provide against the bigger teams, and thats the part of him getting the ball and keeping it.

Thats fine if you want to downplay Mata if you dont rate him, but youre making statements without really backing it up.

Its not a myth, its a regular occurance. And you asked for examples of it leading to goals. I didn't say it regularly caused goals I said it evened out the fact that he does help us keep the ball more, because he also allows the opposition to keep the ball more. What does that have to do with goals? Quote that part please.

 

[Ekeke]

I don't understand this tracking back. Salah doesn't track back, Sterling doesn't track back, Riyad Mahrez doesn't track back.. attacking players like Mata need freedom to play in the final third. He has been misused because he is asked to go all the way to RB sometimes and defend and that's not his strength.

They dont play for Mourinho. Rashford has been tracking back in recent matches, Martial did a good job tracking back against Juventus

 

[Sylar]

Its not a myth, its a regular occurance. And you asked for examples of it leading to goals. I didn't say it regularly caused goals I said it evened out the fact that he does help us keep the ball more, because he also allows the opposition to keep the ball more. What does that have to do with goals? Quote that part please.

well...

Equally he's not good at tracking back so we've also conceded goals when his man has been free. So it'll even out

 

[Ekeke]

well...

So you're saying we've never conceded goals when Mata has been playing right wing and his fullback has been involved. I'll keep an eye out for it.

 

[Sylar]

So you're saying we've never conceded goals when Mata has been playing right wing and his fullback has been involved. I'll keep an eye out for it.

Where did I say that? All I did just now was show you arent really sure what point you are trying to make, but making a statement, without anything to back it up. But regardless, Im not even sure of the point you are making.

Im saying we are better with him on the pitch as he brings something others really cant / dont.

And I think you are saying 'we are likely to concede whether we have him on the pitch or dont have him on the pitch, thus no better or no worse'?
Is that right?

 

[Ekeke]

Where did I say that? All I did just now was show you arent really sure what point you are trying to make, but making a statement, without anything to back it up. But regardless, Im not even sure of the point you are making.

Im saying we are better with him on the pitch as he brings something others really cant / dont.

And I think you are saying 'we are likely to concede whether we have him on the pitch or dont have him on the pitch, thus no better or no worse'?
Is that right?

Yes. I think that him not tracking as well as Rashford has been doing recently means the opposition can keep the ball a bit better, maybe make some more progress down their own left wing. Whether that results in a goal I can't tell you, it completely depends on their own finishing.

And I do agree that he helps us keep the ball. Its just that I think its basically cancelled out by the marking. Rashford will work harder tracking back but isn't likely to keep the ball as well.

Regardless of that, as I said previously in this thread I'm more than happy for Mata to be featuring, starting at times, if he's getting on the scoresheet and creating chances as much as he currently is. In his United career it tends to be a 3-5 match purple patch before going back to being more average. But hopefully he keeps it up the whole season. Because then it doesnt matter if he's tracking back as well as others if he's producing goals and assists on a weekly basis.

 

[Livvie]

Mata appreciation prog. on Talksport right now

 

[clarkydaz]

About to put the kettle on, next brew is dedicated to Juan

 

[Livvie]

They are claiming he is going to Arsenal on a free

 

[anant]

They are claiming he is going to Arsenal on a free

Feck off. Mata needs to stay here. He's one of our best players and I doubt there has been a single game where we've played a fantastic game (attacking wise) and he's not been on the pitch.

Additionally, I'll have to throw away 4 jerseys!

 

[SAFMUTD]

It's like all the talent in the world was concentrated in a 12 year old boy, great vision and distribution but he must be the slowest and weakest player in the top 5 leagues. I know right now it's the hype train, but I will prefer if we move on from him. He is not suited for a team like us, he would be great in a side that played high possession tactics like Barca or City.

But right now it's incredibly frustrating to watch our team try to counterattack and as soon as he gets the ball you know the counterattack is dead. Way to slow and way to weak to make a strong pass.

 

[Steven7290]

I don't understand this tracking back. Salah doesn't track back, Sterling doesn't track back, Riyad Mahrez doesn't track back.. attacking players like Mata need freedom to play in the final third. He has been misused because he is asked to go all the way to RB sometimes and defend and that's not his strength.

Dont know about Salah but are you sure those City players don't track back? They press like crazy up front then run back to stay in a defensive position.

 

[Foxbatt]

He has vision and his movements off the ball is good but because he is so slow a defender can every time give him a head start and still catch him.
He gets tackled very easily and lose possession very easily.
He doesn't need to track back because there is no point in him tracking back as he never catches any player due to his lack of pace.
His disadvantages outweigh his advantages.

 

[Canagel]

Dont know about Salah but are you sure those City players don't track back? They press like crazy up front then run back to stay in a defensive position.

They press high but most importantly keep their positions. Guardiola plays the positional game where wingers/wide players stay restricted in their zones and the fullbacks move into the midfield to help stop the counter attacks.
Their heat map is well inside the opponents half because they defend very high up the pitch.
For me Mata shouldn't be on the RW anyway because we don't press high enough or move the ball quickly enough to hurt teams in transition.
He should be central behind the striker as number 10 where he can pick up the ball in his own time.

 

[Livvie]

Play him in his best position and his skill and brain will make up for lack of pace.

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[Sylar]

People will say his lack of speed and covering means he doesnt play games like yesterday, but we seriously could use him to at least keep the ball for us and pass it to our own players.

With Pogba out, we had nobody else who can take a pass and turn.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

It occurred to me that Mata came on to play Number 10 and behind him was Matic and Fellaini, and in front of him Lukaku...

I mean Christ, what the feck is he meant to achieve in that scenario.

 

[Foxbatt]

People will say his lack of speed and covering means he doesnt play games like yesterday, but we seriously could use him to at least keep the ball for us and pass it to our own players.

With Pogba out, we had nobody else who can take a pass and turn.

The problem is that when he passes to our players and go for the return he is so slow and weak the opposing team can give him a start and yet challenge for the ball and tackle him and re take possession.

 

[Sylar]

The problem is that when he passes to our players and go for the return he is so slow and weak the opposing team can give him a start and yet challenge for the ball and tackle him and re take possession.

Im sure thats been said about D.Silva a lot...
Id like to know the stats on this actually.

 

[Darlington Padgett]

Im sure thats been said about D.Silva a lot...
Id like to know the stats on this actually.

Silva is not slow at all

 

[Ali Dia]

Im sure thats been said about D.Silva a lot...
Id like to know the stats on this actually.

Silva seems a lot braver, more intelligent in his movement and is an even better passer. I know who id prefer in my team anyway.

 

[Prometheus]

That's one of my favourite games ever. Mata annihilating Spurs; Walker being a dick to Mata, and then Mata leaving him with his face on the floor minutes later; the Hazard pass for the Mata goal. The commentator calling the game "The Juan Mata Show".

That Chelsea team was a lot worse than this United team; it's not even close. So the fact that Mata underperforms is a lot more to do with the system I think. The systems you have been playing over the past few years undersell the ability of many talented players in your team.

 

[Seanus]

Pointless player who had absolutely zero impact on the game today

 

[PepsiCola]

Pointless player who had absolutely zero impact on the game today

Thought he looked good and picked out some nice passes

 

[anant]

The guy was playing well centrally and everyone conceded that centrally, with runners around him, is an asset. Then suddenly Mou shifts him to the right. Thought he picked out some nice passes and should have had an assist (the Smalling chance), but he should be playing centrally!

 

[El Jefe]

Pointless player who had absolutely zero impact on the game today

He's pointless quite often. We have much bigger issues in the side which is why his consistent average performances get ignored.

 

[Giant Midget]

Not a RW. Is it 2014 again? We’ve gone through this so many fecking times, Juan Mata is not a fecking winger, stop fecking playing him there for fecks sake. Three manager, 6 seasons, and we still make the same fecking mistake. Why the feck can’t Sanchez just play on the right man, what the fecking hell is wrong with our manager’s brain.

Feck.

 

[stevoc]

Mata should never play right wing, especially with Darmian behind him. Jesus what the feck goes through Mourinho's mind when he selects these two as a combination. Their left back could have brought a bean bag out there today and just relaxed.

 

[Devil may care]

When there's no attacking patterns drilled into the team and the movement veers from erratic to static, a player like Mata will always struggle. I'm not saying he's a world beater these days but the way we play is hampering him as much as anyone in the squad.

 

[anant]

Tweet

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No hugs yet again

 

[Jig1234]

Mourinho has broken Juan Mata's spirit.

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[Sylar]

Shame he's not taller, reckon he would have come on if he was

 

[Minimalist]

Not one comment so far. Tells you something.

Either him or Dalot were MOTM for me. Different level compared to the other attackers for passing, touch and movement. Should be playing more.

 

[el3mel]

He's a must in these kind of games when we're expected to dominate most of the play.

 

[Andycoleno9]

When he plays, we play football. Why he doesn't play more, is 1,000,000$ question.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

We are so much better with him.

 

[Siddharth]

If Mourinho was less complicated, he'd play him every week regardless of venue or opposition. He's easily our top 3 attacking player and a trustworthy finisher. Plus, excellent free kick taker. Shame.
Love you Juan. Hugs.

 

[Ekeke]

Definitely the right pick today. In games we can control Mata inside of Dalot looks like an effective tactic

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Should always play in games like this... And should just play more in general