When he signed I was looking forward to excellent set piece taking and assumed he would be our own little techno-midget carving up opposition defences with clever passing. Apart from the odd lovely goal or piece of skill, I'd say most of his time here has been disappointing, although that isn't entirely his fault as he's been shunted out to the right wing when really he wants to play centrally. He would have been ok if he'd had a quality right full back bombing past him to provide width and pace, but in general our right hand side has been pretty poor. I'd much rather see Rashford on the right - maybe not his best position either but I think he would offer more threat than Mata does out there.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 32
- Goals
- 6
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Status
Mata's negatives outweigh his positives and so he brings too many problems on the team. He should not play and for sure Rashford or even Lingaard is better than him on the right. I really do not know why Jose does not think outside the box and play Young on the right and Darmian as the right back? It surely is better than Mata on the right.
Get rid, please.
Needs to go. We are not a charity.
Looks like he's had it. His passing was woeful and was partly at fault for the first goal.
It's getting tiring.
Same old words. You know shit's bad when he doesn't put hugs in his blog.
Dipped in efficiency quite considerably since the beginning of last season. Before then he was averaging a goal every 4.05 games. Since 17/18 that’s rocketed up to a goal every 14 matches.
Love the guy but he shouldn’t be starting for us, and really should be moved on next summer.
Love the guy but he shouldn’t be starting for us, and really should be moved on next summer.
Sick of these generic scripted little rent-a-quotes we get after every shocking performance. It seems like we've heard this from Mata alone about 50 times in the past 2-3 seasons.
Mata's contribution is now zero. I don't wanna see him starting any more, Lingard is a much better option for the right and he's not exactly good. He is mobile, hungrier and has good movement.
Mata's contribution is now zero. I don't wanna see him starting any more, Lingard is a much better option for the right and he's not exactly good. He is mobile, hungrier and has good movement.
Cos they know that Mata is endearing to us fans. Also, Lingard is not good enough if we are serious about challenging for honours
Why did he hop over the ball for the first goal?
I cannot see any positives he brings to the team now. He cannot dribble, he cannot run, he cannot tackle and if tackled loses possession, he gets inside and narrows the field when we have the ball, he puts undue pressure on our right back. FFS, I would rather have Phil Jones on the right wing than Mata now.
Mata is a good player, our system just does not suit him.
He has no pace, he cannot head, he cannot tackle, he cannot beat defenders(well he can sometimes but he is so slow they simply out pace him and tackle him again), He cannot defend, he cannot even harass the opposing players, otherwise he is a good player.
Its only right that I come back on here after supporting Mata after his (imo very good) performance v Leicester! We had a collective off day, but you rely on your older heads when things aren't going well to calm things down and get everyone playing, sadly Mata didn't do this, I cant defend him this week. 4/10 Juan
And that is our first and second choice right wing options.....absolutely terrifying level of negligence and settling for mediocrity in certain sreas of our team.
Can you feckiing imagine ANY elite European side with that pair as their RW options supported by Valencia or Young?
Was referring to his years at Manchester United - of which there have been too many. He was a different player at Chelsea and Valencia, granted, but even then he wouldn't have fit into elite teams. Mourinho selling him at Chelsea made sense, I think.
He's never got more than 6 league assists for United in a season despite plenty of minutes, and while I sympathise with him in that he's never played in his favoured position, I also don't think he's creative enough to sacrifice a tactical plan for, which is why he's played as a right-winger.
I think people have grossly overrated him during his time at United because he has moments where his play is nice on the eye, but I think in terms of his effectiveness that he is no more successful than a typical - though unspectacular - winger, of which there are many.
So no, I don't think it's so stupid to think he's been very average for United.
Doesn't suit me either.
He was arguably our best outfield player season before last.
At least he makes an effort. Can't be said for some of the players who seem to think they only need to turn up.
If you think making an effort is jogging after the left back is what it takes then I also can jog after the left back. I am sure most people here can also jog after the left back if that is making an effort. He was never our best outfield player at any time since he came to United.
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in 2016-2017?
I don't think anyone here would have considered him our best outfield player. Was nowhere near it imo.
Come on Livvie the guys an absolute embarrassment on the right hand side of our attack. Best player???
When he was linked with Inter I thought that would be a good move for him, but we are too short to let him go right now.
He’s the only player (bar maybe Sanchez) that can play one touch football effectively and though he had a bad game yesterday, he showed a nice touch once or twice. But.. how can he show any of his abilities constantly when he has to play out of position? With the likes of Ashley hoof the ball Young, Matteo I don’t know what I’m doing Darmian or Rom with a dreadful first touch who should be waiting in the penalty area for a cross from an old fashioned winger. It’s not a surprise that Mata looks way better alongside Sanchez who has similar abilities. I’m not saying Mata is the solution or the best player out there, yeah he’s declined.. but if he’s in the team, we should use him in the best way possible. Shame Jose doesn’t want to try something different than 442 or hoof the ball to Fellaini strategy.
Because when he is played in the centre he gets tackled and loses possession and they counter attack through the centre. He is a liability anywhere when we do not have the ball. Yes he has a nice one touch and he can take a very good free kick but that is all he has. Simply a passenger most of the time.
Which isn’t what you wrote.
As much as I respect and admire the guy just let it sink in that against Brighton we played him, a CAM thats way past his best days as a RW, and partnering him on that right side a 33 year old bang average winger playing RB. Mata gets a lot of stick but I don't blame him for anything. Lingard should have been playing on the right, Darmian as average as he is should have played RB because at least he can defend. He also plays a depressed Martial who openly admitted wanting out instead of just putting Rashford on the left. Absolutely piss poor management. Mata will never be a RW especially one in Mourinhos system where they constantly have to track back and help defending. We should have been open to accepting any offers for him in the summer he just doesn't fit into this team sadly.
Genuinely hope i never see him play on the right wing again, sadly i know he will. No idea what Mourinho is thinking.
Well not sure about that, he can defend sure just not very well.
It almost looks like Mourinho wants to prove a silly Willian/Perišič point.
Manager known for love of physical, athletic, pacey winger starts Juan Mata on the right in a though away game at Brighton.
Manager loving defensively hard working winger selects sulking Anthony Martial who even at this best never really helps out his full back enough.
Manager who once happily got rid of Mata at his best is now naming him in starting lineups when the guy is clearly past his best.
I never classed Mata a top player to be honest, even at his fantastic best at Chelsea when he was banging them in/assisting on a weekly basis. But I dont think much have chanched with his physique. Juan was never quick nor strong. He just had a good bit of freedom, the trust of his managers believing he could appear in the right time at the right place when needed because he is an extremely clever footballer. Quick thinker. When on song he was also confident set piece taker.
Jose tasks him with much more defensive duties so now he arrives too late around/in the box if at all. To Matas credit, he tries hard to work for the team defensively as Mourinho asks him but he is not that kind player, especially now when his stamina is going. And the setup to play Juan from the right wing with no movement ahead of him is so brutally wrong.
To sumarize - Mourinho starts Juan Mata off the right wing ´cause: a) to prove a point to the board b) Juan is so loyal nice bloke he puts everything he has without complains c) Jose is an idiot.
Manager known for love of physical, athletic, pacey winger starts Juan Mata on the right in a though away game at Brighton.
Manager loving defensively hard working winger selects sulking Anthony Martial who even at this best never really helps out his full back enough.
Manager who once happily got rid of Mata at his best is now naming him in starting lineups when the guy is clearly past his best.
I never classed Mata a top player to be honest, even at his fantastic best at Chelsea when he was banging them in/assisting on a weekly basis. But I dont think much have chanched with his physique. Juan was never quick nor strong. He just had a good bit of freedom, the trust of his managers believing he could appear in the right time at the right place when needed because he is an extremely clever footballer. Quick thinker. When on song he was also confident set piece taker.
Jose tasks him with much more defensive duties so now he arrives too late around/in the box if at all. To Matas credit, he tries hard to work for the team defensively as Mourinho asks him but he is not that kind player, especially now when his stamina is going. And the setup to play Juan from the right wing with no movement ahead of him is so brutally wrong.
To sumarize - Mourinho starts Juan Mata off the right wing ´cause: a) to prove a point to the board b) Juan is so loyal nice bloke he puts everything he has without complains c) Jose is an idiot.
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I mean bog-standard means very ordinary; I'm not sure what point you're making.
Quite an emphasis on arguably, I think.
Don't disagree with the second part in theory, but lots of players can make an effort - doesn't make them good. Take Sunday: he was partly at fault for the first and nowhere near his man for the second.
Yes, he was. Scored goals and had assists from great passes. Inspired the Special Juan banner. Short memory?
And he shouldn't be on the right side ffs. He is a left sided player. Does he ever complain? Some in the current squad could do with his attitude.
Find it absolutely hilarious that we are pretty much blaming Mata for the loss! Didn't lose the ball cheaply, didn't lose head, wasn't responsible for the goals we condeced,a dn was on the bench in the 2nd half, when despite having 70% of the ball, we were clueless in attack and garnered only 1 or 2 shots on target!
You wrote that he for years had been tripe and bog standard.
Bog standard according to Wictionary
Britain slang, derogatory) Utterly basic, ordinary, or standard; unremarkable, unexceptional, etc.Tripe according to Merriam Webster means ‘something poor, worthless, or offensive’.
Even if you restrain yourself to the four and a half seasons he has had at United, those descriptions are at most even possible to argue for the last 3/4 of a year.
Never a goalgetter, he scored six goals in 15 for Moyes.
He was largely acknowledged as one of the best two attacking players in the two years with LVG, resulting in a third place and an FA cup win.
He was expected to leave or get no chances under Mourinho, wh later the first season gave Mata more and more games and lauded him for his performances.
Tripe? Bog-standard?
He was partly responsible for the first goal. He jumped out of the way of the pass to their right. He was part of that attack that was clueless. He was the problem that they always attacked on our right side. He could not defend for his life as he cannot catch up with their full back at all. So when they have the ball he is useless. When we have the ball half the time he is useless because they simply take the ball away from him or just nudge him off the ball and he is so weak he falls. When he gets the ball he always tries to come inside and clutter an already cluttered middle. Yes he has very good ball control but that simply is not enough. His movements are good sometimes but because he is soooo slow the defenders can give him a head start and still easily beat him or cover his movements so it is negated.
He shouldn't be starting anymore, particularly not on the RW. But I love having a player with his attitude on the team. In a time when we're dealing with the likes of Pogba/Raiola and Martial, it's nice to know that we have a player that genuinely respects what United stand for, a player who would never embarrass the club off the pitch. A player, in short, that would have done Fergie proud (even as Fergie was ever so gently nudging him to the sidelines....)
I love Juan Mata. Juan, if you are reading this: I love you and if you ever need a place to stay in Toronto, or someone to show you around, send me a message. Un grande abrazo amigo!
I love Juan Mata. Juan, if you are reading this: I love you and if you ever need a place to stay in Toronto, or someone to show you around, send me a message. Un grande abrazo amigo!
He was invisible on the right side with Young. They were getting past both with ease the whole time and they both had big responsibility for the first goal as much as Lindelof had.
Just a quick question. Does it suit any of our players?
Ha! Well not in the last game.
But I think there is a bigger issue with Mata because he can be good in a floating role and we simply can't accommodate that at the moment. Frankly our possession football is not up to it. He can still be useful but mostly at home, and we need energy around him (Lingard etc.)
He really should not start in a wide position. He just doesn't play there and it messes up our shape.
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