I dont disagree with the statement that he tries to defend and always does the best he can. Problem is that when he is not being supported by at least one player in defense he serves no function. 1v1 defensively is impossible for him, and he has to fall off untill he gets backing from the fullback.
And to clearify when i think he is useful: when we are playing ball against a deep sitting defense and we are trying to find an opening.
He should always be supported by at least one teammate, given his position. Principles of defending - it’s all about shape and his position in relation to teammates, opponents, the ball and space. To be honest, if he ever finds himself isolated against an attacking opposing player, delaying them to allow for cover and balance from his fellow players is all that is necessary, and could actually easily be called the right thing to do. His understanding of defending is excellent and underrated, and probably more beneficial than having the physical capacity to neutralise a direct opponent. Look at the Bayern game - their right back overlapping was by far their most fruitful way of breaking us down. Sanchez has looked much sharper and more physically able this pre-season and is certainly a willing worker and a winner - and more equipped physically to carry out defensive tasks than Mata - but he kept switching off or positioning himself poorly and they got in behind us due to that several times. Mata is, for someone playing in an advanced wide position, a more intelligent defender and doesn’t usually give much away at all.
In terms of when you believe him to be useful, I myself really don’t see it. Particularly last season, his lack of any physical prowess meant that any time he was in possession opponents put him under severe pressure and it was a fight just to keep the ball. His play involved far too much sideways and backwards passing due to said pressure. On the ball, he was ultraconservative and constantly reset our build-up play. He also went wandering far too much in his bid to gain space. The longer we had possession, the further he would get from the kind of areas he should have been occupying. Frankly, he was all over the place and for a supposedly intelligent ball-player it was very disappointing.
For me, he has had two (brief) good periods of form at the club. First during the run of games under Van Gaal where everything clicked, he formed a great and effective right-sided triple with Herrera and Valencia - their movements were well synchronised and they progressed the play and created openings effectively. And later, in Mourinho’s first season in the run of games leading to his injury that year. For a short time, he focused his off the ball movement on making well-timed runs along the back line and in behind the defence (it reminded me of the kind of penetrating dashes that Ljungberg made for Arsenal), and in doing so provided the side with a dimension it otherwise didn’t have.
On the whole, it’s been an underwhelming time at United for Mata and I can’t see him providing us with much more than that this season. We really need a better option on the right. Mata should be a squad player.
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