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2020-21 Performances

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5.9 Season Average Rating
Appearances
18
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3
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3
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Real Sociedad 0:4 Man Utd
Would have been nice if that shot near the end had gone in, sounds like he might have been absent for personal reasons.
 
He is slower than before. I would like to see him and DVB together against low block teams.
 
Would it be an idea to offer Mata another 1 year contract to be the rotational backup for Bruno when we need to rest him?

Seems to fit that creative ball distribution role better than VDB. Then in another 1.5 years one of our creative U23's should be able to fill that rotational role.

VDB seems to do better from a midfield pivot or perhaps off a wing in some games.
 
Matriac said:
Would it be an idea to offer Mata another 1 year contract to be the rotational backup for Bruno when we need to rest him?
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It would be a bad idea.

Happy he got got play and might do so next week but this should be his last season for us
 
Nice to see him back playing.

I found him and David Silva chatting away at the end of the game to be quite lovely... Now that he's not at City and not helping a side beat us, I can get all nostalgic over Silva.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
Nice to see him back playing.

I found him and David Silva chatting away at the end of the game to be quite lovely... Now that he's not at City and not helping a side beat us, I can get all nostalgic over Silva.
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Wouldn’t be surprised if he follows Silva and Cazorla before him to end up back in Spain for a bit this summer. All the little Spanish magicians from that era in the PL will be gone, bit mad how time flies.
 
Sylar said:
It would be a bad idea.

Happy he got got play and might do so next week but this should be his last season for us
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Then in your opinion who do we have in the team that can best be the rotational option for Bruno? Either for playing/starting easier games or giving him 20-30min rests towards the end of games if we are in full control.

Do we stick with VDB who at the moment only plays safe passes, often straight back to who sent it? Do we hope he, like Fred, needed a season to adjust to the league before he can do more? (To me he looks better further back or on the wing, like a Pogba without the killer long passes.)

Do we get Pereira or Lingard back to fill that stopgap year before our younger talents are more ready?

Or do we have to go out and buy someone new? On top of a CB, DM, RW, CF and maybe rotational RB?
 
Matriac said:
Then in your opinion who do we have in the team that can best be the rotational option for Bruno? Either for playing/starting easier games or giving him 20-30min rests towards the end of games if we are in full control.

Do we stick with VDB who at the moment only plays safe passes, often straight back to who sent it? Do we hope he, like Fred, needed a season to adjust to the league before he can do more? (To me he looks better further back or on the wing, like a Pogba without the killer long passes.)

Do we get Pereira or Lingard back to fill that stopgap year before our younger talents are more ready?

Or do we have to go out and buy someone new? On top of a CB, DM, RW, CF and maybe rotational RB?
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Honestly we have nobody but given we haven't used mata this season at all for that, using him next season for that makes even less sense

I think if we rest Bruno we will end up changing shape or bringing on somebody like matic or vdb to play differently. And it's not an issue as I'm expecting Bruno to play every game and only come off when we are winning
 
Sylar said:
Honestly we have nobody but given we haven't used mata this season at all for that, using him next season for that makes even less sense

I think if we rest Bruno we will end up changing shape or bringing on somebody like matic or vdb to play differently. And it's not an issue as I'm expecting Bruno to play every game and only come off when we are winning
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I wasn't suggesting to sign him for another year now without trying him out as the rotational option over the next month or two (making sure he didn't sign anywhere else meanwhile).

I'd say we didn't play him there much this season because we wanted to test VDB there, but he doesn't seem to work there in this system. Every game we started VDB in that role we had to bring Bruno on in the 2nd half.
And we didn't have lots of options on RW, but now with Amad likely to get more minutes it will be even less opportunities for Mata there.

Which is why I was thinking about that maybe we could use his flair, experience and mentality for a year more as the playmaker backup. It's not like we have a ton of senior players in the squad anymore. Nice to have some around who has won the CL before.
 
Matriac said:
I wasn't suggesting to sign him for another year now without trying him out as the rotational option over the next month or two (making sure he didn't sign anywhere else meanwhile).

I'd say we didn't play him there much this season because we wanted to test VDB there, but he doesn't seem to work there in this system. Every game we started VDB in that role we had to bring Bruno on in the 2nd half.
And we didn't have lots of options on RW, but now with Amad likely to get more minutes it will be even less opportunities for Mata there.

Which is why I was thinking about that maybe we could use his flair, experience and mentality for a year more as the playmaker backup. It's not like we have a ton of senior players in the squad anymore. Nice to have some around who has won the CL before.
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Ok I gotcha. I doubt we will see it happen and I'm guessing we want him off our wages and will try somebody younger there or change our shape when Bruno isnt playing

Unless we lose Pogba and then go for grealish
 
There wasn't much explanation for his absence with Ole just saying he's back after being away for a few weeks.
I wouldn't be surprised if the club gave him a couple weeks leave to get his next club sorted, out of respect for being a great ambassador for the club these past 7 years. Either that or a family member was possibly ill.
 
GMoore23 said:
There wasn't much explanation for his absence with Ole just saying he's back after being away for a few weeks.
I wouldn't be surprised if the club gave him a couple weeks leave to get his next club sorted, out of respect for being a great ambassador for the club these past 7 years. Either that or a family member was possibly ill.
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Seen a few posts suggesting this before, but that doesn't make sense to me. It's not like he would travel around or make the calls himself.
His agency (run by his father with lots of employees) would be making those calls, only really bringing them to Juan with concrete options. He's professional enough to sit on the bench while this happens.

It could have been a personal issue, or maybe he had a niggle. It's not like Ole is 100% truthful in pressers about who is injured or not. Whenever he says someone is uncertain for a game they most of the time end up starting. If it's a minor injury in training away from watchful eyes on a player that doesn't play much I don't think he mentions it publicly so that oppo teams still have to keep them in consideration when planning potential player types to face.
 
Man Utd 3:1 Newcastle
Like a proud big brother on the touchline. :D Needs to start in mid-week.
 
Why aren't we using him!!!

The players look shot to bit's but whenever he's come on and linked with Fernandes he's been brilliant.

He might be leaving at the end of the season but use him, the rest of the team of the squad haven't got his ability to change a game.

Choosing James as an option ahead of him is criminal.
 
Devil81 said:
Why aren't we using him!!!

The players look shot to bit's but whenever he's come on and linked with Fernandes he's been brilliant.

He might be leaving at the end of the season but use him, the rest of the team of the squad haven't got his ability to change a game.

Choosing James as an option ahead of him is criminal.
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He’s not available. James has done well recently.
 
Devil81 said:
Why aren't we using him!!!

The players look shot to bit's but whenever he's come on and linked with Fernandes he's been brilliant.

He might be leaving at the end of the season but use him, the rest of the team of the squad haven't got his ability to change a game.

Choosing James as an option ahead of him is criminal.
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He's had his mystery issues (Covid maybe?) but Ole pretty much confirmed the other week he would be using him if he was available.
 
Devil may care said:
Ole isn't even mentioning Mata among the injury absences, it's a bit odd at this point.
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Except he literally does mention him.

Samid said:
More team news
"I'm not sure if anyone will be back. David, no. Donny, no. Juan, no. Edinson, maybe. Rashord, no. Similar side to Sunday."
Solskjaer
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Nothing weird, man's getting old. Ever since I passed 30 I could injure myself sleeping.
 
Matriac said:
Except he literally does mention him.



Nothing weird, man's getting old. Ever since I passed 30 I could injure myself sleeping.
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My mistake, I hadn't noticed. I wonder what happened as he did come back for a game and looked decent.
 
Red_toad said:
Rumours in the media we're looking to give him a 12 month extension.
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Hopefully those are false, top lad and everything but he is of no use. Barely got minutes this season and declining so it wont be better next season.
 
Bwuk said:
I love Juan but it would be pointless.
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Yup. Love the guy but he's little more than a mascot at this point. Probably great to have in the dressing room and a good influence on the youngsters but that can't be worth eighty grand a week (or more?), surely.
 
Could be an indication of our summer spending plans.

If we're only going to go big on one or two players, and Cavani's leaving, we can't really afford to lose players considering there have been times this season where we've had to fill benches with 4 defenders and 3 goalkeepers.

As purely a back-up I've no problem with it - he's obviously a great person to have around at the club and the first half the season before his personal issues he was contributing fairly well.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
Could be an indication of our summer spending plans.

If we're only going to go big on one or two players, and Cavani's leaving, we can't really afford to lose players considering there have been times this season where we've had to fill benches with 4 defenders and 3 goalkeepers.

As purely a back-up I've no problem with it - he's obviously a great person to have around at the club and the first half the season before his personal issues he was contributing fairly well.
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Yup that's what I think as well. Basically means either we aren't signing Sancho or we're letting one of Pog/VDB leave and Mata will act as backup to Bruno.

Even though I love Mata, it'd be pointless to pay those wages to someone who'd be third choice in his position if neither of the 2 things above are happening
 
Many thought he would be leaving on a free, when his contract ran out in June. Then maybe signing on with a mid/lower Spanish team as his final club.

Juan is a gentleman, a talented professional and a fine person, but I can't see any sense in giving him an extension, with his limited contribution on the pitch this season and time running out on his career.
What next, another 5 year extension on Phil Jones contract?.
 
The only reason why Utd would be giving him an extension is so we can sell him rather than let him leave for nothing, times like this 5 million is better than nothing
 
Wouldn't particularly bother me if we did keep him for another 12 months. The plan obviously wouldn't be to use him much but it's probably fair to say he would have been used more this season were it not for his extended absence for personal reasons. He was fairly useful in a lot of the games he did appear in this season too.

Really it's just a question of squad composition. Do we want him around to cover bases for another 12 months, would we have to bed someone else in now if we didn't or could we literally do without him entirely even as a back-up player. Wouldn't particularly argue with any call on that front.
 
Matthew84! said:
The only reason why Utd would be giving him an extension is so we can sell him rather than let him leave for nothing, times like this 5 million is better than nothing
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Not if he costs us that in wages, signing on fees and bonuses etc. Cheaper to release him.
 
RonaldoVII said:
Not if he costs us that in wages, signing on fees and bonuses etc. Cheaper to release him.
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no one is paying a transfer fee for Mata, especially on this market.

I wonder whether we are writing off this season because of him mother, who I presume has been ill for some time?

I’m not saying that’s the right way of thinking, but can be the only logical line of thinking for us to offer him an extension.

Mata is clearly such a great guy. I supported his two year extension previously, but now it’s time to move on. Fantastic player, probably 20 years too late. He’s not built for modern PL football.
 
Bwuk said:
I love Juan but it would be pointless.
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well his numbers this season are decent and I think theres more in the tank esp as he dont rely on speed. He does play well with Fernandes
 
Wouldn't mind having him around for another year. Did his role well first half of the season. Great personality to have around our rather young dressing-room, and would much rather have him as a backup than Pereira (if we can shift him this summer).
 
He is obviously a popular figure among players, young players can learn a lot from him and Juan still can be useful in certain games. I don't have any issues with him getting extra 12 months here as long as the wages aren't something stupid.
 
No real issues with him staying for another year. He’s clearly been absent for a while due to his personal circumstances & he’ll hopefully return to the squad and be involved more regularly now.

It’s classy for the club to support him during this time, they’ve kept his personal matters private. A contract weighted heavily in a pay-per-appearance would suit, he can be useful in certain matches.
 
Somewhat puzzling considering his current contract included a 12 month extension option for the club. The only reason to offer a new deal would presumably be to offer a lower salary than the existing option included.
 
He will play about 10 games next season
 
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