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2020-21 Performances


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5.9 Season Average Rating
Appearances
18
Goals
3
Assists
3
Yellow cards
0
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Paul_Scholes18

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Sep 13, 2014
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13,891
Amazing pass. That alone makes him man of the match. Sorry Rashford, Pogba and Bruno.

Also it was him coming on that turned the game for us. Maybe not by him, but Martial didn't do much.
 

FletchTheHero

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Nov 3, 2007
Messages
34
I felt that with the introduction of Mata, AWB got the much needed support in defense. Mata was closing down on his man and that in turn, help to stop West Ham from overloading on the right side given Greenwood' penchant not to track back. His arrival really introduced much needed balance to the game and establish a platform for us to start gaining back momentum.
 

youngrell

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2 goals, 3 assists and 2 MOTM in 8 games is a lovely return so far from Juan. Hopefully he can keep it up for another 10-15 games this season.

They will be vital contributions.
 

sullydnl

Ross Kemp's caf ID
Joined
Sep 13, 2012
Messages
34,063
How much do you think he's worth? 60K? Do you think he'll accept that kind of downgrade? Lets be real.
He's performing exactly as he should in the squad role he has and is one of the senior leadership figures in the dressing room, so should still get paid in line with that. That isn't 160k a week but it isn't 60k a week either ffs. Why on earth would Juan Mata be worth less than what we pay Phil Jones, Eric Bailly, Jesse Lingard and third choice goalkeeper Sergio Romero? Like you said, let's be real.
 

Murder on Zidane's Floor

You'd better not kill Giroud
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Derided because of his stature but one of one three people in the club, perhaps two who can play that pass, first time, in that space, with that weight.
 

Bwuk

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Feb 29, 2012
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17,282
The assist was a great bit of play. I’m a big fan of Mata, happy to keep him around if he’s happy as a squad player.

Id rather him come off the bench than Lingard, James etc.
 
Joined
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Messages
13,122
I don’t care about actual numbers, and the numbers reported are all an educated guess in any case.

I’d he gets paid as a senior squad player, than I’m very happy for him to be here. It’s not exactly as if he’s going to lose strength or pace over the next couple of years!

good player to have around.
 

SAFMUTD

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Mar 14, 2018
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He's performing exactly as he should in the squad role he has and is one of the senior leadership figures in the dressing room, so should still get paid in line with that. That isn't 160k a week but it isn't 60k a week either ffs. Why on earth would Juan Mata be worth less than what we pay Phil Jones, Eric Bailly, Jesse Lingard and third choice goalkeeper Sergio Romero? Like you said, let's be real.
The fact that we severely overpay our players, even the worst ones, doesnt mean we should continue to do so.

Mata should not earn more that what a squad player should I think 60K is more than fair.
 

90 + 5min

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Aug 8, 2019
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Brilliant, brilliant player. Maybe with best football knowledge in our team.

Clone him. Let him "give" some DNA and in 20 years time, get a team full of Mata playing in every position in 4-2-3-1 system.
 

90 + 5min

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I felt that with the introduction of Mata, AWB got the much needed support in defense. Mata was closing down on his man and that in turn, help to stop West Ham from overloading on the right side given Greenwood' penchant not to track back. His arrival really introduced much needed balance to the game and establish a platform for us to start gaining back momentum.
You don't need to feel. That is exactly what happened. I said in post match thread that his intruduction made us more balanced and Mata shut down the right side while making contribution offensivly.
 

Steven7290

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Mar 8, 2013
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Ñāqa hen Amērika
Am I imagining it or did he hit a really similar assist for Chelsea in a big match? Maybe in a CL final?

Or perhaps I’m thinking of a David Sliva pass in a game against United?

My memory is so screwed.

Anyway. It was absolutely fecking glorious
Your memory is not playing tricks on you, he definitely did play that same pass at Chelsea I think to Hazard? Cant be bother to look.

Now IIRC he played a somewhat identical pass like that for us before too.
 

anant

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
Feb 28, 2015
Messages
8,258
Surely he has to get into coaching young players?
He is doing his coaching badges actually, and wouldn't be surprised if we just kept him on till he retired with him being a player-coach in his last season
 
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KungPaoChicken

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Joined
Oct 24, 2015
Messages
54
He is doing his coaching badges actually, and wouldn't be surprised if we just kept him on till he retired with him being a player-coach in his last season
Wouldnt be suprised if he retired here only to be employed in an ambassador/coaching role afterwards. He is such a professional who seems to love the game, according to other players and people who have met him he is an overall very lovable guy. His girlfriend is Swedish so dont think the Spanish weather is that much of a pull :)
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Oct 31, 2012
Messages
33,745
Derided because of his stature but one of one three people in the club, perhaps two who can play that pass, first time, in that space, with that weight.
It’s the speed of thought too. Bruno and Pogba are probably the only ones in the side with the same level of natural game intelligence to see and play a pass that cleverly.
 

CM10

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Jul 24, 2014
Messages
7,275
We scored 3 right after he came on. Brilliant little player.
He helped sort the balance of the team. Greenwood on the right wasn't working, when he moved central he had two good chances - one of which he buried.

It's worth considering giving Mata a start v Leipzig, especially if Cavani and/or Martial are out.
 

Bobcat

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Feb 2, 2014
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Behind the curtains, leering at the neighbors
2 goals, 3 assists and 2 MOTM in 8 games is a lovely return so far from Juan. Hopefully he can keep it up for another 10-15 games this season.

They will be vital contributions.
I honestly thought he would join the long list of deadwood this year, but hes proven me wrong and then some. He might have lost the spring in his step, but his understanding and technical ability is a level above everyone bar Bruno
 

arthurka

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Jan 20, 2010
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I honestly thought he would join the long list of deadwood this year, but hes proven me wrong and then some. He might have lost the spring in his step, but his understanding and technical ability is a level above everyone bar Bruno
Agree with this he is such a classy player. Always thought he could be fantastic for teams who move the ball quickly and attack directly.
 

youngrell

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Dec 6, 2016
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I honestly thought he would join the long list of deadwood this year, but hes proven me wrong and then some. He might have lost the spring in his step, but his understanding and technical ability is a level above everyone bar Bruno
Agree with this he is such a classy player. Always thought he could be fantastic for teams who move the ball quickly and attack directly.
Yeah, the way he plays is perfect for the intricate passing around the box that we seem to play under Ole, along with his ability to play passes from the middle third like on Saturday. It's just a shame his lack of legs means he doesn't quite fit into the other side of our game.

All of our other options can run as well as play the passes (although not as well as him for the latter).
 

Albin Johansson

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Mar 7, 2017
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He is doing his coaching badges actually, and wouldn't be surprised if we just kept him on till he retired with him being a player-coach in his last season
Among all the ex-players becoming coaches I cannot think of one I'd like to be/stay with us more. Seems like such a genuine, classy and smart guy on and off the pitch, and just as he thrives as an impact sub I feel confident he could do similar as a coach and be schooled from the academy and upwards.

The one worry I have concerns him being just as a smiley guy as the ones we've currently got on our hands. I thought that Carrick would turn into that coach but sometimes i feel that no one among the coaches knows how to scream at the players. It doesn't have to be a fergie or keane kind of hairdryer but at least I think we need someone in there that the players can fear a little.

Just steer clear of Giggs. Maybe Fletch/Keane as an assistant? Although Keanes managerial record isn't convincing he's a proven leader.
 

Isotope

Ten Years a Cafite
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
23,554
Mata showed that there's a place for another playmaker other than Bruno.

Anyway, Mata is just a placeholder for incoming Grealish.

Bruno and Grealish feeding Rashford and Greenwood. F***...
 

acnumber9

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Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
22,253
Plays a great game as sub on Saturday. Doesn’t get on when we need goals tonight because we’re too busy using three of our subs for defenders. Beggars belief.
 

Idxomer

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Aug 3, 2014
Messages
15,014
Mediocrity gets rewarded but real output gets ignored, embarrassing from the coaching staff he didn't get a look in today.
 
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