[Yagami]

If we're going to throw him in at a time like that, it makes you think why he's got so little game time before.

If you think he's good enough to impact a game of this magnitude, play him more. It's not like the alternatives are doing anything even if Mata stinks the place up.

 

[Godfather]

Was pure comedy to see him out there again

 

[PoTMS]

He is everything wrong with United personified. Nice enough guy but he should not be on the bench, let alone playing games for United on the big stage. Today's appearance was about as strange as Powell against Wolfsburg.

 

[EtH]

MOTM

 

[sullydnl]

Absolutely shouldn't be playing for us any more but, simultaneously, was as good an option as we had to bring on at that point. Which says a lot.

Also fact that he has featured so little has meant he hasn't had a chance to actively aggravate me this season. So bonus points there.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

He is everything wrong with United personified. Nice enough guy but he should not be on the bench, let alone playing games for United on the big stage. Today's appearance was about as strange as Powell against Wolfsburg.

When you can say that after that sub appearance by Rashford then I can't really take it seriously.

He was our 2nd best sub tonight... Which says more about the rest then him, but still.

 

[Based Adnan]

2022 and we're bringing Mata off the bench to win us a game...

 

[red woppit]

Always had a lot of time for Mata, but his tenure at OT has been up for a while. I can see why Rangnick brought him on, but we didn't have a midfield to back him up, and get him into the areas where he can create something.
Hannibal should get his spot on the bench I feel, will do him more good than Mata.

 

[Suedesi]

Was pure comedy to see him out there again

I started laughing when I saw him subbed on

 

[Castia]

Barely kicked a ball in 12 months (whilst pocketing 100k+ a week) yet gets thrown in to turn a huge European tie? embarrassing.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Better than Rashford. We should have play him more as super sub than Rashford. Mata knows how to pass the ball at least.

 

[Cro]

In a well run club he would have been gone two years ago due to his even more declining athleticism, but I still had more faith in him finding a pass through that Atlético defense, than from any other sub.

Also he was one of the only players, who was interested in taking a quick free kick and playing football near the end. Tells a lot about the state we are in, but also that he has the right mentality and probably is one of the few players in this team who is real professional and a classy person.

 

[antsmithmk]

A years renewal after that cameo.

 

[Bwuk]

Let’s be honest, he’s a better option off the bench than Rashford atm

 

[flameinthesun]

I started laughing when I saw him subbed on

As a hail mary surely subbing on a youngster like Mejbri who has energy, fight and would try to attack the game would make more sense than subbing on Mata at that stage. Its one area I am critical of Ralf, imagine Fergie instead fo subbing on Macheda he put on his version of Mata.

 

[Oranges038]

It was like a pub team throwing on the lad who used to be good because he might just do something.

 

[Josh 76]

It was like a pub team throwing on the lad who used to be good because he might just do something.

It was more like a pub team who just saw one their old players walking the dog, and asked him to help out!

 

[united for life]

It was like a pub team throwing on the lad who used to be good because he might just do something.

it’s a shame how he was treated over the last 2 years. Sidelined with almost no game time. He is not 50,. Had he had more play time, I am sure he would have kept match fitness and contributed to the team. Not as a regular starter, but at least as a rotation player to rest bruno. We renewed his contract and gave him front row seats to games, no game time. That is stupid

 

[VanDeBank]

it’s a shame how he was treated over the last 2 years.

No other club on the planet would pay him what we have these last 2 years.
Maybe he shouldve gotten a bit more game time and maybe that's what Ole promised him, but he's been fairly compensated.

 

[Sylar]

its come full circle.

Remember that time he was playing well in a must win CL game and LVG took him off for Nick freakin Powell, who had like ten minutes of game time?

Well now, a must win game in the CL, and Mata comes on in a situation everybody knew would make no difference.

 

[united for life]

No other club on the planet would pay him what we have these last 2 years.
Maybe he shouldve gotten a bit more game time and maybe that's what Ole promised him, but he's been fairly compensated.

you are taking this out of context. I said he could’ve been used as a rotation player and it was stupid to give him a contract and not play him. I literally said that..

 

[VanDeBank]

you are taking this out of context. I said he could’ve been used as a rotation player and it was stupid to give him a contract and not play him. I literally said that..

Yeah I agree with most of what you said. He's been misused, not mistreated.

 

[James Peril]

Yesterday someone at work started to talk ablut dial-up modems and I laughed to myself, those were the days. When I saw him come on, I got that strange feeling, some kind of deja vu. Seriously, Juan Mata is 45 years old now and really shouldn’t be playing for Manchester United in the CL when we need a goal.

 

[L1nk]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Ace of Spades]

Thank feck. He has been a model pro, but he needs to go.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

I loved Juan Mata when he played for us, what was that, about 5 or 6 years ago? Lovely man. What's he been up to these past several years?

 

[RedDevil@84]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

His contract does not run till end of season?

 

[GuyfromAustria]

His contract does not run till end of season?

I'm sure it does, "final weeks" most likely means till end of June ... so 14 weeks.

 

[sincher]

it’s a shame how he was treated over the last 2 years. Sidelined with almost no game time. He is not 50,. Had he had more play time, I am sure he would have kept match fitness and contributed to the team. Not as a regular starter, but at least as a rotation player to rest bruno. We renewed his contract and gave him front row seats to games, no game time. That is stupid

Yes I agree, he is a quality player who we should have been using more, not less. The lack of opportunities has accelerated his decline in a major way.

 

[GuyfromAustria]

Just checked, the last time he played over 2000 minutes in the Premier League (which isn't even 60% of a full season) was in 2015/16.

 

[DWelbz19]

Just checked, the last time he played over 2000 minutes in the Premier League (which isn't even 60% of a full season) was in 2015/16.

It's actually mental. He's had the cosiest job in the PL for years on end.

 

[Foxbatt]

Nice chap. Should have moved into coaching earlier.

 

[Sylar]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Unlikely....
Guess gotta cover your bases in case we are silly enough to give him one thinking its a cheaper option than actually going into the market (not that hes actually a key figure or anything)

Yesterday someone at work started to talk ablut dial-up modems and I laughed to myself, those were the days. When I saw him come on, I got that strange feeling, some kind of deja vu. Seriously, Juan Mata is 45 years old now and really shouldn’t be playing for Manchester United in the CL when we need a goal.

Its kinda crazy, hes only 33. He certainly should have either been moved on or given more minutes. One of the two. Instead we did neither.

 

[sullydnl]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Seven years ago! Time flies when you're having very little fun.

 

[sillwuka]

Would a smaller prem team pick him up for next season?

 

[Born2Lose]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

If I've learned one thing over the past decade it's to never underestimate the incompetence of the Glazers.

 

[Based Adnan]

Awful signing that should have been moved on 6 years ago

 

[King29]

How is he only 33 that's insane...

 

[Xanther]

Weird to think that the 3 Chelsea boys, Lukaku, Mata and Matic each played more for Utd than Chelsea. I still think of them as Chelsea guys

 

[MadDogg]

Weird to think that the 3 Chelsea boys, Lukaku, Mata and Matic each played more for Utd than Chelsea. I still think of them as Chelsea guys

Yep, I've always felt like that with Mata. He's now been here over triple the amount of time he was at Chelsea (8 and a half seasons compared to 2 and a half), but I still think of him more as a Chelsea player. Actually maybe that's finally starting to fade now, but it was certainly true for me 2 or so seasons ago.