I remember a pre-season game where the two of them linked up constantly and thinking that they could be great together. The combination of Bruno’s eye for a pass and Mata’s clever movement really caught the eye. Have they ever started any other matches together before tonight?! Seems like a big oversight, if not.
Mata-Bruno combo
- Thread starter Pogue Mahone
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Pretty sure it happened in the EL before the covid break and they looked great together back then too.
Thats what Mata can bring but needs players on the same wavelength. He had it with Herrera too
Maybe it was EL I was thinking of? It was a low stress match anyway.
They’re good mates off the pitch too. Shame Mata’s legs have gone.
Mata is old but his game brain is still levels above most and on a par with Ronaldo and Bruno. Remember the season where he and Herrera played so well together. May not have the pace (never really did) but his footballing brain has been under used in the last couple of years.
Anyway thanks for the service wish him all the best wherever he ends up. Great ovation when he got subbed.
Anyway thanks for the service wish him all the best wherever he ends up. Great ovation when he got subbed.
I honestly think Mata still has something left in the tank. For a well run team with a coherent strategy
Last season vs Newcastle, Chelsea, and Everton. 3 league matches in a row.
Pretty sure all our playmakers worked best when Mata was with them. For example Mata and Kagawa, Mata and Mkhitaryan.
Would kill for a technical player like him in his prime or Bernardo Silva that we actually utilise under Ten Hag.
Would kill for a technical player like him in his prime or Bernardo Silva that we actually utilise under Ten Hag.
What's the combo? Mata keeps the ball so Bruno can piss it away?
I think if he had a chance to play he could stay for another year, but I dont think he will get to play so maybe better to let him go and have a chance to play at a lower intensity for a couple of years
So funny. Ha ha ha.
Oh he should get out of United as quickly as possible. We didn't use him well even in his prime
Weird post.
Deserves a chance to play regularly for a team somewhere else.
@Solius @Pogue Mahone
I just think the thread is a bit kneejerk. Mata had a good game and Bruno was Bruno.
There isn't a large of sample size to determine if they have good synergy and Mata is out the door anyway.
I just think the thread is a bit kneejerk. Mata had a good game and Bruno was Bruno.
There isn't a large of sample size to determine if they have good synergy and Mata is out the door anyway.
I honestly wish we saw more of that combo when it became clear that Mata's competition for the position (Rashford, Pogba, Lingard) decided to remain sulking wank. When someone like Mata remains as professional as he did, the class is always bound to come back to the surface.
Was it that long ago that Mata came in on his helicopter?!
Bruno in the same sentence when it comes to football IQ as Ronaldo and Mata? Bruno belongs in the Adama Traore category.
Mata always works well with similar intelligent like players. He worked well with Kagawa and Herrera as well. It’s just that for some reason managers don’t seem to want to start him often.
What a knee jerk thread. One game against Brentford that was played like a testimonial and there’s a thread for a combo that didn’t actually do anything as a combo in that game.
Mata/Ronaldo thread fine...but again it was just one game. I might make a jones Varane thread.
Mata/Ronaldo thread fine...but again it was just one game. I might make a jones Varane thread.
That’s it! You don’t actually watch the matches. Explains your amazing ability to consistently talk such complete bollox. That one’s been puzzling me for a while. Finally the penny drops…
That was supposed to happen with Bruno-Pogba combo.
Mind you, it was a game when Bruno (& mata) was not physically fouled throughout the game, which you can't expect even against City or Liverpool.
I’ve got a season ticket W16 W3105 you moron.
If you think that Bruno and Mata last night is thread worthy well that’s on you.
I’d remind you that I’ve backed up my comments with facts and evidence regularly, while you’ve simply posted agenda.
The fact you disagree means nothing to me, you’ve contradicted yourself left right and centre purely based on your like/dislike of a person….you’ve talked so much bollocks in certain threads that it’s hilariously easy to discredit you in other threads.
Imagine your response had someone made this thread about Pogba and Martial, end of season testimonial type game against fecking Brentford. Ones been here 9 years and having a farewell after a very underwhelming career at United, the other just off the back of a terrible season, cost us a chance of top four against Arsenal and gets a thread because he had an ok game and scored a goal. suddenly it’s a massive oversight ? Like the manager doesn’t see them in training? Like Mata hasn’t played 280 games and done little in that time? You’d be all over that.
There would be that and more written for certain….but it’s ok you like these two players so let’s crack on with a thread for some tippy tappy 5 yard passes.
I mean I quite enjoyed the game last night, but the overall feeling was one of disappointment.
I’ve always thought we generally looked better as a team with Mata in it.
He should of had much more of a role here in midfield over the years. He was never a RW.
He should of had much more of a role here in midfield over the years. He was never a RW.
I would say his game brain is above everyone in the team tbh.
Yeah I remember a couple of games where they looked great together pinging 1-2s and running the midfield. I too can’t fathom why they haven’t been picked together more.
Would only sadden me to ponder on their potential together now seeing as its irrelevant anyway.
They had a very brief period at the start of last season where they played together a few times and combined quite well. I think that's about it though.
Lovely guy, and a good performance yesterday.
In those sort of games he could probably last another few years.
But the truth is he probably should have been eased out years back. Instead we went the "maintain value" option for the books.
In those sort of games he could probably last another few years.
But the truth is he probably should have been eased out years back. Instead we went the "maintain value" option for the books.
Promising stuff to see Bruno out wide linking with a #10, hopefully that can be VDB, with Sancho coming on off the other wing, and maybe even another #8, someone technically better than Fred (who isn't terrible, but we need to upgrade). De Jong would be ideal, obviously.
Or if VDB is just the backup #8 and #10, we could well buy someone like Wirtz to link up with Bruno behind a striker with Sancho spreading the play wide on the other wing, and just be unbalanced like current Ajax.
Or if VDB is just the backup #8 and #10, we could well buy someone like Wirtz to link up with Bruno behind a striker with Sancho spreading the play wide on the other wing, and just be unbalanced like current Ajax.
Do you think it could be Bruno on the left and Sancho as the 10? Then perhaps sign someone for the right. Although, ten Hag does like to play with two 8s, rather than a 10.
This has great copypasta potential
Completely unrelated, but this is where I am based too.
Would you do it in a pasata sauce or more of a carbonara?
You have to say Mata was wasted here. Played out of position for 99% of the time. Its too late to talk of Bruno Mata partnership. Obviously in training no great need was seen playing the 2 of them.
Mata is a technical player. These players don't need to be fast. They create room with quick 1-2s, pass and move, letting the ball do the work. They don't need to be bulky and power players off the ball. They use agility and guile.
Our tactics didn't utilise Mata's skillset. Where we play the ball to a front player and expect them to run and put in a cross from the byline, or head to goal.
Our tactics didn't utilise Mata's skillset. Where we play the ball to a front player and expect them to run and put in a cross from the byline, or head to goal.
Yep, agree with this. If anything Mata combined more nicely with Ronaldo, but like you said it was just one game, against an average team.
Yeah I think they only started one game since...which was criminal. I remember posting on here at the time that we needed to get in as many of these technically skilled players into the front four as possible. Sancho is one such who has the technical ability, Rashford not so much. VDB is actually capable of similar, i'm hopeful he can still shine in the right system if we can flood the team with technical players to supplement Ronnie, Sancho, Bruno.