I'm worried by how much he is playing. Even last night we should've replaced him with Herrera instead of Mata coming off. Does he have any games with Serbia in the upcoming break? Hopefully not which means a 2 week break until Newcastle by which time Pogba and Fellaini should be back.
31
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 49
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 6
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He's brilliant, exactly the kind of midfielder we had needed for many years. My Chelsea supporting mate has all season told me to just wait, he will turn to shit. Still waiting fam. He was quite mediocre the last couple years yes, granted he played a vastly different role in Conte's system than he does here. Just needed a change of scenario, Matic. That's why I'd like to see Mesut here.
Agreed. He seems to be fit and fresh enough but the busy period is only about to start. He should have come off after 65mins or so
He's brilliant. Really a 9/10 season for me so far.
Some of his passing last night was just brilliant. Although with every brilliant forward pass we just ended up giving it back the field.
Some of his passing last night was just brilliant. Although with every brilliant forward pass we just ended up giving it back the field.
Serbia has friendlies against China and South Korea. Squads were announced the other day and Matic was included, so he will fly to and back from Asia which is a 13-15 hour flight from Manchester and play 2 games in 4 days for Serbia all in a span of 1 week
Honestly stupid decision to play friendlies in Asia, doesn't help anyone travelling so far in the middle of a season.
So good. But he reallllly needs a rest and we just can't afford to rest him at present. It's worrying.
Can't he pick up a 'knock' and begrudgingly miss these fecking pointless friendlies?
Same goes for anyone else called up. With our injury history it wouldn't look out of place.
Same goes for anyone else called up. With our injury history it wouldn't look out of place.
Matic has been superb for us.
Player of the season so far.
Player of the season so far.
When he was at Chelsea, I used to think why people say he is a great player. He do not score goals or give assist. He also do not get in news so often, they why is he rated higher? But when he came to United I watched his game and then realized that he is one of the best midfielder in the world.
Easily our player of the season so far, he's been excellent.
He isn't quite the type of signing that grabs headlines, but every team needs a player of his ilk and he is such a reliable and consistent performer. Different kind of player, but Chelsea allowing him to leave for United reminds me a bit of Leeds selling Cantona to United back in the 90s. Hard to believe that either Leeds or Chelsea will look back on these transfers as a wise move under any circumstances.
To say Chelsea's loss is United's gain is a huge understatement.
To say Chelsea's loss is United's gain is a huge understatement.
He has become my favourite player. So calm and composed. Wonderful to watch.
wondering about his consistency through season so far. its something missed about others.
He's a Rolls Royce of a midfielder. I've spent much of the last 4 years struggling to make a connection with any of our players but I've quickly come to love him. Hopefully Carrick gets fit soon, so he can have a break from running this team.
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Chelsea 1:0 Man Utd
Played ok compared to most of the team but a bit careless at times. Still questions have to be asked since our midfield did get over-run.
I noticed that he's very slow on the ball. He takes at least one or two extra touch before releasing it. Hopefullly playmaking duty will return to Pogba soon
That's really his first poor game for us.
Don't think he played poorly at all, he was getting pressed most of the game and it doesn't help that Herrera and Mhki are completely useless going forward. The man damn well does everything in the midfield.
How many games in midfield is he single handedly going to carry for us. High time pog returned and replaces Herrera who's managed to become half the player he was last season.
He was poor in the first half, got better in the second. It would help a lot if he passed the ball quicker, our tempo gets slowed down a lot because of it.
He was decent.
He was better than Herrera
He was not decent. Kept faffing about with the ball and was always a step behind without it. Fabregas had the easiest game in his life and Bakayoko kept walking through our midfield without a second thought.
I know that's not solely Matic's fault but he wasn't good. There was none of his usual composure and sure passing. We couldn't keep the ball for more than 5 passes and when that happens the midfield most likely did not do its job well.
I know that's not solely Matic's fault but he wasn't good. There was none of his usual composure and sure passing. We couldn't keep the ball for more than 5 passes and when that happens the midfield most likely did not do its job well.
He was the only one of the 3 in midfield with any composure and any ability to protect and use the ball.
Thought he was our best player tbh. Kept the ball well, and always tried to go forward and be positive. Granted, not everything came off but at least he was trying to make things happen.
Best player.
It's embarrassing how utterly reliant our midfield is on him.
It's embarrassing how utterly reliant our midfield is on him.
Best player for me too. Thought he was good.
Might have been at fault for goal. Seemed to want to double mark Hazard along with Bailly instead of occupying his position on the left-centre part of the pitch.
Matic is a top player, I don't have any questions over his ability.
There aren't many in the squad I feel the same about.
To a certain extent today he was hung out to dry by Herrera and Mhiki.
There aren't many in the squad I feel the same about.
To a certain extent today he was hung out to dry by Herrera and Mhiki.
The goal is result of series systematic failure. It's hard to pin point one of our players as main culprit. Matic was protecting the area where an easy pass can release Hazard or a free shot in goal. Chelsea could have approached that build up different with a pass to Bakayoko and an one two between him there if Matic moved back. From the start of the build up, Matic ain't supposed to mark Morata.
I pointed out in Smalling thread, that the key moment is when the ball was casually transited from Chelsea left wing to Azpillicueta on the right side of the pitch. The lack of intensity from Mkhi to press & force error on Cesc pass to Azpillicueta. Good intense pressing and Cesc might have choose a different passage for his pass.
Well, we had Herrera and Mkhi on that side of the pitch. Herrera can close down Kante and Mkhi can close Fabregas. Hazard can be picked up by one of the CBs.
If Matic had been on that side of the pitch, i'm not sure the pass would have been made. Azpilicueta moved up because of the space. Secondly, Azpilicueta wouldn't have been able to run forward with the ball and make the cross if Matic was there.
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The problem is Mkhi has been invisible and pretty much being bypass. In the build up, Mkhi failed to press Cesc as I described as the key where we still had the chance to change thing. Matic role is control the the area he ended up when Morata scored. If you rewatched the whole sequence of this goal, you can see Matic had faced up the entire time where Morata always considerable distance away from him.
I meant Azpillicueta would cut left into the space Matic was in this situation. The play would be different but it's easy pass for Azpillicueta to play and there would load of space for someone like Hazard to pull his shot.
@ti vu
Re-watching it, I can see Rashford looking over his shoulder to Bakayoko. He tries to cut off the pass to Bakayoko then when Fabregas passes to Azpilicueta he has to stretch and ends up missing it. This wouldn't have happened if Matic was marking Bakayoko.
I think Matic's role was to control the left-centre position mostly. Herrera was to control the right-centre and Mkhi was further forward. Matic is too pre-occupied with Hazard, IMO. He tries to mark him when he could leave him to Bailly and ends up getting dragged to the other side of the pitch. He should have let the defenders do their job, which was to step up and engage Hazard.
Re-watching it, I can see Rashford looking over his shoulder to Bakayoko. He tries to cut off the pass to Bakayoko then when Fabregas passes to Azpilicueta he has to stretch and ends up missing it. This wouldn't have happened if Matic was marking Bakayoko.
I think Matic's role was to control the left-centre position mostly. Herrera was to control the right-centre and Mkhi was further forward. Matic is too pre-occupied with Hazard, IMO. He tries to mark him when he could leave him to Bailly and ends up getting dragged to the other side of the pitch. He should have let the defenders do their job, which was to step up and engage Hazard.
Just an all-round shit show and everyone is to blame in my opinion. Marking out and/or booting Hazard seemed to be the second half's directive. Can't fault Matic in general, I still don't think he works with Herrera as the pressing midfielder. Something about it just doesn't combine at all. Strange, on paper you would think having Matic as the anchor and having Herrera as the free pressing playmaker would be a legitimate strategy. There you go.
Was out of position for the goal. He got away with it similar laziness against Spurs when Eriksen was moved toward his side and all of a sudden got back into the game. Its becoming more and more clear why Chelsea were happy to let him leave.
Edit: Fixed a sentence.
Edit: Fixed a sentence.
Jesus wept.
Ah I see, it was Herrera and Mickys fault he was shit yesterday 
Really needs to move the call quicker. He’s been caught dallying on the ball a fair bit in recent games.
Really needs to move the call quicker. He’s been caught dallying on the ball a fair bit in recent games.
How was he to move the ball quicker when as soon as he got it, our attacking players made runs away from him. There's only so many times you can hoof the ball. No one was looking to take the ball to feet. Look at Chelsea for example, any time the midfielder received the ball deep they always had another midfielder screaming for the ball in space.Ah I see, it was Herrera and Mickys fault he was shit yesterday
Really needs to move the call quicker. He’s been caught dallying on the ball a fair bit in recent games.
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