[Kapardin]

He looks absolutely knackered to me. Sadly, Mourinho's "give everything or give nothing" attitude to selecting players tells me he wont get a rest anytime soon.

I doubt Mourinho and Matic haven't talked about it and assessed whether they are both willing to go ahead with it. Or you think the manager hardly talks to the players about their fatigue levels, and players never tell a manager when they are tired?

 

[FujiVice]

I doubt Mourinho and Matic haven't talked about it and assessed whether they are both willing to go ahead with it. Or you think the manager hardly talks to the players about their fatigue levels, and players never tell a manager when they are tired?

Well done for assuming something I didnt even hint at. The facts are his performance levels are down over the last month or so, and he's played every single game. Adding to the fact of Mourinho's history of always playing certain players whether logic says otherwise.

 

[Adisa]

We've run him into the ground.

 

[Devil may care]

I don't know how much the longer the tired excuse is going to hold water, today I felt lack of mobility was the issue and that's not about tiredness, it's an issue with him in general when facing a pressing team.

 

[el3mel]

Didn't watch the first half but I thought the second half was very decent from him ?

 

[R'hllor]

Whats happening now isnt for the first time, it happened before with same main leads of that movie.

 

[FootyGirl88]

I think he's run out of gas, I think till the end of the season we should play a 3 man midfield to help him out more.

 

[kundalini]

First half was shambolic, though clearly a lot of players struggled in part due to Sanchez not tracking back enough. Better 2nd half.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Decent game, but not sure he had to start today. As others have said, he ran more than he probably should have, due to Sanchez not tracking back. Maybe that was Jose's tactic, though. He used to do the same with Ronaldo, as his quality in the final third made up for his lack of work going back.

 

[Adam-Utd]

First half he was absolutely piss poor, he and Carrick were trying to do the same job and both ended up marking nobody half the time.

2nd half he was better as he sat deeper, and we didn't allow them much space. It still worries me though how easily people run passed him. He's running in sand at the moment.

 

[westmeath]

I think he's run out of gas, I think till the end of the season we should play a 3 man midfield to help him out more.

Totally agree, he's been carrying the MF singlehandedly all season, looks tired / injured and needs help.

 

[breakout67]

The 'run out of gas' theory is most likely true. We are not a team that covers a lot of distance on the pitch, however Matic is almost always covering a lot of distance compared to other team mates.

He isn't getting tired from not having enough rest; but the accumulation of games where he is doing too much work.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Hopefully if Herrera and Pogba get back to reasonable fitness and performance levels we can make use of Carrick and McTominay to give Matic some time off.

Looks slower and more lethargic than the more senior Carrick at the moment.

 

[breakout67]

Hopefully if Herrera and Pogba get back to reasonable fitness and performance levels we can make use of Carrick and McTominay to give Matic some time off.

Looks slower and more lethargic than the more senior Carrick at the moment.

Giving Matic rest will probably not improve his energy levels significantly; because the problem is not his fitness but the tactical system he is playing in. He is effectively playing as a one man midfield, because Pogba is not a particularly good presser of the ball and his defensive awareness is lacking. And of course Pogba loves going forward.

He is overloading his body in most games he plays; because he is doing the running for 1.5 people. Overloading your body is fine for a special circumstance, but he does it in most games he plays.

Matic is very good at shielding the back 4; but he is also our main midfield presser so his workload is very high.

 

[automaticflare]

Well done for assuming something I didnt even hint at. The facts are his performance levels are down over the last month or so, and he's played every single game. Adding to the fact of Mourinho's history of always playing certain players whether logic says otherwise.

Maybe it’s because he is getting flogged in a midfield 2 with pogba and is absolutely shattered

Think Jose has to take a hit on that I think would be much better to have someone picking up a little more of the donkey work and freeing up pogba

 

[Super Mokh]

Looks absolutely knackered by the end of the whistle. Definitely needs a rest if given the opportunity.

 

[The Mitcher]

He's been given a few rests already.

 

[kundalini]

In his last 3 full seasons for Chelsea before joining United he played:

3147 mins last season
3083 mins in 2015/6
4148 mins in 2014/5

Prior to that:

3512 mins in 2013/4 split between Benfica in the autumn and Chelsea after Christmas
3988 mins in 2012/3 for Benfica

This season he has 2878 mins. We have a minimum of 14 games left. So far he has started every PL match and 4 out of 6 CL fixtures. Huddersfield was his first start in a domestic cup competition this season, though he came on as a sub against Swansea.

(Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup not included in the figures above. Nor are international appearances)

 

[prath92]

I think he plays reserved in games like this. Not exerting a lot of influence and conserving energy for the game on Wednesday maybe

 

[haram]

He looked tired and lethargic at times. Midfield lacked legs in general.

 

[Adisa]

To be fair, he had a knack for playing well in first half of the season at Chelsea and then dropping his form.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

He is more one footed than Giggs it’s quite frustrating tbh. Everything he does has to be on his left foot.

 

[Varun]

He is more one footed than Giggs it’s quite frustrating tbh. Everything he does has to be on his left foot.

Of all the things to be frustrated about. Did Giggsy struggle? Messi?

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Of all the things to be frustrated about. Did Giggsy struggle? Messi?

No but they are in different areas of the pitch, it just really annoys me when he picks the ball up on the edge of our own box and stumbles about and spins around trying to get it on his left foot, It just slows the whole team down plus He has lost possession quite a few times in dangerous areas because of this.

 

[Varun]

No but they are in different areas of the pitch, it just really annoys me when he picks the ball up on the edge of our own box and stumbles about and spins around trying to get it on his left foot, It just slows the whole team down plus He has lost possession quite a few times in dangerous areas because of this.

There are very fee truly 2 footed players though, it'd be great if he was but hardly much of a problem. I do think he looks a bit off pace though which results in the things you mentioned.

 

[meninred]

Matic in chelsea has kante - a two men defensive midfield if you will.here he is by himself.

 

[Giant Midget]

Seeing him with the ball is like watching someone play FIFA with severe lag.

Fecking release it quicker Nemanja

 

[Hammondo]

Defensively hes been fantastic.

 

[100]

Banega allowed to kick whoever he wants because Nzonzi has been booked.

 

[bosnian_red]

As soon as Herrera is fit, he should take over from Matic as the main defensive mid. Matic has been fecking awful for months, looked about 40 years old out there

 

[Mr Anderson]

Matic has the unique ability to find anyone that isn’t in a United shirt.

Passing is really really poor/sloppy

 

[arthurka]

Hasn't really been worthy of his place in the team for two months .. But with all of the lot being injured or playing like Donkeys we will have to play him ..

 

[NinjaFletch]

I think he's been excellent and is the only member of that midfield pulling his weight tbh.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Great positionally but distribution has been really poor from him.

 

[ivaldo]

Seeing him with the ball is like watching someone play FIFA with severe lag.

Fecking release it quicker Nemanja

Was saying this a while ago when he was getting man of the matches.

 

[Kag]

He's been absolutely terrible, again. It's difficult to pick out the positive interceptions when he constantly undermines them by giving the ball away.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Been shite for ages now. This is exactly why I had huge reservations about signing him even though the 'know it alls' on here abused me for my opinions on him.

To be fair he started great and I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He's fully reverted back to the Chelsea form which made me not want to go near him. Oh well.

 

[bosnian_red]

Worst player on the pitch by a massive margin

 

[DWelbz19]

He's really tired, guys. Tired of playing central midfielders who absolutely dominate him.

 

[BD]

It's hilarious how calm he is when giving the ball away in our own half.