Rate Mata's United career

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Following the Pogba thread and some of the scores I saw people giving him, I thought I'd make this thread to find out what people have made of Mata's career, who moved to United in 2014.

This is a player who, although not the same price as Pogba, came with pretty big expectations of being our main creator in the team and the go to player.

I know he hasn't officially left the club, but his contract expires 30.6.22, so I can't imagine we'd be giving him a new one.

With that in mind, what score out of 10 would people give Mata?

 

[vanderpants]

can we not have a poll like pogba did ?

 

[Man-United]

Not good enough, that's for sure.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

3/10, Pogba 1/10.

 

[Raoul]

Beyond being a nice guy, the two goals against Pool, both of which were better than Forlan's, will be primarily what he's remembered for.

 

[marktan]

3/10. Gets a pass for being a nice guy but hasn't done anything in about 5 years and was average when he did play, all the while picking up large wages.

In reality he was just too slow and weak for the modern game.

Pogba at least had extended periods where he was good, under both Mourinho and Ole's first year post lockdown.

 

[Samid]

3/10. Bang average. Waste of space. Thanks for Juanfield but that's about it in 8 years.

 

[dove]

5. Average but gets a bonus point for not being a prick and for all the hugs he gave.

 

[RedDevil@84]

I know he hasn't officially left the club, but his contract expires 30.6.22, so I can't imagine we'd be giving him a new one.

Let us not get too ahead of ourselves. There is still a last hug contract chance.

On the topic, I would give 4/10.
Wish I could give him more, because I genuinely believe we had a good no 10 on our hands a decade back and we wasted everyone's time by forcing him to play the RW role which he sucked at. And then after few years, he became second choice, occasionally doing well, but playing mostly with the B team. The contract extensions, especially the one that we gave him last summer was absolutely stupid.

Brownie points for not mouthing off to media at every opportunity.

 

[phelans shorts]

Significantly worse than Pogba.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Significantly worse than Pogba.

Some of the scores in the Pogba thread are embarrassing. Some emotional people around.

 

[Luffy]

1 broken heart. No more Mr. Nice Guy.

 

[R.N7]

He's definitely staying another year.

 

[phelans shorts]

Some of the scores in the Pogba thread are embarrassing. Some emotional people around.

for what it’s worth I gave Pogba a 4, which I’d consider fair. Hard to see how Mata gets that high for his performances.

 

[dove]

Some of the scores in the Pogba thread are embarrassing. Some emotional people around.

It's probably something to do with the expectations we had for him, and well... him being a cnut quite often.

 

[Abraxas]

The wrong signing, quite frankly. I wouldn't say he's been a non-performer in the sense I think he's performed as would be expected given the way the game has progressed and his skillset. He has looked classy but ultimately a yard or two off being useful. You haven't exactly seen him tearing up trees for Spain in a long time either, so it's not club specific.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Worse than Pogba but only because he’s hung around too long.
I have Pogba a 5 and will give Mata a 4.

 

[Fingeredmouse]

Probably about 3. And I'd give Pogba 5 in comparison.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Helicopter arrival was the peak.

 

[diarm]

On the pitch, hasn't done any more than Pogba really.

Off the pitch, he has been professional and respectful at all times - which is why few will have a bad word to say about him when he does leave.

 

[mu4c_20le]

I honestly cannot remember the expectations back then. Feels like another signing that didn't make sense, that we took anyway because the opportunity was presented to us. Woody had just been turned down by half of Europe.

 

[RC89]

4/10

 

[Castia]

Pogba 3
Lingard 4
Mata 4

Being a nice guy doesn’t cut it. Way to slow for the modern game.

I will see he was shoehorned on the wings a lot when his best position is through the middle but still.

 

[Dec9003]

A lot better than he’s being rated in here imo.

 

[Bobski]

Disappointing in the main, was never the creative force we hoped he would be, too often settled for safe passing options. Probably the best part of his game was his finishing and ability to sniff out a chance in the box. 37yo Giggs was a far better player than Mata ever was for Utd.

 

[stevoc]

Following the Pogba thread and some of the scores I saw people giving him, I thought I'd make this thread to find out what people have made of Mata's career, who moved to United in 2014.

This is a player who, although not the same price as Pogba, came with pretty big expectations of being our main creator in the team and the go to player.

I know he hasn't officially left the club, but his contract expires 30.6.22, so I can't imagine we'd be giving him a new one.

With that in mind, what score out of 10 would people give Mata?

He hasn't delivered on those expectations but on the other hand was he ever really given a chance?

Moyes didn't know what to do with him, we already had Rooney, Kagawa and Fellaini when Mata was signed.

Van Gaal and Mourinho shunted him out on the right wing a position he's obviously not suited for. Jose occasionally tried him centrally but as soon as he lost a physical battle he was back out waddling about on the right.

I like Mata and I was a fan of his before he joined United but I honestly have no idea why he's stayed this long. He's been nothing but a bit part player for the best part of 4 seasons now.

 

[BuzzKillington]

He was always better as a double act with Herrera as they were the only players we had who seemed to understand the concept of pass and move. Ander left and that was the end of Mata’s United career.

Nice bloke, good footballer, not a good fit for us or what the premier league became. 4.5/10.

 

[R0nald0]

I think 4/10 is fair. He's not delivered but a large reason for this is the way in which we play. If he had joined City, he would have been incredible in their system and way of playing under Pep.

Nice guy
Super professional (good role model for youth)
Always gave 100% - very visible in the last few games where he was levels above every other player in effort
Very technical, poor physicality

Good player, not for our system

 

[harms]

4/10 probably? Such a lovely player and character, but he was finished by the time he moved here, despite the relatively young age. I genuinely forgot about his existence from time to time during the past few years.

We’ll always have Juanfield though. Hugs!

 

[Moriarty]

I like Mata and I was a fan of his before he joined United but I honestly have no idea why he's stayed this long. He's been nothing but a bit part player for the best part of 4 seasons now.

I like him too. A valuable resident of the Old Trafford retirement community (Pres. E. Woodward).

 

[Reapersoul20]

Pogba was a 1/10 for me. Mata gets a 4 as he isn't as insufferable.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

It's probably something to do with the expectations we had for him, and well... him being a cnut quite often.

So you're not sticking to footballing reasons then? Fair enough!

 

[mctrials23]

11/10 lovely guy.

United career, 4/10. Square peg in a round hole. Same with Sancho. Buying players because of their skills and ignoring the fact they don't remotely fit into the way we play.

Was a brilliant player at Chelsea but we never ever played to his strengths.

Unfortunately another player kept for far too long on too high wages who was never a good fit. Model professional by all accounts though and I really like him. Not animosity towards him at all which is more than I can say for many of our players.

 

[Reiver]

Mata's highs were probably not as high as Pogba's, nor his lows as low.
Don't know what number to rate him but we only saw glimpses of him at his best.

 

[Withnail]

Strange signing. We didn't need him and rarely used him in his position. Whenever he did play he was shunted out to the wing. Possibly a case of what might have been but tended to seem a bit lightweight in the middle.

 

[Salus Populi Suprema Lex]

I would give Mata 5/10. A wonderfully gifted technical player, he never really found the form his Chelsea days. Became anonymous in his final years, but was a terrific little player in his pomp. A really lovely man, too.

 

[RVN1991]

3/10, Pogba 1/10.

Exact same. Doesn't get enough stick as Pogba because he's far more likable and didn't come with the same expectation but another waste of a signing for sure.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

6/10

Mata's highs were probably not as high as Pogba's, nor his lows as low.
Don't know what number to rate him but we only saw glimpses of him at his best.

It gets higher then Juanfield??

 

[Nicolarra90]

6/10 until 2018.

Overall 4/10, same as Pogba.

 

[OrcaFat]

I gave Pogba 4. I like Mata and he did just as much as Pogba in his first two or three seasons but couldn’t get into the team after that. So I don’t see how I can give Mata more than 3.

For reference, on this scale I give Kagawa 2 and Park 6.