Where’s Mata?

[TMDaines]

Does anyone else feel that Juan Mata is being underused? I’d have cycled him out of the squad a while ago, but he was playing well at the start of this season and we have barely seen anything of him for months now.

Games like tonight feel well suited for him when your number 10 is going to be playing with his back to goal in tight spaces, which is Mata’s forte. Despite having Bruno, Pogba and VDB, who many would suggest are number 10s, they are all players who you want to get the ball a bit deeper and facing the goal.

There’s a bit of a gap in our squad for someone who can thrive in and around the box against a deep block.

 

[Judas]

I'd have liked him to come on instead of VDB to be honest, which is a tragic admittance of how I view Donny currently, but I trusted Mata to make something happen more.

 

[pocco]

Surprised I'm saying this in 2021, but yes. It was only last month I think when he played his best game in ages, inspiring a close win I think against Sheffield United, believe it or not.

Since then, barely been seen. I think he'd be better vs the low block when the likes of Rashford, Martial and Greenwood aren't working. Plus he links well with Bruno and would probably be on the same wavelength as VDB, so could help bring him into some form.

 

[Yagami]

I've never rated him as highly as most but he should definitely be ahead of Donny in the pecking order.

 

[RedDevil@84]

I have always wanted Mata to come in when the team selected for that day was short on ideas. He has the brains and the movements to make it happen. But for some strange reason, Mata seems to be being phased out. The way it was all stopped suddenly was weird though.
Something similar to what happened to Lingard.

My guess is Ole has been told Mata will not be renewed and to prepare for the future only.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Surprised I'm saying this in 2021, but yes. It was only last month I think when he played his best game in ages, inspiring a close win I think against Sheffield United, believe it or not.

Since then, barely been seen. I think he'd be better vs the low block when the likes of Rashford, Martial and Greenwood aren't working. Plus he links well with Bruno and would probably be on the same wavelength as VDB, so could help bring him into some form.

Fantastic interplay between them in a bunch of games last season. Real pity we haven’t seen more of that combination. Surely worth a crack in a game like today.

 

[lex talionis]

Juan can be a useful asset against a parked bus. A shame Ole disagrees.

 

[JMack1234]

I love Mata but if Ole isn't going to use him against a Sheffield United team parking the bus then he has no future here.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

I'd have liked him to come on instead of VDB to be honest, which is a tragic admittance of how I view Donny currently, but I trusted Mata to make something happen more.

I thought this game was screaming for Mata to come on, along with VdB and Cavani. Mata to the right, Rashford to the left and VdB in midfield. Martial should have been the one pulled at 60 minutes as he was brutal. But in a game where Sheffield is parking the bus we need players with smart passing and movement. As it stands now, I"m not even sure why he's on the bench other than to keep a seat warm. Mata went from being our player of the month in September to barely seeing the field. In a game like today he could have been very important to us...

 

[MadDogg]

This is probably the only game where I would have been tempted to play him, either from the start or as a sub. With the lack of movement I'm not sure if he would have made any difference but I guess he might have linked up well with Bruno at least (and Cavani once he came on).

 

[TheGame]

This is probably the only game where I would have been tempted to play him, either from the start or as a sub. With the lack of movement I'm not sure if he would have made any difference but I guess he might have linked up well with Bruno at least (and Cavani once he came on).

He should have started. Sheff Utd were always going to sit deep and he along with Bruno could have unlocked something. Also could have done with Cavani starting to add some physical presence in the box.

 

[RashyForPM]

I called for him at half-time. Remember how he dominated Norwich last season? He would’ve done the same last night.

 

[VeevaVee]

Weird one, as he should be long, but he can still offer more than a few of those players out there, especially as a sub. That alone is criminal at this point

 

[Fitchett]

I was crying out for Cavani and Mata to come on at half time. Mata is too slow for when we are sitting back and counter attacking, but preferable to Martial, Rashford and Greenwood against a park the bus team. He has the eye for a pass to unlock a tight defence, which many of our players don't have.

 

[kundalini]

Feels like a season in which so many of our players are either physically or mentally exhausted, in some cases probably both, that we could do with contributions from the likes of Mata; do need to be careful to select matches that suit his skill-set.

0 goals + 2 assists in 337 PL mins compares favourably with the productivity we've seen so far from Martial and Greenwood this season.

Looks like it could be Mata's last season at United.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Not even on the bench today which makes me think he's being phased out... But I'd really like to see him come back into our attack in some way... He's at least will offer something different, as his game is based on movement and intelligence.

 

[Judas]

I'd have rather seen him brought on instead of Martial. Him on the RW and Rashford in his best position would have made more sense to me.

 

[Ash_G]

Not even on the bench today which makes me think he's being phased out... But I'd really like to see him come back into our attack in some way... He's at least will offer something different, as his game is based on movement and intelligence.

Agreed, find it odd how little game time he's gotten. I know he didn't maintain his early season form but he offers something different than our other players. He keeps the ball moving well, makes the right decisions and plays very unselfishly in how he'll make runs to create space which is something we're sorely lacking. Certainly not for every game but against teams who have been defending deep I think he could have made an impact.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Agreed, find it odd how little game time he's gotten. I know he didn't maintain his early season form but he offers something different than our other players. He keeps the ball moving well, makes the right decisions and plays very unselfishly in how he'll make runs to create space which is something we're sorely lacking. Certainly not for every game but against teams who have been defending deep I think he could have made an impact.

It's weird, he came on against West Ham, played very well, got one of our best assists of the season and then has barely featured in the first team since.

But yeah, it's just something different isn't it? Currently we just bring on similar players for each other and magically hope one of them is in form on the day... Its also why I'd want us to go for Grealish over Sancho, just because again, he's different.

 

[Roboc7]

He should have been moved on ages ago and surely won’t get the extra year of his contract now. I doubt he’d make much difference but he might have to start a league game or two soon given how tired and out of form other players are.

 

[Lee565]

If we were to field our strongest 11 based on technical ability he would be in it and the fact that ole has completely shut him out is a joke in such a congested season.

 

[Sandikan]

Classic forum fans.
Moan about how a player is past it and should be moved on for years, then suddenly say he's the answer.

 

[Zoo]

It’s a bit weird. Mata brings that bit of craft and calmness in the final third which at the moment we badly need.

 

[Jev]

It's odd, yeah. He started the season very well and was part of some of the best attacking play we've seen this season, and then he's barely played for months now. In general, I think we play better with him in the team than without him. One of the few attacking players in the squad who thinks four of five passes ahead rather than always trying to see if he can do it all himself (Rashford, Martial, Bruno, Greenwood).

 

[Offside]

He’s the answer now he hasn’t been seen in a while.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Classic forum fans.
Moan about how a player is past it and should be moved on for years, then suddenly say he's the answer.

No one's saying he's the answer just that a) he was actually decent earlier this season and b) he offers something different to the options we're just rotating for each other.

Neither of those statements are false... And he might not work, but its using our squad to bring something different to a game.

 

[Ash_G]

It's weird, he came on against West Ham, played very well, got one of our best assists of the season and then has barely featured in the first team since.

But yeah, it's just something different isn't it? Currently we just bring on similar players for each other and magically hope one of them is in form on the day... Its also why I'd want us to go for Grealish over Sancho, just because again, he's different.

Completely agree on Mata and Grealish although given none of our wide attackers seem to ever want to take a full back on or get in behind them a part of me is thinking we need both!

The thing with Mata as well is that he almost forces players to link up more in the way he passes and moved whereas generally it feels like our attack do their own thing.

 

[Vidyoyo]

It's a bit weird not to see him on the bench. I won't pretend he's a game changer but he's no worse than Matic for his respective position and with Rashford and Martial (and tbh Greenwood) in such bad form, he might be a useful option.

 

[Fitchett]

He has more idea of how to unpick a packed defence than the likes of Rashford and Martial do. He would have been a good pick against Sheffield United.

 

[Lee565]

Classic forum fans.
Moan about how a player is past it and should be moved on for years, then suddenly say he's the answer.

This ain't me, I have always believed mata has his uses for the club unlike dross like lingard and james and he has shown he can form some really good partnerships like he did with herrera and can remember very early in the season he and vdb linking up well.

 

[TheGame]

He has more idea of how to unpick a packed defence than the likes of Rashford and Martial do. He would have been a good pick against Sheffield United.

Yep exactly this. He can be relevant in some games and be useful. The squad rotation from Ole has been poor.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

He wouldn't have brought him on anyway. He used his two subs.

 

[Ali Dia]

He couldn’t have done any worse than the lads who were selected in the last 2 matches anyway.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I've never rated him as highly as most but he should definitely be ahead of Donny in the pecking order.

They play different roles. Mata is RW or 10 in reality he can't do much else & Donny is across the CMs and can't play wide, I don't think he should be a 10.

Mata should have started versus Sheffield but not today, feel he's just too slow unless the opposition just sits back.

 

[GMoore23]

I can't understand why he's getting no game time at all. The little he has played this season he's been decent and with our main forwards currently stinking the place out, he should be thrown in to shake things up a bit if nothing else. Bruno normally plays well with him also.

 

[anant]

I dont think he would have helped us today even if he was on the bench as our issue was more in finishing than chance creation. However, I believe he should have definitely been brought on vs SHU. Hell,I'm quite confident that Mata might have been MOTM or a contender had he been brought on then

 

[Lee565]

It's a shame we haven't seen more of him, vdb and cavani playing in the same matches as I believe mata and vdb could create a good understanding and link up well down the right side of the pitch and mata is pretty much the only decent wide player we have that is about creating chances for strikers compared to rashy, martial and Greenwood who's strengths dont lie in being suppliers for others.

 

[Devil may care]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder as the saying goes, I think Ole wants to move him, Matic and James on.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder as the saying goes, I think Ole wants to move him, Matic and James on.

That would be the case if he was poor earlier in the season when he played and thus came out of the side for that reason... But that isn't even the case.

His last two meaningful league appearances had him put the ball in that won us the penalty at WBA, and helping to change the game off the bench /grabbing and assist vs West Ham.

 

[Castia]

Sorting a new club for the summer hopefully.