Juan Mata

I like Mata. The main criticism is that he's too slow, but the entire team does everything too slowly. I agree that he's our only really creative player. Alexis has it in him, as does Pogba, but those two have done more harm than good in recent weeks. At least Mata will play with some consistency.

Young again showed that he's the only guy in our team who can put in a decent cross on a relatively consistent basis too

Nothing against the guy, just don't think he should be playing RW because we then lose a potential threat down that side due to his lack of pace and his tendancy to drop in.

Play him at no.10 with two pacey wingers and I'm sure he'd be just a tad below the likes of Ozil and Silva in terms of stats

Mata has one weakness I see and that's defending. His passing out of our own goal area isn't nearly as composed as on the attack. But his overall game is fine. I don't think he has 90-minute legs and that's why he starts and gets pulled, nothing more. Rashford and martial are great late-match impact players, and Jose uses that strategy well when he does pul Mata.

Wouldn't argue with any of that Ray. The problem is that Martial and Rashford rarely start together and those two, either side of Lukaku would frighten any team. Lukaku is proving doubters wrong with every appearance right now by the way, fair play to him.

Jose is too worried about defending, sets up defensively and tells the team to set out to win by one goal. Then he questions the players when they aren't all guns blazing. He's a walking contradiction right now. Really disappointed in his recent tactics and comments

Meh... Mata was tosh today. He could not execute on good cross all day. Kept running into players he should have gotten away from if he had a little pace. I don't understand the need to somehow praise his football when for his quite obvious flaws he should be stupendously good in attack, pinging passes and injecting some pace into games. He just runs about passes and is barely able to get free for a return pass. I'm trying to remember the last but of true quality from Mata. Like really scratching my brain for that play he has done that justifies lack of defence, pace, strength. What he offers attackwise will never make up for his flaws. Of course one of the 2 players who should permanently be on the bench or gone (fellaini the oyher) keeps starting under our quite overrated manager. Just a symptom of where we are now attackwise. Not sure Mata can play in any Spanish liga team. Honestly watch a game there and see what we are hyping being done by nobodies. Wonder when last his form warranted a call up for his national team.

Watch Vasquez in real Madrid and you'll see the player you all delude yourselves you see in Mata.

Vasquez looked good, very good for Real against PSG. But I don't watch enough La Liga to say how good he is, but really impressive. Him and Sergio Ramos were the best players on the pitch.

Lukaku though? Good? What more should he do? Good

Tomatoes

Good post.

Bloodred

If we started Mata every game we would drop a hell of a lot more points than we do.

Mata has been United best player for the past two seasons.

He has been, at least, United's joint best player since he arrived.

Sadly, even though there are better in the world of football, he had no real rivals for that status. But that is currently a much bigger problem for the club.

He is disliked on these boards because:

* many contributors on these boards don't play
* he arrived from Chelsea
* he does his job and gets on with looking what to do next - all understatedly
* he was not a graduate of the academy
* he was not 17 when he arrived
* he doesn't run around like a headless chicken


The stats all favour Mata's presence over his absence. Only prejudiced liars suggest otherwise.

I am not here to argue about this, especially with fools, liars, and the downright prejudiced. Thus responding is pointless.

Just learn and move on

I like Mata, but he wouldn't get into City, Spurs or Liverpool team.

Regardless of his on the ball skill, he's too slow period. Utd could do much better.

Most my Man Utd mates think he’s ur best player.