Juan Mata | Match Discussion thread 2021/22

[SuperRash]

Guess it shows his lack of action when Mata hasn’t had his own thread this season. Well I couldn’t fine one anyway.

Yes his legs are gone but I think he could have been utilised a little more this season. He still has a lovely left foot and can actually pass the ball.

A decent little cameo tonight.

 

[jsp]

I think he's been a good example of the mess this club has been for the last decade.

Why did we give him another new contract.

He's barely played this season and we're basically sticking him on for 10-15 minutes where he can't really do anything because he's so slow and weak.

I like Mata a decent guy and was an alright player for Utd but come on he's been here at least 2 years to long he should have been playing at another club making the most of the last few years he's got in the game.

Honestly last night I'd have rather seen Hannibal come on for 10-15 minutes than see Mata again on some sort of farewell tour.

 

[Ben Townsend]

I think he's been a good example of the mess this club has been for the last decade.

Why did we give him another new contract.

He's barely played this season and we're basically sticking him on for 10-15 minutes where he can't really do anything because he's so slow and weak.

I like Mata a decent guy and was an alright player for Utd but come on he's been here at least 2 years to long he should have been playing at another club making the most of the last few years he's got in the game.

Honestly last night I'd have rather seen Hannibal come on for 10-15 minutes than see Mata again on some sort of farewell tour.

Yep, think Keano mentioned something along the lines of "this feels like a testimonial game for several players" it did have that feel tonight.

Never wanted a season to end as desperately as this one.

 

[jsp]

Yep, think Keano mentioned something along the lines of "this feels like a testimonial game for several players" it did have that feel tonight.

Never wanted a season to end as desperately as this one.

Yeah I saw that any maybe the kids will get more of a look in for the last home game on Monday vs Brentford.

The only one still going full pelt still is Ronaldo probably because he wants the golden boot which is fair enough everyone else is on the beach.

 

[SuperRash]

I think he's been a good example of the mess this club has been for the last decade.

Why did we give him another new contract.

He's barely played this season and we're basically sticking him on for 10-15 minutes where he can't really do anything because he's so slow and weak.

I like Mata a decent guy and was an alright player for Utd but come on he's been here at least 2 years to long he should have been playing at another club making the most of the last few years he's got in the game.

Honestly last night I'd have rather seen Hannibal come on for 10-15 minutes than see Mata again on some sort of farewell tour.

Oh don’t get my wrong he has been here to long which is this club all over at the moment.

However, whilst he has been here I think he’s been under utilised. Would have much rather seen Mata ahead of Lingard in recent weeks. He’s still got a brilliant footballing brain - yes his body has slowed down but his mind hasn’t. I’m not for one minute suggesting he should have been starting every week but after watching week after week of rubbish, I think he was worth some more game time.

To a degree I think we used him incorrectly in his earlier years here, so I think he’s wasted some of his best years here. Top fella though!

 

[jsp]

Oh don’t get my wrong he has been here to long which is this club all over at the moment.

However, whilst he has been here I think he’s been under utilised. Would have much rather seen Mata ahead of Lingard in recent weeks. He’s still got a brilliant footballing brain - yes his body has slowed down but his mind hasn’t. I’m not for one minute suggesting he should have been starting every week but after watching week after week of rubbish, I think he was worth some more game time.

To a degree I think we used him incorrectly in his earlier years here, so I think he’s wasted some of his best years here. Top fella though!

Thing is no matter how quickly you can think if you are so easy to beat in a race or push off the ball you are knackered. In this league teams don't give a player like him the time and space to hurt you and since Bruno came there's just not been a role for him.

I don't think he looks good when he comes on he looks ok but it's not really impacting the games and getting Utd something out of the match when he comes on (not always in easy circumstances). He's going to be some player on the charity game scene if he does retire.

I just always felt with Mata he was a bad signing from day one signed in panic with no real plan never really got the space he needed in the team.

Just felt like 2 years ago was time to say goodbye we just signed VDB, we had Bruno and Lingard did we really need another number 10 he's felt like an expensive luxury he must think he should have played more football in that time frame.

You have to assume he'll be back off to Spain next season

 

[Lordkluivert]

Well, a good example of what is wrong in the club. We over pay your players, we can't sell unwanted players, we keep aged players too long and we let players running there contract down leaving us with a loss. That need to change soon.

 

[Justin Cider]

Should never have signed, certainly not for the price we paid anyway, and he should have moved on at least two years ago for himself as much as anything else.

Definitely one of the nicest guys in the game though and with him staying longer than he should've was hoping it was partially because he was staying on in a coaching capacity when he retired, could see him in 5 years time wearing a flat cap like Alan Ball passing on his knowledge to the u11-u15 age groups and them loving it, and marvelling at his ability on the ball.

Wish him the best wherever he goes.

 

[SuperRash]

It’s amazing what results you can get when you have someone in your midfield with a bit of footballing intelligence.

Yes it was only Brentford and they afforded us lots of time and space but I maintain Mata could of played more this season. Especially when you compare his performance last night and the drivel Lingard, Rashford etc have served up this season.

 

[jsp]

He could have come on and given us the odd 15-20 minutes in some games but there's no point in judging him in end of season games that really don't have much meaning to them. Had we got a bit further in the cups we might have seen more of him but I maintain he should have left last summer he's another player I just don't think we were ever going to be able to give enough minutes to and keep happy.

He's a wonderfully gifted footballer but he's just a little bit to slow and a little bit to weak and that's always been his issue and age hasn't helped him with that.