Juan Mata signed four years ago today

Originally Posted by Cream

Been a good signing overall.

Smashing fella too, glad he's associated with the club.

Basically this.

Doesn't run games, or influence them as much as he can, but if he's on the pitch you can be reasonably confident he'll create something.

Toppest of top reds. The only good thing to come out of the Moyes era.

Originally Posted by Wez

You spelt #@&%! wrong mate

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

The only good thing to come out of the Moyes era.

that and the jimmy lumsden kickabout gif

his days are numbered now sanchez is here. I always get the feeling he is too lightweight and struggles to dictate the pace of the pace of the game. He makes little impact now apart form the odd clever pass.

He's fine as a squad player but not good enough to be a starter however we don't have anyone else who wants to play from right and he's the only attacker who can give us a bit of control in the final third as the rest of our attackers are very direct players

As a signing he's been OK
37 mill doesn't sound much now but I believe it was a British transfer record at the time so really you would have expected a lot more from him

Lacking in pace and physique, but good vision, ball control, short passing game, see's space, scores some timely goals, so all told I think Juan does mata!!


We should be keeping our creative players, but will he want to stop, now Sanchez is here? A feeling he will leave in summer for Serie A

Loves a tap in, goal poacher extraordinaire, tremendous touch, like a more expensive and less effective Berbatov. Lovely to watch when he's not playing for your team, absolutely £#%&!ing infuriating 95% of the time when he is as he slows everything down, goes backwards or sideways or is just brushed aside like a small child. Should be so much better than he is £37m in the times that could get you a decent player for that sort of money

Lovely fellow, never complains (if you forget the grumbling under LvG when he wasn't starting/was subbed) etc. good luck back at Valencia.

Probably the best finisher at the club. Scored some great goals over the years. Doesn’t contribute enough for me now. The whitworth art gallery will build a shrine to him when he leaves.

Originally Posted by dunk

Loves a tap in, goal poacher extraordinaire, tremendous touch, like a more expensive and less effective Berbatov. Lovely to watch when he's not playing for your team, absolutely £#%&!ing infuriating 95% of the time when he is as he slows everything down, goes backwards or sideways or is just brushed aside like a small child. Should be so much better than he is £37m in the times that could get you a decent player for that sort of money

Lovely fellow, never complains (if you forget the grumbling under LvG when he wasn't starting/was subbed) etc. good luck back at Valencia.

Never happy...

Originally Posted by Red Santos

A Woodward/Moyes panic buy

After FOUR years minus the odd goal and Juanfield three years ago he has been Meh tbh

Weak. Slow. Lightweight. Not good enough in the final third for me. Would we notice if he was missing from the team? No not really. Dispensible imo.

Seemingly nice guy and cultured though. Made his entrance by helicopter and looked dead sexy in suit, this kind of bullshit matters the most to some

This.

Originally Posted by windy waffles

Never happy...

Always happy actually pal, just able to not be away with the fairies with everything regarding United.

Considering how much we paid and the player everyone thought he was, he's been a huge disappointment.

Should be a Chicharito style poacher. His nose for goal and ability to find space in the box is Rush/Lineker esque..

Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

Probably the best finisher at the club. Scored some great goals over the years. Doesn’t contribute enough for me now. The whitworth art gallery will build a shrine to him when he leaves.

I've bumped into him there as well

He's done well for us. Technically excellent, knows where the goal is, takes a decent free kick, regularly played out of position but has just got on with it. Arguably also a good benchmark for signings - we shouldn't be signing players worse than him if we want to win the Premier League or the Champions League. He's a very competent player but doesn't suit our game when we want to play at pace. However, he can pick a pass out and has a knack of being in the right place at the right time that you cannot coach.

Overall, keep him, he's been doing a good job; we have worse players in the squad. Once he's the worst and we should get rid, we've got a great squad, simple as that.

Originally Posted by 92ToBury

He's done well for us. Technically excellent, knows where the goal is, takes a decent free kick, regularly played out of position but has just got on with it. Arguably also a good benchmark for signings - we shouldn't be signing players worse than him if we want to with the Premier League or the Champions League. He's a very competent player but doesn't suit our game when we want to play at pace. However, he can pick a pass out and has a knack of being in the right place at the right time that you cannot coach.

Overall, keep him, he's been doing a good job; we have worse players in the squad. Once he's the worst and we should get rid, we've got a great squad, simple as that.

Very good assessment.

Originally Posted by 92ToBury

He's done well for us. Technically excellent, knows where the goal is, takes a decent free kick, regularly played out of position but has just got on with it. Arguably also a good benchmark for signings - we shouldn't be signing players worse than him if we want to with the Premier League or the Champions League. He's a very competent player but doesn't suit our game when we want to play at pace. However, he can pick a pass out and has a knack of being in the right place at the right time that you cannot coach.

Overall, keep him, he's been doing a good job; we have worse players in the squad. Once he's the worst and we should get rid, we've got a great squad, simple as that.

So he's as bad as we can possibly be expected to have in our squad and win major trophies? or, He's alright as long as every other player in the squad is better than him?

Originally Posted by dunk

So he's as bad as we can possibly be expected to have in our squad and win major trophies? or, He's alright as long as every other player in the squad is better than him?

Oh dear, not you again.

He's the lowest calibre of signing we should be making.

If we get those out that are worse than him (and there are more than YOU think) then we've got a great squad.

Go and have a lie down you £#%&!ing oddball.

Originally Posted by 92ToBury

Oh dear, not you again.

He's the lowest calibre of signing we should be making.

If we get those out that are worse than him (and there are more than YOU think) then we've got a great squad.

Go and have a lie down you f***ing oddball.

Yeah, but is he a @#%&!?

Originally Posted by 92ToBury

Oh dear, not you again.

He's the lowest calibre of signing we should be making.

If we get those out that are worse than him (and there are more than YOU think) then we've got a great squad.

Go and have a lie down you £#%&!ing oddball.

I'm the oddball I merely quoted what you said. £#%&!ing idiot.

For such a heralded finisher his goalscoring record isn't special since he came to England, aside from that one great season at Chelsea he got 12 in the league. The other five seasons in the Premier League his return is 6, 6, 9, 6 and 6. Three so far this season about par.

Given he's not much use defensively, I'm not sure that goal return is going to help you much to challenge for the title. You would hope that as Lingard develops he'll be able to hit double-figures in the league most years, even as a squad player.

Originally Posted by believe

This is what baffles me about individual criticism of players over the last four years. Mata has been nothing but a solid performer, great professional and a seemingly top bloke away from the pitch. He's also given us some memorable moments in his short time here.

Agreed

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

For such a heralded finisher his goalscoring record isn't special since he came to England, aside from that one great season at Chelsea he got 12 in the league. The other five seasons in the Premier League his return is 6, 6, 9, 6 and 6. Three so far this season about par.

Given he's not much use defensively, I'm not sure that goal return is going to help you much to challenge for the title. You would hope that as Lingard develops he'll be able to hit double-figures in the league most years, even as a squad player.

46 goals and 48 assists in just over 200 appearances isn't particularly shoddy imo. As per above, a great player to have in the squad and I wouldn't be too keen to get rid of if we're challenging on 3 or 4 fronts, which we should be doing.