Few saw this one coming. With Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria arriving last summer the future looked extremely uncertain for a player who lacked pace and didn’t have an obvious role in the side.
Manchester United’s expensive January 2014 signing didn’t seem adaptable enough to play anywhere but number 10 and this was one position where an ailing United side seemed particularly strong.
But Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, through luck or ingenuity, has once more turned the predictions of most on their head.
‘Mata is one of my better players I think’ he told The BBC after United’s dismantling of Liverpool at Anfield.
‘He is playing more constantly as most of his colleagues. That was not the case why he was leaving (not selected in) the team.’
‘Because I looked for balance and now I have found a position for him that he plays very good. I was very pleased with his performance and then he scores also two goals – marvellous goals I think.’
That position is in the front line of a 4-3-3 where he can concentrate on what he does best – creating, attacking and finishing.
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Many felt that the player was terminally flawed because Jose Mourinho couldn’t fit him into his 4-2-3-1 system at Chelsea. But this system required Mata to track back and the Spaniard arguably doesn’t have the physique or athleticism to get up and down the pitch all day long – it’s also a waste of his talent.
What he does have is real artistry and superb technique going forward. He cares for the ball like a first love and his return to the side has coincided with the sort of Manchester United form that would have been unimaginable a month ago.
Louis van Gaal has proven that pace isn’t everything in The Premier League. The team that he put out against Liverpool didn’t have that much of it but it gave one of the most accomplished performances of many a year with composure, precision and intelligent pressing of the opposition when they didn’t have the ball.
Mata is finally demonstrating his wizardry under Louis van Gaal
At the start of the season, even at Christmas, it was difficult to conceive that Juan Mata had a future at the club. But all of a sudden he, and not the likes of Di Maria or Falcao, seems undroppable and vital to this team. And what makes this development doubly enjoyable is that it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
It seems then that Louis van Gaal has chosen his Manchester United galacticos. And it could be bad news for Di Maria and Radamel Falcao. At least one is likely to be offloaded this summer.
tony oj
Apr 2, 2015 at 7:12 pm
mata is a player who can bring something out of nothing. but his problem is, he can’t mark, especially when he loses ball to oponent/oposite team. we need two mildfielders to complement the engine room, three defenders, one striker. free rvp for new striker.
Saviour
Apr 2, 2015 at 9:23 pm
If Am Givin Opotunity To Sign Player For Man Unite At The Of The Season, Here Are The Players Am Go To Sign-contrao, Hummels, Clyne, Bale, And Ing And If Am Goin To Add Any Player He Will Alves,then Am Going To Let Go Of Rapheal, Evens,falco And Rvp And This Is How My Formation Will Look Like Contrao, Jones, Hummel And Clyne At The Back, Carrick, Hereira And Mata At The Middle And Di Marria, Rooney And Bale.
okuro godfrey.
Apr 2, 2015 at 11:26 pm
RVP and Falcao should be sold to free up space for Memphis Depay. Mata is a very good player, everybody must not be a physical being, everybody must not track mark.thank God Fellaini is gradually picking form.
Marcos Rojo
Apr 3, 2015 at 1:40 am
We need to get Dimaria bck on track,he has evry potential to be our then Ronaldo,we also need to let Rvp Go,strikers ar not our prob or hv we forgotten wat Chicharito has he gets it wen all hope z lost , we also need depay,humells,ortamendi,and nani should be giving a chance with nani,Dimaria,januzaj,mata nd young we will be indispensible side and once look like Sir Fergies Army,TANX MR.LOUIS NANI can neva be a failure
Ken
Apr 3, 2015 at 2:35 am
mata has realy woken up but still there is no striking threat.i think lvg should offload the ageing strikers and create room 4 the likes of wilson and other new formidable forces.
êlijah
Apr 3, 2015 at 2:58 am
manUnited will collect 3points
edwin prince
Apr 3, 2015 at 4:38 am
i thnk mata iz a great player n he deserve to play….
Richards Malunga
Apr 3, 2015 at 7:17 am
Van Gaal has revived many players whose their perfomace was on the verge of collapse thus Fellain,Mata just to mention a few.But to me the likes of Evans,Falcao and Rvp should see their way out to accomodate the incoming suits
Abraham
Apr 3, 2015 at 7:52 am
here are they signg i fink is imprtnt 2 my belv man utd and d once 2 b sent out. Clyne, otermendi or hummel, memphis depay, cavani or ings….. Falcow, smallg, Rvp, shld b sole. Chicharito, nani shld b recall bak.
Ademola ajibola
Apr 3, 2015 at 7:52 am
Am very api 4 my team now 4 d form pick by our team,LVG shud pls let all agein players out,so dat it can give rooms 4 d new incoming players,RVP,falcao,di maria and any other player dat are weak,shud all be sold,we need 2 df,2mf and 2fw,UP UNITED;)
keb
Apr 3, 2015 at 8:13 am
Nice job LVG! If the likes of CR7 and Bale are currently struggling from their form, how much more ADM. Just give him game time to help get back his form, he’ll be fine trust me. But at the moment Mata is superb and it’s good for the interest of the club. Give Wilson a basic chance ahead of RVP. Sign Bale and Matts. I see soon Pep replacing LVG! Keep DDG! Up Red Devils!
Joseph
Apr 3, 2015 at 8:16 am
falcao and rvp should leave and hummels and memphis depay should come.mata is a better player but di maria should be given time
polycarp odhiambo
Apr 3, 2015 at 8:24 am
Mata,Dimaria,Falcao,Vallencia,Rooney ,Fellaini,Wilson,Young and Herrera are real attackers RVP should go and mourn Fergersons retirement away to create space for better goal machine same to Evans at the back
chibuzorking
Apr 3, 2015 at 8:47 am
lvg free rvp,falcao,raphael,smalling and evans&luk 4 quality replacement.kudos 2 mata
everett reynolds
Apr 3, 2015 at 9:48 am
I was listening to a discussion just yesterday about who are “football people”. In estimation the answer to that is any number of people; fans, players, coaches, Gm’s, and even members of the club’s board. As such we all play different roles in support of our team. What we all seem to forget, as fans, is that day in day out, the coaches and members of the clubs staff see these players in training and to assimilate how best to fit said players at there disposal into the system they think is best.
It was always gonna take time for a new coach to find his feet in a new country where the style of play and level of competition is different to any other league on the planet. That being said, Mata deserves his chance, as does Angel Di Maria. Mata, due to form now being displayed in his “created position”, and Di Maria because he, like LVG, needs time to adapt.
Unfortunately for Falcao, as much as I have admired him, the parameters of his loan demand that he hit the ground running. He hasn’t. Unless he can turn this around immediately I can’t make a case for him staying.
Watch closely, Smalling is improving in confidence – bringing the ball out of defence, the way a young Ferdinand used to – and with an injury free run over a period of a year or so, he could be every bit the player SAF bought him to be.
We still need players; Clyne/Coleman/ – to replace or challenge Rafael, Depay and or Bale to compliment Di Maria on the wings, Hummels/Laporte/ Marquinhos/Varane to sure up defence and to mentor Blackett/Smalling/McNair, De Jong/Schneiderling/Pogba/Carvalho/Nainggolan to protect our back 4 and add Firmino to add some flair.
If we pick from this crop or players of similar quality, that fit what LVG is trying to due, albeit with more pace and power, I guarantee you we will seriously challenge for trophies. #GGMU #Shamobe #TwentyFourLordsRoad
PERUM
Apr 3, 2015 at 11:27 am
Man united will be very difficult to beat next season. They have undoubtedly show great character and unpredictability. This was not so at the begining.
Donald
Apr 3, 2015 at 11:28 am
United should sale rvp and buy one outstanding striker, ask for mata he’s a gud player so i think now luis van gaal should give him chance into the starting line up most especially in a galatico match cost he know how to bring in something gud out of a team.
Sam
Apr 3, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Rvp as well as Evans and Raphael should be freed. I’ll be glad to see C. Ronaldo back at Old Trafford. Bring in d likes of Hummels or Marquinhos to d defence and Djong for d defensive mid-field role. Get Depay n bring back Nani, he’s a skillful winger with great speed n stamina. I LOVE MAN U.
Scholes jefa
Apr 3, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Mata is agood player so far.what is remaining now is lvg to give this gay enough chances to play with the combination of rooney and di maria.luv man u.
Donton
Apr 3, 2015 at 3:17 pm
With me wud love to see! RVP move to another team maybe galatasary! That’s where old guys go! Evans shud play in a smaller team and not man u! For Rapheal I feel the boy shud not be offloaded unless himself wants to! Just bring in people to stire up competition for him like dan alves! The guy is old! But if he takes the position for a short period of time he will leave the boy competitive! Jones can be a good defender but I feel he is too rigid a replacement can do!
Enny
Apr 3, 2015 at 4:36 pm
We need nani and depay with a stong DM like de jong or mascherano. United shud als0 sign firmin0 and 0tamendi. Mata and di maria shud be given game time. Rvp and falcao including evans shud be s0ld