Manchester United are set to sign Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata in this transfer window, and it is easy to see why, as last year he was Chelsea’s player of the season, and for me, is one of the best players in the league. But with a supposed price tag of £40m, he doesn’t come cheap and to be honest, I am not convinced that is the best way for Moyes to spend £40 million. Here’s why:
Juan Mata is, for me, a classic Spanish number 10. A player whose best role is just behind a central striker with the ability and freedom to drift all over the pitch to find space where he can work his magic. In that role at Chelsea last year, he was outstanding, with a good number of goals and assists, along with a string of performances that led to him being awarded their player of the season award. He can also play out wide, and drifts in from the right on his left foot to get shots away or play delicate through balls behind the defence. In effect he is a false-winger when he plays wide, and that is perfect for Chelsea’s system. But not for United.
When I look at Manchester United’s first 11, or at least what I believe it to be, the issues I see are a lack of world-class wingers, and the need for a partner for Michael Carrick in the middle of the pitch. United are a team whose best players happen to both be strikers, so there is a need for Moyes to get Rooney and Van Persie playing together as much as possible. Assuming they are both fit, they are probably the first two names on the team sheet, and when they have played together in the league, United have only lost one game out of 27 they have started together.
So Manchester United are fixed in a 2 striker system, usually with 2 out-and-out wingers, with 2 attacking full-backs providing service from out wide. When you think of the great United sides over the last 20 years, that is how it has always been, but with two complete midfielders playing in the very difficult central midfield role, where they are expected to be able to cover in front of the back four and make tackles and interceptions, keep the ball well, and be able to get up in support of the front two. Keane and Scholes were the masters in this system, with Keane slightly more defensive, but both players would be described as complete midfielders.
There is no space in this system for a number 10 type player, and if you were to try and put one in, his spot is filled, by Wayne Rooney. Mata is a tricky, small, technical player with great feet and passing ability, but he could not play as one of the midfield two, because defensively he isn’t good enough, and he would be wasted in that position. He couldn’t play in behind a striker, except when Rooney or RVP are on the bench, and he can’t really play out wide because he isn’t a proper winger. So although he is an outstanding player, and would give great options to the manager, for £40million I want a player to slot into my first 11 and play every game, not wait on the bench for an injury. United already have an excellent number 10 who can play out wide a bit, his name is Shinji Kagawa, and he can’t get a game to save his life at the moment. My worry is Mata could end up like that as well. Spend wisely David, spend wisely.