Mata was Manchester United’s record buy when he was bought from Chelsea in the winter transfer window. Since then, he somehow resurrected his career after a slump in form and confidence in his final months in Chelsea as he was demoted to a squad player after being the team’s player of the year for two consecutive seasons. Now with Louis van Gaal taking charge of Man Utd, Mata is struggling to get a regular first team spot. The team has high profile strikers in Rooney- the club captain, van Persie and loanee Falcao. Here are three reasons why Mata should be played more regularly in a team like Man Utd who are still finding their feet.
He fits perfectly in the diamond formation
Juan Mata is a traditional number 10 and plays his best football behind the forward(s). He has always played well when he was played in that position. So when LVG decides on a diamond formation, Mata starts the first game and the Red Devils win by a margin of 4 goals to nil. He gives the control and tempo that the game needs in offensive areas. With able support in midfield with Herrera and Di Maria, Mata can easily lift the team from that main playmaker’s spot.
Currently, van Gaal is trying to fit in all three star strikers and that isn’t paying off. A striker’s main job is to find the net, but when Rooney is forced to play deeper, he doesn’t bring in the creativity that Mata gets to the team. He can drop deeper from a striker’s position as well, but playing him as a CAM is only to accommodate the strikers, which doesn’t work in the team’s favour.
Mata is one of Man Utd’s best passers.
Mata is an experienced number 10, and when you have strikers of the caliber of Falcao, Rooney and van Persie, you need someone like Mata to provide the killer passes time and again. He is a much better number 10 than Rooney, which is why he should start regularly.
Also, Manchester United have a host of attacking options even in midfield, meaning that most of them like to bombard forward and leave space in midfield to counter. Everyone plays with a very direct mindset and with a fast tempo. While it can be very attractive to watch, the team does tire very quickly and the can lose balance at an exponential rate. Mata will help the team to calm down and pass more when in the lead. Holding possession is key when you are winning, else losing the ball in midfield can cost you dearly.
Mata plays best from the start.
Mata plays his best football when he has time to settle down and then start dictating the tempo of the game. He has always done his best when he starts a game and not as a sub. With fresher legs and a lot of skills, he has the chance to create momentum for the team and set the tone for the rest of the match.
Against Leicester, the game was played like a typical Premier League match with regular fast paced counter attacks and direct attacks. Rarely did the team try keeping hold of possession for longer time and killing the game. Mata also played poorly when he was brought on as a sub. With a player like Mata, who is so rigid in terms of versatility of both position and game-play, yet so rewarding if dealt with properly, one must look to get the best out of him.
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