The only place to be

He would've made us better, and we'll need someone like him in the future but right now we're good. United definitely need someone like him though. Gives them pace and leadership in a position they're sorely lacking it.

No-one is saying he isn't a quality player. But he has glaring holes in his game (defensively and workrate-wise) which led to him being sold by us, and now United fans are starting to realise the same thing. People need to realise that whilst he might be a magician with the ball, footballers spend most of their time out of possession and what they do then is just as important as what they do when they do have it.

For Mata to be at his best, I genuinely believe he needs to have a team built around him. But I think if you build a team around him, the best you'll manage is 6th because he's not a top, top player.

http://www.redcafe.net/threads/juan-mata-2014-2015-performances.394002/page-2 Some absolute beauts on there. I missed it, but my friend said that it was Mata that was chasing Ki for the first goal and then just stopped. Poor if true - was below par today. It wasn't until Gerrard gave him a head start and caught in that game in the US that I realized how slow Mata is, and in this system the game is just passing him by way too often, he can't seem to make any space for himself. He is so slow, didn't have any impact. Is it just a fitness issue? Poor display from Mata. Really needs to offer a lot more than he did. Noticeable how little effort he puts in off the ball compared to the others

Bird shit landing in dog shit....what are the chances?

I think the lad is just unfortunate to get a shirt that is coming off the back of one of this club's biggest legends, and unfortunately it will draw comparisons. That's really unlucky because Oscar doesn't compare well to Lamps. He checked out for almost half a season, apparently because he was focusing on the World Cup. That's unacceptable. It doesn't help he was then utter wank in the tournament (except for one game...must mention he has the odd good game because people get arsey otherwise....so here it is. He had one good game...that was really worth being shit from January onwards). Yes he runs around a lot and puts tackles in, except for when he doesn't (around April) but he needs to start showing more end product. He's been dining off the Juventus game for almost TWO YEARS now and the only game that comes close to replicating that performance was the Southampton away match. He's shown flashes here and there but he really needs to step up. If he doesn't he'll leave and I guarantee no-one will miss him. He's not a fan favourite yet, he's really not got many people excited like Hazard or Shurrle have and as a personality....well does he have one? Am I the only person who struggles to actually give a shit about him? I really just want him to man the fuck up. I honestly believe Jeremie Boga has more fight and confidence in him than Oscar who just looks apprehensive when he's on the ball.

Yeah, look at supporters showing an affinity for their players. Wankers, the lot of them.

Maybe he's waiting to see what happens with the homegrown situation. Could be we end up loaning out Van Ginkel if we can't ship off one of Cech, Torres or Mikel. Then we might need Baker around. I also think he's a far better player than Swift. Those set-pieces alone are incredible and he's a much better passer of the ball, both short and long. He hit one to Kiwomya last night which was 50 yards at least and landed inch perfect. Then he had a passage where he linked up play with two sumptuous lay-offs. The guy has undoubted quality.

Is it in honour of how many good matches he had last season?

Hopefully this honour inspires him to not be shit.

No. No he isn't.

A German attacking midfielder who is a goal and assists machine for £30 million? That's shit. Surely there's a Brazilian one who dribbles sideways and produces fuck all for the same price...silly Atletico.

I remember you saying something similar about Lukaku, something along the lines of 'If Mourinho didn't want him then why didn't he sell him last year'. I'm right aren't I? Yep, you're absolutely right. It was Luiz and Ramires who were rested, Matic played because he was cup-tied. He was great in first leg of the tie we lost. He also got himself suspended. I don't think he's a decent back up no. I think we can cope with him in the side but he is such a limited player that he makes us a far weaker team. A good back-up is one who seamlessly fits in and doesn't force you to change too much. I think he's purely here for the passport now and he's gone by next summer, maybe even January. But if you disagree then that's fine.

And what about Lovren leaving, Schneiderlin putting in a transfer request, Rodriguez missing the first couple of months of the season and them losing their manager? They've had the heart of their side ripped out on the pitch, in the dugout and in the boardroom. God know's what that team is going to be like this season but I'd be very worried if I was a Saints fan.

£10-12 million would be a very fair price in my opinion, as well as getting his £5 million p/a wages off the bill and solving the foreign players issue.

Oscar wins games. He carried the team in the early stages of the season. Willian dribbles well and passes nicely....and has very little end product.

No he's not. He won't play against teams who will drop deep. Fabregas and Matic will, because they're better players than Ramires. He has a place in matches where we'll fight, but you're deluded if you think we'll play Ramires and make the same mistakes we did last year. Matic is first name on the sheet. Then Terry. Then Hazard and Costa.

Like Torres is? And Moses? For a player to leave, someone needs to buy him and then pay him. Matic was cup-tied for the Madrid game and rested for Liverpool. Mikel has been replaced in the squad by him. Saying people have a prejudice about him is getting into very dangerous territory. Mikel is a fantastically average player who does nothing exceptional yet has three years left on a £75k pw contract. And if we actually need him at the start of next year, he'll actually be in Morocco playing in the ACON. People keep on saying that he's a good squad player or a back-up for Matic....like fuck is he. He's a pale imitation, a replacement in name only. He's not a rotation option because if we do actually play him, we'll be a far more limited team. Roadkill badger is not a decent back-up for sirloin steak.

Best thing for him. A whole new environment, but one that will be supportive to him because of our links to them and away from the paparazzi and his ex. It's sink or swim time. He could go either way, but the upside is tremendous.

There you go, all edited and entirely accurate.

There are no 18th century football clubs.

Hypocrisy.

More importantly no Championship side would cover his wages.

Can't we just do a trade where we swap Brazilians for Germans? Oscar and Willian for Draxler or Gotze or Muller...'s right leg?