Juan Mata

[zolayes 14,489]

I never thought we'll find it so hard to get another midfielder with as good movement to always get chances and fantastic finishing as Mata.

If he had some strength and a little more speed, he would have been world-class. Shame he coudn't cope with Mourinho's physical demands for the right wing like cuadrado has found out.

we had KDB ...to lose one is careless to lose two is . ***********

[Jase 43,479]

I never thought we'll find it so hard to get another midfielder with as good movement to always get chances and fantastic finishing as Mata.

If he had some strength and a little more speed, he would have been world-class. Shame he coudn't cope with Mourinho's physical demands for the right wing like cuadrado has found out.

Well, maybe had Mourinho been more flexible in his approach and less dogmatic to players, Mata might have still been here...

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

The myth that the play has to be build around him is still in tact ?

Or that you cannot challenge for the title with him in the squad ?

Thank you.

[Kieran. 6,317]

I was for the transfer of Mata as I trusted in Mourinho and thought it was for the better of the team, but watching how Oscar panned out you can't help but wonder what if Mourinho put a little more faith into Juan.

[lionsden 4,689]

Would anyone still have oscar over him?

[Ljpaddock 187]

No

[lionsden 4,689]

The myth that the play has to be build around him is still in tact ?

Or that you cannot challenge for the title with him in the squad ?

Thank you.

I know right. We built everything around him and laid it on a plate for him on a platter of gold starting with a mobile and world class striker like Torres making the runs and feeding of his services, The highly dynamic and creative midfield of Mikel,Ramires and Lampard dominating everything and feeding him expertly in those pocket of space and defensive juggernauts like hazard and Torres tracking back to cover for his defensive deficiency and attacking fullbacks like Cole and Ivanovic/Azpi making overlapping runs at will and feeding off Mata's diagonal balls and delivering those sexy, pin point accurate balls into the box. The team was built around him indeed

[didierforever 7,349]

Would anyone still have oscar over him?

THIS.

i would really like people to own up to their predictions.

i remember people saying that oscar was as good as mata, if not better.

or that we wont miss mata in anyway

or that mata would find himself playing for some mid table spanish team

etc etc...

[kellzfresh 7,229]

we had KDB ...to lose one is careless to lose two is . ***********

Painful

Well, maybe had Mourinho been more flexible in his approach and less dogmatic to players, Mata might have still been here...

At first I wondered why Mata was so poor in the wing. But after more than a year of other failed experiments in the right wing, I've changed my mind.

Any player who doesn't have the physical balance of Hazard and Willian and strength to hold the ball under pressure is useless in our right wing.

I just wish he was given a chance behind the striker, especially Eto'o who was better at linking up than torres. At least if Mata showed no desire to work hard from the middle then fair play, but he was thrown to the wings and inevitably out after being our best player for 2 straight seasons.

I can't blame Mourinho though, he thought Oscar had more potential than he's shown so far, and put a lot of faith in him.

[Oscar 441]

THIS.

i would really like people to own up to their predictions.

i remember people saying that oscar was as good as mata, if not better.

or that we wont miss mata in anyway

or that mata would find himself playing for some mid table spanish team

etc etc...

What exactly has Mata done since last season to this season?

Oscar was a key player to winning the title this season, not Mata. Oscar was a key player for Brazil in the world cup, not Mata. So, what exactly are you reffering to>?

United's revival all is based on Fellaini's aerial dominance and Rooney.

[Tomo 21,751]

remember when people said that he is not good enough or i remember when i was ridiculed when i dared compare him with ozil (how is he these days)!!!

he is one of the classiest people on and off the pitch.

would be heart wrenching to see him play against us.

It's not about him being not good enough but he wouldn't fit in to this season's team. Mata and Cesc in the same midfield would be a disaster off the ball.

Still love him, and he gave us some great moments and dare I say was one of the rays of hope in the last days of AVB, but on the pitch we have both moved on.

[Adnane 1,101]

With the level he was playing with at the time, plus the highly complete profile he has, yeah, I would definitely pick Oscar over Mata.

Now this is the kind of lottery you're dealing with in football, nobody could have predicted the change of fortune for the two even a few months earlier, that's just the proof that when you are a gambler like Mourinho, you can still lose, even with all the technicity you have.

Now excuse me, but where were you when Mata was struggling to get a single minute at Old Trafford and Oscar was bagging goals and delivering game after game at the start of the season ?

Selective memory, as usual.