Same with fellaini (badly passes it sideways etc) rooney either long diagonal hollywood balls to valencia or poor short passing. no urgency or tempo in midfield compounded with poor footballers in defence and nobody except blind coming deep to take it from them.
Like I said mate, he looks to be a step or two ahead of everyone else. Always raises his head to look for movement and sees Fellaini lol. Would be enough to depress anyone.
He's actually quite decent on the wing, but if you're going to do that then you need to play 4-3-3 with a good leftback and a midfielder who's willing to do some of his defensive work.
I think that's why Di Maria at the moment is so important but he needs to be played in centre midfield and not as a striker
I don't know if this is about lack of movement upfront. I'd say its about lack of directness in United's midfield. Blind, always looking for a pass, Carrick always looking for a pass, Herrera always looking for a pass. Nobody just takes the ball and runs with it, and wings are quite useless too.
In Chelsea Mata had Hazard, constantly shaking up defenses, forcing the other team to either break formation or drop deep.
Players like Mata thrive on space. When I watch United, whoever plays as #10 just never has that available. Whereas in Chelsea he was often allowed to basically run the games.
You can makes all the excuses you want for Mata, point is he is not playing well.
Excuses? Sorry, nobody just turns from most dominative midfielder in the league into invisble man within half a year. The only way that happens is when player is not being utilized properly.
The fact of the matter comes down to this, we won't effectively be able to play any 4 at the back formation because we only have two proper fullbacks and our wide talent is lacking as well, sure you can say Mata plays there but I've never been a fan, Di Maria looks better more centrally.
I'm not saying January signings are easy, but City and Chelsea have stengthened paying big money to get someone who will improve them and we can make all the excuses in the world, but it won't mean a thing if we don't make top 4. Also I think we're clutching at straws a bit saying we wouldn't take Cuadrado, he'd be brilliant as a utility player for us covering a range of wide positions with much better quality than the options we have now (bar perhaps Di Maria, but he hasn't been great and I prefer him more centrally). Not to mention the lack of players we have there, even as a wingback in 3-5-2 etc. He'd give us options we don't effectively have.
A lot of our weaknesses have not just come about, they've been around since last summer (and before) but weren't addressed.
We are unbalanced, lacking quality to get any real consistent performances due to the areas of formations and the players we have in certain positons just aren't effective enough, or we lack any depth if they get injured, we revert straight back to 3 at the back again.
Like I said mate, he looks to be a step or two ahead of everyone else. Always raises his head to look for movement and sees Fellaini lol. Would be enough to depress anyone.
He's actually quite decent on the wing, but if you're going to do that then you need to play 4-3-3 with a good leftback and a midfielder who's willing to do some of his defensive work.
Plus Mata was never as good as Silva, was always 2nd best imo. Silva would and still does pick out passes i can't see after numerous viewings.
CUADRADO IS NOT A UTILITY PLAYER. AT 35M EUROS HE COSTS AS MUCH AS COLEMAN WOULD. IT IS A MENTAL IDEA TO BLOCK AN ACTUAL RIGHT BACK TO SIGN HIM. I hope the Caps made that clear.
Every time Mata has played well, Herrera has been in midfield. They should ALWAYS be played in tandem.
Or player is not player as he used to. Van Persie turned from best striker in the league to sub standard player in a year. Ramsey turned from arguably best midfielder in the league to average this season playing for the same team.
Yes. So did Falcao.
Seeing the common theme here?
Injuries.
Cuadrado has been poor this season. No thanks. And sometimes does go missing defensively. And is just as infuriating as Nani. I would rather spend the money on a proper FB or better winger!Different players as in different roles. I always rated Silva higher than Mata and still does but Mata is pure final third player whereas Silva is a brilliant playmaker. Silva can play well in any team IMO but Mata needs strong team behind him IMO.
Coleman is looking dodgy this season. Cuadrado would be brilliant addition but he is not a RB, more a RWB and a RW. Wouldn't mind paying that much for him as he is a very very useful addition who works very hard.
Herrera should play every single game with Blind and Di Maria in midfield, it's a shame how we have wasted him this season.
CUADRADO IS NOT A UTILITY PLAYER. AT 35M EUROS HE COSTS AS MUCH AS COLEMAN WOULD. IT IS A MENTAL IDEA TO BLOCK AN ACTUAL RIGHT BACK TO SIGN HIM. I hope the Caps made that clear.
Cuadrado has been poor this season. No thanks. And sometimes does go missing defensively. And is just as infuriating as Nani. I would rather spend the money on a proper FB or better winger!
I really hope he can continue his form from sporting next season.He is not a proper RB to rely on him defensively. He is very good offensively. Yeah I would like to see Nani back in United side, he offers lot of threat from wings which we are missing.
He is not a proper RB to rely on him defensively. He is very good offensively. Yeah I would like to see Nani back in United side, he offers lot of threat from wings which we are missing.
Hes honestly no better at FB than Valencia or Smalling or Jones. And is no better than Nani on the wing.I say utility player because he could effectively play a variety of positions better than the majority of what we have. How would it be blocking a fullback? We only have two and not only that he can play in more attacking positions as well, it's not like we're blessed for RW's either?
For the money we should be buying players to play in specialized roles not someone that can do a bit of both.Indeed, that's why any 4 at the back formation we play won't effectively work, you have to have quality out-wide both defensively FB's and wingers, how people think Cuadrado wouldn't of been a good addition is beyond me.
I think it will be literally a few games maximum till we are forced back to 3-5-2 again.