DDG is like his chaperone!
Juan Mata | 2013/14 Performances
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
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DDG is like his chaperone!
That's all you need to know about Anderson really, isn't it
Anderson 60.
I have the biggest man crush.
Left out of Spain squad to face Italy next week.
Squad:
Casillas, Reina, Valdes
Juanfran, Ramos, Alba, Azpilicueta, Albiol
Javi Martinez, Alonso, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Koke, Thiago, Navas, Cazorla, Fabregas, Silva
Costa, Negredo, Pedro
Villa, Torres, Isco also left out.
Squad:
Casillas, Reina, Valdes
Juanfran, Ramos, Alba, Azpilicueta, Albiol
Javi Martinez, Alonso, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Koke, Thiago, Navas, Cazorla, Fabregas, Silva
Costa, Negredo, Pedro
Villa, Torres, Isco also left out.
That's a shame.
That could be a huge plus for Moyes. A fired up Mata can tear this league apart. Cazorla over him, Del Bosque must be a closet Arsenal fan.
Villa is a strange omission. His team has been battling it out at the top and he has scored 11 goals in the league. Pretty good considering he always gets subbed off in the second half.
I know Martinez can play CB but 5 defenders including fullbacks?
Spain truly taking the piss with their depth in CM.
Not sure how he gets in that squad unless there's an injury? Every single one of those included is much more deserving regardless of how good I think he's been when he's played for us (but that's largely in comparison to the shit we've been served for the most part of the season).
It's true. For his position, all of those players have been regulars for their clubs and more deserving. Then again, when they include Casillas as first choice keeper based on principle, it makes you question their selection policy.
I'd actually argue him being included over Cazorla though, I think he's a superior player to him. Not a bad replacement either.
Christ that squad is good, just lacking a top, top striker.
Costa's not bad. Could be the missing piece in the jigsaw.
Central defence is the biggest weakness IMO. Not that they'll be tested often.
Central defence is the biggest weakness IMO. Not that they'll be tested often.
For now I think Cazorla merits it. He's been in that set up for a while and has covered a lot of positions very well so I can understand why he's in. With Koke and Thiago firmly in though it makes it harder for the likes of Mata to get in when he can't perform to his optimum largely because those around him aren't playing too well.
Azpilicueta deserves a lot of credit, this is a guy who used to laughed at Marseille for his mistakes in the first few matches, he was young and not even properly settled but the way he's steadily improved each season is impressive.
He's been very, very good for Chelsea. Even English media have given up whinging over why Ashley Cole doesn't play.
Agree with this. Cazorla would be the one who would have to make way for Mata but you'd have to say that Cazorla deserves to be in there at the moment. He's been brilliant for Arsenal since the turn of the year IMO and with Mata hardly playing this season then you can certainly understand the squad selection. Looking at that squad, its going to be difficult for Mata to make the world cup squad which is a shame. Maybe he could replace on of those CM's seeing as there are quite a few, but god knows which one. Koke or Thiago maybe?
He needs to have a run of unbelievably good games till the end of the season. Score-5-set-up-10 kind of form. And he needs to hope that Cazorla plays shit or gets injured. Other than that, there's no way he'll make the squad.
Or, you know, he might pick based on form rather than reputation.
Mata's exclusion is odd
But he'll be there for the WC
But he'll be there for the WC
No it isn't. He's hardly played and when he has he hasn't set the world alight.
Maybe if he finds his old Chelsea form, if he continues playing the way he has this season he has no chance.
Well in all fairness, he has played well for us so far...I don't know how anyone can deny that!...Especially the way things are.
I get what you mean but, whether he is a United player or not, seems odd just to leave him out!...Scary are Spain's options
It doesn't always work like that, club form isn't the most important thing for international selection. A lot of times players who are not good at club level are still included in NT because they have performed well in the past, etc.
It is crystal clear that Mata's problem is our tactics and not his quality, you are deluded if you think Del Bosque would suddenly forget how good he is based on that.
True but it's not like he was a starter for Spain before. He was always rightly or wrongly just a squad player, and when he barely plays for half a year you can't expect him to be called up. He just needs to find his old form. He's obviously a world class player but Spain unfortunately are stocked with filled world class attacking midfielders and central midfielders that they can afford to not call one up if they aren't on top form.
That's a different issue, and I don't think he will start either. But I don't think Del Bosque would be fixated much on what happened this season. He's an experienced player for them even though he's pretty young and from what I can see Del Bosque would value having someone like him on the bench.
If form solely was the basis to pick squads, Xavi wouldn't go either. But he will, not only that but he will start every single game.
Yeah, true. Spain's squads are a bit weird. Keeper selections aren't justified at all, yet Casillas, Valdes and Reina will always be the 3, despite only Valdes deserving the spot. They have their set starting 11 pretty much who will constantly play apart from the striker/false 9 position which varies, and maybe the winger positions between Navas/Pedro but the rest is pretty set. Hard to break into the starting 11 actually, no matter how good you play.
Mata won't be there in the WC squad either I'm 99 % certain of that. He's never been able to lock down a starting XI position even in his peak for Chelsea anyway. Can't see Del Bosque dropping the likes of Silva, Koke, Thiago, Cazorla, Inietsa, Navas to accomodate Mata. They all just give him a lot more tactical options, are more versatile than Juan and have had better seasons. Hell Isco or Muniain could be wild cards and take up Mata's place on the plane to Brazil.
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Has Koke been that impressive? Him or Carzola are probably the ones most at risk. Thiago's escape from Barca has secured his seat on the plane it seems.
Indeed Koke has been very impressive. Compared to other Spanish midfielders he has incredible energy, great workrate, is good from set pieces and provides Del Bosque the opportunity of being more tactically flexible. He can play out wide, as an AM, as a CM and as a CDM. Knowing the Spaniards and their crazy obsession of playing midfielders in defence it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Koke even played as a fullback. Plus he's really young and Xavi is on his last legs. So the WC could be the perfect scenario for further grooming him at the biggest stage. Cazorla may be more at risk as you rightly pointed out but he's more of a veteran, is more creative, better at link up play than Juan and had a better season. Wouldn't really surprise me to see him get the nod over Mata.
Koke? Alonso, Busi, Xavi and Iniesta start, Fabregas, Javi Martinez and Thiago are there as
Xabi and Xavi would still play. They have Thiago, Cesc and Javi Martinez to replace them. Cannot see Koke getting a look in as yet.
Javi Martinez didn't get much of a look-in last WC either. But they still took him because he can play in multiple positions and was a player for the future. Koke may not be first choice or even second but he's part of their future planning and WC experience is vital because next WC the likes of Xavi and Alonso won't be there and Koke may well take up one of those positions. What do they gain from taking Mata over Koke ? They have Silva, Iniesta, Cesc, Navas, Cazorla, Thiago, Cazorla who can all play in his position and have had better seasons.
Yes we know every man and his dog has had a better season than Mata but he's still better than the likes of Cazorla and Navas.
Del Bosque isn't stupid who will judge Mata's performances while playing in David Moyes' moronic tactics when he intends to play him in a completely different system.
Like I said earlier seasonal form do not dictate each and every selection. Mata has been a part of the NT since a long time and I don't see him getting dropped based on few months of bad form which has nothing to do with his quality but the preferences of the manager.
That's not my point if he's bad under Moyes or whether Del Bosque is stupid. If you're invading a country you don't just take the artillery. You take the warships and the jets and missiles etc etc because that gives you options. The thing is Navas offers something no other player in the Spanish team does. He's an out and out winger who really stretches the play and that can very useful in a cagey game. If you're going to the WC you need to find all kinds of tactical options. Even when the piece itself is not the greatest it can complete the jigsaw and he's been superb with City to boot. As for the Mata and Cazorla comparisons again Cazorla is more flexible than Juan and has had more game time this season. That definitely will be taken into consideration hence my reasons for being sceptical of Mata's WC chances. As for the last point Cazorla and Navas have been long term mombers of the NT too and both have more caps than Juan. There's no reasonable argument to made in Mata's favour as things stand, he's never been an undroppable member of team whose position is beyond question - like Xavi, Ramos or Iniesta. Of course he could suddenly catch fire and score 10, assist 10 until the end of the season and his form would carry him to the WC hence the 1 % margin. I have nothing against him, I really like his play and have always coveted him for our club, but objectively speaking no he won't go.
Fair enough on the points where you think Navas and Cazorla would be more useful than Mata, I disagree though, I don't think Navas provides much despite him being a different kind of attacking player. He can be really erratic with his crossing and his link up isn't half as good as the others. Mata also provides something different because he goes for the killer ball far more than other players who prefer to open up teams with safer but intricate passing and movement. Mata takes far more risks with his passing and that is something Spain have been guilty of not doing, specially in WC 2010.
As for the form, again I don't see that making much of a difference. Otherwise what the hell is Xavi doing there? Or Casillas? More than form it would be about managerial preferences and proven performers in the past.
Err ok first of all I'm not an expert on the matter so don't quote me on it, my views may be completely off the mark
but I still feel logically it makes sense. And of course it goes without saying that it doesn't matter what I think, ultimately del Bosque will take the final decision but I'll just touch upon the key points :Navas may be erratic and his link up play may not be as good as the others but he still provides an alternative. Take Willian and Salah for example. They're not superior players to Mata but still Jose prefers them because they provide a different dimension to their play with their work-rate and direct approach. Mata may go for the killer ball but Thiago, Silva or Iniesta are better than him at it. They're better dribblers to boot. It's like Ozil's case - there's no denying that fact that he is a better playmaker to Di Maria but the latter is more suited to Ancelotti's system. He can be stuck in 4-3-3 or as a winger in 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. No one is saying that he's a superior player than Ozil but he's a more varied pick overall for their system. It's not simply player X>player Y hence he should go, there are so many intangibles involved. Jesus also had a season linking up with Silva and Negredo, hence they could play better together if taken to the WC.
Now to the second part, Xavi and Casillas may have had poor seasons by their standards, the latter not even Madrid's starting keeper in the league but as I mentioned before they are immovables (Casillas is still the NT captain) and Mata isn't an immovable. Every national team has them, players that are worth their weight in terms of reputation and stature alone. Rooney could have a dogshite season but he would still be the first name on England's team-sheet. Schweinsteiger has been injured for half the season but if fit, he'll 100 % board the plane to Brazil as compared to say Gundogan who isn't an immovable yet and will have to work his way back in even if he gets fit in time. It's just one of those cases where if fit they just have to be included in the squad.
Not disagreeing to any of that and I can see Navas going as well for the reasons you mentioned.Err ok first of all I'm not an expert on the matter so don't quote me on it, my views may be completely off the mark
Navas may be erratic and his link up play may not be as good as the others but he still provides an alternative. Take Willian and Salah for example. They're not superior players to Mata but still Jose prefers them because they provide a different dimension to their play with their work-rate and direct approach. Mata may go for the killer ball but Thiago, Silva or Iniesta are better than him at it. They're better dribblers to boot. It's like Ozil's case - there's no denying that fact that he is a better playmaker to Di Maria but the latter is more suited to Ancelotti's system. He can be stuck in 4-3-3 or as a winger in 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. No one is saying that he's a superior player than Ozil but he's a more varied pick overall for their system. It's not simply player X>player Y hence he should go, there are so many intangibles involved. Jesus also had a season linking up with Silva and Negredo, hence they could play better together if taken to the WC.
Now to the second part, Xavi and Casillas may have had poor seasons by their standards, the latter not even Madrid's starting keeper in the league but as I mentioned before they are immovables (Casillas is still the NT captain) and Mata isn't an immovable. Every national team has them, players that are worth their weight in terms of reputation and stature alone. Rooney could have a dogshite season but he would still be the first name on England's team-sheet. Schweinsteiger has been injured for half the season but if fit, he'll 100 % board the plane to Brazil as compared to say Gundogan who isn't an immovable yet and will have to work his way back in even if he gets fit in time. It's just one of those cases where if fit they just have to be included in the squad.
It's a 23 man squad and I am sure there will be one place for Mata in there. Dropping someone who was one of the best players in a top league for 2 years based on few months is a massive call and a pretty stupid one as well. Even in our dogshite tactics he has managed to come up with decent stuff, passing, some killer balls. I have the impression that Del Bosque values his role as a squad player for the NT. Xavi, Alonso, Iniesta and Busquets are the nailed on starters in that front 6, rest is all up for grabs. They've got Costa so he would probably get the nod for the striker role and the last position is between the rest. IMO one of Cesc or Silva would be getting it and the rest would all be on the bench.
I agree and IMO the biggest threat for Mata's NT spot this season has been the emergence of Koke and Thiago and them kind of superseding him del Bosque's plans. Last season Mata would still be in the team because none of them were regular, consistent and versatile performers for their club sides. But now both of them afford del Bosque the chance to employ varied tactics, something that Juan can't offer. Makes me sad for him but that's how things work at the highest level unfortunately, especially in the Spanish team where's there's surplus talent so guys like Mata and even De Gea, one of the best keepers in the world and easily better than Casillas, Valdes and Reina this season get left behind.
Will there be a blog this Monday?
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