Juan Unchained: Is it time to unleash Mata?

Juan Mata arrived in the Premier League four years ago and he has been one of the league’s most consistent players over that time. Since the 2011/2012 season, he has a combined total of 75 for goals and assists, joint top for midfielders with David Silva.

The dimunitive Spanish playmaker was Chelsea’s player of the year twice before Jose Mourinho decided he wasn’t suited for his style of play and then came his £37 million move to Manchester United in January 2013.

Despite the club being in upheaval or Van Gaal’s “process” for the entirety of his time at the club, he settled in quickly and has been United’s best player since his arrival. No player has been involved more goals than Mata since he made his debut and that is even more impressive considering how often he has been played out of position.

https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/663354415731068928

That he is now a solid performer in the position that Van Gaal labelled as “false right winger” is testament to his football intelligence and awareness of space. He regularly creates more chances than any other United player and has shown himself to be clinical in front of goal. He has been involved in 41% of the club’s goals this season (4 goals 3 assists).

On the face of it there is no reason to change his role in the team. However, it is tempting to wonder if there could be more benefit to to the team if he is returned to his natural number 10 position. He has not had a run of games there in a season that has seen United frequently looking laboured and creatively bereft of ideas. That is in no small part due to United’s captain, Wayne Rooney.

Rooney has played in that position this season and created zero chances on more than one occasion. Mata could be a better prospect in the hole because his first touch and close-control enable him to operate in tight spaces more effectively. Therefore, he will be able to release the ball quicker and find a striker’s runs more than Rooney.

Meanwhile, Rooney’s crossing of the ball is decent and his ability to patrol a wing is arguably better than Mata’s. He is certainly no speedy wing wizard but neither is Mata. A problem area for United has been at right-back and that could be attributable to Mata’s lack of defensive protection down that flank.

Rooney is a better tackler and header of the ball, which could alleviate some of the burden on the right back. If he has to remain an ever-present in the team then it could be worthwhile for Van Gaal to trial a straight swap between Mata and Rooney’s positions. It has the potential to make the team more creative in central areas and more solid on the right wing.

Mata has found himself scoring more goals but recording fewer assists than he did in London. As a number 10 at Chelsea he had 27 assists in 82 league games, while he has 11 in 60 for United. That he has already scored more goals could be due to the amount of freedom he has in this current system to move inside from the right and make late runs into the box.

If returning to his number 10 position sees his assist tally increase for United then it may be Rooney drifting in from the right to score with both players and the team benefiting from the re-configuration. Mata was initially moved to the right as Van Gaal looked for balance but there is now a case for this switch to be reversed.