Mata is a good player and has played in the PL before, he'll come good if he has the players around him.
I'd still like to see Rooney in the position he played on Wednesday, as a roaming advanced attacking CM with two bone fide CM's behind him. This means though that there is no 'No.10' as such as we'd have a spearhead No.9 with two off him either side. This leaves Mata as one of those two and by the looks of things he isn't exactly suited to it. Welbeck is ideal, Mata less so. Up to him to adapt though really. Say RVP is injured now so Rooney goes back to CF, can you see Mata putting in the same shift as Rooney did from behind him? No, nor can I. If he's to come good he'll have to adapt as right now there are players ahead of him in his desired position.
Robson was very good with the three degrees at West Brom, but not yet World Class when Ron imported him in 1981. He was becoming the best player in England though, though Keegan was the best player in England the following season, 81.2. After Keegan's disappointing World Cup in 82, and Robson's excellent one, only then could Robson start to be called world class, a year after he signed for utd.
Veron's problem was adapting to the pace of the PL and getting time to make his passes. He wasn't the only one - Alonso took a good three or four years to adapt to the PL, then went to Real and stepped up massively in quality thanks to the extra time he got on the ball. Some players are just better adapted to the slower paced leagues and vice versa - I doubt Scholes or Gerrard would ever have been as good playing abroad, as the slower pace would leave them less holes to exploit with long range passes. Mata has already adapted well to the PL, so he's not in the same situation as Veron. The big question for him is, as Ruff says, how well he can adapt to a system where he can't play in his favourite role and the team isn't built around him. Jury's out, and will remain so until next season when Moyes (or A. N. Other) has had some time to properly reshape the team.
Waiting till the end of the season. I see no point changing manager now, but wouldn't be surprised if he went in the summer as long as someone good is available to replace him. If he's still here next season then I'd expect us to hit the ground running or I'll start seriously questioning him.
All depends on what kind of summer you have in regards to transfers. You cannot be expected to challenge with this squad to be honest (dont give me that "but last season...." rubbish, last year the league was s**te and you had an amazing manager. Now everyone has improved and you have Moyes). If you sign a quality CB, full back and 2 CMs then you will challenge otherwise you will be fighting for 4th spot again.
utd squad not that bad. Playing prehistoric football... Long balls and endless crosses when you sign ball players such as mata is the problem
Veron just wasn't suited to the game here. Much like robinho. Mata has proven himself over here. I think mata needs to play in a similar position to what ronaldo and bale play. On the wing but with freedom to do what they want. It wouldn't be an issue if we had a decent right back. Which we don't.
Their tactics have left a lot to be desired for sure, but when you look past RVP, De Gea, Rooney and Mata, their squad starts to look pretty dire. Januzaj looks a good prospect, but so many players like Young, Valencia, Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, Fellaini, need booting out for being gash, or past it. They need pretty much a whole new back four and at least two midfielders to get anywhere near where they were 6 years ago.
