Juan Mata and David Moyes of Manchester United: PHOTO Zimbio.com
LONDON (Sporting Alert) — Manchester United fans were once left frustrated on Wednesday, after watching club manager David Moyes setup another Red Devils team to not get beat.
Manchester United, long already surrendered its EPL title, played to a dull 0-0 draw with Arsenal in the English Premier League Wednesday night, a result that truly didn’t help either team.
But one of the biggest frustrations for the fans and even the pundits was watching Moyes used new club record recruit Juan Mata incorrectly once again.
Mata, who left Chelsea in the January transfer window for Old Trafford, mainly because he was not able to play his playmaking role, was pushed out wide on the flank again by Moyes, and was far from effective against Arsenal.
According to the Daily Mirror writer Oliver Holt: “A problem for United is that their system makes it difficult for Juan Mata to get on the ball in central areas.
“They have paid £37m for a playmaker who is spending much of his time stranded on the left.
“Mata’s exquisite touch and laser vision have not deserted him. It is just that United have not yet integrated him into the team effectively…..”
Meanwhile, Jamie Redknapp also questioned Moyes’ tactics, as well as his decision to leave Adnan Januzaj on the bench again.
“It was a nervous game and it needed a bit of magic, so it was a shame to see Adnan Januzaj on the bench,” Redknapp wrote in the Daily Mail.
“I can understand why David Moyes wants to protect his young star, but he’s a match-winner and as a football fan you want to see him on the pitch.
“When he did come on, it was a surprise to see Juan Mata taken off. He could have unlocked the Arsenal defence but it was a sign that Moyes was happy to come away with a point.”
