Dax777 said:
Chick Counterfly said:
Mata is just a superior footballer to Nasri.
I don't really see it. Mata is smaller and faster, a better team player, but there's no doubt in my mind that
Nasri has more outright ability to pass and finish accurately, strongly. He might even be a more effective dribbler despite the speed disadvantage.
FInish, maybe. But pass? Absolutely not. Mata sees things as quickly as Silva does. Perhaps even quicker, coz he is not as calm as Silva. Yet his vision is impeccable. And his movemnt is superior to Nasri's. Nasri is a better dribbler.
I'd agree that Mata has better vision. Like I say, he's a natural playmaking winger. Movement is better and his understanding of the team is better. I think Nasri's raw talent is underestimated, Mata is lovely and neat but Nasri has shown a bit more ability to manipulate the ball. He's more flamboyant so he is less consistent.
If pushed I'd accept that Mata might have more potential but he's still playing in u21 tournaments. Nasri has been doing it for a while against the Utds, Chelsea, and of course in the CL.
Like he said in his interview, unlike many, he doesnt see under 21 as a step down, it is just a different competition and a different challenge. And he is always up for football. That is an intoxicating mentality. Messi is the same way. Even if it is against the homeless, he wants to play. Nasri on the other hand is a bit of a premadonna.
I'd agree that I like Mata's attitude. But a primadonna is sometimes just the ticket. The point about the u21 is just that Nasri has done it on a bigger stage. There is a benefit to having that experience in your dressing room, and players who the opposition recognise as having hurt them in the past.
Mata is just like Silva. A team player and facilitator. We could have 4 of these guys, pass the ball beautifully and never score the goals. He's inferior to Silva, so what's the point?
A general misconception. Mata is like SIlva, only in the sense that he comes from a Spanish footballing tradition. It is like saying Villa is like SIlva or Fabregas is like Silva. None of these guys are similar, albeit they all have the culture of intelligent passing and playing team oriented football.
Mata, 5'6, 60kg(ish), very left footed, facilitator with superb vision, has the spanish game imprinted on the inside of his skull. Favourite position, free role starting on the left wing.
Silva, 5'7, 65kg, very left footed, facilitator with superb vision, has the spanish game imprinted on the inside of his skull. Favourite position, free role starting on the left wing.
Yes, there are some substantial differences, but for goodness sakes stop trying to tell me they aren't similar.
(sorry, lost the original quote)
Yes he can poach. You could make a bit of a fool of yourself by saying he's superior to Silva, I doubt many people in world football would agree that he's near that level, yet.
Mata is superior to AJ too, and will complement Silva and Yaya better than Nasri, because 1) they all understand the same system, and 2) he is a fastbreak specialist and adaptable. Would he take on 4 - 5 defenders like Nasri does? No, But this doesn't mean his overall contribution and goals, will not dwarf Nasri's.
It's horses for courses. We don't need another left footed creative player and finisher nearly as much as we need the option of right footed dribbler and creative player.
