1. Juan Mata emphasises his value as Man United earned deserved win
OWING TO THE arrival of £27 million-plus signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan coupled with Jose Mourinho’s decision to sell the player while at Chelsea, many people felt Juan Mata’s days at Man United were numbered during the summer.
However, in a less than predictable turn of events, Mata has developed into an important player for Mourinho, while Mkhitaryan is out in the cold amid rumours that the Red Devils are already considering selling the Armenian international, after just one Premier League start when he was infamously hauled off at half-time.
Mata, meanwhile, has been key for Man United. In the Premier League this season, they have earned 13 out of 15 points from games he has started and one from 12 in his absence.
And tonight again, the Spanish international’s presence was decisive, as his composed finish in a game otherwise short on class handed his grateful manager some much-needed respite, following a difficult few days for the club.
47 - Only Wayne Rooney (58) has been involved in more goals for Man Utd than Juan Mata (29 goals, 18 assists) since his debut. Influence.
Darren Randolph’s situation at West Ham is far from ideal. Tonight’s League Cup match against Chelsea was just his fifth start of the season for the Hammers.
The Bray native has also yet to play a minute of Premier League action in 2016-17, and once again must resign himself to the role of Adrian’s backup.
From an Irish perspective, however, it’s heartening to see that Randolph remains a reliable goalkeeper when called upon.
Tonight’s 2-1 win over against Chelsea was a case in point, as the 29-year-old stopper was superb in the Hammers’ morale-boosting EFL Cup victory over their London rivals.
With Rob Elliot still recovering from a long-term injury and Keiren Westwood not always trusted in the Irish set-up, Ireland’s goalkeeping options are limited as it is, so Randolph’s accomplished displays — even if they can only occur sporadically — will give Martin O’Neill reason for optimism ahead of next month’s vital World Cup qualifier away to Austria.
3. Time for big teams to start taking the competition seriously
Following tonight’s results, the League Cup quarter-finals are now on the horizon.
With the notable exception of Man United, most of the big English teams have opted to play second-string sides so far in the competition.
It is around now, though, when managers are faced with a dilemma: do they stick with the players who got them this far in the competition or start to pick the best individuals in the squad?
Teams have a maximum of four games more in the competition — hardly a big ask for today’s super-fit stars.
Therefore, surely the time is right for all teams to start integrating their most talented and effective players into the starting XI. It’s harsh on the more peripheral members of the squad, of course, but then sentiment has always been notoriously scarce in professional football.
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Juan Mata emphasises his value and more League Cup talking points
1. Juan Mata emphasises his value as Man United earned deserved win
OWING TO THE arrival of £27 million-plus signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan coupled with Jose Mourinho’s decision to sell the player while at Chelsea, many people felt Juan Mata’s days at Man United were numbered during the summer.
However, in a less than predictable turn of events, Mata has developed into an important player for Mourinho, while Mkhitaryan is out in the cold amid rumours that the Red Devils are already considering selling the Armenian international, after just one Premier League start when he was infamously hauled off at half-time.
Mata, meanwhile, has been key for Man United. In the Premier League this season, they have earned 13 out of 15 points from games he has started and one from 12 in his absence.
And tonight again, the Spanish international’s presence was decisive, as his composed finish in a game otherwise short on class handed his grateful manager some much-needed respite, following a difficult few days for the club.
2. Darren Randolph impresses in West Ham victory
Darren Randolph’s situation at West Ham is far from ideal. Tonight’s League Cup match against Chelsea was just his fifth start of the season for the Hammers.
The Bray native has also yet to play a minute of Premier League action in 2016-17, and once again must resign himself to the role of Adrian’s backup.
From an Irish perspective, however, it’s heartening to see that Randolph remains a reliable goalkeeper when called upon.
Tonight’s 2-1 win over against Chelsea was a case in point, as the 29-year-old stopper was superb in the Hammers’ morale-boosting EFL Cup victory over their London rivals.
With Rob Elliot still recovering from a long-term injury and Keiren Westwood not always trusted in the Irish set-up, Ireland’s goalkeeping options are limited as it is, so Randolph’s accomplished displays — even if they can only occur sporadically — will give Martin O’Neill reason for optimism ahead of next month’s vital World Cup qualifier away to Austria.
3. Time for big teams to start taking the competition seriously
Following tonight’s results, the League Cup quarter-finals are now on the horizon.
With the notable exception of Man United, most of the big English teams have opted to play second-string sides so far in the competition.
For instance, few if any of the players who started yesterday’s Liverpool-Tottenham clash would get into both sides’ first XIs.
It is around now, though, when managers are faced with a dilemma: do they stick with the players who got them this far in the competition or start to pick the best individuals in the squad?
Teams have a maximum of four games more in the competition — hardly a big ask for today’s super-fit stars.
Therefore, surely the time is right for all teams to start integrating their most talented and effective players into the starting XI. It’s harsh on the more peripheral members of the squad, of course, but then sentiment has always been notoriously scarce in professional football.
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Analysis EFL Cup Juan Mata League Cup Talking Points Chelsea Manchester United