How Louis Van Gaal Can Get the Best out of Juan Mata at Manchester United

Juan Mata's Manchester United career so far can only be described as a qualified success. Unable to make an instant impact on David Moyes' struggling side, Mata was misused by the Scot, incorporated into the side in a right-wing position that did not suit him.

Eventually, Mata got a run in the side in his favoured role, at No. 10, and began to produce the performances—and goals—that Chelsea fans had come to expect when he was their Player of the Season in 2011/12 and 2012/13.

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Louis van Gaal's arrival at Manchester United has seen the advent of a formation which has a distinct and obvious place for Mata. The Spaniard is the "1" in the 3-4-1-2, operating in the space between midfield and attack.

It is fair to say that it has not yet worked properly. United have struggled to find much in the way of form. Mata has been both victim to and partially complicit in the lack of attacking coherence on display.

Effective No. 10 play requires the ability to create something out of apparently nothing, but most of the time, the co-operation of team-mates is needed to achieve this.

Strikers need to make runs which allow for the perfect through ball. Deeper lying midfielders need to break forward to occupy the defenders who would otherwise spend their attention on the playmaker.

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Neither of these have happened very much so far this season. Darren Fletcher has struggled in midfield since the start of the competitive season. Ander Herrera has yet to find his footing in United red, with his early United career interrupted by injury.

Since Danny Welbeck went off injured in the pre-season friendly against Real Madrid, United's strikers have lacked for dynamism. Javier Hernandez could have provided it, but his form looked well short of its best. Both have now, of course, moved to pastures new.

Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney are simply not as quick as they once were, compounded in Van Persie's case by recovery from injury. This has made United's forward line too static when they have played together.

Another key function of the playmaker is to bring wingers into play. Van Gaal's implementation of wing-backs has been hampered by the poor form of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young.

Against Burnley, Mata picked out Valencia in space on multiple occasions, only for the Ecuadorian to fluff his lines.

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With Daley Blind and Herrera behind him, Radamel Falcao ahead of him and a winger of the calibre of Angel Di Maria to bring into play, Mata's contribution will automatically improve.

He will be afforded more time on the ball as defenders will need to concern themselves with runners breaking from behind him.

United's new arrivals may yet prompt change in formation. However, playing either as the most attacking of a midfield three, or as the playmaker in a 3-4-1-2, Mata should benefit from United's strengthening.

There may be some question marks around Mata's long-term place in the side, as analysed by Bleacher Report's Sam Pilger, here.

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However, he can and should be crucial to the next phase of Van Gaal's Manchester United. The only true threat to his place in the side will come if Van Gaal chooses to try and accommodate Rooney by playing him in Mata's roll.

However tempting this may be for the Dutchman, given the status he has bestowed upon Rooney, he should resist it.

It is my assertion that Mata is the best playmaker at the club. I recently drew attention to WhoScored.com's statistically modelled analysis of his and Rooney's best assets. Mata's list of strengths is almost the perfect set of skills for a traditional No. 10.

Rooney, on the other hand, has the skills of a centre-forward and should fight for his place with Falcao and Van Persie.

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Getting the best out of Juan Mata is not rocket science. Give him better, more dynamic players around him, make him a pivotal part of the side and the goals and assists he has provided throughout his Premier League career will be a key part of the new Manchester United's attacking threat.