Mateta Contract

[NEILLO]

The annoyance on these forums at Mateta is understandable.
Nonetheless, his goalscoring form under Glasner was exceptional.
At one point only Haaland and Salah were ahead of him for goals over the course of a year.

Yes, he misses chances.
Yes, he had a lot of creativity to set up the goals through Eze, Olise and Wharton.
But he still scored a lot of goals.

Looking at it dispassionately, how are we going to replace that?

There's been much talk of his two missed chances yesterday, but little (if any) of Larsen's missed chance after cross from the right where an unmarked Larsen tamely headed the ball at Pickford.
He couldn't have asked for a better cross and heading is supposed to be a strength of Larsen.

Mateta's attitude is symptomatic of the modern professional.
No loyalty to the club, a mercenary attitude in a short career - who's to say any of us would be any different, even if Mateta's reported behaviour isn't great.

The modern professional lives by the 5 rules of business,
'What's in it for me?'

I'm not a fan of Larsen, but in fairness to him, I was at the game on Saturday and very close to that piece of play...he got a good connection on the ball but unfortunately it was straight at Pickford.

 

[PatrickA]

I'm not a fan of Larsen, but in fairness to him, I was at the game on Saturday and very close to that piece of play...he got a good connection on the ball but unfortunately it was straight at Pickford.

Just out of interest, why aren't you a fan of Larsen, and who do you think should play as a striker if Mateta does depart (assuming he's not replaced)?

 

[palace99]

The annoyance on these forums at Mateta is understandable.
Nonetheless, his goalscoring form under Glasner was exceptional.
At one point only Haaland and Salah were ahead of him for goals over the course of a year.

Yes, he misses chances.
Yes, he had a lot of creativity to set up the goals through Eze, Olise and Wharton.
But he still scored a lot of goals.

Looking at it dispassionately, how are we going to replace that?

There's been much talk of his two missed chances yesterday, but little (if any) of Larsen's missed chance after cross from the right where an unmarked Larsen tamely headed the ball at Pickford.
He couldn't have asked for a better cross and heading is supposed to be a strength of Larsen.

Mateta's attitude is symptomatic of the modern professional.
No loyalty to the club, a mercenary attitude in a short career - who's to say any of us would be any different, even if Mateta's reported behaviour isn't great.

The modern professional lives by the 5 rules of business,
'What's in it for me?'

I personally like Mateta and think we are better team when he plays.

Clearly, last January he had his head turned and it appears the contract issues and appeal were done at that time - he was always going to lose. Contract extensions are pretty standard these days and it appears Palace were always entitled to enforce it. Also, Palace appeared to have accepted £26m (30m Euro) when we were asking for £35m suggests that a decision was made to just get rid.

The fact that it has just come into the public domain strongly suggests that his agent is the one who has done this, no doubt to see if a move is possible in the next week or so.

Palace have/had offered him new terms, which he/his agent rejected. Previously SP has given long and generous contracts to players aged 28/29 like Puncheon, Dann, Luka and quite frankly they have not been successful. Maybe SP has learnt his lesson.

I suspect both the length and money are not acceptable to Mateta. Whilst it must be annoying to see Nketiah, and now Larsen, on much more Palace have a top limit and we can't pay say £150k a week.
I remember when we bought Townsend in on £70k a week Zaha's agent immediately started making noises (linked with Spurs etc) before SP gave him a big contract on over £100k (which got increased the year after to make him the top earner above Benteke).

I think after the Milan move broke down he re-adjusted his attitude and from March appears to have integrated well back into the squad. The celebrations after his goal in the final suggest there are no frictions. Similarly, he would not have started on Saturday if he was forcing a move (see Watkins omission as an example).

I've heard his agent is quite a small player and Mateta is his biggest customer by a mile, so maybe the agent is trying his luck. Who knows.

I don't think it will do Mateta or Palace any good in the short term and with the futures of both Sarr and Munoz also up in the air these are worrying times.

 

[NEILLO]

Just out of interest, why aren't you a fan of Larsen, and who do you think should play as a striker if Mateta does depart (assuming he's not replaced)?

Re Larsen, it could well be that we haven't / don't / maybe never will , play to his strengths. Which others tell me is balls into the box.

That maybe explains why he hasn't been exactly prolific in front of goal. So I'm giving him the benefit of doubt there.

Why I'm not a fan is that the areas of play which he can affect himself, I haven't been impressed with. His touch, hold up play, winning the ball in the air and general strength/aggression for a player of his size.

Let's face it, you don't expect to spend the best part of £50m on a player that is then kept out of the team by a want away striker recovering from a knee injury.

When Mateta goes then I think we have a problem because Larsen is currently the only alternative.

Trying to put a positive slant on that possible scenario, perhaps Larsen will benefit from not having Mateta around and there will be more focus from Sage and his coaches on trying to get the best out of him.

 

[CrazyBadger]

If keeping JP is key to us having a successful season or indeed avoiding relegation then we’re is serious trouble. He does a job muscling centre backs and his hold up play is reasonable but his finishing is dreadful. If we had a half decent finisher we’d be top half easily. When was the last time we scored more than our xG? Our xG against Everton was 2.04 and we score F all thanks in large measure to Mateta’s ability in front of goal. Everton’s xG was 1.16. He’s cost us more points than he’s won. Sell him.

This is it in a nutshell. I was always a big supporter of Mateta before that season where him, eze and olise ripped it up - he was hard done by by Viera who inexplicably chose Edouard over him, but he persisted and turned into this player who everyone admires. Now, for some reason he's completely lost it in front of goal.

He brings a lot to the team, but his ineptitude to finish chances is really costing us. Other teams may be able to cope with this, but you need to have others regularly chipping in with goals or benefitting from his link up play. That's often been Sarr or Munoz. Munoz looks jaded, Hopefully he's had enough rest and just needs some gametime, and lord know what's happening with Sarr)
Problem is with him in the side, I don;t know where our goals are coming from. We need our strikers to convert our chances.

 

[TheBigToePunt]

Whilst he cannot have failed to notice how much better paid some of his lesser-performing teammates are, I'd be surprised if Mateta wants to leave Palace because of the length or value of the contract we have offered him. I say that simply because he can surely get as good a contract out of us as he can from someone like AC Milan, such is the ridiculous relative strength of the premier league.

I imagine he just wants to take his one last shot at playing for a big club who can win the league they are in.

For that reason, I doubt he would sign any contract we put in front of him, regardless of this business of trying to get out of his current final year.

The cases for selling or keeping Mateta remain exactly the same as they have been since last January: If we don't then we lose out on the money. If we do then we lose out on the player for a year.

I don't think any of this contract dispute business makes a lot of difference.

 

[Badger11]

Whilst he cannot have failed to notice how much better paid some of his lesser-performing teammates are, I'd be surprised if Mateta wants to leave Palace because of the length or value of the contract we have offered him. I say that simply because he can surely get as good a contract out of us as he can from someone like AC Milan, such is the ridiculous relative strength of the premier league.

I imagine he just wants to take his one last shot at playing for a big club who can win the league they are in.

For that reason, I doubt he would sign any contract we put in front of him, regardless of this business of trying to get out of his current final year.

The cases for selling or keeping Mateta remain exactly the same as they have been since last January: If we don't then we lose out on the money. If we do then we lose out on the player for a year.

I don't think any of this contract dispute business makes a lot of difference.

It doesn't. JPM tried to go the PL and FIFA tribunal route and lost. So the position is still the same. He wants to leave and we want a fee.

 

[TheBigToePunt]

It doesn't. JPM tried to go the PL and FIFA tribunal route and lost. So the position is still the same. He wants to leave and we want a fee.

Yep. My point was more that I don't get all this 'He's a wanker and we should kick him out' or 'He will probably stay if we offer him X over Y years'.

Surely neither matters at all?

 

[palace99]

Whilst he cannot have failed to notice how much better paid some of his lesser-performing teammates are, I'd be surprised if Mateta wants to leave Palace because of the length or value of the contract we have offered him. I say that simply because he can surely get as good a contract out of us as he can from someone like AC Milan, such is the ridiculous relative strength of the premier league.

I imagine he just wants to take his one last shot at playing for a big club who can win the league they are in.

For that reason, I doubt he would sign any contract we put in front of him, regardless of this business of trying to get out of his current final year.

The cases for selling or keeping Mateta remain exactly the same as they have been since last January: If we don't then we lose out on the money. If we do then we lose out on the player for a year.

I don't think any of this contract dispute business makes a lot of difference.

He'd rather go to a bigger club, however, if say Forest offer him £100k plus for the next 4 years he'll almost certainly join them.

No different than Lacroix joining Chelsea despite them finishing mid table and not having European football or anyone who is joining Spurs. Money talks

 

[Elwissthebest]

Yep. My point was more that I don't get all this 'He's a wanker and we should kick him out' or 'He will probably stay if we offer him X over Y years'.

Surely neither matters at all?

Agree. I don't see how there can be trust between an employer and an employee who wants to sue the employer. As far as loyalty to the badge goes, he's got form in that department too. Far too volatile. Get rid.

 

[grumpymort]

He'd rather go to a bigger club, however, if say Forest offer him £100k plus for the next 4 years he'll almost certainly join them.

No different than Lacroix joining Chelsea despite them finishing mid table and not having European football or anyone who is joining Spurs. Money talks

So you don't believe Palace offered near to that?

I remember him saying he wanted to go to a bigger club and European football (I expect he means Champions league)

Chelsea is nothing like the Forest situation and he would have doubled if not tripled his wages plus they are known to be Champions league team.

 

[Putitout]

What or why, his reasons has to be secondry to the fact he thinks so little of Palace he cant wait to go somewhere else. Ideally Palace should have got him out at the beginning of the window, lack of options to replace him the probable reason why not. A situation like this leaves a bad smell about the place, its hard to have a genuinely happy group when its obvious not everyone is happy.

 

[PatFromSouthCarolina]

Any chance you convince him to stay and bust his ass and raise his stock with the promise of moving him in the January window? Gives you time to scout for an adequate replacement. One guy I’d keep an eye out for is Patrick Agyemang at Derby. Basically a carbon copy who is currently out injured, but should be back right around winter time.

 

[MrRobbo]

What or why, his reasons has to be secondry to the fact he thinks so little of Palace he cant wait to go somewhere else. Ideally Palace should have got him out at the beginning of the window, lack of options to replace him the probable reason why not. A situation like this leaves a bad smell about the place, its hard to have a genuinely happy group when its obvious not everyone is happy.

It really is such a lack of respect.

We were willing to sell him in Jan. Since then he's had a nice rest, then played, scored some goals, won a cup and got in the France squad. Then given another nice holiday so he comes back unfit for the start of the season, which he starts with missing 2 sitters.

I'm sure Palace would have listened to offers this window, so is it safe to assume that no club is really interested?

 

[mtp1958]

It really is such a lack of respect.

We were willing to sell him in Jan. Since then he's had a nice rest, then played, scored some goals, won a cup and got in the France squad. Then given another nice holiday so he comes back unfit for the start of the season, which he starts with missing 2 sitters.

I'm sure Palace would have listened to offers this window, so is it safe to assume that no club is really interested?

He didnt miss 2 sitters he missed 2 chances big difference

 

[BromleyMonkey]

He didnt miss 2 sitters he missed 2 chances big difference

Come off it, one was easier to score than hit the post

 

[palace99]

Whilst he cannot have failed to notice how much better paid some of his lesser-performing teammates are, I'd be surprised if Mateta wants to leave Palace because of the length or value of the contract we have offered him. I say that simply because he can surely get as good a contract out of us as he can from someone like AC Milan, such is the ridiculous relative strength of the premier league.

I imagine he just wants to take his one last shot at playing for a big club who can win the league they are in.

For that reason, I doubt he would sign any contract we put in front of him, regardless of this business of trying to get out of his current final year.

The cases for selling or keeping Mateta remain exactly the same as they have been since last January: If we don't then we lose out on the money. If we do then we lose out on the player for a year.

I don't think any of this contract dispute business makes a lot of difference.

I really don't think that is the case.
Firstly we offered him a new contract and it was turned down so clearly the money and/or contract length weren't acceptable to him/his agent. Last Jan Milan must have been offering more.
Secondly as per the Olise/Eze contracts they both renewed on massively improved terms with release clauses. Both have moved to bigger clubs since.
I know Mateta is older, but the principle applies. At a minimum he could add 50% to his salary and have maybe a reducing release clause based on his age e.g. £30m now, £20m next season etc. Look at Welbeck moving to Chelsea at 35. If Mateta was to re-sign i strongly suspect he will still get the opportunity to move on in a year or two

He/his agent clearly feel it will be in his best interests not to renew - this is not dissimilar to Guehi who refused to discuss new terms.

There is a lot of hate towards JP yet Guehi got away with minimal criticism.

 

[Gary St.Andrews]

He didnt miss 2 sitters he missed 2 chances big difference

Big chances they were too!

 

[ambrose7]

Rumours of a swap deal with Juventus for Jonathan David.

3 years younger and equally happy playing off a target man (JSL) as being an out and out striker.

Bite their hand off.

 

[mtp1958]

Come off it, one was easier to score than hit the post

Was there a no.1 goal keeper there I beg to differ , pickfords hands wasn't that far away