Juan Mata | 2013/14 Performances

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Juan Mata said:
Hi everyone:

The truth is, after a game like Saturday's, I realise once again how nice football can be, and how much you enjoy the few days following a victory and a good performance. I still have a smile on my face :-) To spend a relaxed Sunday knowing that you have done your job is priceless. And it was not an easy thing to do in St. James' Park, but the team delivered and we got three more points to keep this great streak on away games.

After the match I was very happy from a personal point of view; moreover, I was really pleased with the effort made by all players to win, and it's a key victory to try to climb on the table and to go to Germany full of confidence.

I scored and enjoyed on the pitch again; I wish the streak goes on until the end of the season. As I said after the game, I have a very good understanding with my team-mates and I was also very happy with Chicha and Adnan's goals.

By the way, you may wonder about my celebration with De Gea... The reason is that we had been practising free-kicks the day before and David said I was going to score against Newcastle... because that day I was misfiring all my shots! And so it happened :-)

This victory gives us a lot of energy for our game in Munich on Wednesday. In the first leg, the support from Old Trafford was our power to cope with such a tough game. It was a great night that I had to enjoy from the stands. On Wednesday I'll be supporting from home, in front of the TV, aware that the Allianz Arena is one of the toughest stadiums in Europe... but also aware that we are Manchester United and I'm sure we can make it through!

In Spain it seems the battle for the title will be thrilling until the very end. The top-three teams won, including Atlético, who had a complicated match, and Real Madrid, in a remarkable 0-4 in Anoeta, Real Sociedad's fortress. At this stage they all know that dropping one single point can make the difference and that is stressing... At the bottom of the table things are yet to be decided. In that regard, Elche's victory against Getafe was one of the main games of the weekend.

Last week I visited Lymm, a village full of historical buildings surrounded by canals. A perfect place to relax and forget about everything. Since we don't play the next weekend I may try another escape somewhere else. I invite you to make suggestions ;)

Once again, thank you very much for your support and for your recent messages. I read you! I hope I can keep my good streak!

Hugs!

Juan

<3

http://juanmata10.com/News/4155/May_the_streak_goes_on
 
ElderlyObviousCollardlizard.gif
That is the best GIF I have ever seen. Can't stop laughing!
 
:lol: Where do you get all these weird Mata pics, you're his #1 stalker, aren't you?
Nah got that one off reddit. But I do have an unhealthy obsession with him, just like most of the caf. He's like a teddy bear.
 
Why on earth would we need to get rid of one of those two just to allow Mata to play?

We play over 60 matches in a season and obviously we need to keep our strikers as fresh as possible ,or do you envisage playing the same two players up front for 60-odd games. What happens for instance if one of the 3 is injured and you've already sold another? VP and Rooney are both injured at the moment.

Come on folks....think these things through, please.

Oh, I have thought things through. If we continue to play with one striker up front, 3 strikers are enough, in my opinion. Say if we we're to get rid of Van Persie, it'd still leave us with Rooney, Hernandez and Welbeck as our striking options. In my opinion, the aforementioned players are good enough to play that role, whilst we'll have Kagawa, Mata, and sometimes Rooney playing in the no.10 role. This would give us a number of partnerships.

If you look at all the other top clubs around Europe that play one up top, they have a maximum of 3 striking options. We have four, and Hernandez very rarely gets minutes on the pitch.
 


Visited the club museum. I didn't think I could love him more.
 


Visited the club museum. I didn't think I could love him more.


He's already outperformed RVP in terms of winning over the fans quickly. All he did was praise Giggs and Scholes and spoke about how big a club we are ect. but Mata is going that extra mile. His wonderful blogs, visiting the clubs museum and stating how much he loves to play with Kagawa. :p
 
Too late.
 
Juan Mata has defended David Moyes and said the Manchester United manager cannot be held solely responsible for his disastrous first campaign in charge.

Moyes has endured a nightmare first season at Old Trafford, with reigning champions United currently in seventh spot and set to miss out on Champions League qualification for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Against that backdrop, Sir Alex Ferguson’s beleaguered successor has seen his position called into question by furious United fans less than a year after his move from Everton.

But Mata, who became United’s record signing in a £37.1million January from Chelsea, insists it would be wrong to point the finger at the 50-year-old Scot now - despite him presiding over the club’s worst-ever Premier League campaign.

The Spanish midfielder has called for the supporters disillusioned with Moyes to get behind him, and claims he has been assured there will be big-name arrivals this summer to restore the club to its former glories.

“We have to be together,” said Mata. “Now is not the time to blame anyone. Now is not the time to look for guilty people.

“Now is the time to stick together - with the manager, with his staff, the players and with the people on the board of the club. We need to carry on, to stay with the manager. We need to believe in him, because as players we know we have to improve.

“It’s not just the manager, it’s not just the tactics. It’s all of us. It’s not the time to blame one person. We are all together in this.

“Some of my friends told me if this situation was happening in another club in Spain it would be different, but the club and the players are behind the manager.

“We need to be strong as a team, as a dressing-room and keep working hard. We need to improve, we know it, but we need to do it together.”



Mata said he knew he was joining a club in transition when he swapped Chelsea for United, and claimed he was fully prepared for a tough first few months at Old Trafford.

But the 25-year-old said he saw the bigger picture when making the switch to United, claiming a difficult season of change was a small price to pay for the prospect of long-term success.

“I knew these six months were going to be difficult,” said Mata. “Even before I came, things were difficult here, so I knew I wasn’t coming to a side that was going to win, win and win.

“But I knew as well that this club was going to come back and that the future was going to be bright.

“When I was in my situation at Chelsea, not playing, everyone I spoke with in football said, ‘Yeah, maybe Manchester United aren’t at their best this season - but it’s still Manchester United!'

"It’s not a team that’s just played one season in the Champions League and you’re going to a club that’s not top level. No, this will always be a top level club, one of the biggest in the world.

“So if you don’t play Champions League one season, you’ll play in it the next year, or you will still win trophies, because it’s what the club is about.

“I have no doubt about it. When I joined, in all my conversations with the board and the manager about next season, they were confident about getting the right players.

“They know, and I know, we’re in a transitional moment, but in the summer they’re going to try to sign a few players and I have the faith they are going to bring top players in.

“I’m sure this club is going to come back and fight for every trophy. Since I was a kid, Manchester United was fighting for everything, and this moment is going to come back for sure.



“The club is in a transitional moment. They had Sir Alex Ferguson as the manager for the last 26 years, so I think it’s a big change for the club.

“I don’t know how many clubs in the world that have had the same manager for nearly 30 years - probably none. That was a unique situation.

“But we have to look forward to the future, and I have to say I think the future for this club will be bright, because it deserves the best.”

Mata has thrived when played in his favoured central role just off the main striker for United, scoring twice and making another in the 4-0 win at Newcastle a fortnight ago.

That was Mata’s last appearance, given he was cup-tied for the Champions League exit to Bayern Munich, and he admitted he wants to figure more often in the No.10 role.




“Since I came to England, at Valencia before that and when I was a kid, I played wherever,” said Mata. “On the right, on the left or in the No.10 role.

“But it’s true that last season, at Chelsea - which was my best in terms of goals and assists - I was playing just behind the striker, under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafa Benitez.

“I feel comfortable playing between the lines. I can play out wide, but I always try to come inside and play between the lines. That’s where I feel comfortable and help the team the most.”

* Unlock the Game by wearing the adidas Predator, a boot worn by Juan Mata. To join the conversation @adidasuk #unlockthegame. Visit adidas.com/football.


http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...iteds-juan-mata-defends-3424648#ixzz2zAsNBQO3
 
Mata really is a gem isn't he? Incredible player and exactly what any club would want off the pitch.

He shows more intelligence and insight in that article alone than Rooney and Rio have in 10 years combined!
 
I really want Mata to become our regular no.10, he's been much better for us when he's played there and we've played better as a result.

That was a good interview, btw. Based on what he said about transfers, it really looks like we'll be very active in the summer in terms of bringing players in.
 
I really want Mata to become our regular no.10, he's been much better for us when he's played there and we've played better as a result.

That was a good interview, btw. Based on what he said about transfers, it really looks like we'll be very active in the summer in terms of bringing players in.
I agree. That's what I thought when we signed Mata and Rooney extended his contract, I thought they got some kind of reassurance that we will strengthen in the summer.
 
I hope Mata is not buying into Moyes' "we need better players" mentality.

I think we have quality players yet to enter their peak that really could be really really good when they do. I think the future for the club is bright, I also think if we were to add a quality creative centre midfielder, defensive midfielder, left back and centre back then we will be competing for trophies on all fronts.

This season Moyes didn't need another centre back because he had vidic. He bought his own £27m defensive midfielder therefore he lacked a creative midfielder and left back only in terms of quality.

Carrick was a top player last season therefore he should have got the most out of him, the potential was there.

Evra has struggled and it's fair enough, he is ageing therefore I can understand this.

However look at Chelsea's front line, I don't think they were that strong in the two behind the attacking three although they do have Matic now.

Manchester City lack one central defender therefore this is not that different to us lacking in the left back region.

Liverpool, Arsenal also have weaknesses.

I can't understand how our squad isn't good enough to get 78 - 80 points at least. You know what Rodgers, Mourinho, Pellegrini would do?

They likely would find a formation that would get the best out of our team, and they would give Patrice a lot of protection down that left. If Carrick was struggling then they wouldn't rely on him for creativity but find a work around.

Moyes might become good and if he stays I will back him. I do think he has under performed however and I do think Rodgers, Mourinho or Pellegrini would have not chosen a way of playing and formation that just did not suit us. The problem for Moyes is not the players as he keeps saying but how he has tried to get the most out of those players.
 
Both Carrick and Evra are the same age, so it's fair enough that Evra is struggling as he's aging, yet that doesn't apply to Carrick just because he had a great season last time around and it's Moyes' fault?
 
Trying to keep this about Mata...i'd love for him to go to Rio in the summer (along with De Gea)

Great professional and fingers crossed he has a great end to the season and starts the next full of confidence!
 
Both Carrick and Evra are the same age, so it's fair enough that Evra is struggling as he's aging, yet that doesn't apply to Carrick just because he had a great season last time around and it's Moyes' fault?

Evra gets up and down that touch line, often he is exposed for pace or his agility, these are the types of attributes that tend to decline. And furthermore with the left wide player drifting centrally his flank is an obvious target therefore I am not surprised he is a weak link.

Carrick relies on sitting deeper and dictating play from there. A physical decline would affect him much less.

32 for a left back is much older than 32 for a sitting midfielder.
 
Mata is saying the right things and we should back the manager. We've had too many injuries to key players and it's not so much better players but 'Moyes players'. If you look at the team, can we do better? Simple answer is yes. So let's do better. Hopefully Mata keeps up his goal scoring streak of late and gets to go to the world cup
 
I hope Mata is not buying into Moyes' "we need better players" mentality.

I think we have quality players yet to enter their peak that really could be really really good when they do. I think the future for the club is bright, I also think if we were to add a quality creative centre midfielder, defensive midfielder, left back and centre back then we will be competing for trophies on all fronts.

This season Moyes didn't need another centre back because he had vidic. He bought his own £27m defensive midfielder therefore he lacked a creative midfielder and left back only in terms of quality.

Carrick was a top player last season therefore he should have got the most out of him, the potential was there.

Evra has struggled and it's fair enough, he is ageing therefore I can understand this.

However look at Chelsea's front line, I don't think they were that strong in the two behind the attacking three although they do have Matic now.

Manchester City lack one central defender therefore this is not that different to us lacking in the left back region.

Liverpool, Arsenal also have weaknesses.

I can't understand how our squad isn't good enough to get 78 - 80 points at least. You know what Rodgers, Mourinho, Pellegrini would do?

They likely would find a formation that would get the best out of our team, and they would give Patrice a lot of protection down that left. If Carrick was struggling then they wouldn't rely on him for creativity but find a work around.

Moyes might become good and if he stays I will back him. I do think he has under performed however and I do think Rodgers, Mourinho or Pellegrini would have not chosen a way of playing and formation that just did not suit us. The problem for Moyes is not the players as he keeps saying but how he has tried to get the most out of those players.

Yet another post letting us know we must blame Moyes above all else. People should be relieved we're looking at bringing in quality, its been the cafs main complaint for years. Top players want to play with other top players its only natural that Mata would have discussed and be excites over top signings.
 
Evra gets up and down that touch line, often he is exposed for pace or his agility, these are the types of attributes that tend to decline. And furthermore with the left wide player drifting centrally his flank is an obvious target therefore I am not surprised he is a weak link.

Carrick relies on sitting deeper and dictating play from there. A physical decline would affect him much less.

32 for a left back is much older than 32 for a sitting midfielder.
That's already having an effect on our performances if he can't get up and down the pitch and support attacks when we're attacking and track back when we're defending. A midfielder can't just sit back and offer nothing while we're attacking, a central midfielder needs to be a complete player. I think that may be one of the greatest problems why we don't get many goals from central midfield. At times Carrick really struggled with the pace of the game this season, often losing the ball when he's in a tight situation.
 
That's already having an effect on our performances if he can't get up and down the pitch and support attacks when we're attacking and track back when we're defending. A midfielder can't just sit back and offer nothing while we're attacking, a central midfielder needs to be a complete player. I think that may be one of the greatest problems why we don't get many goals from central midfield. At times Carrick really struggled with the pace of the game this season, often losing the ball when he's in a tight situation.

Many ways to play in the midfield. With a proper number 10 in front that allows him to perform as a deep lying playmaker but also he could perform very well as an anchor man in the 4-3-3.

If he is expected to play as a box to box central midfielder then it is not surprising he has struggled.
 
Many ways to play in the midfield. With a proper number 10 in front that allows him to perform as a deep lying playmaker but also he could perform very well as an anchor man in the 4-3-3.

If he is expected to play as a box to box central midfielder then it is not surprising he has struggled.
I'm not saying that he's expected to play box to box but anyone can see that there's too much space between our midfield and our forwards when we're on the ball and too much space between our defenders and our midfield when we're defending. It's naive to think that you can win games if your forwards can score and your defenders can defend. You need the midfield in both situations to support the team and link up defending with attacking.
 
Yet another post letting us know we must blame Moyes above all else. People should be relieved we're looking at bringing in quality, its been the cafs main complaint for years. Top players want to play with other top players its only natural that Mata would have discussed and be excites over top signings.

Moyes suggested the squad is a problem. I merely posted my opinion on how the squad isn't as weak as he suggests and I hope the players don't buy into this mentality.

I understand Mata signed because he wanted the top players and so is happy the board told him they would but I honestly I think with some top top players added to the squad we are competing for championships left right and centre therefore our current squad should be good enough to compete for at least one trophy this season.

I'm not sure why David Moyes is saying this. I don't mind him continuing so I'm not against giving him a second chance, for this reason I will back the board's decision. I'm not sure why the squad isn't good enough though to be considered joint second with Chelsea.

Next season he will be competing potentially with Mourinho, Pellegrini, Louis van Gaal, Wenger, Rodgers and Martinez for top four. Every one of those will strengthen as will we. I don't think it's going to be easy and I do worry about the mentality. Buying players will help but I do not think the squad is as big a problem as it's made out to be, I think great improvements need to be made in other areas.

So, although I look forward to our summer dealings I do still worry whether Moyes can get the most out of them and even then, whether he can make the most of the money he'll have to spend. I will be curious to see how he does, and I acknowledge there is every chance he gets it right and if he does we will be challenging for the league title.

I just feel the squad currently is good enough for a top four finish. I'm not sure what his private and honest assessment of the squad is however it's a pretty good squad imo.
 
I'm not saying that he's expected to play box to box but anyone can see that there's too much space between our midfield and our forwards when we're on the ball and too much space between our defenders and our midfield when we're defending. It's naive to think that you can win games if your forwards can score and your defenders can defend. You need the midfield in both situations to support the team and link up defending with attacking.

I think the space also could be a tactical issue. Look at Dortmund and how little space between there defence and attack! They train for this, Carrick did fine last season and I do not think he is considerably worse this season in terms of decline.

I agree there is far too much space however a number 10 like Kagawa (before Mata) who is constantly on the move, would look to move towards Carrick and thus close the gap could have benefited us.

Rooney is a superior player but at number 10 he didn't have the constant off the ball motion to close the gap between the player in possession and himself. So he should have been deployed much deeper than I think Moyes has done.

I think with a proper number 10 (kagawa or mata) and Carrick as DLP then this can solve the problems you suggested, with Rooney deployed much deeper, also Carrick could do a very good job as the anchor man. For me, it is probably a tactical issue and thus the coaching staff could solve this.

If you agree Carrick was good last season then to blame him is to suggest he has drastically declined. This is a fair enough point and time will tell.

Personally, I think it is probably moreso a tactical problem (that will be identified and solved, if it hasn't already) than a decline for Carrick. Although it could also be a combination of things.

I don't think there is any problem with a player sitting back and pulling the strings. And then acting as cover in the event of a counter attack. When a player with that skill set is required to do more however due to the gaps you mentioned then also it is not surprising that player struggles. For this reason I think one should try to play the best team in terms of players, formation and tactics. The combination that gets the most out of the 11 even if it means disappointing a top player.

I agree completely something needs to be done about the ridiculous gaps however with Juanji Matawa operating between the lines, we shouldn't have too many problems. Both of those are constantly on the move and they will make themselves available to the man in possession.
 
Moyes suggested the squad is a problem. I merely posted my opinion on how the squad isn't as weak as he suggests and I hope the players don't buy into this mentality.

I understand Mata signed because he wanted the top players and so is happy the board told him they would but I honestly I think with some top top players added to the squad we are competing for championships left right and centre therefore our current squad should be good enough to compete for at least one trophy this season.

I'm not sure why David Moyes is saying this. I don't mind him continuing so I'm not against giving him a second chance, for this reason I will back the board's decision. I'm not sure why the squad isn't good enough though to be considered joint second with Chelsea.

Next season he will be competing potentially with Mourinho, Pellegrini, Louis van Gaal, Wenger, Rodgers and Martinez for top four. Every one of those will strengthen as will we. I don't think it's going to be easy and I do worry about the mentality. Buying players will help but I do not think the squad is as big a problem as it's made out to be, I think great improvements need to be made in other areas.

So, although I look forward to our summer dealings I do still worry whether Moyes can get the most out of them and even then, whether he can make the most of the money he'll have to spend. I will be curious to see how he does, and I acknowledge there is every chance he gets it right and if he does we will be challenging for the league title.

I just feel the squad currently is good enough for a top four finish. I'm not sure what his private and honest assessment of the squad is however it's a pretty good squad imo.

It is a pretty good squad in terms of quality players, the problem is the lack of balance and top quality in the first team; four top strikers, but two substandard left backs. Two very good keepers, but not one top quality, consistent winger. Two over the hill centre backs, and three younger ones who aren't ready to be playing at this level week in week out, all five have also suffered from injuries. We have three excellent attacking midfielders, but the less said about the rest of the midfield the better.

Our squad has some very good players but it's not as good as Fergie made it look last season, he knew what teams he could get away with playing, Moyes doesn't. There's not much in it between our squad and Arsenal's and Chelsea's imo, and it's irrelevant comparing it to Liverpool who have played at least ten fewer games than us. Our first team needs serious work, in this regard we aren't all that much better than Everton if we're being brutally honest.
 
I think the space also could be a tactical issue. Look at Dortmund and how little space between there defence and attack! They train for this, Carrick did fine last season and I do not think he is considerably worse this season in terms of decline.

I agree there is far too much space however a number 10 like Kagawa (before Mata) who is constantly on the move, would look to move towards Carrick and thus close the gap could have benefited us.

Rooney is a superior player but at number 10 he didn't have the constant off the ball motion to close the gap between the player in possession and himself. So he should have been deployed much deeper than I think Moyes has done.

I think with a proper number 10 (kagawa or mata) and Carrick as DLP then this can solve the problems you suggested, with Rooney deployed much deeper, also Carrick could do a very good job as the anchor man. For me, it is probably a tactical issue and thus the coaching staff could solve this.

If you agree Carrick was good last season then to blame him is to suggest he has drastically declined. This is a fair enough point and time will tell.

Personally, I think it is probably moreso a tactical problem (that will be identified and solved, if it hasn't already) than a decline for Carrick. Although it could also be a combination of things.

I don't think there is any problem with a player sitting back and pulling the strings. And then acting as cover in the event of a counter attack. When a player with that skill set is required to do more however due to the gaps you mentioned then also it is not surprising that player struggles. For this reason I think one should try to play the best team in terms of players, formation and tactics. The combination that gets the most out of the 11 even if it means disappointing a top player.

I agree completely something needs to be done about the ridiculous gaps however with Juanji Matawa operating between the lines, we shouldn't have too many problems. Both of those are constantly on the move and they will make themselves available to the man in possession.

Agree. We have an excellent squad of players. It's become a trend on here to run them down, systematically underrate a number of them, and act as if at the end Fergie was pulling off some sort of miracle. In fact, I think it remains the case that only one area is really genuinely weak - central midfield. The problem is that we've failed for something like the sixth year in a row to address that, and the new manager is not the sort who can get good midfield players performing like excellent ones (the way Martinez is with the likes of Barry and McCarthy or Rodgers with Henderson, for example).

Obviously LB needs reinforcement, and if players like Vidic and Ferdinand leave we will need to replace them, as any team would. But the only actual problem area is midfield. The rest of our troubles have more to do with tactics, with our system, and with coaching.
 
Obviously LB needs reinforcement, and if players like Vidic and Ferdinand leave we will need to replace them, as any team would. But the only actual problem area is midfield. The rest of our troubles have more to do with tactics, with our system, and with coaching.

Agreed, although I think both LB and RB need some depth. We must be due a first choice LB this summer, and Rafael needs an actual RB as a deputy, as he gets a few knocks throughout the season, and Smalling, Jones and Valencia shouldn't really play there.
 
How was he today? Missed the game.
Didn't do anything of note, but once again it was a pathetic team performance overall. He wasn't one of the worst is all I can really say. He looked frustrated as the game went on, unsurprisingly.
 
Had a poor game. Looked frustrated. Lost the ball needlessly a few times. Didn't produce anything (no one did though).

To be fair Rooney was breaking up all the good attacks we had so it's hard to judge the people that were meant to be supporting him in attack.
 
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