Juan Mata

[Toli 977]

Mourinho apologizes

and still people come in here and say "he didnt try" blabla. but they surely have a better insight on this than Mourinho

[Fernando 6,453]

Nothing new I guess. The media will forever be wanking about United, one way or another.

Well what's worse?

The United wanking or Liverpool?

I sure do hope totteham make the top 4. Everton would be awesome but I think spurs got a better chance.

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

Ever since he arrived, I was reluctant to get that enthusiastic about Mata becoming the new King of Stamford Bridge carrying the team with his goals and assists from midfield. Not because I did not acknowledge his talent or did not like him here. In fact, he is such a class act, I have seldom seen a player fit the club's elegant, educated middle-class image more than him. Many had already seen him becoming a majory player in our history in the way he took the fans' hearts by storm with his icredibly slick, elegant performances, his great attitude and his humble personality. But he is almost too classy to be a footballer in these days, were media, Fifa, UEFA and the mainstream-chavs completely distort the image of the sport. His game is all skill which made it ahrder for him to really fit in in teams not built for him. Those include Chelsea under Mourinho but also Spain. still he is talented enough to perform. I don't know if it ManU is the right spot for him, but I understand it wasn't Chelsea any more.

Neither he nor Mou nor the club is guilty, it just didn't work out and it never would have. As we got Mou in, it has always been clear in what direction we are heading. With Utd it is less clear, which is it might actually not that grave a mistake passing Mata on. A rival is not the ideal buyer, but Utd will need time to get to our level again and they would do so with or without Mata. This way we at least get the bigges tpossitble amout of cash out of it.

[zolayes 14,489]

still wonder if Mata will be happy for playing for Rooney F C ,,,

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

My question is: why mou built the team around oscar as a acm and not around mata...

[The only place to be 11,313]

My question is: why mou built the team around oscar as a acm and not around mata...

He didn't. He built his team and Oscar fit what he wanted - Mata didn't.

One more thing....Mata isn't a good enough player to build a team around. There are 3-4 players in the world who are....he ain't one of them.

Actually I take that back. I can't think of a top team who are built around one player. Bayern and Barca have distinct systems that players have to fit into. Real Madrid might be built around Ronaldo...possibly.

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

Actually I take that back. I can't think of a top team who are built around one player. Bayern and Barca have distinct systems that players have to fit into. Real Madrid might be built around Ronaldo...possibly.

I agree. Even Real, atleast when José was there, had Alonso as an instrumental piece to their success, although they are the best example I can think of building around a single player's strengths. But it's not the best way to go by when you build a team.

[Fulham Broadway 16,829]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jan/26/chelsea-manchester-united-juan-mata-transfer

Sounds as though the transfer was well fucked up. United so paranoid, refusing to meet Chelsea on every occasion because the question of Rooney would crop up.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I dont think he had an agreement that day (not yet). Now Im not saying it was only an act, it was genuine, but there was more behind his frustration than just being taken off the pitch (of course its just my opinion).

1. August - he lets United know he wants to leave Chelsea.

2. The first agreement Mata has with Chelsea (according to DM) is from the 3rd of September. It is agreed that he can leave in January if he behaves, in a VERBAL agreement. But any verbal agreement was useless as United didnt want any direct contact with Chelsea.

3. Early January - first WRITTEN agreement. Mata can leave, but NOT to United.

Now the match against Southampton was on the 1st of January, the first time Mata didnt behave as agreed back in September. This is also the first day of the transfer window. So this first written agreement comes after the Southampton match.

Any other club in Europe could have moved in but the problem for Chelsea was that Mata only wanted to move to United (according to DM).

4. January - Mata and his father secure a new VERBAL agreement that he can move to United for 37.1 mil. Things move on.

It the story is true than I think Chelsea treated Mata rather well.

I would be more inclined to believe this if it wasn't from the DM.

[JDY 1,290]

The media really are, as Cole said, a bunch of twats. Keep on throwing questions asking Mata if joining United is step up and a bigger club than Chelsea!

Mata, being Mata, just said he's joined another massive club and basically putting both clubs at the same level when talking about the move.

They really are disgusting. It's perfectly fine for new players to big up their new club, but the journo's ask the questions in a way intended to put down the players previous club to. Happens a lot at United and Liverpool. Does my head in.

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

Wonder how he will play without the likes of Oscar and Hazard to link up with

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

First of many big signings according to Moyes, if they miss out in top 4 they have to rely on cash. Funny to see after all the accusations of " buying the league " aimed at us and city, even though United splashed cash in the past.

[Barbara 15,149]

and still people come in here and say "he didnt try" blabla. but they surely have a better insight on this than Mourinho

You didn't read the whole thing though. Mourinho sort of implied Mata left because he couldn't deal with not being first choice and threw a maybe after saying he didn't make him stronger. I think the veiled message below is that Mata didn't like the position of having to fight for his position and therefore left - and where José says maybe it made him stronger, he may believe the opposite actually.

"I am sorry that I didn't make him a stronger player. Maybe it was something new for him, not to be a first choice (player) in a difficult moment," said Mourinho.

"Maybe that made him, as a man, as a player, stronger but I gave him nothing to be honest and I feel sorry with that.

So he first admits he didn't make Mata a stronger player, then he says MAYBE Mata is now a stronger player because of what happened - which makes no sense. How can a spell in the bench make a player better if said player chooses to leave to play wherever he's likely to have more play time? Is only me or there's no way there's any reasoning if Mata chose to leave at the end of the day? I can imagine a player becoming stronger if he faces the challenge and overcomes it, not gives up a few months later.

I think the message between the lines is very clear. Those two sentences seem very purposefully constructed by Jose - as is everything he says. I think he believes Mata left because he wasn't comfortable having to fight for the position (which is different from trying imo). I guess Mourinho feels that when Mata realized it wouldn't be easy, he just gave up - which may or may not happened and not me or you or anyone else but Mata (or people close to him) can deny or confirm.

I will never say Mata didn't try, because it was clear for me he's tried hard when he was in the pitch. I personally think he's left because he didn't want to fight once he realized how big of a fight that would be. Even then I don't blame him because I feel that may have been a lost battle for him anyway, so why bother especially in a WC year?

In another note:

"I would like to win the Premier League," the midfielder said on MUTV. "It's a very special trophy and I think at this club you can achieve anything. I am young and I have been lucky enough to win some trophies but I want to win a lot more."

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/27/juan-mata-manchester-united-win-title-chelsea

I really feel sorry for him if that's why he went there. I don't know if he's delusional or hopeless, but how can someone hope to be EPL champ going to a team that could take a little while to be rebuilt and that has a manager who thought Mata had more goals than assists in the past two years (Moyes is really clueless) and who I'm not sure knows how to use a player like him. In another article (or maybe was the same) Mata said that once he heard Moyes was interested on him his reaction was 'wow'.

I really feel sorry for Mata because he definitely deserved better. I think he really believes those things, but poor thing, he is in for a big disappointment... Even if United do sign as many guys as they're yelling at the top of their lungs they will, I'm not sure Moyes can do anything with them. How long and how many VERY expensive signings did it take for Mancini do well in the EPL? And even then that was won a hair distance ahead of ManUtd

[Martina 210]

I would be more inclined to believe this if it wasn't from the DM.

Guardian was the first to bring the story (last night)

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jan/26/chelsea-manchester-united-juan-mata-transfer

I only added few things to it from the DM - one date and one quote, nothing major.

[Barbara 15,149]

I agree. Even Real, atleast when José was there, had Alonso as an instrumental piece to their success, although they are the best example I can think of building around a single player's strengths. But it's not the best way to go by when you build a team.

allow me to correct you on a bit - or disagree.

Ronaldo is such an all-around attacking player that it isn't the system that is built around him, but he simply bosses the system, whatever system that may be because he simply doesn't have an attack weakness. Pace, power, strength, technical ability, dribble, head skill, set-piece skill, physicality, and everything else (attacking wise) I can think and Ronaldo has it.

Barcelona are the ones who made their system dependable on Messi as once he got injured they weren't able to keep it up whereas RM don't build a system around Ronaldo, he simply steps in and makes it his system (literally, as he's selfish as heck and I'm a fan and supporter of his selfishness because he's earned that right). But it's not a Ronaldo-oriented system, as they adapt very quickly to different tactical systems. Ronaldo is just so good attacking that he simply takes ownership of the ball and rocks it. Messi is more dependable on a system that favors his attributes (and covers his weaknesses), although I personally believe Messi is more talented than Ronaldo. Messi is all born gift whereas Ronaldo is all hard work imo. Barça learned how to depend on Messi's incredible gift and made up a system that capitalizes it, but they forgot that the system should work without him as well because that is one of his weaknesses, especially compared to Cris - he's becoming a bit prone to injuries whereas Cris seems to be made of steel.

[LAB 1,030]

I think he didn't have the will to try very hard for his place not only because he realized it was a huge battle, but also because in the past 2 years he (as well as the fans) saw himself becoming the new ultimate hero of this club. So he raised expectations and when such wonderful dreams fall apart and you fall from the sky you just carry on with whatever makes you happy ultimately (playing football).

[The_Flash 1,144]

I'm sorry but his 'unveiling' made me sick. What such self indulgent drivel

He said :-

"...When I heard Moyes wanted me, I thought 'Wow..."

"...'I would like to win the Premier League. It's a very special trophy for every player that plays in this country. At this club I believe you can achieve anything."

Come on Juan no one speaking to Moyes says wow??

Why do you have to mention in every ****** interview that you had a difficult time. You sat on the bench a wee while and Jose's wasn't falling over himself to make it the 'Mata' Show' so you acted like a child and wanted out. Well hope your happy now, I'm sure the bench at Utd is comfier while everyone else is playing in the Champions league.

He said he can cope with the pressure of being Utd's most expensive signing but you didn't take no 7??? Good no way you deserve it

As for winning the title, you trying to say chelsea can't achieve that **** off,

Good luck with winning it this season with Utd.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Guardian was the first to bring the story (last night)

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jan/26/chelsea-manchester-united-juan-mata-transfer

I only added few things to it from the DM - one date and one quote, nothing major.

The DM article makes it sound like Mata only wanted United when the Guardian's article just says he was keen, so I think the DM story was a bit sensationalised to make it sound like Mata was desperate for a move to only United when I think that Mata was just desperate for a move a way in general, not in particularly to United.