Juan Manuel Mata García

[Andi Istiabudi]

MATA FEELING FULL OF ENERGY

Every Monday, Manchester United forward Juan Mata reflects on his experiences on and off the pitch in his personally-written blog. His opener for the 2016/17 campaign looks back at winning at Wembley and his first league goal of the season in the win at Bournemouth...

Hi everyone!

Here I am again! A new season has kicked off in the Premier League and so has this blog that keeps all of us in touch, of course. Many of you have been asking me about the start of this new series of weekly posts and I want to thank you for that and, in general, for all your messages throughout the summer. My holidays have been long and productive; I have had time to make a few trips and to relax mind and body so as to be back full of energy.

I’m retaking this blog tradition with joy because the season has started in a really good way. Eight days ago, we won the Community Shield against Leicester at Wembley and this title makes us feel optimistic. From a personal point of view, I keep believing that Wembley is a special place. I had never won this trophy before, so now I can check it off my list.

Beyond this first trophy, it was important to have a positive start in the Premier League against Bournemouth, a team that had a good last season. We did it and, overall, I think the whole team played a very complete game. I believe our victory was well deserved and, on top of that, I was lucky to score the first goal of the game, which is always an extra reason to be happy. It was my friend Ander Herrera’s birthday, and a victory was the best way to celebrate it.

Hugs,

Juan

Read Juan's blog in full on his official website.

http://www.manutd.com/

[Andi Istiabudi]

MATA: OLD TRAFFORD NEVER DISAPPOINTS

Every Monday, Manchester United forward Juan Mata reflects on his experiences on and off the pitch in his personally-written blog. His latest entry praises the fans who roared the Reds on to a first home victory of the season, against Southampton on Friday...

Hi everyone,

Once again, I’m writing to you after a good week, when we have been working well to get another victory. Last Friday’s win was special, not only because we played on a Friday night, which is quite unusual when you are involved in a European competition, but also because it was the first official game at Old Trafford this season.

As you can imagine, the atmosphere lived up to the expectations. Once again, we could feel the support of the crowd; it is vital if we want to make every game at Old Trafford a special day. It is also vital, in my opinion, to generate that ‘chemistry’ with our fans in order to make our stadium a very tough place for the other teams.

We played a solid game against Southampton to get the second win out of two games in the Premier League. It’s still August and that means we are still working on a few adjustments. We know there’s still room for improvement.

We have a tough game ahead on Saturday at Hull City. It’s never easy and they are one of the four teams that have won the first two games this season. They are back in the Premier League this year and are having a surprising start. We will try to win and keep our good streak.

Hugs,

Juan

Read Juan's blog in full on his official website.

http://www.manutd.com/

[Andi Istiabudi]

MATA: DERBY WAS PAINFUL BUT IT'S EARLY DAYS

Each and every Monday during the season, Manchester United star Juan Mata pens a personal blog in which he reflects on his past week both on and off the pitch. In his latest effort, on Monday 12 September, he reflects on the derby defeat and looks ahead to beginning the Europa League campaign...

Hi everyone,

We have suffered the first defeat of the season and, after the initial disappointment, I think there is no time for mourning. On the contrary, it’s time to analyse the aspects of our game that we need to improve, and carry on with hope and motivation. It was an important game, but let’s be realistic, the season has just started and there is still a long way to go.

Obviously, the result was painful for us, both for the fans and for the team. Losing a derby is always something tough to take, but I’m sure there are many good moments for us to enjoy in the next few months. To summarise the game before moving on, I would say that City were better than us in the first half, but after Zlatan’s goal and our improvement in the second half, the game was pretty much alive. When things became more box-to-box they took advantage of it and also had chances to get more goals, but finally the score didn’t change and the three points slipped away from us. Yes, three points, because in the end, and despite the game being a peculiar one, it wasn’t a final or anything like that, since we are in September. We have to remain positive and, as from now, think about next Thursday.

On Thursday we’re going to play the first game in the Europa League, away against Feyenoord, a classic in European football. They have one European Cup in their trophy cabinet [1969-70] and they are having a great start of the season, with five wins in five league games. It’s going to be a very demanding debut in this competition.

Thank you for your support, especially after a defeat.

Have a nice week.

Hugs,

Juan

Read Juan's blog in full on his official website.

http://www.manutd.com/

[Andi Istiabudi]

MATA WANTS POSITIVE REACTION

Each and every Monday during the season, Manchester United star Juan Mata pens a personal blog in which he reflects on his past week both on and off the pitch. In his latest post, on Monday 19 September, he reflects on the loss at Watford and says he still believes there are good times ahead for the Reds...

Hi everyone,

Today, I believe there’s no need to start by describing how frustrated we feel in the team after losing at Watford. To be honest, after the 1-1 we really thought we were going to win the game. We had scored and we were playing near Watford’s box. However, it was precisely in that good moment that they scored again and since then until the final whistle they were in better control of the situation, and we lost the three points. It was an unexpected disappointment.

As I always say, one of the best things of football is that the game is testing you all the time. A win doesn’t last too long, and it happens the same way with a defeat: you have the chance to make it up soon afterwards. Two more games this week will give us the opportunity to show on the pitch our pride and skills. There’s no time for mourning. We must react.

First of all, we visit Northampton Town in the EFL Cup, in our first game of the season in this competition. We are the favourites in this game and we have to deliver, with all due respect to the opponent because, despite being in League One, Northampton Town has already knocked out a Premier League side like West Brom. I’m sure the stadium will be packed and they will try to make things difficult for us.

And next weekend we are back to the Premier League, this time at Old Trafford against Leicester. Playing a nice game against the current champions would be the best signal that we could send to our supporters. In order to do so, we have to improve and work hard in every sense. I believe this team is capable of doing great things this season.

I’m signing off now. I hope next Monday we can celebrate together a good week.

Hugs,

Juan

Juan Mata's full blog is available to read on his official website.

http://www.manutd.com/

[zudomiriku]

Juan Mata calls on Manchester United to bounce back from three straight defeats against Northampton

* Manchester United were beaten 3-1 at Watford in the Premier League
* Jose Mourinho's side have lost their last three games in all competitions
* They face Northampton in EFL Cup before hosting Leicester on Saturday

Juan Mata has called on Manchester United to react to a run of three straight defeats and believes victory over reigning Premier League champions Leicester would be the perfect tonic.

The Red Devils crashed to a 3-1 loss at Watford on Sunday having been beaten at home by local rivals Manchester City the previous weekend and slipping to a Europa League defeat at Feyenoord on Thursday night.

It is the first time in over a decade that Jose Mourinho has lost three successive games as a manager and United's early-season form has taken an alarming turn for the worse.

Watford were good value for their win. Etienne Capoue gave them the lead with his fourth goal of the season before Marcus Rashford equalised in the 62nd minute with United's first shot on target.

But, despite them getting on top, a goal from substitute Camilo Zuniga and a late Troy Deeney penalty saw Mourinho's men deservedly beaten. Mata is now calling for a response, firstly in the EFL Cup against Northampton on Wednesday and then at home to champions Leicester three days later.

'As I always say, one of the best things of football is that the game is testing you all the time,' Mata wrote in his weekly blog.

'A win doesn't last too long, and it happens the same way with a defeat: you have the chance to make it up soon afterwards.


The Spaniard has called on Manchester United to bounce back from three straight defeats

'Two more games this week will give us the opportunity to show on the pitch our pride and skills. There's no time for mourning. We must react.

'First of all, we visit Northampton Town in the EFL Cup, in our first game of the season in this competition.

'We are the favourites in this game and we have to deliver, all due respect to the opponent because, despite being in League One, Northampton Town has already knocked out a Premier League side like West Brom.

'I'm sure the stadium will be packed and they will try to make things difficult for us.

'Next weekend we are back to Premier League, this time in Old Trafford against Leicester. Playing a nice game against the current champions would be the best signal that we could send to our supporters.

'In order to do so, we have to improve and work hard in every sense. I believe this team is capable of doing great things this season. That's how I feel.'

Mata, who is yet to play a full 90 minutes so far this season, signed off his blog by urging patience among United fans.

'I also want to remind you that we are still in September,' he added.

'There's plenty of time ahead to give our best, enjoy on the pitch and make the fans enjoy too. It's normal to feel disappointed right now, but there's still a long way to go.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3796295/Juan-Mata-calls-Manchester-United-bounce-three-straight-defeats-against-Northampton.html

[penk22_]

MATA NOT SURPRISED BY HARSH CRITICISM



Juan Mata says Manchester United are focused on proving the critics wrong, starting with Saturday's Premier League encounter against champions Leicester City.

The Spain international has seen the team and individuals face some real flak in the wake of three defeats in eight days but the win at Northampton Town in the EFL Cup has at least quietened some of the negative noise surrounding the club.

When asked by MUTV if he was surprised by the intensity of the criticism, Mata replied: "No, because I feel there are always a lot of people talking about Manchester United, obviously one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"There is a lot of repercussion when we do well and not do that well. Obviously, there were a lot of people waiting for Manchester United defeats and we got it and have to face it and deal with it. Me, as a professional footballer, and all my team-mates, we don't focus on that.

"We don't focus too much on what people say or journalists write and all those things. If you start thinking about every single comment, you'd go crazy and can't play football. You have to focus on what you have to do on the pitch, train well, get ready for the game and then deliver your best level."

Many non-United fans will have been hoping for an upset at Northampton in midweek, and their hopes may have been raised when the Cobblers drew level at 1-1, but Mata was understandably happy there was no giant-killing to give more fuel to the critics.

"There are a lot of people waiting for us to do wrong and we have to show them that they can keep waiting," he added. "We want to win the tournaments we are in. We can have one or two bad games but, at the end of the day, we know we have a good squad that can compete and hopefully we can do that. We know that, in some kinds of our football, we can improve and that's what we are trying to do.

"When you lose, your level of confidence is not the same as if you win but it's not as bad as people want us to be and, when we win, it's not as good as some people want us to think. So, for me, the key is just to have this balance and to know what we can improve and what we are doing well to try to win football games."

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2016/Sep/juan-mata-tells-mutv-manchester-united-need-to-answer-critics-against-leicester.aspx

[Riskur]

Mata: We needed this result

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata claimed the emphatic 4-1 win over Premier League champions Leicester City was the perfect response to recent criticism of the Reds.



The Spanish playmaker's return to the starting line-up was one of eight changes from the midweek EFL Cup win over Northampton Town and he scored one and assisted another goal in the team's standout performance of the season so far.

“I think we needed something like this,” admitted Mata, acknowledging United had gone into the sixth Premier League game after losing the fourth and fifth to Manchester City and Watford.

“There has been a lot of talk about the team in recent weeks but we scored four different goals and showed what we could do.

“Once you score the first one and the second one, you gain confidence and it’s great for the fans because it’s been a while since they have had something to celebrate like this.”

As the goals flew in during a frantic 20-minute spell, Mata scored his second of the season, having also found the net with United's first Premier League strike of 2016/17, at Bournemouth on the opening weekend.

He told MUTV: “It was a nice goal but the most important thing was that it came at an important moment in the game. After we scored the first goal, Leicester were still in the game so the second goal and then the third goal killed off the game.”


The Spaniard's left-footed strike to round off a fine team move was the only one of United's four goals against Leicester that didn't come from a Daley Blind corner. Mata's fellow midfielder Paul Pogba joined Chris Smalling in scoring with a header and when another setpiece fell to Juan, he teed up Marcus Rashford for a close-range finish.

"We have always worked on corners," commented Mata. "As a team we try to get the ball into the box for someone to put it in the back of the net. We tried it a few times last season but it didn't work. Now we know we have strong people, tall people to head the ball in."

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Fe...er-league.aspx

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[zudomiriku]

Juan Mata was the creative hub as Manchester United beat Leicester... the midfielder is proving his worth to Jose Mourinho after Chelsea snub

* Juan Mata scored a sublime goal against Leicester during Saturday's game
* The Spain international also provided an assist for Marcus Rashford
* He was sold by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea but seems to be trusted
* Mata has rarely been used as a No 10 at Old Trafford but impressed in role

From the moment Jose Mourinho walked through the door at Old Trafford, there was an assumption that Juan Mata would be heading out of it.

It seemed a fair belief. After all, the Portuguese manager had deemed Mata surplus to requirements at Chelsea despite two and a half seasons in which he established himself as one of the most talented midfielders in the top flight.

As if more evidence were needed, Mourinho dragged the Spain international off in Manchester United's Community Shield win only 30 minutes after sending him on as a substitute.


He was the creative hub for United as they defeated the Premier League champions

The writing seemed to be on the wall for Mata. The arrival of Henrikh Mkhitaryan exacerbated the situation further, and it seemed that with the sheer number of attacking midfielders in the squad, Mourinho would again choose to move Mata on.

Mourinho's public statements suggested otherwise, but again there seemed to be a form of mind games at play.

That has not been the case, and on Saturday the 28-year-old demonstrated the value he could bring to Mourinho's side against Leicester.

It's easy to forget that when the manager moved Mata on at Chelsea, he had won the club's Player of the Year award for two seasons running.

Mata excelled as a No 10, playing behind a traditional target man. He was the creative hub of a team that was struggling to find a style after Carlo Ancelotti's spell in charge.

Mourinho came in and began using him more infrequently. Oscar took his place in the hole.

At United he has rarely been used in that position. Under David Moyes, who made him his glamour signing during his lone winter window at the club, he was used so far out of position that he may as well not have been on the pitch. Moyes came to favour a 4-4-2 - Mata was shifted to play on the right side of midfield.

Louis van Gaal kept him on the right but pushed him forward to play in the line behind the striker. He was closer to his preferred berth but still not occupying it.

On Saturday, he was given the chance in what was undoubtedly an important match. Wayne Rooney had exited the side after a shocking run of performances. Mata taking his place can be partly credited for United's 4-1 win.

Where Rooney spent the first five games of the Premier League season as a hindrance to United's play, Mata aided it. That was best demonstrated by his role in his side's second goal.

The diminutive playmaker collected the ball in Leicester's half before playing a series of passes with Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard. He collected the ball in the Foxes box and fired past Ron-Robert Zieler to double United's advantage.

With Mata ahead of him, Pogba looked far more settled and far more able to do what he does best on the pitch.

The same was true for Lingard - arguably one of the most under-appreciated players in United's squad - and Marcus Rashford, who played on the other side of Mata.

He became the creative hub on Saturday. While he did only create one chance, it led to Rashford's goal. It was one that came straight from the training ground, according to Mata: 'We know that we have strong people, tall people, going to head the ball in.

'We as takers, we just try to put it in the box the best way we can, aiming for someone to put it in the back of the net.

'Today we showed that we are very strong on that and as well a nice goal between Daley, me and Marcus. We tried a few times last season and it never worked but today finally it worked.'

Given the fact the routine has spanned two managers, it suggests a level of independence and creative thought that shows Mata's importance.


His speed of thought and creativity played an integral part in Marcus Rashford's goal


A map of Mata's actions on Saturday, demonstrating his desire to build play from the back

Mata also succeeded with 90 per cent of his passes, and a map of his actions in the game shows his influence all over the park.

In essence, he did what has been demanded of Rooney without allowing it to negatively affect his output.

He dropped deep to begin a move, something Rooney often tries to do, but did it with far more success. Given Rooney has clear fitness issues, that much movement has also impacted his ability to provide goals and assists. He often ends up huffing and puffing more than a steam train.

That was not the case for Mata, who remained on top form throughout. The speed of thought was there, but so was the speed of movement.

Leicester were willing opposition, no longer the robust side that swept the league last season. That probably allowed Mata to settle back into the side with more ease than he would have otherwise done.

The challenge for Mata is to do the same in more difficult encounters. With away trips to Chelsea and Liverpool on the horizon, the opportunity will come sooner rather than later.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3807586/Juan-Mata-creative-hub-Manchester-United-beat-Leicester-midfielder-proving-worth-Jose-Mourinho-Chelsea-snub.html

[Andi Istiabudi]

MATA HAS FOUND HIS "NATURAL HABITAT"

Jose Mourinho believes, in Manchester United, Juan Mata has found a "very good natural habitat" to best display his football skills.

The Reds boss was asked about his time working with Mata at Chelsea and now at United, how the two styles of football compare at each club and importance of the Spanish playmaker within those styles. And in the current Reds side, Mourinho reckons Mata is a perfect fit.

"There are big differences," the manager told reporters at his press conference ahead of Thursday's Europa League clash with Zorya Luhansk, when asked about the comparisons of United's play to Chelsea's.

"In Man United I have no players to play transitional football as the main objective. We are not so physically strong and compact like we [Chelsea] were playing in a defensive block when we won the title in 2014/15.

"We [United] are in the beginning of that process, but the football we want to play here is different and I think it is very adapted to his [Mata's] qualities. We need players with his qualities, so I think he found a very good natural habitat for his football to play with us."

Mourinho continued: "My idea of football with the squad I had at Chelsea and the objectives we had at Chelsea is one thing but the football I want to play at Man United, the profile of my squad and what I want to try to do in this club is a completely different situation. So I think Juan in my project at Chelsea was a good player and in my project at Man United he is a very good player."

http://www.manutd.com/

[zudomiriku]

'Juan Mata was one player at Chelsea but at Manchester United he is another': Jose Mourinho reveals his newfound fondness for the Spaniard

* Jose Mourinho and Juan Mata have shared a rocky relationship in the past
* Mata went from being player of the year to being sold under Mourinho
* But he has excelled during the Portuguese's time at Manchester United
* Mourinho has praised the midfielder and brushed off questions about his previous issues with the Spain international

Jose Mourinho has defended his past treatment of Juan Mata and praised the Spaniard's performances during his short tenure at Manchester United.

Mata's shared history with the Portuguese manager has been widely discussed since he went from being Chelsea's instrumental, two-time player of the year to outcast in the space of six months following Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge in 2013.

The midfielder would later reveal that he had 'no relationship' with Mourinho, and that 'there was no dialogue', but this season old wounds appear to have healed over.


Mata struggled to fit into Jose Mourinho's plans during their time together at Chelsea

Mata has played seven times for the Red Devils, scoring twice, and is in line for a new contract at Old Trafford, leaving Mourinho to slap away questions about their previous issues.

'First of all, I didn't sell him,' the United boss said when asked about Mata's departure from Chelsea in January 2014.

'My job is not to buy and sell. My job is to coach, to work on the pitch and to advise my board about the transfer policy.

'Secondly, it was Juan that asked to leave and when a player asks to leave I think always you have to think twice.

'And the third point is that my idea for football with the squad and objectives we had at Chelsea is one thing, and the squad I have at Man United and the profile and what I try to do with this club is a completely different situation.

'So Juan at Chelsea in my project was one player, and Juan in my project at Man United is another thing.'

Mourinho revealed the tactical differences between United and Chelsea which, in his opinion, have allowed Mata to thrive.

'[Chelsea] were playing in a defensive block when we won the title in 2014-15, and it's one thing having players for that and another having players trying to play in a different way and we are trying to play in a different way,' he said.

'He is very adaptive with his qualities. He has found a very good natural habitat with us.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3811811/Juan-Mata-one-player-Chelsea-Manchester-United-says-Jose-Mourinho.html