Vastly underused last couple of years.
Juan Mata officially leaves Manchester United
- Thread starter sullydnl
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Really bad signing all things considered.
Good guy though. Still should have been gone years ago
Good guy though. Still should have been gone years ago
We wasted him.
Easily my favourite player in the post SAF years, so a bit emotional about this. Top person and a proper professional who was misused by nearly every manager.
Wish him the best for the future and hope he returns in the future in some capacity
Wish him the best for the future and hope he returns in the future in some capacity
Clearing house. I don’t think there’ll ever be a more confused window than Mata & Fellaini.
Top professional.
Good player, sometimes really classy, just didn't lost his legs and physicality far too early to be a force.
Good player, sometimes really classy, just didn't lost his legs and physicality far too early to be a force.
Finally managed to shift him, should have got rid long ago.
Thank you for Juanfield, one of the brightest sparks in the posf-Fergie era.
Like Pogba, Mata was a great signing that we never really got the best out of. Both should have probably left last year. Lingard is the same.
People keep talking about attitude but what does that even mean? Two of the three like to dance around on Instagram, one likes to write blogs and acts like he's a menswear model. Why have two come in for so much for abuse and the other has received almost universal praise from United fans. They've been here for the same period and essentially achieved the same limited success whilst being a part of why this era has been a failure.
It doesn't make sense.
I think LvG was Mata's main problem.
He did at least play him I suppose but he loved a finished Rooney so much Juan never got a shot at that 10 spot whilst in his prime.
I seem to remember LvG playing him wide right. Almost like a winger at times to keep the width.
We’re on a roll here - let’s keep them coming.
Good lad though. Sorry we had him in our worst period.
Good lad though. Sorry we had him in our worst period.
Thinks it’s more we were shite for him
Him as a 10, Di Maria-Carrick-Herrera midfield and Rooney up top would have been superbly creative attacking spine.
It closed down during the pandemic, sadly.
Other than feeling sad that we wasted his talents with successive managers who failed to understand what he could bring to the team if played in position, I'm sad that such a good person has left the club.
Five years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Juan on an exhibition for his Common Goal charity. It was really a great experience, and I got to spend a couple of days with him and his colleagues and family members while making it.
As a thank you to us, he arranged a meal at the restaurant for us just before Christmas in 2017. It was me and two colleagues and a few guys from a photography place in Manchester, along with Juan, his partner Evelina (who also came across as a really lovely person) and one of their friends. They made us all feel so appreciated and comfortable there, and Juan was really leading the conversation - about all kinds of things, like his experience at school in Spain, traveling, and even a bit of football chat. I got the impression he wasn't too much of a fan of Mourinho, although he was too diplomatic to say as much outright. Anyway, it was a meal I'll never forget, and the way he engaged with everyone I saw him come into contact with was massively different to the experiences I've had with other modern footballers.
A few months later, me and @matherto actually went round to his house. Matherto almost crashed into Juan's car reversing a van down his driveway, but disaster was averted thankfully!
Anyway, thanks to Juan. He'll be missed.
Pity it never dawned on anybody.
Also in terms of random Mata highlights, this assist has stayed in my mind.
Contributed substantially more to the Club than Mata having played an approximately similar amount of games across both of their careers.
It's nothing to do with personality off the pitch and everything to do with conduct. Mata never lacked effort and he never disrespected the club like Lingard and Pogba did.
We need more with his professionalism.
We really have just been winging it for 10 years
Class player, class act.
Never fit in here, and probably should have gone two years ago, but wish nothing but the best to the guy.
Never fit in here, and probably should have gone two years ago, but wish nothing but the best to the guy.
Goodbye Juan Mata, we were lucky to have such a professional and decent man during a time of instability. A man who was a quiet rock of professionalism and who should have been played in his natural position. Godspeed.
No, he was never good enough to play for a title winning side in the modern game.
Thank you Juan, a true professional
Its the right move.
Thanks for everything Juan and good luck to you.
Thanks for everything Juan and good luck to you.
About time
At least he tried his best, right up to the end.
Thanks for the memory.
Will be remembered as a nice guy rather than a good footballer unfortunately.
Thanks, Mata!
Thanks, Mata!
All the best to Juan. True professional and an example on and off the pitch.
Would have been better off if he stayed at Chelsea. 8 years of his career wasted really.
Bye. You were okay at best.
Class from Mata, thank you
His best run was that 3-4 game where we played spurs, villa, Liverpool and city under lvg
Losing Carrick broke what was working (but it was the run that meant we got cl football when di Maria was suspended, young took his place, Fellaini was used correctly and we played some great football)
Losing Carrick broke what was working (but it was the run that meant we got cl football when di Maria was suspended, young took his place, Fellaini was used correctly and we played some great football)
Love Mata. Seems like such a great guy and fantastic role model. Hope he returns as an ambassador when his playing days are done.
Agree with that. He's still looks a good player and in the few cameos he has had he's actually played well.
I'm glad he's moving on because it's clear that he's had his conversation with Ten Hag and hasn't been lied to or strung along about potential game time. It's crazy how little he's played in the last few years.
I suppose you can point to Rangnick wanting physicality, Ole wanting pace, Mourinho wanting strength, etc as marginalising factors on his game time as you say, but he really should be playing matches somewhere.
9 years of nothing. But nice fella.
LVG was the only manager who got anything reasonably worthwhile out of him, and even he used him wrong.
What a disappointment it's been after all the helicopter Hollywood hype. He really should've been the hub of the team.
What a disappointment it's been after all the helicopter Hollywood hype. He really should've been the hub of the team.
Been miles off the pace for the last two or three seasons but can't fault his professionalism and effort. Good luck to him wherever he ends up.
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