Juan Mata: Manchester United season is a marathon
Spanish maestro Juan Mata was quick to follow his teammates in reminding the footballing world that Manchester United’s great start means nothing if it doesn’t continue until May.
3 wins out of 3 games played has left some Manchester United fans to get carried away but Mata was keen on bringing everyone back to Earth. While cup competitions are all about on the day performances, the Premier League is far more like a marathon as the former Chelsea man says.
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“We’ve had a very good start in the Premier League and the challenge now is not only to keep the same level, but to do the same in the rest of the competitions as well: Champions League, Carabao Cup. It’s a football marathon and we can prove that we have a squad full of good players who are willing to put their skills at the service of the team.” said Juan in his weekly blog post.
Mata was initially brought over to Manchester United in David Moyes short tenure, famously landing at the club in a helicopter during the January transfer window. Many saw the signing as a huge upgrade to the Scot’s previous summer deadline day transfer in Marouane Fellaini.
When Jose Mourinho took over the reigns from Louis Van Gaal last year, several fans suspected it would mean the end of the skilled midfielder’s career at Old Trafford. Instead the Portuguese boss was quick to insist that Juan had a future at the club and so far he’s kept that promise quite well.
Mata has remained an important part of the squad and is relied upon during important moments. He may not ever complete a game for Manchester United under Jose but his creativity and passing are second to none. The Spaniard has showed a remarkable ability to adapt in order to fit in with whatever manager’s requirements whether it was Moyes, Van Gaal or Mourinho.
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The only harsh criticism of the lovable Juan is that fans expect more goals and assists from him. He’s often played out wide which explains his relatively lower stats but his technical ability and vision means fans are often left wanting more. Should he add these to his game this season, there’s no reason for Mourinho to not let him complete 90 minutes on the pitch for once.