I'm a bit confused, why did Chelsea wait until January to sell him, they knew we were after him last summer but refused to sell him to us, Everyone knew Mourinho didn't rate him.
They only let him leave as you matched their daft asking price & they need to recoup some cash to balance the books for FFP purposes.
Are you really that confused? Really? Lets break it down into easy little bites. - Jose didn't know United would be so awful this year and thus not pose an immediate challenge to the title. - Jose didn't know he wouldn't be able to change Mata sufficiently into the player he required. - The emergence of Willian. - The backlash the club would have got from Chelsea fans, eased by how well we played without Mata in the side. - FFP. The strikers aren't working out so we need now to get in some cash for a striker deal in the summer. - Your desperation in Jan pushed the price up I really could go on...
So does Ozil, just not in this country yet. Not the first time a foreigner has struggled over the winter months in their first P.L season. Henry, Bergkamp, Drogba are all examples of players who took time to settle. Up there as the 3 best ever in the P.L era.
You'd still be 7th place even if you bought mata in the summer... He's not what you needed, even more so when you play him on the wings.
This, United need a new CM in the Roy keane mould and 2 new Centre backs. Until then its Europa at best.
They need a Matic and Hazard-type wide man. They already have a no 10/acm in rooney, kagawa, fellaini etc
If united really wants to change it's style you need to move mata/kagawa to the #10 role. Rooney might get you a lot of goals but he's not the most creative player.... When he get's the ball in a pocket of space his first instinct is to play the ball out wide not to put in a killer pass.
True that. Given how you rolled over in Greece last week, I reckon you'd be lucky to be in the top half.
Yeah Matth why do you think you wouldnt be 7th? Have you seen any improvement in the last month? You have won only 2 of your last 5 games. Thats midtable form
Stats aren't everything, you know. Mata is probably the better player individually, but Willian fits our system far better. Doesn't mata anyways. We sold a player who doesn't fit our style of play and you bought him, who doesn't fit your style....