Yesterday was a special day for many reasons. The first of which was Liverpool’s tepid display at the KC Stadium against whole city. The second and far more important reason for yesterday special status was that it was Juan Mata’s birthday.
The little Spanish magician turned 27 years old yesterday and it is still strange to me that he was not able to celebrate in Chelsea colors. Juan Mata was of course sold to Manchester United last January after being deemed surplus requirements by José Marino. There’s no need to dredge up the past and discuss why Juan Mata was sold and whether or not it was a good idea. Regardless of the reason why he was sold, it is still unfortunate that he was.
Chelsea FC have improved as a side since he departed but how much of that is because they let Mata go? Mata was the Chelsea FC player of the year two years running and he contributed a remarkable number of assists and goals in his time there (32 goals, 48 assists in two full season).
What is most remarkable about his accomplishments is that he did so with some terrible strikers on his team. He played a season with a hampered Didier Drogba and two with a Fernando Torres who was short on confidence. That and that alone should be reason enough to knight the little magician.
But this is not about stats or trophies or anything else. This is simply about how Mata made me feel as a fan. He looked so ordinary out there playing amongst giants in the Premier league. His infectious attitude and smile made him a fan favorite and I fell in love with his talent and ability. He made everything look so easy.
From his volleys to his free kicks to his beautiful touches and assists from all over the field. He never played much defense but what can you expect from a player who looks the way Mata does. He has little to no athleticism but his natural gifts allowed him to be an excellent footballer with great control and technique. He is similar to Dimitar Berbatov in that he rarely looks as if he is trying hard but does magical things with his feet.
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It pains me to see him play in a Manchester United uniform and it is even worse to see him wither away on the United bench. He could have stayed at Chelsea and become a role player and an impact sub off the bench and he could have lifted the Premier league title to add to his impressive trophy collection.
Instead he remains a bit player at Manchester United playing for a manager who forces him to play out of position and does not fully appreciate his abilities. The same could be said of Mourinho but at least the Portuguese is consistent with his style and the type of players he deploys.
In the past he has been linked with moves back to Spain and back to his club Valencia. While it may be a step back career-wise for Mata it will at least give him a chance to play every match for the team. Juan Mata deserves to be playing regular football and the world deserves to see this majestic footballer in all his glory.
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