Juan Mata's Blog: Changes Need Time

In his second blog entry of the season, Juan Mata emphasises that Louis van Gaal's grand plan for Manchester United could take time to bear fruit...

As you can imagine, my first blog entries of the season are turning a bit complicated. That’s the way it happens when the games don’t go the way you expected, and all you want to do now is to recover and to play the next match as soon as possible.

I do think that changes need time. We are talking about a new project, with a new manager and a new style. There is going to be a transition and that new start is more difficult if you don’t get good results. We would have liked to win the first two games of the season but that didn’t happen, and all we can do now is to prepare for the next game, try to get the three points and start a good streak.

I know this is disappointing, but as I said last week – because it’s true – this is just the beginning of the season and there is still a long way to go. We must remain positive and confident, keep working hard and get better day after day.

It’s never easy to play at Sunderland, although after the game that point is not enough. We scored first but they equalised from a corner kick before the break, and we didn’t manage to score again in the second half. Personally I’m happy with my first goal of the season, but not completely since we couldn’t win.

Tonight we play the Capital One Cup against Milton Keynes Dons. It’s another competition and a new opportunity to keep getting better. They have had a good start in the League One and I’m sure they will take this game as a final.