With tempers frayed and results on the slide, Juan Mata has provided perhaps the most true harbinger of Manchester United's current malaise: the cancellation of his weekly blog post.
In the wake of Saturday's dismal 3-1 defeat against West Ham, Mata has opted to put his blog on hold while the team fight to regain their focus amid rumblings of a schism between Jose Mourinho and his senior players.
In a post entitled "It is not the time for posts", the Spanish forward duly explained that he was eschewing his usual missive until things return to an even keel at United.
"Today, my blog post is shorter than usual. In fact, it isn't really a time for posts. I want to thank all of you who support us during these tough times. I understand your frustrations," Mata wrote, the heavy heart almost palpable. "The upcoming game against Valencia is a special one for me, but above all it is another chance to get back to winning ways."
Mata, 30, spent four seasons at the Mestalla as a younger man, making almost 150 appearances for Los Che in that time.
Who knows? Maybe a decent result against his former club on Tuesday night might just be enough to coax him back to his blog.