Sir Mikel OBE

It makes sense when the manager flat out says he does not like the way we played the past 2 years

As a team we dont have a main man. We are very much a squad in transition. Plenty new players, and a new manager to boot. We are weeks, maybe even months, removed from actually having a main man. a) Fair point. We'll see how Eto'o settles. b ) He has not adapted yet. c) Perhaps, but he has played well enough so far. Still attracts 3 players at any given moment. d) This is true, and this needs to be fixed. We dont need him doing that. e) Nothing guarantees a clean sheet, it makes it a lot more probable though. It also keeps circulation flowing from the back to the attack as he is always available.

I have no doubt in my mind that Mata and Mourinho worked on that during the international break. What happened during the game should never happen, and hopefully it wont happen again. Creating and scoring goals is nice and all, but what does it matter if you leave the team wide open? What does it matter if you do not defend as a team? It may be good enough for Rafa but it isnt good enough for the style he is trying to make. We might as well be down a man when he doesnt have the ball.

They are better because they are faster and have a higher work rate. That is why they were bought. This is also why Oscar is getting chosen above Mata. The comment by Mourinho was clear in terms of "Specific tasks" Mata will get plenty of minutes this season though. We are in a ton of competitions, and he should be the first name on the teamsheet for the capital one cup, and maybe even the FA cup when the schedule gets packed.

That champions league where, if you didnt read the teamsheet, you wouldnt have known he was playing? Come on let us be honest with ourselves here. Schurlle and Willian are hardly amateurs, and much better on the wing than him.

Both of those amateurs are making our team better and actually giving us wingers. I'm sorry, but whether or not we had them Mata is in no way good enough to be a winger for us.

That was last season. He has not played himself IN to this team. We are a completely different team than last year.

Mata is not bigger than CFC either mate.

Whats funny was that it was all smiles and laughs when folks thought he was gonna alienate Mikel. Feelings get raw when their favorite player is on the bench right next to him Trust in Mou. If He believes Oscar at 10 is the best for what he is implementing, then I am riding with him....for now.

‘He played against Basle, not like Ba or Mikel coming in to rescue the game, but he came on when the team were winning 1-0 and had specific tasks. ‘The reasons why he’s not playing so much are things I can speak about with him but not with you.’

Daily fail has lied to me before, and they get off long as they get some low paid backroom editor to "apologize". If they are true then Mata is more than likely done here. Especially if he views his lack of work caused the defeat.

Wow are the quotes in that article true?

I actually think Mata would be better suited as a striker in a 4-4-2 formation. He is the more creative option, but as the total player in the 10 role I see Oscar as the better option.

If he feels he is too good to fight for a spot then he needs to be gone. This is Chelsea. NO ONE is guaranteed a spot just off of name alone.

If Oscar was in the same position as Mata people wouldnt be advocating benching Mata in place of him either. When you are in a poor patch, and we are, you have to play the players on form to get out of it. By playing Mata we will more than likely have to bench our only in form attacking player. Its a gamble.

Backup brigade. If Drogba can prove his worth and take a spot after being benched when we bought Torres than Mata can do the same. No minutes off of name.

Salah was too fast for both of them. He tried to help but he was useless at it, that we can agree on. He was everywhere on the pitch though until he visibly got tired in the second half. We're at least 2 points worse in the league if Hazard isnt there though. How about just being a good sub then?

And we were playing a lot better back then than we are now if we are going to be really honest.

We can feel that balanced workrates are rubbish, but the results are there to see. It was Hazard in the box busting a lung up and down the pitch last night. Where was our sub, the one we brought on while defending 3 points, when they waltzed into our box? It says a lot when Hazard and Oscar went on international duty, got injured, and still walked back into the starting lineup when they got back. Mourinho has placed a premium on balanced hard work.

Considering subbing him on pretty much unleashed them on us the better question should be: "Why Mata last night?"

Hes been a hard worker and complete player. He tirelessly works hard for the squad, and still manages to look dangerous in attack. That first goal in the Aston Villa game was all him too. He also made the key pass to set up the first goal vs Hull. He has been plenty dangerous. Last night was a team who came to play counter attacking football and remained very narrow. The 1 nil scoreline would have been perfect enough, and bringing Mata on to grind out a victory was a terrible tactic choice.

The lineup was perfect. He fucked up subbing the one guy keeping their fullbacks modest(Willian) and it cost us the game. The starting lineup was more than good enough to get the result.

By working hard and playing HIS game when he gets a chance. Super subs are able to force themselves into sides all the time, and Mata has tons more quality than plenty of them. He should be able to force himself into a side without just getting minutes on his name alone.

Hazard needs to see the bench too, but lets not act like he has not been better than Mata this season so far. You play the player on FORM No, I dont expect them to do well instantly. I do however expect them to be on the bench until they are in a position to play well. Lets be honest Mata has not shown anything near enough to have warranted being placed on the pitch last night. In fact, I think he was only subbed in to please the fans because it was a terrible tactic choice. Even worse was that when he came on he moved Oscar to the wings, which effectively unleashed their entire side on us. That was the match right there.

We've been abysmal with Oscar out of the starting XI in favor of Mata though. In fact, I'd say we have been at our best with Oscar and KDB out there(Hull and large portions of the Munich game). I think Mata will have to force Oscar out. No minutes on name alone.