The only place to be

Personally I think moving Ramires from the wing to the middle completely changed the way the whole team performed rather than one player, but we'll have to agree to disagree. And we finished 6th and 3rd respectively. That wasn't just down to him, but we made severe concessions when including him in the team. He's a fantastic footballer and he'll produce magic, but my priority is always how does the team perform and we look less disjointed with Oscar than we do with Mata. I've said that for some time now.

Done deal. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2533700/Lewandowski-sign-five-year-deal-Bayern-today-wont-cost-penny.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

He'll get 30-35 games a season. I can't see him being too unhappy with that, and there's really no such thing as a permanent pick in a 60 game season.

That was a change in more than just Mata coming on. We withdrew a holding midfielder when there wasn't a need for one and Mata was hardly spectacular when he came on. Mazacar always looked vulnerable. They still looked vulnerable away to Newcastle and losing one world-class player when TWO have emerged this season (Hazard and Oscar) is just one of those choices you sometimes have to make, especially if you're looking to sign a world-class striker. Possession football is great, but it's what you do with that possession.

The reason is because Mata brings in a lot more money than those fringe players, removes one more narrative from the media and we can use the money to acquire a player who fits the system better. I know you've suggested keeping Mata in the squad but you have squad players who do one of two things usually - maintain the same system when bringing them on to kill off matches or trying to add tempo to chase the match. Which of these does Mata do?

What is the alternative that he could say in the REAL WORLD? Any slight against him reduces his transfer price. The same goes for the comments about wanting to sell him, since suggesting you don't want to sell something can increase it's price.

Schurrle fits all three spots without compromising the high-pressing, counter-attacking game we want to play. I don't understand why we'd consider getting rid of him after less than two seasons.

I think the point is that selling Mata know would probably bring in more money than down then road, and that extra cash helps us strengthen the squad.

Completely disagree. Oscar is our most important player and the choice between him and Mata has massive ramifications on the way we play football compared to those other positions. If they're basing it on 'creating chances' then that might make sense. But shouldn't they be basing it on how the team plays as a whole? Absolutely agree, but you'll see people using Mata's two POTY awards as some sort of justification for Mourinho needing to build the team around him. Fanboy is a bad term to use in my opinion, but I'm not sure what other word you might use.

Great move for him and hope he can make that next step up because this kid just scores goals.

I know a few rugby players who have gone to Margot Wells for better running technique, but the club has some very good coaches themselves. Lukaku is a big guy, but he's also a young guy working in a new environment. He'll get there.

I just don't know why you'd suggest working with rugby coaches. The guy is still young and has a fairly remarkable physique that he is still growing into. Playing almost every game when he isn't used to it will also have an effect, so I don't see the need for such pessimism.

OK, now I know you're kidding.

I did read it, and I read the original source when someone first posted it. I just thought it useful to put some of my own views from actually watching the match into it. I have severe reservations about whether or not Mata has the physical capabilities to play in this system. Oh and enjoy your pint Mick.

Isn't that the point though? If you want to sell something, saying you don't want to sell it can increase it's price can't it?

I put those graphs and stats into context from actually watching the match. No reason for you to get all snippy. Yes he completed his passes and yes he made some tackles but not all passes and tackles are equal. The play slowed down when it got to him a number of times and he doesn't press the ball as well as other players. Enjoy your pint.

Judging by watching the match, there's a lack of urgency when he's in the team in my opinion. It's not about completed passes or tackles in his own half but the pressure put on the opposition as a unit and the tempo the attacking midfielders bring to the game. At the moment (and in that Southampton game) the unit of Oscar, Hazard and Willian move the ball quicker and more directly, and just seem to work harder in pressing the opposition. I'd tend to agree at this moment considering the need in other areas.

Train fares went up on the 1st of the year...maybe Mata was upset about that. It's unfair to think the substitution had anything to do with his outburst.

He didn't suck last year in the Championship, he's just struggled at Forest this year. Last year he did enough did deserve a chance in my opinion.

He doesn't have an awful first touch, he has an inconsistent first touch. People writing him off are being extremely premature and overlook the most important thing - he scores goals.

We do have a week off between this game and the next....playing the 'first choice' of Willian, Oscar and Hazard gives them another proper match to build that chemistry. The first priority needs to be to get a win. Like to see them on the bench, but Derby aren't going to be a pushover.

Actually it seems like they just want him to be given a rest because he looks knackered, but they simply don't have any other option.

But Jose is the man in charge and he's making us a better team than we were before he came. Prefer Mata over Oscar? Surely that should be 'prefer the way the team plays with Mata over Oscar' to fit in with your 'supporting Chelsea' narrative. If that is the case, one must ask why? We're a better team without Mata in it right now.

I think the problem with Mata is that he just doesn't understand the current situation. He wasn't aware that he wasn't playing, he wasn't aware that there have been stories about Mourinho not selecting him and he comes from a country where football matches simply aren't shown on tv so how was he to know a camera would pick up what he did. It's not like he's had media training from the club or that he's intimately acquainted with the way social media operates. Or maybe he isn't a complete idiot. Everyone here can understand his frustration, but we expect players to conduct themselves in a certain manner even when things aren't going their way. It's easy to complain about the media but he made himself the headline with that little outburst and we're spending more time talking about a second-choice play spitting the dummy than a real superstar performance from Oscar.

Kakuta and Hutch recalled at the same time. Not sure what will happen to Hutch, but I expect Kakuta is gone for good before February. As for Traore, that's him, Piazon and Atsu at Vitesse now. Hopefully Bertrand gets the football he needs because he looks the most promising out of the three to me.