🇪🇸 Juan Mata

[The only place to be 11,313]

I don't think he'd toss him aside I just struggle to believe a player like Mata could ever be an integral member of a Mourinho team. Has he ever had a player like Mata before? I can't recall him having one at Porto, Chelsea, Inter or now Madrid. Maybe the closest was Deco at Porto but he was bigger and stronger than Mata and was deceptively quick, over the first few yards, in his prime.

Bigger and stronger? Barely. Mata is deceptively quick too and would be fine in a Mourinho team, although I suspect we're going to have a decision regarding Oscar and Mata in the years to come.

He also had Sneijder at Inter albeit in a slightly different role and brought on Modric against United as well.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Still lacks the consistency to be 'World Class'

Mata not world class? Are you smoking magic mushrooms? Not consistent enough? My God.

[The Skipper 20,609]

For those mentioning Ozil as a similar player you're wrong. Ozil is 6'0, quick and able to hold the ball up far better under pressure than Mata is. Sure they're both flair players but physically they're miles apart.

Not so much the big games but the tight games that require a lot of energy, speed and power. When opponents press us he is one of quite a few players who become practically useless as he can't defend or hold the ball up. But don't get me wrong I like Mata and think technically he is a fantastic footballer. I don't want to think what position we'd be in without his goals and assists this season.

Yeah let's completely ignore that in most big games this season Mata has had a big say...

[Styles 9,790]

I'm so sorry guys, Mata is the bestest player ever of all time. He has no faults. I apologise fully.

[Santiago. 1,500]

Mata not world class? Are you smoking magic mushrooms? Not consistent enough? My God.

Debatable in how you actually define World Class. Highest Performance on the European Stages/International Stages as well as a High Amount of Consistency. I don't rate players in that category until their prime and Mata surely, (Considering how he has performed with Valencia because i actually know what he can become) is not in his prime yet.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Debatable in how you actually define World Class. Highest Performance on the European Stages/International Stages as well as a High Amount of Consistency. I don't rate players in that category until their prime and Mata surely, (Considering how he has performed with Valencia because i actually know what he can become) is not in his prime yet.

So because he isn't in his prime (or you think he can become better) he isn't world class? Okay...

[Santiago. 1,500]

So because he isn't in his prime (or you think he can become better) he isn't world class? Okay...

And because he lacks the actual attributes to be in that category

Messi

Ronaldo

Iniesta

Falcao

Xavi

P.Lahm

Yaya Toure

RVP

Alonso

Pirlo

Casillas

Buffon

Sweinstieger

They are world class, They are proven, delivered in the highest amount and grandest of stages, and provide a strong length of consistency. I do not put Mata in that category just yet.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

Debatable in how you actually define World Class. Highest Performance on the European Stages/International Stages as well as a High Amount of Consistency. I don't rate players in that category until their prime and Mata surely, (Considering how he has performed with Valencia because i actually know what he can become) is not in his prime yet.

How do you know when/if a player is in his prime? Your arguement sounds very non-logic and stuipid tbh.

According to you you cannot be world class untill you are in your prime. Prime and world class isnt the same thing and they dont go hand in hand always.

[Santiago. 1,500]

How do you know when/if a player is in his prime? Your arguement sounds very non-logic and stuipid tbh.

According to you you cannot be world class untill you are in your prime. Prime and world class isnt the same thing and they dont go hand in hand always.

As stated, completely opinionated in defining the term 'World Class' so no, it is not stupid, but subjective, as is your opinion. Now do i call yours stupid? If anything's stupid it's your premier league prediction

I rank players in that category because of how they contribute to their abilities in the highest measures and given we haven't seen Mata at his absolute best, considering his absolute best was at VALENCIA if you actually heard of him before he came to Chelsea, i don't rank him there just yet but there is no doubt that he will.

[The Skipper 20,609]

And because he lacks the actual attributes to be in that category

Messi

Ronaldo

Iniesta

Falcao

Xavi

P.Lahm

Yaya Toure

RVP

Alonso

Pirlo

Casillas

Buffon

Sweinstieger

They are world class, They are proven, delivered in the highest amount and grandest of stages, and provide a strong length of consistency. I do not put Mata in that category just yet.

What are the attributes he lacks then? What can't he do? Is it because he isn't 6 ft+ and a speed demon? So you don't think the likes of David Silva, Aguero, Cech, Rooney etc. aren't world class? What are they then? What about the likes of Ozil, Modric, Thiago Silva? Thiago Silva hasn't exactly been on the grandest of stages but is still considered by many as the best CB in the world? I don't get your logic.

Are those the only world class players in the planet for you?

If Mata isn't world class then the only world class player in the PL is RVP. Yaya Toure's hasn't been on Mata's level this season so I don't know why he's in your list and Mata isn't. At the moment, Mata is truly the only world class player CFC have, apart from Cech, and at a push, Ashley Cole perhaps. He's almost carried us this season, and that's testament to how good he is. Mata's been as good as anyone this season.

[Santiago. 1,500]

What are the attributes he lacks then? What can't he do? Is it because he isn't 6 ft+ and a speed demon? So you don't think the likes of David Silva, Aguero, Cech, Rooney etc. aren't world class? What are they then? What about the likes of Ozil, Modric, Thiago Silva? Thiago Silva hasn't exactly been on the grandest of stages but is still considered by many as the best CB in the world? I don't get your logic.

Are those the only world class players in the planet for you?

If Mata isn't world class then the only world class player in the PL is RVP. Yaya Toure's hasn't been on Mata's level this season so I don't know why he's in your list and Mata isn't. At the moment, Mata is truly the only world class player CFC have, apart from Cech, and at a push, Ashley Cole perhaps. He's almost carried us this season, and that's testament to how good he is. Mata's been as good as anyone this season.

Rooney ?

Right now he lacks consistency, as I stated. The likes of Xavi/Iniesta/Yaya Toure, they provided a great amount of ability and strength in those areas through a consecutive period of time, especially from 2007-12 where as Mata has only been on the headlight in 2011-12 which is appaling as his best ability was easily was when he was at Valencia. Thiago Silva has proven domestically that he is a great CB, not during the CL nor International stages. That's like saying Baines is the best left back in the world but he hasn't played a sniff of European football.

World Class is a tricky statement to fully deprive from and I apologize for even bringing it up as I don't want to be the cause of another thread derailed

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

And because he lacks the actual attributes to be in that category

Messi

Ronaldo

Iniesta

Falcao

Xavi

P.Lahm

Yaya Toure

RVP

Alonso

Pirlo

Casillas

Buffon

Sweinstieger

They are world class, They are proven, delivered in the highest amount and grandest of stages, and provide a strong length of consistency. I do not put Mata in that category just yet.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. Schweini and Lahm are overrated as fuck and only make the easy things look difficult. Both of them have been screwed thousands of times by players like Dennis Grote or Enrico Kern or some other no-name German players, who are so incredibly shit they would struggle making a Championship team. . If Lahm and Schweinsteiger would be only half of the players Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard are whatever their age, Germany would not be waiting for a major title since over a decade.

And Pirlo is also overrated, he might be a magician and prototype of DLP and shit but he has more off games than games he is actually performing in. Maybe at world cups or Italian football he can allow himself to be completely invisible for 80mins but in the EPL he would be screwedThe others I agree on and I also do not see Mata in that category yet mainly due to him tiring so fast and his lack of strength and his one-footedness, but he is about as good as Modric, Özil, Rooney, Bale, Robben, Ribery, Silva etc who are also worldclass (even though honestly I'd have most of these over him at times)

[Santiago. 1,500]

Can't even respond to that

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Rooney ?

Right now he lacks consistency, as I stated. The likes of Xavi/Iniesta/Yaya Toure, they provided a great amount of ability and strength in those areas through a consecutive period of time, especially from 2007-12 where as Mata has only been on the headlight in 2011-12 which is appaling as his best ability was easily was when he was at Valencia. Thiago Silva has proven domestically that he is a great CB, not during the CL nor International stages. That's like saying Baines is the best left back in the world but he hasn't played a sniff of European football.

World Class is a tricky statement to fully deprive from and I apologize for even bringing it up as I don't want to be the cause of another thread derailed

On one hand you say Mata is only in the headlights in 11-12 but then his best form was when he was in Valencia. So if you consider his stint at Chelsea which has been world class and then in your opinion his stint at Valencia which was even better, than how is he not world class?

[Santiago. 1,500]

On one hand you say Mata is only in the headlights in 11-12 but then his best form was when he was in Valencia. So if you consider his stint at Chelsea which has been world class and then in your opinion his stint at Valencia which was even better, than how is he not world class?

I never stated he was world class now did I? He became a big name player at around last year because of what club he was on and what league he is currently at when his best performances were at Valencia. I simple implied that he does not fall into that category of World Class yet considering he was performing better at Valencia than he is now. Any player that steps into the Premier League, they are all of a sudden world class. Silva, Cazorla, Mata, Michu. La Liga are filled with players of that quality which just truly emphasizes in how overrated and hyped the Premier League is.

[FabHazard 655]

@semia you missed Didier drogba

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

And because he lacks the actual attributes to be in that category

Messi

Ronaldo

Iniesta

Falcao

Xavi

P.Lahm

Yaya Toure

RVP

Alonso

Pirlo

Casillas

Buffon

Sweinstieger

They are world class, They are proven, delivered in the highest amount and grandest of stages, and provide a strong length of consistency. I do not put Mata in that category just yet.

Cant remember the last time Schweinsteiger or Lahm delivered in the grandest of stages (most notably the CL finals against us and Inter, WC2010 semi final or the Euros vs Italy) so surely their inclusion is a bit daft. Lahm and Schweinsteiger have been bollocks in the big games that meant something. Especially Schweinsteiger who is overrated, remember that season Dortmund won the double he was absolutely shocking in the bigger games and Sahin was the best central MF player in Germany that year. Could say the same about Lahm, last time I remember Lahm performing really well was the WC in Germany 2006.

If your putting Falcao in that list too surely Mata must be in it? Falcao has scored goals very well for the last 2 or 3 seasons as has Mata performed very well creating a lot of goals for the last 2 or 3 seasons. Falcao has carried Atleti for the last 2 seasons as Mata has basically carried us using his genuis to fashion chances out of nowhere for players.

Apart from Schweinsteiger and Lahm plus the inclusion of Mata I agree with your list though. Maybe forgot Cech too, has been one of the standout GKs in Europe since he arrived at Chelsea and Busquets at Barca who is undoubtebly the best holding MF around these days.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Mata is chelsea's best player this season no doubt.

Mata on form is class and would fit almost any team.

He has weaknesses like any other player could have, which is holding unto the ball under pressure. If he was as strong as even silva, he would be a far better player than he already is.

He also gets tired easily, if he gets a one week rest, he will produce the form he produced earlier this season. RDM usually rested mata from time to time.

[Mceachran 109]

Can you imagine if he actually had a striker to play with?! I am excited for that day, the true unveiling of El Mago's raw power.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

As stated, completely opinionated in defining the term 'World Class' so no, it is not stupid, but subjective, as is your opinion. Now do i call yours stupid? If anything's stupid it's your premier league prediction

I rank players in that category because of how they contribute to their abilities in the highest measures and given we haven't seen Mata at his absolute best, considering his absolute best was at VALENCIA if you actually heard of him before he came to Chelsea, i don't rank him there just yet but there is no doubt that he will.

Again you are comparing 2 different things.

It doesnt matter if Mata can become better, he is still world class. It's like saying if you think Messi can become even better, he is not world class at the moment because someone doesnt think THIS is his prime. It just makes zero sense...