🇪🇸 Juan Mata

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Mata and Oscar are different sort of players, even Jose says that himself, so how can you say they don't go well together in the same team? Mata creates more chances and Oscar links up with the other midfielder players better than Mata. We can play them together but as Mata plays as a wide 10 he comes inside to create a midfield overload on the right side. They can both play together, as we've seen before but not enough of under Jose.

[The_Flash 1,144]

I really wanted Mata to have a chance to play and thoughout the game I was willing him to do well, he was ok, a few more games in a row he will be back to his best.

[Barbara 15,149]

I believe that was his best match for us this season. I said a few times players like Mata feel less the lack of match rhythm because their game are based on their brilliance and class and those are permanent. Physical players depend much more on the amount of the matches under their belt.

I don't think Mata had yet to play a match that really earned his place at the team - not even the Arsenal match - because of many factors, but simply because he hadn't outplayed the other AMs (this is not only about Oscar, as Mata played almost all matches predominantly in the wing in EPL and UCL, except for one he played central and curiously enough Oscar played that match too).

His performance today might one of the top performances by an AM player for us this season if it wasn't the very top. That's the Mata this team needs so desperately and the Mata I'm sure convinced Mourinho he needs to play.

Also having so many chances created is a breath of fresh air of that hideous performance against Basel. I already feel sorry for Gus coming Wednesday - except that I don't

[Special Juan 28,141]

Now if Oscar is out, drop Mata back central for Sunderland with Hazard/Schurrle left and Willian right.

[didierforever 7,349]

The overreaction about this player is something absolutely ridiculous.

He played well, that's all. Not better than Ramires for example that plays everytime really but really well and by far is our best player this season.

And he needs to do this (or better) a lot more, because when we compare this season Oscar with Mata, Oscar is better in every aspect.

do u mean mata should play consistently well like he has been doing for more than 2 seasons and that is why he was our POTY for the last 2 seasons? i see what u did there...

[Milan 17,956]

[Special Juan 28,141]

Sublime ball.

[Tomo 21,751]

He's done enough to play for the next few games for me.

Hopefully he can start adding in some goals in this period too.

[Strike 7,489]

Really good in attack but also, he worked his socks off in this game.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

How did Hazard fuck that pass up? It was a 3v2 situation and somehow his shot was blocked.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

Been staring at that gif for like 5 mins.

[Weckerz 3,781]

How did Hazard fuck that pass up? It was a 3v2 situation and somehow his shot was blocked.

Because the defender defended. Not rocket science

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

How did Hazard fuck that pass up? It was a 3v2 situation and somehow his shot was blocked.

I thought Ba could have done better with his movement. He was running towards Torres and his defender instead of staying open in the centre. Would have been a much easier pass for Hazard.

[didierforever 7,349]

Because the defender defended. Not rocket science

come on dude. u have to accept that hazard should have passed the ball to ba or even lobbed the ball towards ba rather than trying to take a shot.

[Weckerz 3,781]

come on dude. u have to accept that hazard should have passed the ball to ba or even lobbed the ball towards ba rather than trying to take a shot.

The dude I quoted doesn't understand how his shot got blocked.

Never did I say it was the right decision.

[Jase 43,479]

Not true. Oscar has CARRIED this team at times this season and to pretend like Mata wasn't streaky and went missing at times last season is a little skewed.

In fact even when Oscar isn't having a great game creatively, he still puts a shift in. When Mata isn't producing magic, he's not far off of chocolate teapot territory. I'm not trying to put Mata down, but both players have their positives and negatives - ultimately it comes down to what you want from your number 10.

Both need more from the guys behind them though.

I get what you're saying regarding Oscar and Mata putting in a shift and all that but seriously, have found it hilarious (not aimed at you specifically) that people these days still thinks Mata doesn't work hard enough. Granted, he may not or probably won't be an all round action player running up and down the pitch all day long tracking back in the manner Oscar does but Mata's defensive workrate has certainly improved under Mourinho and yet people still seem to think he strolls around on the pitch doing nothing like before when we don't have the ball. At times, it just feel as though Mata is being blamed or put down simply because for not being a player like Oscar or someone he isn't rather than actually appreciate the work/shift he puts in objectively.

[Rom2013 446]

How did Hazard fuck that pass up? It was a 3v2 situation and somehow his shot was blocked.

The same way Mata did in other attack, they don't do the best choices. They take a lot of time to do something that should be easy in 3vs2 or 3vs3 situations.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

The same way Mata did in other attack, they don't do the best choices. They take a lot of time to do something that should be easy in 3vs2 or 3vs3 situations.

True. Mata was in a great crossing position with both Ba and Torres wide open and for some reason he decided to loft the ball up for an easy claim by their goalkeeper. Should have smashed it.

Some bizarre decision making from those two yesterday.

[Joe Ay 66]

Would be interesting to see us play 4-3-3 with Oscar taking over the Lampard-role in our midfield and Hazard and Mata up top with a striker. Will place less defensive responsibilities on the both of them and free them up to do what they're best at, Hazard with his direct running and Mata with his guile and creativity. Oscar with his work-rate and good midfield link-up play would be great in midfield I think, much better suited than in a pivot and in my opinion, will provide more work rate and quality than Lampard in the role.

[Jase 43,479]

http://twentyfour7football.com/exclusive-mata-on-chelsea-exile-21216

Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata spoke exclusively to twentyfour7 Football magazine on his exile from the starting XI at Stamford Bridge.

The two-time Chelsea Player of the Year has found himself on the fringes of the side since Jose Mourinho’s return to West London in the summer from Real Madrid, much to the bemusement of many fans and experts.

Mata has been linked with a selection of Europe’s biggest clubs as a result, however, the Spanish international told twentyfour7 Football that he has always kept believing in himself, despite admitting that Mourinho is not one for giving reasons for dropping players.

“The way managers are depends on the way they understand the dressing room,” Mata said. “Some managers will not give you any reasons as to why you are playing or not playing simply because they don’t have to. José is like that.

“Some managers will speak with you when you’re playing but they won’t speak with you when you’re not. I just try to keep myself going the same no matter what kind of behaviour, because as a professional, you have to be ready for every situation and whether he does or doesn’t speak to you, you should never let that in any way affect the level of your performance.

“But to be honest I’m the calmest person of them all because I believe in myself and always try to draw the positive things from the toughest moments, so I was OK then and I am OK now. Sometimes you need to keep going, keep believing in yourself, that’s what I was doing and that’s what I’ll do, because the one who knows me best is me, and I believe in myself and I know that everything will be OK.

“When you have played so-so, you know, as you do when you have played well, and badly. Sometimes it’s after a game when you feel good about your performance even if the press said you played not so well. I think everyone reacts to bad criticism, and they think ‘Why? Why me?’ It’s normal, it’s human behaviour. We, players, are the same.”