🇪🇸 Juan Mata

[Santiago. 1,500]

It's not a slight against Mata that he doesn't start for Spain, it's just the playing style clashes. Just like how Torres never shined for Spain at any point in his career like Villa has.

Spain plays tiki-taka, Mata and Torres are too direct. I think even Isco will get more starts for Spain than Mata by 2018.

That is partly due to Del Bosque's style of play. That was not the case with Aragones and I know the next manager, if not Pep, will avoid that considering the fact we have great talent where that style isn't necessary as we typically edge out results.

No Azpi at RB? Haven't seen Montoya do anything special in his career so far...

Is Rodrigo really that good in real life? I only know he's a future Ballon d'Or winner on my FM save when re-trained as a winger but haven't seen much of him at Benfica.

I've been watching Montoya as well as Carvajal who has shown promise, it really will be a battle out for all three and the choice upon the manager, but Montoya is a fantastic 'footballer' whereas Azpili is a great defender. Montoya suits the side a bit more.

Rodrigo is a gem

[Korea 734]

Ever? He is already slowly being introduced much more than he was pre 2012.

World Cup Team (Difference might be between Mata and Silva though Mata has shown significancnt signs of higher future performance in comparison to Silva.)

Mata------Cesc------Pedro

--------Iniesta--Xavi--------

----------Busquets---------

Alba------------------Ramos

------Martinez--Pique--------

------------Casillas--------------

Spanish National Team year 2018

------------------Rodrigo-----------

Munian/Isco-----Mata-----Pedro

-------------Thiago--Busquets----

-------Alba---------------------Montoya

--------------Martinez---Pique-----------

--------------------De Gea----------------

Slowly introduced... How is he being slowly introduced, he.barely played.euro 2012 and Spain suckass in the.Olympics. I be shocked if he took santi or Silva place...

Also, I love how you dropped cesc and Silva for 2018.. (Martinez cm and thiago takes the.middle.

[Santiago. 1,500]

Slowly introduced... How is he being slowly introduced, he.barely played.euro 2012 and Spain suckass in the.Olympics. I be shocked if he took santi or Silva place...

Also, I love how you dropped cesc and Silva for 2018.. (Martinez cm and thiago takes the.middle.

Again, it is most likely down to the new manager and his preference in how we display our football. Mata has been increasingly involved in Spain's qualifiers over the likes of Cazorla, Benat, etc. His form will undoubtly continue and I am expecting him to be introduced into the first team before 2014, whether it will be a permanent first selection basis remains to be seen. Cesc will be 30 and Silva will be 32 and I am 85 percent they have already reached their peak while other talents, Munian, Thiago, Tello, Martinez, will easily emerge on to the world and have ceilings capable of tremendous quality just as the golden generation. I even expect Ingo Martinez to fully replace Puyol soon.

[Jase 43,479]

Okay fellas, let's not turn this into a Spanish NT discussion thread. Can discuss it into the 'Football Banter' section.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Mata had an absolute shocker, weird to see people giving him a pass...

I wonder what would happen if Torres had missed the chance he had, without even trying to shoot.

[bababoom 4,478]

He was very poor in the first half, but i actually think he was one of our better players in the second half, mainly due to the fact that City sat back and he wasn't put under any pressure.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Let me think of Mata's worst performances in a Chelsea shirt.

all 6 games he played vs ManCity, both Juve games, atletico, Bayern, both games vs Barca.... does anything occurs to s.o.?

[Styles 9,790]

Poor game. He really struggles against City because they're a very strong team. He was very poor and should have been subbed off.

[Stats 7,142]

Poor game. He really struggles against City because they're a very strong team. He was very poor and should have been subbed off.

And put on who? He may disappear for a lot of the game against City, but he can deliver one excellent pass or cross that changes the game. Would of been silly to sub him off.

[Styles 9,790]

And put on who? He may disappear for a lot of the game against City, but he can deliver one excellent pass or cross that changes the game. Would of been silly to sub him off.

I think you've just summed up what a luxury player Mata can be against good opposition.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Stuggles when put under pressure, needs to go to the gym and learn how to protect the ball in his possesion. Even if it means using your ass to block pple or fall on the ball when pushed.

I just imagine if we made him mark pirlo instead of oscar, we would have been skinned because of the lack of any defensive shift from him.

Could be under instructions from benitez to do that but still if he puts in a defensive shift, it will be 3 city midfilders vs 3 chelsea mids instead of barry yaya and nasri vs only mikel and ramires. Major reason we get dominated against big possesion teams is this.

[yuvala 2,167]

Stuggles when put under pressure, needs to go to the gym and learn how to protect the ball in his possesion. Even if it means using your ass to block pple or fall on the ball when pushed.

I just imagine if we made him mark pirlo instead of oscar, we would have been skinned because of the lack of any defensive shift from him.

Could be under instructions from benitez to do that but still if he puts in a defensive shift, it will be 3 city midfilders vs 3 chelsea mids instead of barry yaya and tevez vs only mikel and ramires. Major reason we get dominated against big possesion teams is this.

Brana could teach Mata a thing or two about using his ass

[didierforever 7,349]

Let me think of Mata's worst performances in a Chelsea shirt.

all 6 games he played vs ManCity, both Juve games, atletico, Bayern, both games vs Barca.... does anything occurs to s.o.?

what???

let me exactly what is mata expected to do when the possession starts read 75-25 to the other team. he is a player who thrives when the ball is with his team or on his feet. against bayern mata had atleast 2 players around him (bastian + one of the cbs) every time chelsea had the ball. against barca he had 9 touches in all of 120 minutes of football and chelsea in general wanted to just sit back and defend. plus dont forget it was mata who took the cross in the final for DDs goal. how can u say that these 3 were his worst games is simply beyond me.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Brana could teach Mata a thing or two about using his ass

Brana is the God of using ass, hazards level will do for mata

[BlueLion. 21,491]

And put on who? He may disappear for a lot of the game against City, but he can deliver one excellent pass or cross that changes the game. Would of been silly to sub him off.

Someone more direct, who will run at a tired, clearly under-the-cosh City defence - someone like Victor Moses.

[Jase 43,479]

Mata in his weekly blogpost.

http://blogs.grada360.com/juanmata/en/2013/04/15/amargo-regreso-a-wembley/

As always, the support from our fans in the stadium was amazing. We’re sorry we couldn’t bring you happiness, which is something you deserved.

[Stats 7,142]

Someone more direct, who will run at a tired, clearly under-the-cosh City defence - someone like Victor Moses.

Not Mata though, bring Moses on for Oscar I would of said.

[Spike 12,049]

She is fit.

[NishC300 1,865]

Should win Player of the Season IMO. I didn't see the City game so I can't make say what I thought about his performance.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

what???

let me exactly what is mata expected to do when the possession starts read 75-25 to the other team. he is a player who thrives when the ball is with his team or on his feet. against bayern mata had atleast 2 players around him (bastian + one of the cbs) every time chelsea had the ball. against barca he had 9 touches in all of 120 minutes of football and chelsea in general wanted to just sit back and defend. plus dont forget it was mata who took the cross in the final for DDs goal. how can u say that these 3 were his worst games is simply beyond me.

they were among his worst games. no doubt. no matter what excuses you want to find for that. Every attacking player prefers to have the ball more often than not, still Kalou, Lampard, Drogba, Ramires performed superbly in these matches. it happens you have less of the ball against better opponents and are marked by good players. Still a top player should deal with that. For me having 9 touches is not a good performance for an outfield player. One decent cross does not make a decent performance.I think this goal was 99% courtesy of Drogba's incredible will than of mata's precision. Drogba had to take 10 steps towards the first post to get to that corner, which was intended for Lamps.