🇪🇸 Juan Mata

[Reddish-Blue 2,503]

I understand where you're coming from, but Mata is just too good to not be a key player. Mourinho can't possibly leave his best player out of his plans.

He could use Oscar or De Bruyne in that no.10 role instead of Mata..depending on the opposition.

However in most of the games, you'd expect to see Mata as the starter.

[Blue Armour 4,439]

Despite all the talk about Luiz not being Mourinhos kind of player, I think Mata is the player I still cant see fitting in Mourinhos system. I really want to be wrong, after Luiz, Mata is my favourite player, but I'm afraid he wont be a key player this season.

That's what I thought too at first, but I'm sure he's starting to see evidence of Mata's importance to this team...especially after that Madrid game. He said it himself, I believe.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Blue Armour

[DDA 9,938]

I can't see Mata not playing a vital role to League glory again but I can see him being subbed and rested a lot more than last season. This can only be a good thing for his future. If he played another season like last year I fear his enginge would burn out.

Edited August 16, 2013 by DDA

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Despite all the talk about Luiz not being Mourinhos kind of player, I think Mata is the player I still cant see fitting in Mourinhos system. I really want to be wrong, after Luiz, Mata is my favourite player, but I'm afraid he wont be a key player this season.

Won't happen until he actually has some real competition for the #10 spot. Right now he's a class above anything else we have there. I can see Oscar playing depending on matchups but Mata is just too good right now to not be considered a starter. Oscar in the future can certainly dethrone him but not yet imo.

[NishC300 1,865]

[Mceachran 109]

I do think Mata can continue to be a Talisman for us. But I love that Mourinho has hinted that he wants even more out of Mata. That he will push MatA to the limits of his potential. I think Mata is humble but passionate enough to meet these demands!

[communicate 2,703]

Won't happen until he actually has some real competition for the #10 spot. Right now he's a class above anything else we have there. I can see Oscar playing depending on matchups but Mata is just too good right now to not be considered a starter. Oscar in the future can certainly dethrone him but not yet imo.

Good post, in term of playmaking ability it is not even close. Oscar/hazard is more of an attacking midfielder than a playmaker

[Cosmin 2,484]

Any news about Juan? Will he play against Villa?

[pHaRaOn 2,131]

Any news about Juan? Will he play against Villa?

Jose's press-conference in hour. Hope, he'll give some news.

[DanishBlue 426]

No news and no questions about him.

[Jase 43,479]

No news and no questions about him.

Are we really gonna get all paranoid now of this conspiracy theory that Jose doesn't like Mata every time just because there aren't any news or questions about Mata?!

[ANDRECHO 432]

is back ...http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3419350/title/mata-raring-to-go

[meetdoscar 335]

Really nice to have him back I hope he gets almost 90 minutes to be fit for Manu where he will be much needed.

[Jase 43,479]

[Jase 43,479]

His lack of match fitness is probably the main reason why he was rather quiet tonight in regards to his performance. However, he looks rather isolated and ineffective playing out wide on the RW. And judging by Mourinho's comments so far, seems that he wants Mata to play at RW and mainly favors Oscar as the No.10 at CAM. Getting paranoid I think but if it continues to be like this, then I do worry about Mata's future under Mourinho.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Many people here praise the creativity of our midfielders, but so far they failed to deliver to our strikers. Torres, Drogba, Ba, Sturridge and Lukaku look rather invisible...Should our team play on striker (like ManU), our strikers would be much more effective. More balls to them, more touches, more chances, more goals. Conversation ratio would get better and better. Sure, Torres is special case and Drogba was rather old, but there is no excuse for Ba who was on fire when he joined us, Danny who is scoring regulary for Lpool or Lukaku who made 17 goals last year, but I feel he wont get close to that number this season. Our team play in midfield with ''everyone can score'' is great, but our main striker is very isolated in such game. Rooney would include regulary in such play and wouldnt be as invisible, but his goal count wouldnt be that high I feel. 10 Rooney, 10 Mata, 10 Hazard, 5 Oscar, 5 Ramires,...our goals would be very split. If we play on one player (Hazard or striker) instead of everyone can be striker, our main striker (or Hazard) would have goal tally of 20+. So we will either get Rooney type who will get involved with midfield or powerful world class striker who will score on every 2 chance he gets (very unlikely). Or our striker will be basicaly useless...wish we had Rvp in all honesty. that would be one uber beast team...or a player who can decide match on his own. Mazacar rely on each other too much and when one of three is missing, Torres/Ba fucks whole attack up...

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Not match fit at all but has lamps to blame to for his poor performance as he was taking up most of the space he likes to work in

[Jase 43,479]

Not match fit at all but has lamps to blame to for his poor performance as he was taking up most of the space he likes to work in

Err, what?! Mata spent most of the night playing out wide. Started at RW, moved to CAM momentarily and then played at LW for the second half. He didn't even clash with the space that Lampard operates at!

[Tomo 21,751]

Many people here praise the creativity of our midfielders, but so far they failed to deliver to our strikers. Torres, Drogba, Ba, Sturridge and Lukaku look rather invisible...Should our team play on striker (like ManU), our strikers would be much more effective. More balls to them, more touches, more chances, more goals. Conversation ratio would get better and better. Sure, Torres is special case and Drogba was rather old, but there is no excuse for Ba who was on fire when he joined us, Danny who is scoring regulary for Lpool or Lukaku who made 17 goals last year, but I feel he wont get close to that number this season. Our team play in midfield with ''everyone can score'' is great, but our main striker is very isolated in such game. Rooney would include regulary in such play and wouldnt be as invisible, but his goal count wouldnt be that high I feel. 10 Rooney, 10 Mata, 10 Hazard, 5 Oscar, 5 Ramires,...our goals would be very split. If we play on one player (Hazard or striker) instead of everyone can be striker, our main striker (or Hazard) would have goal tally of 20+. So we will either get Rooney type who will get involved with midfield or powerful world class striker who will score on every 2 chance he gets (very unlikely). Or our striker will be basicaly useless...wish we had Rvp in all honesty. that would be one uber beast team...or a player who can decide match on his own. Mazacar rely on each other too much and when one of three is missing, Torres/Ba fucks whole attack up...

The reason Ba lost form is because he kept getting rotated for blondie, he actually started pretty well despite his lack of goals, tailed off a bit in the end (the FA cup goals against the Mancs aside). If he goes somewhere where he is number 1 and given a run of games (what he should have got last season) he will score goals.

Sturridge wasn't scoring because he was never playing, when he did play he got chances and usually scuffed them and as or Torres, he is just a shocking footballer, nothing more needs to be said.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

The reason Ba lost form is because he kept getting rotated for blondie, he actually started pretty well despite his lack of goals, tailed off a bit in the end (the FA cup goals against the Mancs aside). If he goes somewhere where he is number 1 and given a run of games (what he should have got last season) he will score goals.

Sturridge wasn't scoring because he was never playing, when he did play he got chances and usually scuffed them and as or Torres, he is just a shocking footballer, nothing more needs to be said.

Torres at fault once again. Wow.

Embarassing post.