Juan Mata

[Tomo 21,733]

Still think it's bang out of order the way Jose has treated a two season running player of the year at Chelsea football club. Jaun deserves to be treated far better and the lack of respect is complete and utter bullshit on Joses behalf.

I find it ironic that Jose accused rafa of sucking the confidence out of JT (which I agree with) when that's pretty much the same thing he has done to our best player for the past 2 seasons

Mata has started 7 out of the last 10 premier-league games, only Hazard out of our AM's has started more PL matches in the same period.

This Jose hates Mata conspiracy is getting a little bit old.

[yuvala 2,167]

Mata has started 7 out of the last 10 premier-league games, only Hazard out of our AM's has started more PL matches in the same period.

This Jose hates Mata conspiracy is getting a little bit old.

To be fair Oscar was injured..

Though I dont think he "hates" Mata, he's just not his kind of player, apparently.

[Barbara 15,149]

To be fair Oscar was injured..

Though I dont think he "hates" Mata, he's just not his kind of player, apparently.

Well the point is Mata had plenty of opportunities to be remotely close to what he was last year and he didn't. He's far from the guy he was last season and if he's 'moody' enough not to perform at that level because of preferences Mourinho may have had earlier the season (and even currently) then there's something wrong with his attitude... Some people defend that the defensive responsibilities is what affected his game. I agree to a certain extent... but a good assist when he had plenty of balls on his feet in the attacking third, around the opponent's box has nothing to do with his defensive responsibilities. Or a shot on goal (that he refuses to take). His numbers tell the story. 2 assists (one of which from a set-piece) and 1 goal.

Bottom line imo is that Oscar started very well the season and Mata was injured. Then Mata came back from injury, but he was completely out of form and couldn't displace Oscar. Then he got many matches starting in September - even if he's missed many matches too. then it was Oscar's turn to get injured and Mata still didn't capitalize those many chances (and minutes) he's got. Mata didn't displace Oscar from the team, Oscar's low production since the injury did. If anything Willian (who had less matches and minutes than both and who's in a process of adapting to English football after coming from RUSSIAN league) is playing better than both right now and people are still giving all sort of excuses for Mata not playing even nearly what he's used to. Some of those excuses were valid reasons a few months ago, but right now they're nothing but excuses imo. He's got a confidence vote, he's played in the CAM position (I've posted a few heat maps here the other day to correct people on their wrong assumption he hasn't, although he does play in the wing too), he's got consecutive matches and plenty of minutes. The only thing he doesn't have now is a team built around him and if that's the only way he can produce what he did last season (or even marginally close, as there's an abyss right now between last season and this), then that's a huge limitation he's got imo.

For a team to be built around a player they have to give the kind of return Cristiano and Messi give. Even this year's Balon D'Or contender, Ribery, doesn't have a team built around him... Mata is nowhere near those guys (and a few others), so it doesn't justify Benitez's choice - which at the end showed why. He's built a team around Mata and all Chelsea got in addition to being kicked out of domestic cups and increasing the gap to the eventual champions , was winning a far from brilliant Europa League.

And before people think I'm blaming Mata, I'M NOT, I'm blaming the wrong system and also assessing that while very talented and good, Mata isn't a player good enough to have a system built around him because he doesn't produce enough to take this team to the competitiveness we can have.

[remains of the day 564]

Barbara - I certainly do agree with your point that Mata did have opportunities to displace Oscar and I also agree with you that he failed to capitalize on those opportunities (the way Willian seemingly has) particularly during the period Oscar was injured. Definitely a very valid point. But I also think something you're not taking into consideration is that Mata - like De Bruyne (I would even add Ozil to that list) - these players' game is about creative subtleties........their not dribblers, they don't particularly have much pace, they don't make a lot of tackles and they tend not to take a lot of shots. They're players who have great awareness of space, great awareness of their teammates and they see passes that many wouldn't. When a player's game is centered on those finer details, well it becomes harder for them to make an instant impact if they're not consistently starting matches. Willian (along with Hazard) are different. They're dribblers, they're strong on the ball and they tend to play with high intensity. These skill sets give then an advantage and enables them to still perform well even if they're not starting every match. So in commenting on how Willian has been able to 'take his chances' while Mata hasn't, I think it's important to keep in mind that their playing styles are vastly different and that alone singularly influences how much of an impact they're able to make when their not given regular playing time.

[Barbara 15,149]

Barbara - I certainly do agree with your point that Mata did have opportunities to displace Oscar and I also agree with you that he failed to capitalize on those opportunities (the way Willian seemingly has) particularly during the period Oscar was injured. Definitely a very valid point. But I also think something you're not taking into consideration is that Mata - like De Bruyne (I would even add Ozil to that list) - these players' game is about creative subtleties........their not dribblers, they don't particularly have much pace, they don't make a lot of tackles and they tend not to take a lot of shots. They're players who have great awareness of space, great awareness of their teammates and they see passes that many wouldn't. When a player's game is centered on those finer details, well it becomes harder for them to make an instant impact if they're not consistently starting matches. Willian (along with Hazard) are different. They're dribblers, they're strong on the ball and they tend to play with high intensity. These skill sets give then an advantage and enables them to still perform well even if they're not starting every match. So in commenting on how Willian has been able to 'take his chances' while Mata hasn't, I think it's important to keep in mind that their playing styles are vastly different and that alone singularly influences how much of an impact they're able to make when their not given regular playing time.

Those are some very valid points. I just can't find an answer for Mata producing so little for us this year from mid-October on - when he's started more games and had more chances. I may agree players like him need regular playing time more than others (although in theory should be the opposite. Pace and physical play should be affected by lack of playing more than vision), but can we say he hasn't had regular player time in the last two months? Since the international break in October, Chelsea had 14 matches. He's started 7 and played as a sub in another (missing 6). 8 matches (actually 10 as he's played twice for Spain in november) in 2 months don't seem like lack of regular playing time imo... it's basically playing once a week...

That's why I said I don't buy it as a reason anymore, but as an excuse. Someone who's been playing every week for a team for the last two months can't really complain about lack of regular playing time.

That's his breakdown (note that November also had an international break, which is why there's a big gap, but he's played for Spain both on the 19th and 16th of november, meaning he's missed a week of football after coming back to Chelsea in the 23rd and 26th, being back on Dec 1st.

19-Oct Off 58 min 22-Oct Unused Substitute 27-Oct Unused Substitute 29-Oct Off 90 min 02-Nov Off 61 min 06-Nov Unused Substitute 09-Nov On 72 23-Nov Unused Substitute 26-Nov Unused Substitute 01-Dec Started 04-Dec Off 80 min 07-Dec Started 11-Dec Unused Substitute 14-Dec Off 61 min

[Jase 43,479]

Well the point is Mata had plenty of opportunities to be remotely close to what he was last year and he didn't. He's far from the guy he was last season and if he's 'moody' enough not to perform at that level because of preferences Mourinho may have had earlier the season (and even currently) then there's something wrong with his attitude... Some people defend that the defensive responsibilities is what affected his game. I agree to a certain extent... but a good assist when he had plenty of balls on his feet in the attacking third, around the opponent's box has nothing to do with his defensive responsibilities. Or a shot on goal (that he refuses to take). His numbers tell the story. 2 assists (one of which from a set-piece) and 1 goal.

Bottom line imo is that Oscar started very well the season and Mata was injured. Then Mata came

back from injury, but he was completely out of form and couldn't displace Oscar. Then he got many matches starting in September - even if he's missed many matches too. then it was Oscar's turn to get injured and Mata still didn't capitalize those many chances (and minutes) he's got. Mata didn't displace Oscar from the team, Oscar's low production since the injury did. If anything Willian (who had less matches and minutes than both and who's in a process of adapting to English football after coming from RUSSIAN league) is playing better than both right now and people are still giving all sort of excuses for Mata not playing even nearly what he's used to. Some of those excuses were valid reasons a few months ago, but right now they're nothing but excuses imo. He's got a confidence vote, he's played in the CAM position (I've posted a few heat maps here the other day to correct people on their wrong assumption he hasn't, although he does play in the wing too), he's got consecutive matches and plenty of minutes. The only thing he doesn't have now is a team built around him and if that's the only way he can produce what he did last season (or even marginally close, as there's an abyss right now between last season and this), then that's a huge limitation he's got imo.

For a team to be built around a player they have to give the kind of return Cristiano and Messi give. Even this year's Balon D'Or contender, Ribery, doesn't have a team built around him... Mata is nowhere near those guys (and a few others), so it doesn't justify Benitez's choice - which at the end showed why. He's built a team around Mata and all Chelsea got in addition to being kicked out of domestic cups and increasing the gap to the eventual champions , was winning a far from brilliant Europa League.

And before people think I'm blaming Mata, I'M NOT, I'm blaming the wrong system and also assessing that while very talented and good, Mata isn't a player good enough to have a system built around him because he doesn't produce enough to take this team to the competitiveness we can have.

Even if the heat map did show Mata did play in the no.10 position, it is different when he drifts into that position from wider areas on and off during matches and permanently playing like he was before, hence his form then was more consistent and better than now. And besides, choo choo spoke of the different role Mata has now under Mourinho than before. Tough to regain his form of old when he seems to be in and out of the team and not used or rather not suitable in a system that Mourinho is trying to implement here.

[lionsden 4,689]

Mata has started 7 out of the last 10 premier-league games, only Hazard out of our AM's has started more PL matches in the same period.

This Jose hates Mata conspiracy is getting a little bit old.

So?. From the way Jose came out and openly pronounced oscar has his undisputed no10 which also reflected in team selection,to criticizing his work ethic on the pitch in public (he could have told mata to work harder on improving his game tactically behind closed doors). and those 7 games he's started in the last 10 epl matches, how many has he been allowed to finish without been substituted in the 60th minute or so, and would he have started majority of those matches if oscar hadn't been injured. also how many matches has he been started in his best position as a no 10?

Anyone without the blue tinted spec can see Jose hasn't handled the mata situation very intelligently and fair at all. relegating a team's best player for the past 2 seasons to the bench is not only bad for individual and team morale but terrible man management which only players with the toughest mentality can bounce back from immediately.

Is it a coincidence that Mata's efficiency in terms of assist and goal scoring has deteriorated since the arrival of mourinho? mata was our primary weapon on the offensive end last season, every thing literally went through him and for a manager to make it known publicly that he's no longer the chief offensive orchestrator of the team isn't exactly a morale booster.

Mata deserves more respect than jose has shown him, not only for his status at the club pre mourinho, also his professionalism on and off the pitch.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Well the point is Mata had plenty of opportunities to be remotely close to what he was last year and he didn't. He's far from the guy he was last season and if he's 'moody' enough not to perform at that level because of preferences Mourinho may have had earlier the season (and even currently) then there's something wrong with his attitude... Some people defend that the defensive responsibilities is what affected his game. I agree to a certain extent... but a good assist when he had plenty of balls on his feet in the attacking third, around the opponent's box has nothing to do with his defensive responsibilities. Or a shot on goal (that he refuses to take). His numbers tell the story. 2 assists (one of which from a set-piece) and 1 goal.

Bottom line imo is that Oscar started very well the season and Mata was injured. Then Mata came back from injury, but he was completely out of form and couldn't displace Oscar. Then he got many matches starting in September - even if he's missed many matches too. then it was Oscar's turn to get injured and Mata still didn't capitalize those many chances (and minutes) he's got. Mata didn't displace Oscar from the team, Oscar's low production since the injury did. If anything Willian (who had less matches and minutes than both and who's in a process of adapting to English football after coming from RUSSIAN league) is playing better than both right now and people are still giving all sort of excuses for Mata not playing even nearly what he's used to. Some of those excuses were valid reasons a few months ago, but right now they're nothing but excuses imo. He's got a confidence vote, he's played in the CAM position (I've posted a few heat maps here the other day to correct people on their wrong assumption he hasn't, although he does play in the wing too), he's got consecutive matches and plenty of minutes. The only thing he doesn't have now is a team built around him and if that's the only way he can produce what he did last season (or even marginally close, as there's an abyss right now between last season and this), then that's a huge limitation he's got imo.

For a team to be built around a player they have to give the kind of return Cristiano and Messi give. Even this year's Balon D'Or contender, Ribery, doesn't have a team built around him... Mata is nowhere near those guys (and a few others), so it doesn't justify Benitez's choice - which at the end showed why. He's built a team around Mata and all Chelsea got in addition to being kicked out of domestic cups and increasing the gap to the eventual champions , was winning a far from brilliant Europa League.

And before people think I'm blaming Mata, I'M NOT, I'm blaming the wrong system and also assessing that while very talented and good, Mata isn't a player good enough to have a system built around him because he doesn't produce enough to take this team to the competitiveness we can have.

I disagree he's been given the opportunity or that he isn't good enough to build a team around. Two straight years as player of the year for Chelsea proves that he is certainly a good enough player to be playing regularly in his favoured position. I really do think that Mata just isn't ever going to fit in the system Mourinho wants. Managers can, to a large extent, make players succeed or fail. For example, if Mourinho required Ronaldo to work more defensively and to pass in a tight system, then he would obviously be a much worse player. A lot of Ronaldo's success is based around the fact that Real Madrid is set up for Ronaldo and that he has free reign to do whatever he wants even if it means he shoots 10 times in a game from 35 yards. If Mourinho had Ozil try to play like Mata is now, he'd also have struggled. The point is not just that Mata has played largely out of position (which he has) it's that the way Mourinho wants Mata to play is guaranteed so make sure he isn't productive. Mata needs to be in space to create and to be able to have some freedom to move. He needs to get the ball in dangerous areas and do something with it. Our system doesn't allow him any freedom. He barely touches the ball in dangerous areas at all. Mata has taken a total of 10 shots in 9 starts which is the lowest ratio of any of our attacking midfielders. (Yet, still also has the best key pass-start ratio). I understand Chelsea allowed Mata to shirk his defensive duties a little too much the last couple of years, but an in-form Mata is exactly what we're lacking and the main reason we haven't been able to break down teams. There is a balance between getting him to do more defensive work and sidelining him. Chelsea need more balance in their attack because right now it's just dribble, dribble, dribble, shoot from distance. I would have loved to have seen Mata been given a few games in a row as a #10 starting with Hazard and Willian/Schurrle on the right but that isn't going to happen with Mourinho. Mata is going to need to be sold because he is never going to work in Mourinho's system but that says as much about Mourinho's inflexibility as a manager as it does Mata's as a player.

BTW, I don't think Oscar has done anything to earn the #10 role either and this is part of what I was talking about allowing players to succeed or fail. Oscar and Hazard are given every chance to succeed and the freedom in the system to do so. Oscar has 5 goals and 0 assists in 14 games which is hardly setting the world on fire and after his great start to the season, he's actually been pretty poor for quite a while. (1 goal and 0 assists in his last 6 Premier League games, 1 goal, 1 assist in his last 9 games overall including a lot of games where he's been invisible).

[FabHazard 655]

Well the point is Mata had plenty of opportunities to be remotely close to what he was last year and he didn't. He's far from the guy he was last season and if he's 'moody' enough not to perform at that level because of preferences Mourinho may have had earlier the season (and even currently) then there's something wrong with his attitude... Some people defend that the defensive responsibilities is what affected his game. I agree to a certain extent... but a good assist when he had plenty of balls on his feet in the attacking third, around the opponent's box has nothing to do with his defensive responsibilities. Or a shot on goal (that he refuses to take). His numbers tell the story. 2 assists (one of which from a set-piece) and 1 goal.

Bottom line imo is that Oscar started very well the season and Mata was injured. Then Mata came back from injury, but he was completely out of form and couldn't displace Oscar. Then he got many matches starting in September - even if he's missed many matches too. then it was Oscar's turn to get injured and Mata still didn't capitalize those many chances (and minutes) he's got. Mata didn't displace Oscar from the team, Oscar's low production since the injury did. If anything Willian (who had less matches and minutes than both and who's in a process of adapting to English football after coming from RUSSIAN league) is playing better than both right now and people are still giving all sort of excuses for Mata not playing even nearly what he's used to. Some of those excuses were valid reasons a few months ago, but right now they're nothing but excuses imo. He's got a confidence vote, he's played in the CAM position (I've posted a few heat maps here the other day to correct people on their wrong assumption he hasn't, although he does play in the wing too), he's got consecutive matches and plenty of minutes. The only thing he doesn't have now is a team built around him and if that's the only way he can produce what he did last season (or even marginally close, as there's an abyss right now between last season and this), then that's a huge limitation he's got imo.

For a team to be built around a player they have to give the kind of return Cristiano and Messi give. Even this year's Balon D'Or contender, Ribery, doesn't have a team built around him... Mata is nowhere near those guys (and a few others), so it doesn't justify Benitez's choice - which at the end showed why. He's built a team around Mata and all Chelsea got in addition to being kicked out of domestic cups and increasing the gap to the eventual champions , was winning a far from brilliant Europa League.

And before people think I'm blaming Mata, I'M NOT, I'm blaming the wrong system and also assessing that while very talented and good, Mata isn't a player good enough to have a system built around him because he doesn't produce enough to take this team to the competitiveness we can have.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with his attitude....and infact he has the best attitude and personality as a professional player.To suggest that mata was moody is wrong...i have seen him in all matches this season and he gave his 100% every match..sadly he is not suited to mourinho's system he is not able to produce goals and assists like last season.I think he is trying to adapt to the new role and i hope that he will be the player he was in last 2 seasons.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Oscar has 5 goals and 0 assists in 14 games which is hardly setting the world on fire and after his great start to the season, he's actually been pretty poor for quite a while. (1 goal and 0 assists in his last 6 Premier League games, 1 goal, 1 assist in his last 9 games overall including a lot of games where he's been invisible).

1 goal and 1 assist isn't good enough.

2 goals and 1 assist isn't much better.

That's the stats in La Liga for Iniesta and Xavi respectively, but these players make the team tick. Oscar has been at the heart of pretty much everything good we've done this season and has about half-a-dozen man of the match awards.

I agree with what you say about Mata not really fitting Mourinho's system and that's a shame because he's a great guy but if we're going to establish an identity then maybe he has to move on. If you look at the Musondas and Bogas that we're hoping to develop and take up that number 10 role going forward then they combine skill and vision with a physicality that more closely resembles Oscar's play than Mata's. Maybe he can reinvent himself as a left-sided inside forward but I'm not sure.

[Reddish-Blue 2,373]

1 goal and 1 assist isn't good enough.

2 goals and 1 assist isn't much better.

That's the stats in La Liga for Iniesta and Xavi respectively, but these players make the team tick. Oscar has been at the heart of pretty much everything good we've done this season and has about half-a-dozen man of the match awards.

I agree with what you say about Mata not really fitting Mourinho's system and that's a shame because he's a great guy but if we're going to establish an identity then maybe he has to move on. If you look at the Musondas and Bogas that we're hoping to develop and take up that number 10 role going forward then they combine skill and vision with a physicality that more closely resembles Oscar's play than Mata's. Maybe he can reinvent himself as a left-sided inside forward but I'm not sure.

We can talk about all the youngsters we're trying to develop...but realistically, how many of them will get a chance at Chelsea?

[dee25 1,044]

1 goal and 1 assist isn't good enough. 2 goals and 1 assist isn't much better. That's the stats in La Liga for Iniesta and Xavi respectively, but these players make the team tick. Oscar has been at the heart of pretty much everything good we've done this season and has about half-a-dozen man of the match awards. I agree with what you say about Mata not really fitting Mourinho's system and that's a shame because he's a great guy but if we're going to establish an identity then maybe he has to move on. If you look at the Musondas and Bogas that we're hoping to develop and take up that number 10 role going forward then they combine skill and vision with a physicality that more closely resembles Oscar's play than Mata's. Maybe he can reinvent himself as a left-sided inside forward but I'm not sure.

Don't think Xavi & Iniesta's sats can be used as a relevant comparison. Xavi plays deeper. Iniesta has been inconsistent this season and last (by his standards). Also Barcelona's system completely centres around Messi.

What kind of an identity can a system really have if the no.10 hasn't managed to make a single assist in 14 games?

[The only place to be 11,313]

Don't think Xavi & Iniesta's sats can be used as a relevant comparison. Xavi plays deeper. Iniesta has been inconsistent this season and last (by his standards). Also Barcelona's system completely centres around Messi.

What kind of an identity can a system really have if the no.10 hasn't managed to make a single assist in 14 games?

They're integral cogs to the way Barca play and whilst they may not make that all important final ball they bring others into the game. That's what Oscar has done in many of his games this year.

The simple answer might just be to say an identity that doesn't require the number 10 to make that final pass.

[bushman 2,043]

To develop youngsters at Chelsea, are you for real or who is on drugs here ?

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Don't think Xavi & Iniesta's sats can be used as a relevant comparison. Xavi plays deeper. Iniesta has been inconsistent this season and last (by his standards). Also Barcelona's system completely centres around Messi.

What kind of an identity can a system really have if the no.10 hasn't managed to make a single assist in 14 games?

The team relies on Xavi and Fabregas to pull the strings . Just cause he is deeper doesn't mean that the team doesn't revolve on the two of them. Barcelona's system no longer centres around Messi. Their main complaint last season was that they had no plan B. Martino employed the concept of using verticalidad and shifted the tactics revolving around Messi as plan B. They are much more effecient with Fabregas and Alex Song playing as false 9's , and Busquets + Xavi recycling and distributing possession.

[dee25 1,044]

They're integral cogs to the way Barca play and whilst they may not make that all important final ball they bring others into the game. That's what Oscar has done in many of his games this year. The simple answer might just be to say an identity that doesn't require the number 10 to make that final pass.

Agreed. Xavi and Iniesta bring others into the game but then there's also Fabregas who often is the one that provides the final pass.

If we're going to play with 2 dribblers on the wings then the no.10 needs to be able to provide incisive passes into the box otherwise you'll struggle to penetrate the opponent's defence. The point of the no.10 role is to give freedom of movement to the player occupying the position so he is able to influence the game, get into dangerous areas and get on the ball as often as possible.

If our system isn't set up for the no.10 to be a playmaker then the creative outlet needs to come from somewhere else but it hasn't so far. If you look at Bayern last season, Muller who was employed in the 10 role wasn't that creative and he played a similar role to Oscar. That worked for them though because they had schweinsteiger behind Muller and they had two extremely good attacking fullbacks.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

1 goal and 1 assist isn't good enough.

2 goals and 1 assist isn't much better.

That's the stats in La Liga for Iniesta and Xavi respectively, but these players make the team tick. Oscar has been at the heart of pretty much everything good we've done this season and has about half-a-dozen man of the match awards.

I agree with what you say about Mata not really fitting Mourinho's system and that's a shame because he's a great guy but if we're going to establish an identity then maybe he has to move on. If you look at the Musondas and Bogas that we're hoping to develop and take up that number 10 role going forward then they combine skill and vision with a physicality that more closely resembles Oscar's play than Mata's. Maybe he can reinvent himself as a left-sided inside forward but I'm not sure.

Xavi and Iniesta have both been played as central midfielders this season and not #10s which is a massive difference in what they are supposed to do. They both have passing rates of over 90% and take a combined 1.9 shots a game. Their job is to set up Messi, Neymar, Fabergas, Alexis, etc...to lead the attack. Oscar himself takes 2.1 shots a game. His role, when done well, should result in good statistics. Your #10 needs to be scoring and setting up goals and chances and Oscar is 7th on our team in key passes per game. he has zero assists and has the lowest passing accuracy of any of our attacking midfielders. It's not near good enough for a #10.

Earlier in the season (up until about 10 games ago) it was a little different because he was playing quite well even when he wasn't producing statistically but since then, he's been poor. I certainly don't see him as the hub of what we've done well this season. I think he and Mata should be switching off as #10s depending on the competition and who is playing in central midfield for us but Mourinho doesn't see it that way obviously .

[Barbara 15,149]

I disagree he's been given the opportunity or that he isn't good enough to build a team around. Two straight years as player of the year for Chelsea proves that he is certainly a good enough player to be playing regularly in his favoured position. I really do think that Mata just isn't ever going to fit in the system Mourinho wants. Managers can, to a large extent, make players succeed or fail. For example, if Mourinho required Ronaldo to work more defensively and to pass in a tight system, then he would obviously be a much worse player. A lot of Ronaldo's success is based around the fact that Real Madrid is set up for Ronaldo and that he has free reign to do whatever he wants even if it means he shoots 10 times in a game from 35 yards. If Mourinho had Ozil try to play like Mata is now, he'd also have struggled. The point is not just that Mata has played largely out of position (which he has) it's that the way Mourinho wants Mata to play is guaranteed so make sure he isn't productive. Mata needs to be in space to create and to be able to have some freedom to move. He needs to get the ball in dangerous areas and do something with it. Our system doesn't allow him any freedom. He barely touches the ball in dangerous areas at all. Mata has taken a total of 10 shots in 9 starts which is the lowest ratio of any of our attacking midfielders. (Yet, still also has the best key pass-start ratio). I understand Chelsea allowed Mata to shirk his defensive duties a little too much the last couple of years, but an in-form Mata is exactly what we're lacking and the main reason we haven't been able to break down teams. There is a balance between getting him to do more defensive work and sidelining him. Chelsea need more balance in their attack because right now it's just dribble, dribble, dribble, shoot from distance. I would have loved to have seen Mata been given a few games in a row as a #10 starting with Hazard and Willian/Schurrle on the right but that isn't going to happen with Mourinho. Mata is going to need to be sold because he is never going to work in Mourinho's system but that says as much about Mourinho's inflexibility as a manager as it does Mata's as a player.

BTW, I don't think Oscar has done anything to earn the #10 role either and this is part of what I was talking about allowing players to succeed or fail. Oscar and Hazard are given every chance to succeed and the freedom in the system to do so. Oscar has 5 goals and 0 assists in 14 games which is hardly setting the world on fire and after his great start to the season, he's actually been pretty poor for quite a while. (1 goal and 0 assists in his last 6 Premier League games, 1 goal, 1 assist in his last 9 games overall including a lot of games where he's been invisible).

Freedom? Are you telling Oscar has freedom? Sorry, mate, I can't agree with that. He's the player with more responsibilities when he plays because he has to tackle, to transition, to defend, to press, to knit the team together, to go deeper to get the ball when the opposite defense is well posted waiting, he has to give passes for the strikers and others AM's in the final third. What freedom does he have? I'm not saying he executes all of those down to a T, but he has all those responsibilities. Which freedom are you talking about?

The main point of my post was WHEN Mata is in THE ATTACKING THIRD with the ball on his feet he hasn't done the magic he normally does. Did he unlearn how to give an assist? Is that what you (and others) are trying to convince us of? If you tell me because of other responsibilities he has he doesn't find himself in that position as often as in the past, then I'll agree with you - because that's true. I'm not talking about how many minutes or which % of his playing time he spends there. I'm questioning what he's been doing when HE IS THERE.

I'm not interested in giving a thousand excuses as why Mata doesn't play even 50% of his potential these days (I guess he's playing around 20-30%). I'm interested in finding real reasons for that so they can be worked around. We would spend the rest of our lives giving all excuses in the book for him; blaming Mourinho, Oscar, Willian or whoever. The lack of minutes, the lack of playing on his favorite position (despite being a winger all his life in Spain), the lack of motivation, the lack of happiness, exhaustion from previous seasons, injury during pre-season, lack of form. The list is endless. Still they are only excuses as they don't change anything.

I'm also not interested in giving up on him so easily, you won't see me saying or liking posts saying he should leave in January or in the summer window because it's the best for him because he doesn't fit anymore. I don't want Mata gone. I'm convinced he won't be the player he used to be in this system, but we don't need him to be that player, we need him just to be more effective. If Ozil could work with Mourinho in a very similar 4-2-3-1 system (where he had very similar responsibilities to Mata - both defensive and offensive) and made him produce the stats he did for three seasons, then I'm convinced Mata can as well (although I think Ozil is a better player, which is subjective and anyone can think otherwise). So instead of giving 1000 reasons why he isn't producing, I think it should be addressed he needs to get his shit together - even if it got all over the place because of things he couldn't control (injury, missing pre-season, having too many matches under his belt in previous seasons, new manager, unfavorable system, etc...).

No one, not even Mourinho himself will convince me that this system is so anti-Mata, that he can't provide a decent amount of assists. I don't need him to repeat his numbers, I just need him to create more (especially as he shoots even less now than in the past) when he has the ball on his feet in the attacking third. Stats also show me he has plenty of passes in the final third, so it's not like he didn't receive the ball in his favorite zone of the pitch enough times. He did, he just did nothing with that and your stats show me that - more than 50% of his key passes come from corners and horizontal passes yards out of the box when a player decided to go for a shot from a casual pass that was never intended to be an assist, but as Luiz, Ramires, Lampard, Hazard, Willian or whoever decided to shoot, then it counts as a key-pass. The only exception this entire season has been the Southampton match. Against Sunderland he had 3 KP (a short pass for Willian inside the box in a 2x1 play; a pass for Lampard who took a chance in a shot outside the box, and a pass for Hazard outside the box where he cut in, passed by a few opponents and shot). Against Palace he had 1KP - a ball outside the corner of the box for Ivanovic. Against Stoke only 1 KP (a very good through ball for Cahill at the edge of the box) and I could go on and on... Is that everything he can give us? Key passes that happen more often in zones that are unlike to become goals? What's so wrong in our current system that among all his many passes in the attacking third that's all he's produced in those matches?

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to another poster (don't remember who), I never said he was moody, I said IF he was moody (more like a psychological thing like, lack of motivation, being down, or whatever happens that the player CAN'T control, it has NOTHING to do with attitude) then it's a problem (I guess it's a poor choice of word anyway). If a player needs to feel like he's the cherry in the cake to produce (and some just need), it's a problem for the manager. I never said he has this problem, I said if that's the case then this is a problem. Maybe he needs to have such confidence, trust and appreciation from his manager to produce his best. Have seen tons of people (in all fields) that need this.