Juan Mata

[Jype 6,398]

Maybe the sacking of AVB has affected him more than other players? Hasn't been the same since he left. Could be tired too. Or a bit of both those things.

[Jase 43,479]

Think he's extremely tired at the moment. First season in England and he has basically played almost every single game this season and I'm extremely worried he's gonna face a major burnt out when he goes to the Euro 2012 and potentially the Olympics as well!

[Amblève. 4,995]

Think he's extremely tired at the moment. First season in England and he has basically played almost every single game this season and I'm extremely worried he's gonna face a major burnt out when he goes to the Euro 2012 and potentially the Olympics as well!

He will be broken if he really plays at Euro 2012 and at the OG, There's no way he won't suffer a injury if he plays so many games in just one year.

[Rambo 1,729]

*cough* Piazon *cough*

If McEachran can't break in the squad I doubt they will give Lucas any chance at all.

[ZanSnake 1,211]

If McEachran can't break in the squad I doubt they will give Lucas any chance at all.

I think Josh and Lucas can. But, Lucas isn't on loan and seems to be the only viable competition for the 'role' of being the back-up to Mata.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

^{I'm sure others have noticed but Juan mata's performances have rapidly declined in quality over the season. He is, IMO, nowhere near as good as he was at the start of the season. I don't know exactly why this is, maybe it's Fatigue, the fact that he's grown used to our lack of Creative and pacey play, or the fact that he has just grown to comfortable with his position in the team. he knows there is not really anyone at our club that can challenge him for his spot and thus he isn't putting in 100%. (which is another reason why we need the overhaul). Lately he's become dull and a bit Mikel like. He's passng is genreally sideways or backwards and almost always short. he never seems to look for that Decisive through ball anymore, or the ball over the top. He isn't looking to move forward and take the attack on. He's just going through the Motions. Fatigue may have a big part to play in it but he needs better and more creative players around him who can help him but also challenge for his spot.}

[communicate 2,703]

^{I'm sure others have noticed but Juan mata's performances have rapidly declined in quality over the season. He is, IMO, nowhere near as good as he was at the start of the season. I don't know exactly why this is, maybe it's Fatigue, the fact that he's grown used to our lack of Creative and pacey play, or the fact that he has just grown to comfortable with his position in the team. he knows there is not really anyone at our club that can challenge him for his spot and thus he isn't putting in 100%. (which is another reason why we need the overhaul). Lately he's become dull and a bit Mikel like. He's passng is genreally sideways or backwards and almost always short. he never seems to look for that Decisive through ball anymore, or the ball over the top. He isn't looking to move forward and take the attack on. He's just going through the Motions. Fatigue may have a big part to play in it but he needs better and more creative players around him who can help him but also challenge for his spot.}

If you saw in last few games, he was being man marked,

Our mid+wing need to find him in better position and also free him from his marker

[English Freak 456]

^{He knows there is not really anyone at our club that can challenge him for his spot and thus he isn't putting in 100%. Lately he's become dull and a bit Mikel like.}

I don't blame Mata's slight drop in performance over the course of this season. He's been told to do all the creative work while the rest of our midfield do nothing. Our lack of real wingers is a problem that must be addressed as soon as possible. If only Malouda put in 100% effort on the pitch, our LW problems would be solved temporarily and maybe that would allow Mata a bit of rest.

And anyway, if our entire midfield don't put in a good shift, then how do you expect Mata to provide chances for the likes of Torres, Sturridge, DD, Lamps.

[francozola 2,040]

Wouldn't play him in the prem anymore except against Liverpool and arse. No hope in us getting 4th IMO. Save his energy for the CL and FA Cup games

[Jase 43,479]

^{I'm sure others have noticed but Juan mata's performances have rapidly declined in quality over the season. He is, IMO, nowhere near as good as he was at the start of the season. I don't know exactly why this is, maybe it's Fatigue, the fact that he's grown used to our lack of Creative and pacey play, or the fact that he has just grown to comfortable with his position in the team. he knows there is not really anyone at our club that can challenge him for his spot and thus he isn't putting in 100%. (which is another reason why we need the overhaul). Lately he's become dull and a bit Mikel like. He's passng is genreally sideways or backwards and almost always short. he never seems to look for that Decisive through ball anymore, or the ball over the top. He isn't looking to move forward and take the attack on. He's just going through the Motions. Fatigue may have a big part to play in it but he needs better and more creative players around him who can help him but also challenge for his spot.}

To say Mata's recent dip in form is down to being too comfortable in his position is just harsh. Too harsh IMO. I for one believe Mata is one of the few players in our current squad who actually gives his all for the team whenever he plays. But as some have said here, it's incredible difficult for him to perform well when others don't do their job properly. We don't have wide players pushing forward, creating space, offering movements upfront for him or someone bursting forward from midfield for him to lay the through balls or ball over the top. That is why that has been lacking.

Furthermore, there's just seem nobody in our team right now who can play in the same wavelength as Mata, the one-two short quick passes etc. Maybe Torres but another player who I think that can do that is Benayoun. Why did we even loan him out is baffling. He's a similar type of creative player as Mata and had we kept him in the squad, we would have been able to play more creative players on the pitch when need be and/or able to rotate between them when necessary. But instead, we loaned him out to Arsenal and he's rotting there!

On top of all that and as I said before, Mata is just simply too tired at the moment. It's his first season in England and he has basically played in almost every single this season and not got a proper chance to rest. Hence, I'm fearing that he will face a major burnt out with EURO 2012 coming up and him potentially participating in the Olympics as well.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I don't like him in the n.10 role, he is much more effective wide left.

[Mceachran 109]

I don't like him in the n.10 role, he is much more effective wide left.

I respectfully, but wholeheartedly, disagree. I thought in the Villa game we finally got to see how our holding midfielders and defenders could find mat sitting behind our forwards. He then made the quick pass forward and we were on the attack.

Perhaps wide left he had the opportunity to dance a bit more by the sideline, but in terms of being a beneficial core to our attack, and can't wait to see him in the next few games there.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

I don't like him in the n.10 role, he is much more effective wide left.

No he's not. Much more effective centrally behind the forwards. Even when he played left wing, most of the damage he did was by drifting centrally.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I don't like him in the n.10 role, he is much more effective wide left.

I'm not sure that his recent performances had to do with where he was playing as much as his drop in form that started even before he started playing behind the striker.

[Tomo 21,730]

Am i the only one who thinks he hasn't been THAT bad (bar a few games)?

He only looks crap right now because his early performance's set our standard's for him so high, for a first season in the prem he is doing just fine.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Am i the only one who thinks he hasn't been THAT bad (bar a few games)?

He only looks crap right now because his early performance's set our standard's for him so high, for a first season in the prem he is doing just fine.

When people say bad, at least in terms to Mata, it means more as in his influence over games has been diminished. He still might be having good games if you compare it to the likes of Lampard. But as far his influence over the game, it's not been at the same level as it was earlier in the season. Luckily, the other Spaniard has taken care of that in Mata's absence.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Who's saying he's been bad? They must be perfectionists then. He's done for the season, I'm afraid- we won't see another properly good performance (although we may see relatively good performances). We need to work on his stamina a bit if we insist on playing him nearly every game.

[Kezza 1,965]

He's been outstanding! Love watching him play..But please Juan, don't hit the post this game!