Juan Mata

[Styles 9,790]

Here's hoping he doesn't go missing today. These are the kind of games he needs to perform well in to justify all the praise he gets. It's great scoring against Brentford at home and looking great but City away from home is a different test.

[Spike 12,049]

Woah..

Eerily similar stances...

[Ankit 3,176]

Woah..

Any chance of a High Resolution quality of this picture? This is awesome!!

[DoubleO 192]

Here's hoping he doesn't go missing today. These are the kind of games he needs to perform well in to justify all the praise he gets. It's great scoring against Brentford at home and looking great but City away from home is a different test.

So you're saying he hasn't played well in 'big matches'? Against Arsenal he was on fire and he's very consistent. He plays bad maybe 1 or 2 times in 20 matches even though we play him almost every time so he doesn't get much rest. He's a great personality and I think he hasn't even got that much praise as he should in England. Take Silva for example, he has been so hyped even though he is in the same level than Juan.

So happy we bought this guy!

[Styles 9,790]

As suspected he went missing against a good team away from home.

[The only place to be 11,313]

As suspected he went missing against a good team away from home.

Are you fucking serious? Here's an experiment you can try. Get all the money you can, sell all your stuff if you have to and buy the best diamond you can.

Now go and give it to your significant other BUT before you do, find a steaming cowpat (or horse shit - only use your own shit in extreme situations because you care about them and you can't just surprise them with your own shit. You have to work out safety words and what you're going to eat before you shit).

Now put that diamond in the shit.

Say 'Tadaaa'. My guess is she's not going to be impressed with your thoughtful gift.

[Yeboii 1,844]

Are you fucking serious? Here's an experiment you can try. Get all the money you can, sell all your stuff if you have to and buy the best diamond you can.

Now go and give it to your significant other BUT before you do, find a steaming cowpat (or horse shit - only use your own shit in extreme situations because you care about them and you can't just surprise them with your own shit. You have to work out safety words and what you're going to eat before you shit).

Now put that diamond in the shit.

Say 'Tadaaa'. My guess is she's not going to be impressed with your thoughtful gift.

Lol are you saying Mata is the only "diamond" in the team?

[Styles 9,790]

Are you fucking serious? Here's an experiment you can try. Get all the money you can, sell all your stuff if you have to and buy the best diamond you can.

Now go and give it to your significant other BUT before you do, find a steaming cowpat (or horse shit - only use your own shit in extreme situations because you care about them and you can't just surprise them with your own shit. You have to work out safety words and what you're going to eat before you shit).

Now put that diamond in the shit.

Say 'Tadaaa'. My guess is she's not going to be impressed with your thoughtful gift.

Don't worry mate you're going to come to the same realisation soon enough in that Mata is too small, too weak and too slow against the better teams. Lovely little player no doubt but far away from being the super duper world class player people think he is.

[Rmpr 8,977]

As suspected he went missing against a good team away from home.

What? Arsenal and Spurs ring a bell?

[Styles 9,790]

What? Arsenal and Spurs ring a bell?

Arsenal are awful and Spurs aren't much better. There are two very good teams in this league and then 18 others.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Don't worry mate you're going to come to the same realisation soon enough in that Mata is too small, too weak and too slow against the better teams. Lovely little player no doubt but far away from being the super duper world class player people think he is.

If I ever come to that realisation, I'll know that I've probably stuck just enough crayons up my nose.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Arsenal are awful and Spurs aren't much better. There are two very good teams in this league and then 18 others.

So you are judging him by only one game? Because by your standards, there are only 2 fixtures in the year for him to show up. And Manure away hasnt been played yet...

Even more pathetic!

[Jase 43,479]

You know, for all the talk of Benitez managing the squad and rotating the players, he seems adamant of running Mata into the ground and flog him to death. It has been so obvious recently that he's feeling tired and yet like today, he doesn't take off Mata but instead Hazard!

[The only place to be 11,313]

So you are judging him by only one game? Because by your standards, there are only 2 fixtures in the year for him to show up. And Manure away hasnt been played yet...

Even more pathetic!

Didn't Mata have a pretty good game against United this year? And didn't he score against them last year too?

I'm dying to know who this other 'very good team' in the league is that Mata doesn't show up against. It's really exciting isn't it - who could it be???

[Mufassir08 2,400]

I feel sorry for mata at this rate rafa will fucking kill him.

[Styles 9,790]

Didn't Mata have a pretty good game against United this year? And didn't he score against them last year too?

I'm dying to know who this other 'very good team' in the league is that Mata doesn't show up against. It's really exciting isn't it - who could it be???

He didn't. But if you think simply scoring a goal = playing well then I'm not going to argue with you. But I also remember you saying Lampard was poor against Everton this season despite scoring two goals. I'm not saying anything different to what you were saying then. Mata is a luxury player and when we're on top of games and have 60% possesion then he's a great player to have. But when we're playing good teams who compete well physically he disappears. When Hazard and Mata switched positions today Hazard was able to affect the game from central areas by going past people and carrying the ball. Mata cannot do that because he doesn't have the legs. He is also extremely weak and small. He offers nothing defensively and did practically nothing going forward, talented but in games like this he's a luxury we can't afford. He would have been good option to come off the bench today when the game opened up in the second half. Oscar and Moses would have competed better from the start.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He didn't. But if you think simply scoring a goal = playing well then I'm not going to argue with you. But I also remember you saying Lampard was poor against Everton this season despite scoring two goals. I'm not saying anything different to what you were saying then. Mata is a luxury player and when we're on top of games and have 60% possesion then he's a great player to have. But when we're playing good teams who compete well physically he disappears. When Hazard and Mata switched positions today Hazard was able to affect the game from central areas by going past people and carrying the ball. Mata cannot do that because he doesn't have the legs. He is also extremely weak and small. He offers nothing defensively and did practically nothing going forward, talented but in games like this he's a luxury we can't afford. He would have been good option to come off the bench today when the game opened up in the second half. Oscar and Moses would have competed better from the start.

He's only a luxury player in the sense that he needs the midfield behind him to do their job, which they simply haven't.

How many games has he scored key goals in? Was he a luxury against Norwich? What about away to Leeds? He's been our best player this season. We're going to have to agree to disagree because I'm simply not used to having to defend Mata to other Chelsea supporters and I really don't think it's a skill I'm going to need to pick up anytime soon.

[Styles 9,790]

He's only a luxury player in the sense that he needs the midfield behind him to do their job, which they simply haven't.

How many games has he scored key goals in? Was he a luxury against Norwich? What about away to Leeds? He's been our best player this season. We're going to have to agree to disagree because I'm simply not used to having to defend Mata to other Chelsea supporters and I really don't think it's a skill I'm going to need to pick up anytime soon.

Point taken but that doesn't change how teams set up against us. They will deny him the space he thrives on whether or not Lampard holds his position or Ramires has a decent first touch. He is very easy to negate. Hazard plays better with his back to goal, is quicker and a much better dribbler. It's time he was given a proper chance in that position behind the forward.

You don't have to defend Mata like I'm on a wind-up. Were just having a civilised debate fella, no need to get heated.