Juan Mata

[BlueLyon 9,359]

I have feeling Mata wont have too great relation with Mou...for some reason he loves attacking football and have free role and work under attacking minded/spanish manager, while Mou is counter specialist. Can Mou ever try more offensive football here? Because in counter football, Mata wont be half as good in big games in open play (like vs Barca or Bayern last year). Mourinho always worked well with 'old school' players (Chelsea, Inter) while Modern players arent to his like realy (Real Madrid) so we will see...

[Jype 6,398]

I have feeling Mata wont have too great relation with Mou...for some reason he loves attacking football and have free role and work under attacking minded/spanish manager, while Mou is counter specialist. Can Mou ever try more offensive football here? Because in counter football, Mata wont be half as good in big games in open play (like vs Barca or Bayern last year). Mourinho always worked well with 'old school' players (Chelsea, Inter) while Modern players arent to his like realy (Real Madrid) so we will see...

Mesut Özil hasn't done too badly at Real Madrid in a similar role Mata would have, now has he?

Probably even more assists than Mata has had for Chelsea and the only reason he doesn't have as much goals is because he can't finish for shit.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Mesut Özil hasn't done too badly at Real Madrid in a similar role Mata would have, now has he?

Probably even more assists than Mata has had for Chelsea and the only reason he doesn't have as much goals is because he can't finish for shit.

But thing is Madrid had all to play 4:2:3:1. Our whole team bar Mata would fit more in 4:3:3..if Mou will want to play 4:3:3, Mata is first to be dissapointed...

[Amblève. 4,995]

I simply love how our supporters make out problems that don't even exist.

[Jype 6,398]

But thing is Madrid had all to play 4:2:3:1. Our whole team bar Mata would fit more in 4:3:3..if Mou will want to play 4:3:3, Mata is first to be dissapointed...

Sure, hard to disagree with you there. Other than Mata our squad would be perfect for 4-3-3 with one or two new signings and the recalling of Kevin De Bruyne. A new defensive midfielder to play deep with Lampard, Ramires, Oscar, De Bruyne and a possible new signing as well as maybe Essien for options at the two CM positions would be a great midfield with a variety of different kind of players to choose from. I'm pretty sure Mourinho would be inclined to at least try the good old 4-3-3 with this squad but that would force Mata out wide. Maybe Juan's not as decisive out wide as he is in a central role but if that's for the good of the team I get the feeling Mata wouldn't mind that much, being such a nice guy and all. Also, he started as a winger so he couldn't hate playing there that much, now could he?

CF

Hazard Mata

KdB Oscar

DM

Cole Luiz Ivanovic Azpi

Cech

Could work with Mata and Hazard interchanging and occasionally coming deeper so Oscar and KdB could get furher up? On paper that looks great if the CF and DM were good enough.

[Ramzi 233]

Sure, hard to disagree with you there. Other than Mata our squad would be perfect for 4-3-3 with one or two new signings and the recalling of Kevin De Bruyne. A new defensive midfielder to play deep with Lampard, Ramires, Oscar, De Bruyne and a possible new signing as well as maybe Essien for options at the two CM positions would be a great midfield with a variety of different kind of players to choose from. I'm pretty sure Mourinho would be inclined to at least try the good old 4-3-3 with this squad but that would force Mata out wide. Maybe Juan's not as decisive out wide as he is in a central role but if that's for the good of the team I get the feeling Mata wouldn't mind that much, being such a nice guy and all. Also, he started as a winger so he couldn't hate playing there that much, now could he?

CF

Hazard Mata

KdB Oscar

DM

Cole Luiz Ivanovic Azpi

Cech

Could work with Mata and Hazard interchanging and occasionally coming deeper so Oscar and KdB could get furher up? On paper that looks great if the CF and DM were good enough.

Imagine Drogba in his prime along with Khedira as DM

[Jype 6,398]

Imagine Drogba in his prime along with Khedira as DM

I don't need to imagine that when I've seen Drogba in his prime with Makelele as DM.

[Dion 2,476]

Sure, hard to disagree with you there. Other than Mata our squad would be perfect for 4-3-3 with one or two new signings and the recalling of Kevin De Bruyne. A new defensive midfielder to play deep with Lampard, Ramires, Oscar, De Bruyne and a possible new signing as well as maybe Essien for options at the two CM positions would be a great midfield with a variety of different kind of players to choose from. I'm pretty sure Mourinho would be inclined to at least try the good old 4-3-3 with this squad but that would force Mata out wide. Maybe Juan's not as decisive out wide as he is in a central role but if that's for the good of the team I get the feeling Mata wouldn't mind that much, being such a nice guy and all. Also, he started as a winger so he couldn't hate playing there that much, now could he?

CF

Hazard Mata

KdB Oscar

DM

Cole Luiz Ivanovic Azpi

Cech

Could work with Mata and Hazard interchanging and occasionally coming deeper so Oscar and KdB could get furher up? On paper that looks great if the CF and DM were good enough.

I really like that team.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I have feeling Mata wont have too great relation with Mou...for some reason he loves attacking football and have free role and work under attacking minded/spanish manager, while Mou is counter specialist. Can Mou ever try more offensive football here? Because in counter football, Mata wont be half as good in big games in open play (like vs Barca or Bayern last year). Mourinho always worked well with 'old school' players (Chelsea, Inter) while Modern players arent to his like realy (Real Madrid) so we will see...

Pfft.

Deco, Sneijder and Ozil say hi.

[Pascal Newton 33]

I don't need to imagine that when I've seen Drogba in his prime with Makelele as DM.

Brilliant!

[Jase 43,479]

But thing is Madrid had all to play 4:2:3:1. Our whole team bar Mata would fit more in 4:3:3..if Mou will want to play 4:3:3, Mata is first to be dissapointed...

As if we can't get 1-2 players in key areas and play 4-2-3-1...

[communicate 2,703]

Shocked with some of the comment. If you watch our game this season most of our chances are created when mata and hazard combine with reach other. They have terrific understanding , why do we want to break that up by moving them to different wings is beyond me. In term of mou moving 433, mou played 4231 wit inter and 4231 with RM. It is the player that dictate the formation and since clearly our team is built around mata and hazard 4231 is probably the way to go

[Mufassir08 2,400]

mata and hazard are our gotze and reus in terms of their understanding with each other.

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

Sure, hard to disagree with you there. Other than Mata our squad would be perfect for 4-3-3 with one or two new signings and the recalling of Kevin De Bruyne. A new defensive midfielder to play deep with Lampard, Ramires, Oscar, De Bruyne and a possible new signing as well as maybe Essien for options at the two CM positions would be a great midfield with a variety of different kind of players to choose from. I'm pretty sure Mourinho would be inclined to at least try the good old 4-3-3 with this squad but that would force Mata out wide. Maybe Juan's not as decisive out wide as he is in a central role but if that's for the good of the team I get the feeling Mata wouldn't mind that much, being such a nice guy and all. Also, he started as a winger so he couldn't hate playing there that much, now could he?

CF

Hazard Mata

KdB Oscar

DM

Cole Luiz Ivanovic Azpi

Cech

Could work with Mata and Hazard interchanging and occasionally coming deeper so Oscar and KdB could get furher up? On paper that looks great if the CF and DM were good enough.

Oh lawd

[Mceachran 109]

Remember that if you "put mata on the right wing", he really just slides into a central position letting Azpi go up and down the right flank. It doesn't matter. As I said in another thread. One does not simply give mata a position, he gets to go wherever the fu%# he wants and we all enjoy

[Mustafa 885]

Not sure if someone already posted this but ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBpohjHmveI

[Jase 43,479]

Remember that if you "put mata on the right wing", he really just slides into a central position letting Azpi go up and down the right flank. It doesn't matter. As I said in another thread. One does not simply give mata a position, he gets to go wherever the fu%# he wants and we all enjoy

The problem isn't so much about playing Mata out wide, though he's less effective there IMO, but more so on the defensive of things. Playing Mata on the flanks, especially on the RW, would mean he's always likely gonna come inside onto his left foot. Now, while that may look exciting with Azpi or Ivanovic marauding down the right side to create overlapping situations, the issue comes when the attack breaks down. Our RB may find themselves being overloaded in 2 v 1 scenarios, for example, and that could lead to us conceding some cheap goals, almost like when under RDM this season. And not to mention, there is more emphasis these days for full backs to go forward.

Moreover, Mata doesn't have the pace and energy levels to be playing out wide as players playing there would usually have to bomb up and down the flanks all game long. And if Mata plays there, he's gonna be absolutely knackered by the end of every game. The best position for him really is where he's playing right now, as a CAM behind the ST. He connects our midfield and attack brilliantly and that role would also allow him more freedom to roam around on the pitch and create chances for others without necessarily worrying too much on the defensive aspects with two midfielders behind him. This is certainly better than sticking him out wide where he would have a bigger defensive duty and also the pressure to create chances from out wide.

[GhanaBoy 104]

The problem isn't so much about playing Mata out wide, though he's less effective there IMO, but more so on the defensive of things. Playing Mata on the flanks, especially on the RW, would mean he's always likely gonna come inside onto his left foot. Now, while that may look exciting with Azpi or Ivanovic marauding down the right side to create overlapping situations, the issue comes when the attack breaks down. Our RB may find themselves being overloaded in 2 v 1 scenarios, for example, and that could lead to us conceding some cheap goals, almost like when under RDM this season. And not to mention, there is more emphasis these days for full backs to go forward.

Moreover, Mata doesn't have the pace and energy levels to be playing out wide as players playing there would usually have to bomb up and down the flanks all game long. And if Mata plays there, he's gonna be absolutely knackered by the end of every game. The best position for him really is where he's playing right now, as a CAM behind the ST. He connects our midfield and attack brilliantly and that role would also allow him more freedom to roam around on the pitch and create chances for others without necessarily worrying too much on the defensive aspects with two midfielders behind him. This is certainly better than sticking him out wide where he would have a bigger defensive duty and also the pressure to create chances from out wide.

not really essentially you are saying our squad that is built for a 4-3-3 is being held back by mata. In that case mata must improve his deffensive game or simply be a bench player. Every component of our team is built for a 4-3-3 but if the use of our entire squad is solely dependent on one player he better be messi. unfortunately mata is no messi and if the likes of hazard and oscar can put a shift in he must as well or someone will come in to replace him. fact