Juan Mata

[Stingray 9,441]

I haven't completely written him off.

He's a great guy and he's been great for us, but we're a better team right now. I'm sure he can be part of the team going forward, but I expect we'll have success with or without Mata.

I disagree that he's the 'ultimate big game player' because he's disappeared in plenty of matches, big and small. I also think Oscar has the potential to be as good as Mata and is already one of our most important players.

Defensive workrate - something Oscar has in abundance and Mata doesn't.

Also whilst our attack has hardly been brilliant, Oscar has been doing more than his fair share.

I'd argue we're a much better team now, with a proper manager in charge.

I agree, hence my like for you. But somehow i keep feeling that it is doing disservice to a good trooper a bit. Oscar has done us well, but Mata has done us well longer, really well. Does that guarantee him (or Oscar for that matter) a future, no... But it does earn him respect (which I think the OP/TOPTB has a lot of) and a viable chance to be in a next generation Chelsea team. The real question imo is how we can do this in a good way and what he is willing to do for it. That will be the matter ethics, vision, identity ... throughout the entire setup - management to players.

The true Mourinho challenge. This issue was raised last year and the year before. IMO, is the way we treat our player/subs/loanees/youngsters , while performing. All that will pay huge tribute to what we will become as a club in the future.

But I think we can do it, and Mata could be a key figure in that, really.

[Rapkun 668]

I wish Mourinho had as much trust in Mata as he has in Oscar because he's massively underestimating him here.

Oscar is an automatic starter and would still make it in the starting 11 even if he peforms bad whereas that is not the same for Mata. He only gets to play after a great display and would get dropped as soon as he lowers his work-rate. Also, I don't feel like Mata and Oscar could play together because none of them is comfortable at the wings and unlike last season we have more options for those positions in Schurrle and Willian. Mata and Oscar are fighting for the #10 role, the latter is probably favorited because of his defensive work but he's nowhere near as good as Juan.

The spaniard has a great vision of the game. His decision making is quick and brilliant. He transcends our attack and organizes it especially when it is not on counters. People would agree we've only been good at that so far. Yes it has been successfull for the moment but only because we always scored first, things might be different if we were to concede.

[Billy. 2,739]

[Sheva. 5,373]

Defensive workrate - something Oscar has in abundance and Mata doesn't.

Also whilst our attack has hardly been brilliant, Oscar has been doing more than his fair share.

He's done his fair share getting goals, actually more than his fair share because he made up for Lamps and our strikers not scoring.

But he's also a CAM, and meant to be our primary playmaker, yet he has 0 assists in the league. And it's not like he has created abundance of chances for people to miss either.

Only time we look good in attack is when we counter or Torres takes matters into his hands and dribbles his way through. Everyone can do better, but mainly Oscar since it's his job to dictate our play.

Anyway, my original point wasn't even about Oscar and Mata but you turned it into that. Having Mata around is good for us because he's a player with tremendous quality in attack. He doesn't have to start every game, but he can still play a major part for us.

[Korea 734]

People seem to forget that the tactics are a lot different for Oscar than they were for Mata last year....

[Jase 43,479]

Juan Mata interview: Chelsea fans' love and Jose Mourinho's prodding made me better and stronger

[yuvala 2,167]

He's done his fair share getting goals, actually more than his fair share because he made up for Lamps and our strikers not scoring.

But he's also a CAM, and meant to be our primary playmaker, yet he has 0 assists in the league. And it's not like he has created abundance of chances for people to miss either.

Only time we look good in attack is when we counter or Torres takes matters into his hands and dribbles his way through. Everyone can do better, but mainly Oscar since it's his job to dictate our play.

Anyway, my original point wasn't even about Oscar and Mata but you turned it into that. Having Mata around is good for us because he's a player with tremendous quality in attack. He doesn't have to start every game, but he can still play a major part for us.

As much as I hate comparing between the 2, Oscar does lack good passes.. you're right - he is supposed to have some assists I mean he's the CAM after all..

But he does score a lot now so that is also a good thing.

I guess he doesn't have the eye for the pass like Mata has.

Which one should start? I can't decide, not yet.

[haranr 485]

I want:

Torres

Hazard Mata Schurrle

[meetdoscar 335]

Hmmmn i wonder where mata of last 2 seasons has gone

[The only place to be 11,313]

Hmmmn i wonder where mata of last 2 seasons has gone

He's still the same player.

Should not be moving Oscar to accomodate Mata.

[Henrique 9,133]

He's still the same player.

Should not be moving Oscar to accomodate Mata.

He was playing in his natural position today, while Oscar was playing in the right.

[Stats 6,988]

He was playing in his natural position today, while Oscar was playing in the right.

They were all alternating positions. Not one player had a fixed position. Oscar sometimes moved to the right and so did Mata.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I'm not sure if it's fair to that when he plays, the gap between defence and attack just seems to grow in some games. Passing becomes sloppier, Torres becomes more isolated, the players in the pivot have less outballs and eventually David Luiz starts lumping balls forward from defence. But this was just like the Everton game, and so many other games from last season.

He and Oscar just don't seem to be able to co-exist with one another in the same way they do with a Schurrle, who just does his job and sticks to the wing.

[Phil Driver 503]

Neither of them will make a run beyond Torres or get to the by line, it makes us very easy to defend against, Mata or Oscar for me and I would even like to see Hazard in the ten role and neither of them in the team . We had no penetration at all in that team today somebody from the midfield needs to run beyond Torres , we had no pace in the team today and they both offer nothing defensively . 61% posession and we never looked like getting in behind them,these two do all their work in front of the opposition back four.

[Phil Driver 503]

Another one up north on a wet windy day who did not fancy it ,he was awful and contributed nothing ,him and Oscar looked lost and created nothing with all that possession.

Neither of them drove at Newcasle running beyond their back four and where were our shots? Most of our chances were from John Terry and corners.

Mata and Oscar gave us no power on a wet windy day up north ,we were to weak for that kind of game.

[k d luiz 3]

After today's match and the performance of Willian, I am really worried for Mata. It seems more and more competition are between him and the starting 11 now.

[sk21 11]

i think the picture on official chelseafc site says it all about current situation.

mourinho prefers (he always has) the hardworking africans. mata is exactly where he belongs - the bench - and i cant see that changing any time soon.

[Jase 43,479]

i think the picture on official chelseafc site says it all about current situation.

mourinho prefers (he always has) the hardworking africans. mata is exactly where he belongs - the bench - and i cant see that changing any time soon.

Talk about a picture speaking a thousand words.................