Juan Mata

[yuvala 2,167]

no they arent. theyre both from brazil. you seem quite clueless about the team youre 'supporting'

mourinho has always liked hardworking players and thats a fact. keep your racism off here please. its not wanted here.

I don't even.. wow.

Are you for real? YOU claimed Mou clearly favores hard working AFRICANS based on a picture of 4 of our dark-skinned players, 2 of which are Brazilians, not Africans.

[Term-X 7,891]

^ Well, since human civilisation started in africa and parts of asia, we're basically all african.

As for Mata.. Great player, wrong team. You build a side around a player like Mata because you have to acomodate him. We're becoming more direct now, pacey players who can also put in a shift with high work rates.

[Kieran. 6,317]

I really doubt Mata will be happy with his playtime at the end of the year. It's a shame but better for both parties if he leaves.

I thought he would be effective out wide but he really isn't. Willian should start instead of shoving Mata on the wing.

[Reddish-Blue 2,371]

We dont know that!

Maybe he will regain his position, maybe he doesnt want to leave even if it is to stay in the bench, maybe be wont allow him to leave, etc..

If he doesn't want to leave, that's his loss.

As for him not being allowed to leave...I would be surprised to see Chelsea stand in his way if a large bid (e.g 30 million) was made.

[Dion 2,476]

^ Well, since human civilisation started in africa and parts of asia, we're basically all african.

As for Mata.. Great player, wrong team. You build a side around a player like Mata because you have to acomodate him. We're becoming more direct now, pacey players who can also put in a shift with high work rates.

We're basically all monkeys as well but some people will get offended if you call them apes. Not that I think anyone should get offended by being called african when they're not.

Anyways, if things remain the way they are, I can't see a future for Mata here. He needs to get his shit together and start showing the player he used to be last season asap.

[yuvala 2,167]

There's a long season ahead, we cant predict what would happen.

God forbid if Oscar gets injured.. Then Mata can have a lot of playing time. Or maybe he'll just prove to be betther than Oscar. Or maybeee things will stay the same, he'll have some playing time but wont be 1st choice and he'll choose to stay. And ofc there's the option of him losing his place completely to Oscar.

The thing is, and I've said it before, I feel like Mata is a player who needs to be watched for quite some time to impress. He might not do anything that looks spectacular (just passing the ball, moving it around..) for around 60min but then give that one pass that can win the match. He has around 3-4 of those passes in a match I'd say. And it's not like he's not doing anything else in the rest of the match, he moves the ball to where it SHOULD be moved, he helps the game flow. BUT, it might not look like something special for some people, for them it seems like "anyone can pass to the person next to him" or whatever. With Oscar, he dribbles more, has more shots, he's more of the type of player who's gonna try to create something in each play, the kind of player whom you'll find a lot of Youtube videos on. You only need a few minutes to see what a talent he is.

I hope you guys get what I mean, because it's quite hard for me to explain, especially in English.

[Henrique 9,133]

^ Well, since human civilisation started in africa and parts of asia, we're basically all african.

As for Mata.. Great player, wrong team. You build a side around a player like Mata because you have to acomodate him. We're becoming more direct now, pacey players who can also put in a shift with high work rates.

He is in the right team, the team just doesn't have the right manager.

[Henrique 9,133]

Everytime he try those passes I think: he is sending a message to everyone "I want to play for Barcelona". Hate those stupid passes.

[Sheva. 5,373]

We're becoming more direct now, pacey players who can also put in a shift with high work rates.

And how is that working out for us?

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

You would think that the amount of times we look absolutely clueless on the ball and have no creative play going on. You would think that the guy who can actually create a killer pass would be given at least a couple of games to show what he can do (since the likes of Hazard, Lampard and Ivanovic can have 2-3 crap games yet still get picked).

Oh wait, its because he is 5 ft 7 and is much better when he has a more free role on the pitch, so Mourinho has decided not to like him and not use him properly.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

He should start our next match. Not because he earned it, but because our other AM's have been piss poor.

[yuvala 2,167]

You would think that the amount of times we look absolutely clueless on the ball and have no creative play going on. You would think that the guy who can actually create a killer pass would be given at least a couple of games to show what he can do (since the likes of Hazard, Lampard and Ivanovic can have 2-3 crap games yet still get picked).

Oh wait, its because he is 5 ft 7 and is much better when he has a more free role on the pitch, so Mourinho has decided not to like him and not use him properly.

This is true, and I'm really pissed of about it.

None of our other AMs did anything to "prove" that they should be 1st choice, yet they continue to get picked while Mata has to really do something special just to get 90 mins on a League Cup game and around 15 min every now and then in EPL.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

You would think that the amount of times we look absolutely clueless on the ball and have no creative play going on. You would think that the guy who can actually create a killer pass would be given at least a couple of games to show what he can do (since the likes of Hazard, Lampard and Ivanovic can have 2-3 crap games yet still get picked).

Oh wait, its because he is 5 ft 7 and is much better when he has a more free role on the pitch, so Mourinho has decided not to like him and not use him properly.

Mata has had plenty of games to show what he can do. He plays in the same position as the guy who was on fire, and when they played together we have been awful.

I dont think Mata being on bench duty has anything to do with Mourinho not liking him, but everything to do with the fact that Mata and Oscar together does not work.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

This is true, and I'm really pissed of about it.

None of our other AMs did anything to "prove" that they should be 1st choice, yet they continue to get picked while Mata has to really do something special just to get 90 mins on a League Cup game and around 15 min every now and then in EPL.

Oscar most certainly has.

[yuvala 2,167]

Oscar most certainly has.

Yea, Oscar is the only one, but in the last 2-3 matches didn't do so well.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Mata has had plenty of games to show what he can do. He plays in the same position as the guy who was on fire, and when they played together we have been awful.

I dont think Mata being on bench duty has anything to do with Mourinho not liking him, but everything to do with the fact that Mata and Oscar together does not work.

He spends 2-3 games on the bench and not used until he is either subbed on for the second half and shows what he can do (Tottenham) or shows what a footballer he is when we play in the league cup (Arsenal). And then in the next match even though Hazard and Oscar don't play well as well with Mata (e.g Newcastle) its Mata who gets dropped yet Oscar and Hazard can have 2-3 below par performances and not get dropped. I just can't help but find selective favoritism from Jose even though apparently he is taking the stance of play one bad game and you get dropped..

[Sidzeret 2,257]

I gave you a 'like' just to show I remember a time when Tommy was here (and was also a forum cult hero for some weird reason).

Tommy?? No idea

[Sheva. 5,373]

Mata has had plenty of games to show what he can do. He plays in the same position as the guy who was on fire, and when they played together we have been awful.

I dont think Mata being on bench duty has anything to do with Mourinho not liking him, but everything to do with the fact that Mata and Oscar together does not work.

Key word here is he's playing together with Oscar.

Mata started the season as 2nd choice, fair enough. Oscar was really good at the start, so Mata couldn't get a look-in, fair enough.

But the job of back-ups is to come in as part of rotation or when the player in their position isn't playing well, yet 95% of the times Mata has started in meaningful games, it has been alongside Oscar. And they both share the same position and make our already average attack worse.

So Mata as usual gets the blame, and back to the bench.