Juan Mata

[Rmpr 8,977]

A real chance that includes a run of games in the starting XI and arguably in the No.10 position...

At the start of the season, Oscar was playing really well and was giving no chance nor reason for Mourinho to play Mata. However, he has now had a big drop in quality (like many of our players) and Juan deserves a real chance, no doubt.

However, we have way too many players in that position, so Mata wont have that much of a room to prove himself. I mean, he wont have 3-4 games to convince Jose, he will have 2 at the most...

Personally, I would start him in both the West Ham and Steaua games, but if he doesnt respond well to it, then it is game over!

[Jase 43,479]

At the start of the season, Oscar was playing really well and was giving no chance nor reason for Mourinho to play Mata. However, he has now had a big drop in quality (like many of our players) and Juan deserves a real chance, no doubt.

If Mata has the same defensive workrate and tenacity off the ball (he has definitely improved on these aspects this season) as Oscar, I doubt the latter would be the prefered choice right now given the former offers so much more offensively, and even more than the other AMs.

However, we have way too many players in that position, so Mata wont have that much of a room to prove himself. I mean, he wont have 3-4 games to convince Jose, he will have 2 at the most...

And yet despite that, some players being given way too opportunity even if they are not playing well and some others being cast aside.

Personally, I would start him in both the West Ham and Steaua games, but if he doesnt respond well to it, then it is game over!

And that's the issue, isn't it? Because of the preference Mourinho has on some players, those not exactly favored are being put so much under pressure that if they don't turn up for one game, they go back to the bench while the preferred ones get 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc games in a row to prove and play themselves into form. Moreover, those 2 games you mentioned there are like 4 games apart rather than giving a run of games to Mata like I was saying.

[Barbara 15,149]

Mata had a few chances in October and he didn't shine in any of the matches... I'm all for him receiving more chances, but it's not like he capitalized the chances he did receive and created tons of chances (real chances) for the team.

So it's not down to only the work-rate - his is still poor, even if he tries a lot (and he does try). He would have put more doubts in José's mind if he had been at least a shadow of his best days... he wasn't for one this season imo.

Many players in many teams, grab their chances and capitalize them and never leave the team... he's had enough chances, he didn't capitalize. I'm not against continuing to give them, quite the opposite, we should give him more chances, but if he doesn't capitalize them you can't blame José... if others can capitalize without having many of them, why Mata can't?

He has a great chance to win back his position because Oscar is playing average at best. hopefully he'll make better use of the matches he starts or the matches he comes in and do something with them.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He's had chances, and he hasn't quite impressed but he does seem to have tried to change his game slightly and for that he should be commended. It won't happen overnight, but he should get there and find himself getting more chances.

But there's this constant gripe about him not getting the chances other players are getting and that ignores the competition in his spot. I assume people are moaning about Cole and Lampard in particular, but they simply didn't have someone like Oscar pushing for a starting spot ahead of them. Okay, now Azpi seems to be something of an alternative choice at left-back but it's not the same as having Oscar, Willian and even De Bruyne snapping at your heels.

The thing with Mata is that of all the players we have who play in that number 10 spot, he seems like the odd one out. I'm even including Boga and Traore in that because they have a certain physicality that Mata just doesn't seem to. Maybe I'm being unfair and judging him by that constantly knackered aura he seems to have, but I'm just not sure if he'll be hear at the start of next season.

[iceboy 992]

Chelsea Stats. ‏@BluessCFC2h

PSG are preparing €48million offer for Chelsea's Juan Mata in the January transfer window. (Le 10 Sport) #CFC

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,742]

Chelsea Stats. ‏@BluessCFC2h

PSG are preparing €48million offer for Chelsea's Juan Mata in the January transfer window. (Le 10 Sport) #CFC

We'd have to take that if its true.

With that kind of money we could really get a good pivot player.

[Mustafa 885]

Man.... I think losing him in January would make me sadder than losing anyone else in the squad. Simply because of the circumstances.

[Jase 43,479]

Man.... I think losing him in January would make me sadder than losing anyone else in the squad. Simply because of the circumstances.

If De Bruyne goes out on loan in January, there will be no chance of Mata leaving then. Will be next summer at the earliest.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

If De Bruyne goes out on loan in January, there will be no chance of Mata leaving then. Will be next summer at the earliest.

Not if the report is true imo, LOL 48m for a player Jose won't even need, he WILL TRY EVEYTHING in his power for the club to accept this if ti is true. Probably same will be applied to David Luiz if Barca/anyone else come in and bid £35m+ again.

While Mata is a great player 48m is probably a bit too much for him, he is probably worth around 30-35m max atm. We just simply have to take it because it won't ever rise again.

[remains of the day 564]

It's never that simple, but ideally the club really should have just sold him if he wasn't going to be in the manager's plans. Why let a player that can bring in an excess of 30-40 mill in today's market waste away on the bench when you can use those funds and reinvest in other areas? That money could have gone towards signing a top class striker or central midfielder. Juan Mata sitting on the bench serves absolutely no purpose - to him or to us. This isn't some young talent, this is a player at his peak coming off of an excellent season and is valued at around 30 mil. To have him rot away on the bench when there are at least two key areas that needs strengthening is just such a waste. Just don't get this club sometimes.

[Korea 734]

It's never that simple, but ideally the club really should have just sold him if he wasn't going to be in the manager's plans. Why let a player that can bring in an excess of 30-40 mill in today's market waste away on the bench when you can use those funds and reinvest in other areas? That money could have gone towards signing a top class striker or central midfielder. Juan Mata sitting on the bench serves absolutely no purpose - to him or to us. This isn't some young talent, this is a player at his peak coming off of an excellent season and is valued at around 30 mil. To have him rot away on the bench when there are at least two key areas that needs strengthening is just such a waste. Just don't get this club sometimes.

Because Jose wanted them to gradually be replaced.....

So, the media +fans would go less beserk over the transfers...

Mang, wtf is PSG doing with their transfer policy. They should focus on getting a WC manager.....

[bushman 2,043]

http://www.sportsdirectnews.com/football-transfer-window/36157-mourinho-plans-swap-deal-for-man-utd-s-kagawa.php#.Uo4ORCcilkc

I know, rumors are flying high, but....

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

No a chance, Kagawa is a decent player but not a patch on Mata. He can't even get on the team whilst players like Cleverley keep getting picked, since he's moved to England I wouldn't value him a penny more than 10 million.

[Special Juan 27,104]

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[bushman 2,043]

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Is that the editor ?

[Jype 6,398]

I love the little Spaniard but this supposed €48m offer from PSG sounds very tempting and I would probably accept it if such an offer was made in January. Our team is stacked in the attacking midfielder department at the moment and so far this season Mata has been perhaps the least influential of the five that have played regularly so if he went now I can't see much changing as far as the AMs are concerned but that money could be spent on improving our weaknesses.

However, we can't afford to lose both Mata and KdB so if one of them leaves, the other has to stay. Financially it would make most sense to sell Mata because judging by all the rumours we could be getting a very good price for him whereas De Bruyne would probably be shipped out for way below his market value because he hasn't played much for the last six months.

[bushman 2,043]

The offer of 48m is just an idiotic rumor by the UK media.

[Special Juan 27,104]

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