Juan Mata

[Sheva. 5,373]

I agree, but there were a few occasions he should have gone for the shot but he passed. Hazard fixed that about his game and is now shooting more. If our AMs don't start trying to score, given our strikers' form, we'll continue to struggle to convert dominance into goals - which has been costing us some points.

We need all of them to put on their scoring boots. Also, they should be taking more chances anyway.

Ryan, you forgot to add Mata has 2 assists (Oscar has 0 for EPL)

Pretty much this. Right now i think we have a good balance with Mata and Willian creating more than they shoot, Oscar and Schurrle shooting more than they create, and Hazard in between.

But because of our strikers failures, we need goals from everywhere possible.

[Shakez 755]

Pretty much this. Right now i think we have a good balance with Mata and Willian creating more than they shoot, Oscar and Schurrle shooting more than they create, and Hazard in between.

But because of our strikers failures, we need goals from everywhere possible.

Idd, people are expecting our AM's to do all the work. Probably because since Drogba we didn't have a striker that other teams feared. Sorry to break it to people but Hazard isn't a goalscorer neither is Willian. Their strenght is blistering pace and the ability to hold the ball. Mata has the best vision, and Oscar is somewhere inbetween all that. Schürrle isn't a playmaker but an interesting card to have. I hope people are not going to start to rely too much on him, he has an incredible shot but apart from that he's no Götze. Bottom line, our views will change from month to month, it's difficult to find a balance in so much AM quality.

[5354 204]

Is it me but I always feel a goal is ocming when Mata takes a corner.

[_007M_ 26]

Is it me but I always feel a goal is ocming when Mata takes a corner.

Same feeling as u bro acctually

[Azpinator 2,325]

Is it me but I always feel a goal is ocming when Mata takes a corner.

It's a natural feeling ever since this happened:

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Played decent Mou needs to trust him more and then he can truly reflect his talents, thought we played better up until he was taken off

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Has he ever played in the no10 position this season (I think once in the league cup)? Even when Oscar is not playing Jose seems determined not to put him there, preferring Schurrle or Willian there, even though they are better on the wing.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Has he ever played in the no10 position this season (I think once in the league cup)? Even when Oscar is not playing Jose seems determined not to put him there, preferring Schurrle or Willian there, even though they are better on the wing.

Agree with this.

Don't know why Mata hasn't been trusted with a spot in the middle. It's the reason why he hasn't been scoring either.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Has he ever played in the no10 position this season (I think once in the league cup)? Even when Oscar is not playing Jose seems determined not to put him there, preferring Schurrle or Willian there, even though they are better on the wing.

Newcastle away. We looked disjointed.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Newcastle away. We looked disjointed.

Oscar played in the middle I thought. It certainly was not Mata because I kept seeing him out wide, or only in the middle when both Oscar and Hazard were there as well.

[Barbara 15,149]

I covered one of the matches in October - I guess it was Norwich or Cardiff (the one where both Oscar and Mata played) and people were saying Mata didn't play center, Mata was in the wing. So as part of deep analyses I did for that game I measured every second each of them passed in the three AM positions and despite people saying Mata wasn't playing entered, that was where he spent most time of the match...

The thing is our players interchange so much that is easy to lose notion of where players spent most time.

But here is Squawka's heatmap and action areas to correct you in the assumption he hasn't played in the middle. Against Crystal the middle is where he spent more time and where he touched more the ball...

http://epl.squawka.com/chelsea-vs-crystal-palace/14-12-2013/english-barclays-premier-league/matches

Against Stoke it was even more evident

http://epl.squawka.com/stoke-city-vs-chelsea/07-12-2013/english-barclays-premier-league/matches

The games where he's spent more time in the wing recently were against Southampton and Sunderland (still he played plenty in the middle in both)

http://epl.squawka.com/chelsea-vs-southampton/01-12-2013/english-barclays-premier-league/matches

http://epl.squawka.com/sunderland-vs-chelsea/04-12-2013/english-barclays-premier-league/matches

The thing is as he hasn't been producing what he's used to, we tend to forget of him during matches, but he's been playing in the middle just fine.

I stopped posting my analyses here, but I could post the next match's and once again measure by seconds where he's played, but if feels redundant because I think heat and actions maps show that quite well.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

Juan's demeanour doesn't seem quite right this season. Since Mourinho returned he's been mentally shackled and I see him leaving as soon as January. We'll lose a great player, but that is the only thing that's gonna rescue his happiness on the pitch.

[Jase 43,479]

Oscar played in the middle I thought. It certainly was not Mata because I kept seeing him out wide, or only in the middle when both Oscar and Hazard were there as well.

He was. Mata rotated positions with Oscar in that game.

[DDA 9,570]

Still think it's bang out of order the way Jose has treated a two season running player of the year at Chelsea football club. Jaun deserves to be treated far better and the lack of respect is complete and utter bullshit on Joses behalf. If I was Juan, I would be gone as soon as the January window opens. As a fan of Chelsea and Mr Mata I will not be angry at him for making that decision

[kellzfresh 7,226]

@Juanmata10: "So... Didier is back" #ChampionsLeague #Galatasaray

[kellzfresh 7,226]

@Juanmata10: "So... Didier is back" #ChampionsLeague #Galatasaray

[Pizy 17,861]

Agree with people who are saying his demeanor seems off. He just doesn't really look like he's enjoying himself. Like when he gets subbed off for instance he just has a look on his face that screams indifference.

Like inside he's just thinking "not too much longer of this." I just have this unshakeable feeling that he'll be sold. I'm probably reading too much into it but I think he may feel the same. Think he's doing just what Rooney is doing this season. Do and say all the right things to the media and knuckle down and play your best. The move will come when it comes.

I feel bad for him.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

Really sad but he seems to need to leave for his own good. Pity really, in another team like Arsenal/Liverpool he would absolutely manage to own it, just a shame we have too rich of talents here, you can't have everything I suppose. And he look like he is gonna become Quaresma for Mou, he signed him for huge fees then just decide to shift him off in the end because it doesn't work out, the same look to be happening here.