Juan Mata

[Korea 734]

i don't quite get that point with the spanish national team. the players starting in midfield for spain is pretty much the monolith of the barca-midfield. i am not surprised that mata can't get in that squad just yet. that, however, doesn't reflect at all about his form for us and in the premier league in which he, apart from Van Persie, has been probably the best player last season. the spain-argument, i think, is coming from the "jose is always right" brigade who just looking for any old argument. (not saying you are one of them, meetdoscar )

it's not that he cant surpass the barca trio +alonso, its the fact that Cesc, Silva, Santi and now Isco and maybe Thiago are all ahead of him for the National Team.

Anyways, hopefully Jose can find a resolution to this. However, with a million Ams, this was always going to be a problem for us eventually with playing time, etc.

[bluesman2610 1,417]

Pat Nevin's post-match analysis of Mata and Torres.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEZ37xg8sw

Very good analysis for Pat I saw the same things when I watched the match replay.. I feel a lot of people are being over critical of both players on that performance .. I would love to see them both in the team at the weekend

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelsea-outcast-juan-mata-still-2312409

Juan Mata stills feels he is wanted at Stamford Bridge despite being frozen out by Jose Mourinho.

The returning Blues boss, who was worshipped during his first reign, has told Chelsea’s player of the year that he is no longer a guaranteed Premier League starter.

But Mata, 25, knows he has the support of his team-mates and the fans after helping the club win the Champions League and Europa League during his two years in West London.

“People have come up to me in the street and it is nice to feel the people are behind you and supporting you,” said Mata. “I will be grateful always to the Chelsea supporters because they are supporting me.

“Probably because of the seasons that I had, I feel really loved by the fans. The other day against Basel at Stamford Bridge, I got emotional when I went to warm up and all the stands were cheering me up. I don’t know why.

“That is what I try to keep in my mind.”

The World Cup winner said he has the same support from his team-mates. “In the dressing room we are friends,” he said. “All of them were speaking to me, saying be patient, be calm, we know how good you are. And that’s very important for me as well.

“I feel really loved by my team-mates, by the club, by the supporters, so I’m just doing what I have to do which is be ­professional, respect everyone and keep going.”

Listening to Mata at an EA SPOTYS FIFA14 launch event, you feel the only person who does not love his playmaking abilities is Jose ­Mourinho.

The Portuguese coach rates Oscar more and wants Mata to work harder on the wings. Does the former Valencia star, who was condemned to the Capital One Cup team this week, see this as a challenge?

“It’s an opinion,” the Spaniard stated. But Mata admitted he was looking to improve. “My dad always said to me if you are left-footed improve with your right,” said the £23.5million midfielder.

“I have to improve defensively too. Every single offensive player has to. To be the perfect player is very very difficult but I have tried throughout my career to improve a lot. I think Jose can help me.

“Every manager can try to improve their players. It’s his job to bring the best out of his players.

“I can improve. If you ask me last season if it was the perfect season, it was the best in my career, but I could still have done better.”

Mata, who suffered from a thigh injury in pre-season, has no concerns about missing next summer’s World Cup. “It is just the beginning right now, we have eight months to go and I believe in myself more than ever and I know I am going to be there,” he said.

Today he hopes to face his Spain team-mate and Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado.

“Just do not let him touch the ball because if you do – especially in the box – it is probably going to be a goal,” he smiled.

Mata scored twice at White Hart Lane in a 4-2 Chelsea win last October against his former boss Andre Villas-Boas.

“It was one of my best memories of last season,” he recalled.

“I like to play in the stadium. I can’t wait to play. I can’t wait.”

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Great attitude by Special Juan, I expected nothing less than that. Brilliant.

[Rapkun 668]

No way Juan was going to give up fighting for a starting spot. He knows he's good and will try to prove it to the coach, but if he still doesnt get the necessary time he needs and deserves imo he's going to have hard time to recover both his level and confidence. I wouldn't blame him if he left in winter, you cant just be the team's best player for the past 2 seasons and get benched from the start of the next one.

[Tomo 21,751]

Things are looking good for Juan. Jose said in the conference:

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said: "I liked the way Juan Mata played against Swindon. His attitude is very good and his effort was good.''

"When a player makes an effort to come in my direction then I go to him as well. I can imagine from now him working into my way of thinking and I think the natural tendency will for him to be in the team."

The thing I don't like about this though, is that trying to turn Mata into a high work rate defense+attack CAM will hinder his goals and assists, and his overall impact on the team. Especially when it comes to creating chances and making key passes.

If it helps the overall team results, i can live with it.

The team > any one player

Also if he improves his pressing and all round play he might play a lot more games for Spain, i can't think of any other reason Pedro starts ahead of him.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

If it helps the overall team results, i can live with it.

The team > any one player

Also if he improves his pressing and all round play he might play a lot more games for Spain, i can't think of any other reason Pedro starts ahead of him.

People questioned mourinho when he turned ramos to a centre back. Look at him now, a world class CB

And pedro only has workrate over mata, that's why he's there. Mourinho might end up helping mata more than we think

[Tomo 21,751]

People questioned mourinho when he turned ramos to a centre back. Look at him now, a world class CB

And pedro only has workrate over mata, that's why he's there. Mourinho might end up helping mata more than we think

Not to mention people (especially the romantics) went mental when Mourinho instantly dropped Cudicini for Cech, the result? league title with record points and least goal conceded ever in a league season, and it still doesn't sink in.

With Ramos i don't get why people got pissed about that, he was awful as a right back, up until Mou's appointment they had by far the worse defense out of the top teams in Europe, i remember they lost 4-0 at Anfield and 6-2 to Barca and in both Casilas was one of their best player's.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Not to mention people (especially the romantics) went mental when Mourinho instantly dropped Cudicini for Cech, the result? league title with record points and least goal conceded ever in a league season, and it still doesn't sink in.

With Ramos i don't get why people got pissed about that, he was awful as a right back, up until Mou's appointment they had by far the worse defense out of the top teams in Europe, i remember they lost 4-0 at Anfield and 6-2 to Barca and in both Casilas was one of their best player's.

Mourinho is a special coach. People just don't understand, and let the media and hatred of other fans for mourinho get to them.

Nobody gets the best out of a team(group of players) than mourinho. (NO ONE EVER)

Rivals know he's good so they spit bad things about him and pollute chelsea fans minds, sadly majority of us fall for this and now some want him out

[Milan 17,956]

You just have to love this player, there is really no other option. Such a beautiful character.

[OnePound 22]

People questioned mourinho when he turned ramos to a centre back. Look at him now, a world class CB

And pedro only has workrate over mata, that's why he's there. Mourinho might end up helping mata more than we think

This isn't even true. Ramos was expected as the next big centre back years before Mou took Real Madrid. Ask anybody in Spain.

[Fernando 6,585]

We play shit with out him and better with him.

If Mourinho cannot see that then he is delusional.

Mata just gave you the response in the field that you where wrong.

So play him now more!

[Tomo 21,751]

I think he has just played his way back into the team. Already his pressing looks better and has had his best game for months.

Maybe we should trust Mourinho in future?

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

Boss second half!

We should go:

Oscar - Mata - Hazard

In our next games, they complete each other really well.

[didierforever 7,349]

what a peformance!!! and this is what mata can do. he CONTROLS the games. oscar is not good enough to do that against big teams. oscar, hazard, their ball retention is pathetic with their back to the goals, and 90% of passes they recieve are with their back to the goals. mata is on a different level, different class. we dont have the players to replace him and still play good possession football.