Juan Mata

[ephreak 42]

I really don´t see what the fuss is all about. According to this site he gets his chances: http://espnfc.com/team/squad/_/id/363/league/eng.1/chelsea?cc=5739

And he will still play a lot of upcoming games, just not as much as before. It is a team sport, just do your best and the coach will pick you when you are needed. It is ridiculous everything..

And I don´t agree that we don´t NEED him, because there WILL be games where Oscar, Willian or even Hazard can´t do anything to help the team to score. People have to understand that his technique will be better against other opponent than say last game at Southampton.

[Tomo 21,681]

Think Chelsea fans do appreciate what Mata has contributed to this club but right now, it seems as if some are just completely dismissing that like it never even existed.

What? that couldn't be further from the truth.

His performances for us in 12/13 and especially 11/12 when he was literally our only in form player won't ever be forgotten, but there is only so long that we can keep using those two season's as a reason for him to be playing now. Demba Ba was the best player in a team that finished above us in Mata's first season, shall we play him just because of that?

Carvalho was poor from 2008 onwards, and many fans rightly wanted Alex in the side instead (which funnily enough both times dropping Ricky for Alex coincided with a significant improvement in results), yet i didn't see many people going "well Carvalho was one of the best defenders in Europe in his first four season's, Hiddink/Ancelotti is treating him horribly".

Just because some off us think Willian-Oscar-Hazard makes us the best team unit, doesn't mean we will ever forget or how Mata as good as carried us in his first season (we would have been fighting for the 8th place trophy with Fulham and Liverpool if it wasn't for him).

If Mata played for Dortmund, for example, he would have the same fight to play regularly as he does now.

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton/10548143/Southamptons-Luke-Shaw-resists-a-move-to-Chelsea-or-Manchester-United-in-this-transfer-window.html

The situation with Juan Mata will almost certainly be tested by Paris St-Germain but Chelsea’s attitude will be shaped by the player’s wishes. Mourinho said on Monday that the club had an “open door” should Mata wish to hold talks about leaving but stressed that he remained part of his plans.

There has been no fresh bid from PSG, although they are likely to explore the possibility of agreeing a deal this month. Napoli, Inter Milan and Manchester United are also interested. PSG need and are looking for a playmaker. They would also have the funds to make the sort of offer - in excess of £35 million - that would be seriously considered by Chelsea.

Chelsea’s players had the day off on Thursday but it is understood that Mata’s representatives have attempted to clarify the situation following Mourinho’s remarks on Wednesday. Mata made a visible show of his frustration when he was substituted after 53 minutes of the game at Southampton, which Chelsea won 3-0.

[iceboy 992]

[Jase 43,479]

What? that couldn't be further from the truth.

His performances for us in 12/13 and especially 11/12 when he was literally our only in form player won't ever be forgotten, but there is only so long that we can keep using those two season's as a reason for him to be playing now. Demba Ba was the best player in a team that finished above us in Mata's first season, shall we play him just because of that?

Carvalho was poor from 2008 onwards, and many fans rightly wanted Alex in the side instead (which funnily enough both times dropping Ricky for Alex coincided with a significant improvement in results), yet i didn't see many people going "well Carvalho was one of the best defenders in Europe in his first four season's, Hiddink/Ancelotti is treating him horribly" he was but that was then, this is now.

Just because some off us think Willian-Oscar-Hazard makes us the best team unit, doesn't mean we will never forget or how Mata as good as carried us in his first season (we would have been fighting for the 8th place trophy with Fulham and Liverpool if it wasn't for him).

If Mata played for Dortmund, for example, he would have the same fight to play regularly as he does now.

Did I even relate that point I made to that he should be playing because of that?

That point was more to the fact of people's evaluation of Mata right now. Maybe you're not one of them and it's not as if I'm saying everyone thinks that but there are few that sees it that way.

[Jase 43,479]

Here's more on that.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/chelseas-juan-mata-targeted-transfer-2981865

Rafa Benitez wants to end Juan Mata’s Chelsea misery and offer him a World Cup rescue at Napoli.

Former Blues boss Benitez is ready to swoop for the Spanish schemer after Mata’s frustrations at his treatment under Jose Mourinho finally boiled over.

Less than 24 hours after Mata made his feelings clear after being hooked by Mourinho at Southampton, with the manager admitting the “door is open”, Napoli representatives contacted Chelsea.

But the west Londoners insisted it was merely a query to ascertain his position and confirm he is not being discarded.

Sources close to Mata are adamant he will not push for a move and that he will only leave this month if it is made clear he has no future at Stamford Bridge.

But Benitez, who made Mata the cornerstone of his Chelsea side last term, believes he can win the race to land the 25-year-old.

Serie A rivals Juventus and Inter Milan, as well as French ­champions Paris Saint-Germain, are interested in the £30million-rated star.

Liverpool and Manchester United are too, but Chelsea will not allow Mata to join a Premier League rival.

Mourinho is expected to confirm on Friday that he is not seeking to sell the player, with the club maintaining there in no interest in allowing a loan departure.

Nevertheless, Mata’s Chelsea future appears increasingly uncertain and a significant bid from Napoli could bring matters to a head this month.

[robsblubot 3,227]

people may be forgetting this is a World Cup year... the internationals need to play consistently to make their case.

It would be extremely convenient for us to have a player of Mata's caliber as a rotation - more like backup right now - option. Mata may have a far different idea of what his role ought to be though, and honestly I think he made abundantly clear what he thinks of his current role.

It is very difficult to turn a key player (on demand) into a rotation/backup player and expect him to accept that without making noise. He may want to leave and he might have a case. Now, It's just a matter of meeting the players valuation, which takes into consideration how much he wants to leave.

I am sure he/his agent will come out and say it was just the "heat of the moment" or another canned PR BS though.

[Namika 922]

Nice, he'll stay.

[Tomo 21,681]

Did I even relate that point I made to that he should be playing because of that?

That point was more to the fact of people's evaluation of Mata right now. Maybe you're not one of them and it's not as if I'm saying everyone thinks that but there are few that sees it that way.

Have they tho? everytime some one criticizes a Mata performance or states they think other players are more suited to this team do they have to start with, "Mata was great in his first 2 years and i will always love him for that but ...........".

[iceboy 992]

Mata for Higuain? Hmmm..

[kellzfresh 7,226]

Which side better than us will start him at their respective clubs?

Bayern Munich would not drop Ribery, Robben or Muller because they fit the system Bayern play and even then Gotze would be higher in the list to come off the bench.

Dortmund won't drop Kuba, Reus or Henrick either, because while Mata as an individual is arguably better than those 3, they fit Dortmund's high energy system perfectly.

Pellegrini would most probably choose Silva. Arsenal he will have to fight with Ozil and Cazorla.

Real or Barca he won't even get half the minutes he gets here even now, PSG he will have to fight with Moura and Lavezzi, even at Tottenham he will have competition in the form of Christian Eriksen. Athletico's team are also built on high pressing which means he will have just as big a fight on his hands as he does here. If he goes to Napoli, he has Hamsik to compete with, the list goes on and on.

The best club he can go to and still be star of the show is Monaco or ,and even then they will probably sign competition for his place eventually.

If players want to play at top clubs fighting for trophies (especially when we have other top players in his position), they have to fight for their place, and Mata is no different to any player in world football.

If he want's to go back to being the 'star of the show' he will either have to like any other professional outperform world class players, i love Mata, great player, nice guy, but none of those clubs above would build their system around him, so why Jose is getting stick for this situation i will never know.

Exactly. I said this earlier

I don't think mata will find it as easy as people think to walk into any team in europe and starting matches behind the striker.

PSG play 4-3-3 or 4-4-2

With ibrahimovic or cavani on form and playing in the center he has no chance of playing centrally.

He will end up playing in the wings, and if he couldn't adapt here, its not looking good because he has lucas moura and lavezzi to challenge

At Bayern and Barca he'll be on the bench. Madrid sold ozil because of workrate, mata doesn't stand a chance. Dortmund don't have money, manutd have rooney playing there and even kagawa (another player that is only good in one position) can't get there ahead of rooney. Tottenham don't look like getting into champs league, liverpool have to get into champs lge to get him, and if suarez and sturridge are both fit he may still have to play in the wings.

His options to get matches for world cup don't look good unless dortmund break their bank or another team changes their system to 4-2-3-1 just for mata.

And on top of this we are still not sure if del bosque will start him for spain if he still wasn't a starter after his best ever year last season.

I don't get why people expect mata to walk into any team in europe. Unless they play with mata in the center in a 4-2-3-1 and mata stays like the 2nd striker, its not looking as easy as people are saying to me.

[iceboy 992]

Marginalised Mata resists move by Mourinho to force him out of Chelsea... at least until the end of the season

[Jase 43,479]

Have they tho? everytime some one criticizes a Mata performance or states they think other players are more suited to this team do they have to start with, "Mata was great in his first 2 years and i will always love him for that but ...........".

Even some say that for the sake of it.

There are posts that seem to indirectly imply the point I made and maybe I'm wrong (or not) but one can perhaps sort of tell that judging by how members go about posting their views in this forum.

[Namika 922]

Juan Mata has been told by Mourinho that he still has a future at the club but cannot be guaranteed a starting position. There was a conversation between Chelsea and Mata’s agent in which the player was assured Mourinho does not want to sell. (Independent)

He has to step up now.

[Reddish-Blue 2,225]

Juan Mata has been told by Mourinho that he still has a future at the club but cannot be guaranteed a starting position. There was a conversation between Chelsea and Mata’s agent in which the player was assured Mourinho does not want to sell. (Independent)

He has to step up now.

Mata may as well sold because he's just not suited to Mourinho's system...

He could stay at Chelsea and play the odd game when Oscar needs a breather...but he deserves better more than a spot on the bench..

[Barbara 15,149]

I think the whole argument of “well if [insert name of disliked player] did that, they would be crucified and beaten mercifully” is a somewhat slippery slope and I’m not sure if that’s a path we want to venture down for this particular issue. I could also use that slant and say, well if Mata had made headlines for going to a rival's Christmas party a day before our match against them.....he probably wouldn’t have been so lucky to escape criticisms as Ash seemingly has been able to. My point is that we can sit here and trade “if this person did that” scenarios from now till tomorrow, but at the end of the day the fact still remains – using one, singular moment of outward frustration and ignoring all the other times that this player has been a model professional, all the other times this player has responded admirably - dismissing that and using that one incident to define this player (his integrity, behaviour and character) well…..I’m sorry but that’s not only unreasonable but also borders on narrow-mindedness.

If I’m an employee that is always early/on time and I show up for work late and my boss slates me, going as far as questioning my work ethics.... well he/she might feel that they are justified in doing so, but this person is still acting unreasonably. This isn’t a player that is constantly sulking on the bench, complaining to the press and generally being poisonous to the atmosphere. He had one moment where he showed visible signs of frustration, so what? If we choose to singularly focus on that one moment of human error – one that a lot of players, even the most upstanding ones have been guilty of doing – and berate him for “questioning mourinho’s authority” then we're not exercising rational criticism. That's being - in every sense of the word - myopic.

I said in my very first post that it was one time thing and that I hoped it would become a once-in-a-lifetime thing. The same with Oscar diving, I hope. So if you want to call me on something, at least read all my posts in the matter. I never implied he's an awful person, a completely unprofessional guy. I just think his bratty behavior IN THIS ONE situation was poor and unprofessional. Am I allowed to think as much without 1) people thinking I don't have a right to do so; 2) people thinking I'm labeling him as unprofessional?

Just because he only did it once it doesn't mean it wasn't an awful reaction IN MY OPINION. I never crucified the guy, never said he should leave and that after this episode he won't be able to stay. I don't even want him to leave because it's better for Chelsea if he stays. The fanboys who want to apply for his agent or his father position are the ones saying he should leave where he's appreciated because it's the best for him. I want the best for Chelsea, not for Mata, Oscar, Hazard, etc... The best for Chelsea is having Mata and see if with time he can adapt to the system he currently doesn't fit. Even if he can't, the matches he does take part he could give an assist or score a goal that would win us the match (although he only has one of each in 15 matches for us, plus 3 subs). None of my posts here say he should leave cuz I don't want him to leave. Is it fair for him to stay and be a squad member? I don't care if it is or not, I'm not a player supporter, but a Chelsea supporter. For Chelsea is better to keep a player of his caliber, although if he doesn't accept being a squad player - like he is in Spain - then I suppose it'll become a problem. If it's a problem, then put a request to leave. Mourinho did say his door is open...

As for the scenario, MANY members already showed their disapproval of players such as Rooney, who's done the same in the past (much more subtly) or who's put a request to leave. The thing is Mata sold his image quite well and most people bought it. He's the poor little Juan Mata, that is the kindest person ever born into this world and about to be canonized as the first living Saint of all time, a victim of bad, bad, evil-intended, maleficent Mourinho who doesn't value the POTY for two years in a row as he should. Bad, bad Mourinho for punishing little Saint Juan Mata by replacing him for a guy that's been playing better and who basically won us the match poor little Mata did nothing to win.

[lionsden 4,689]

It's funny how you've changed your opinion on Mata ever since Mourinho returned. Kind of "jumping from bed to bed", huh?

I thought I was the onlyone that noticed.

people can say whatever they want but I'm willing to bet my mortgage on the fact that the overall reaction and sentiment regarding the treatment mata has been subjected to, whether fairly or unfairly, this season would have been different if any other manager not named jose was in charge. no doubt about that whatsoever in my mind.

[Mceachran 109]

Does anyone think we could get Eriksen for Mata? He fits the system more. Mata is one of my favorite players (replacing a hole in my heart left by Joe Cole), but if we ARE going to lose him, I feel like that would be a win win for us.