Juan Mata

[Eidur the Spider 4,515]

Lampard (1/2): "Juan Mata is an absolutely fantastic player and more than that he is an absolutely great lad..." (ITV) #CFC

Lampard (2/2): "The difficult thing here is that there are so many quality players & Oscar has been fantastic this year, as has Hazard" #CFC

[Jase 43,479]

come again? it went exactly like that. mourinho wanted to keep mata (even if he felt that the guy wasnt good enough to play for the club. he was still willing to keep him) but mata forced a transfer. mourinho has said it millions (aaaaaaaaand millions) times that hes willing to keep mata.

theres absolutely no other way to see this.

You are only looking at a tree and not the forest. Yes, Mourinho has said he wants to keep Mata (he's probably just being diplomatic about it) but it's obvious to all, or at least to many, fans that he only sees Mata as a squad player especially again, when it's clear that he doesn't fit into the system we are playing now. He has worked hard, tried to adapt, tried to fit into the system but it was never going to be enough for Mourinho's liking.

Moreover, Jose has pretty much indicated this when he said he wanted to bring Mata on in recent games to change things when it's still 0-0 (only for us to go score shortly after it) and how Mata doesn't want to be playing against the likes of Stoke but teams like United, City etc. It's clear that from what Mourinho and Mata himself said, he wants to be a first team player, he doesn't want to be just a squad player and even if it means leaving for United, then so be it. We all love him and likewise as well but we can't be selfish and think only from a fan's POV and expect Mata to sacrifice his own career to just sit on the bench half of the time here.

[Jase 43,479]

Football fans being tribalistic?! ....

Think I know what you're trying to say or imply from that response but not 100% sure...

[sk21 11]

You are only looking at a tree and not the forest. Yes, Mourinho has said he wants to keep Mata (he's probably just being diplomatic about it) but it's obvious to all, or at least to many, fans that he only sees Mata as a squad player especially again, when it's clear that he doesn't fit into the system we are playing now. He has worked hard, tried to adapt, tried to fit into the system but it was never going to be enough for Mourinho's liking.

Moreover, Jose has pretty much indicated this when he said he wanted to bring Mata on in recent games to change things when it's still 0-0 (only for us to go score shortly after it) and how Mata doesn't want to be playing against the likes of Stoke but teams like United, City etc. It's clear that from what Mourinho and Mata himself said, he wants to be a first team player, he doesn't want to be just a squad player and even if it means leaving for United, then so be it. We all love him and likewise as well but we can't be selfish and think only from a fan's POV and expect Mata to sacrifice his own career to just sit on the bench half of the time here.

you mean he simply knew that he wasnt good enough so all the fight for starting place would have been waste of time? interesting point and to be fair youre probably right with that. just expected him to fight a bit longer than 4 months lol

[Martina 210]

My guess (I have no evidence - it was only a feeling - highly subjective) based on some interviews shortly after it was announced that José was coming to Chelsea was that Mata wasn’t thrilled at all. And if it’s true that he approached United in August then there might be something to it.

It’s no secret that Mata is a very close friend of Casillas - so perhaps he was slightly apprehensive about Mourinho to begin with? Perhaps he would have been more positive under a different manager? Because I honestly believe Rooney is to Moyes what Oscar is to Mourinho, obviously for different reasons. So Mata might face a similar situation in United.

Mata was at his best under Benitez, who had the luxury of being an “interim” and didn’t have to build a team for the future. Let’s face it - there was no system at all. But as much as I hate Benitez I think he might be a better manager than Moyes - and Moyes must build for the future. Not for a second do I think that United will turn it around just because they’ve got Mata.

(I don’t believe José wanted to keep Mata as much as he says he did. I think it was mutual, at least towards the end they both just wanted to move on. And I think the club dealt with it really well).

Anyways, here are some thoughts on where Mata might play in United:

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/2524?cc=5739

[Jase 43,479]

you mean he simply knew that he wasnt good enough so all the fight for starting place would have been waste of time?

No. Mata knew he had to improve (he has always said he can still improve), especially after Mourinho made the point about his lack of defending, and he did. You can see in the subsequent games that he tracked back, worked his socks off and tried to adapt to the way Mourinho wanted but the issue was, it was never quite enough for Jose's liking - hence why he was subbed off countless of times - even when he is doing well. Mata simply suffered because he doesn't have that same level of athleticism like Oscar or Willian that Mourinho wants from the players.

[Thendo 1,088]

Chris Cohen aka "the Chelsea song maker" made a Goodbye song for Mata, quite funny

[nadavTKL 1,787]

/////////

[Rmpr 8,977]

@, dont waist your time on trying to force common sense on a member who is plain stupid!

Sk21 is dumber than bushman...

[The Mak 4,459]

So United were able to keep us at arms length during the whole negotiations while still meeting the buyout clause they were specifically EXCLUDED from? Boy, don't we sound like a bunch of pushovers.

If they refused to meet face to face we should've at least charged them a 'premium'. We could've milked them for an extra 5-10m EASILY. They were desperate and it was so obvious that they were never getting a player near Mata's quality in this window. If they didn't bite straight away they would've panicked the closer it came to deadline day. Their CL hopes depended on it.

I mean, I rather we didn't sell to them in the first instance, but if we were I'd rather we played hardball instead of bending over and taking it from a club that flat-out refused to do business with us months ago. We look like a bunch of mugs for putting up with their bullshit!

[The_Flash 1,144]

come again? it went exactly like that. mourinho wanted to keep mata (even if he felt that the guy wasnt good enough to play for the club. he was still willing to keep him) but mata forced a transfer. mourinho has said it millions (aaaaaaaaand millions) times that hes willing to keep mata.

theres absolutely no other way to see this.

Thank you, at least a few people can see sense and have taken off their Mata love googles and see f**** sense.

Yes it is sad but stop hiding your hurt by bigging him up and making excuses for him. He chose them over us, that's a fact. Let's all just get over it but people having a go at the people including myself for telling the truth is pathetic.

---- James ---- That rubbish you spouted at me isn't worth me quoting . Did you miss the bit where Mata marched off and grabbed his cost and slammed his seat down, for being substituted, I'm sorry it's childish hardly professional particularly in front of people who haven't played for way longer than poor Mata.

He is kind of slagging Jose and by saying he went there to win the league as if our club isn't good enough to do it??? We did it without Mata and we will do it again without him one day I am sure.

Bitter is a strange word to use, I am disappointed that he's left that's it and how he has behaved after wards has opened my eyes and it's sad but bitter that's not the emotion I am feeling.

frankly I am so bored of all the talk of b, HE WASNT EVEN PLAYING FOR US !!!!

We have been great before and will be great after.

It's so embarrassing people arguing over it, aren't we supposed to be Chelsea fans.

I care about my club and how they are protracted at first Mata portrayed Jose was forcing him out and Jose said he was happy for him to stay now Mata comes out and all he wants is Utd, give us all a break Juan.

And Janzuai number. 7 god that would be worse than Mata getting it, way better people come and gone at Utd for him to get it.

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

allow me to correct you on a bit - or disagree.

Ronaldo is such an all-around attacking player that it isn't the system that is built around him, but he simply bosses the system, whatever system that may be because he simply doesn't have an attack weakness. Pace, power, strength, technical ability, dribble, head skill, set-piece skill, physicality, and everything else (attacking wise) I can think and Ronaldo has it.

Barcelona are the ones who made their system dependable on Messi as once he got injured they weren't able to keep it up whereas RM don't build a system around Ronaldo, he simply steps in and makes it his system (literally, as he's selfish as heck and I'm a fan and supporter of his selfishness because he's earned that right). But it's not a Ronaldo-oriented system, as they adapt very quickly to different tactical systems. Ronaldo is just so good attacking that he simply takes ownership of the ball and rocks it. Messi is more dependable on a system that favors his attributes (and covers his weaknesses), although I personally believe Messi is more talented than Ronaldo. Messi is all born gift whereas Ronaldo is all hard work imo. Barça learned how to depend on Messi's incredible gift and made up a system that capitalizes it, but they forgot that the system should work without him as well because that is one of his weaknesses, especially compared to Cris - he's becoming a bit prone to injuries whereas Cris seems to be made of steel.

Well, you made correct points, mostly, and I can't add anything. I disagree about Ronaldo being all hard work though, he's extremely talented.

Ps: delete all evidence that you're a female so that I don't get embarrased

[The Skipper 20,609]

No offence but this is an example of people being so tribalistic that they can't think of something objectively and resort to cliches and petty attacks on the player.

Neanderthals is what I call them. Still living in the stone ages.

[Clevemayer 764]

Unbeliveable...

if anything it is not nice by Mou to act like he would have given Mata any chance in the near future... he should be more honest. But he could raise the money for him this way.

Mata is a great guy and a wonderfull footballar. @Magic Lamps got it spot on, nothing more to add to that.

Its disgracefull how some members act towards him...

[Jase 43,479]

@, dont waist your time on trying to force common sense on a member who is plain stupid!

Sk21 is dumber than bushman...

I know. Already feel like a broken record at this point. *sigh*

Can't help it I guess if people want to be tribalistic or neanderthals, like Skipper said.