I had considered that Mata did have certain team issues to deal with but not to the same extent, in the sense that the Chelsea team was well established and it was the manager who was not.
The opposite is true for us.

I don't really understand what you mean. Mata was playing in a team that eventually came 6th and were up and down all season but he remained one of their better players.

Cazorla probably won't show his best until next season regardless.

You all have to consider that santi is doing it in a mid table team

Mata was pretty much anonymous in Chelsea's CL campaign though.

Klaus wrote:

Have a suspicion that Alonso is done at top level.

Why do you think so?

He's still a *key player for Real and one of the players along with Ronaldo who Mourinho can't afford to give any breather. I expect him to play on for years at the top level as he's always relied on top class positioning and passing(good tackler too by the way), so even If he becomes slower than he's now, It won't affect his game that much. He's very similar to our Arteta, although I'd say more talented(better).

*No one's better at switching play quickly over long distance IMO, and they rely on those passes for their counter attacks(which is their main game plan).

Very fair opinion. I'd say Arteta was around Xabi's level last season though. Not half as hyped up but he performed incredibly well.

It's mostly a feeling but he looks slower. Not just physically but mentally as well. He has been particularly poor in Europe where they put a lot more pressure on him. Don't think he's good enough to reinvent himself the way Pirlo did. The fact that Real are stalling on a new contract tells me that they have similar doubts. They bought Modric too in the summer who, although he's been a disappointment so far, looks like Alonso's long-term replacement.

Sahin is Madrid's long term replacement for Alonso. They were refusing to even discuss a permanent deal for Sahin which tells you that he's very much in their plans. Modric is more of an attacking midfielder than a deep lying play maker. He would be wasted there.

Madrid shouldn't get their hopes up, Sahin can barely get into the Liverpool side

Sahin won't last at Real. They've destroyed him already. Reckon he's on his way back to Bundesliga in a season or two. Modric is the one who'll play deep for them in the future.

Depends how Wenger sees them all fitting in...

Arteta hasn't even been at his own level this season Klaus.

Not to mention Xabi is a different player from him, and is still performing at a higher level

Clrnc wrote:

Arteta hasn't even been at his own level this season Klaus.

I was talking about last season when I wrote "last season".

Sahin might be good move in the summer, don't see him breaking into the Real first team & Liverpool havnt been able to get the best out of him.. Should go for a reasonable price... There is still a quality player in there somewhere, could be the perfect long term Arteta replacement.

Depends on what our managerial situation looks like perhaps. I think the bloke is brilliant too but his confidence and positional sense is shot. He's going to need someone like Wenger who can repair him.

Don't rate sahin, his technique is quite mechanical

Klaus wrote:

Clrnc wrote:

Arteta hasn't even been at his own level this season Klaus.

I was talking about last season when I wrote "last season".

Ah, I read it as you were talking about Xabi's level last season, not Arteta's

mata for me, though there's not much in it between the three midgets. but cazorla is a supplementary player in a good team, not the guy who carries the burden.

Poor Torres doesn't even get to wear one of Nike's special coloured boots, same footwear as Ivanovic.