Stats back up Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho's divisive team selection

Jose Mourinho

Juan Mata had a little strop when subbed off during the 3-0 win over Southampton at St Mary’s on New Year’s Day. The score was 0-0 at the time and he was replaced by Oscar, who became instrumental in the away side’s win.

He ignored Jose Mourinho as he came off and then slammed his seat down clearly unhappy. This was just his 11th start of the season and he has only played in 13 of Chelsea’s Premier League campaign so far. He has played more than what you may believe considering the media coverage of his time under Mourinho but he is spending more time out of the team than in it and the question is: Is Mourinho right to bench the Spaniard?

There is no doubting Mata’s quality, he was part of the Spain side that won the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championships while domestic and European honours with Chelsea. However it is difficult to question Mourinho when his Chelsea side are just two points off the top of the table and his managerial record is fantastic.

Perhaps it is best and fairest to compare Mata with his positional rival and man who replaced him on Wednesday, Oscar. The Brazilian has played in 18 games in the league this season, five more than Mata. Oscar has scored six goals, an average of one in three, while Mata has no goals. Oscar’s shot accuracy is 46% while Mata’s just 17%.

Other than that though Mata is, in theory, the better creative midfielder. He completes 88% of passes compared to 82% by Oscar while Mata has made eight more key passes. Mata also wins 61% of take ons compared to 53% by Oscar.

So between these two it really depends on what kind of player Mourinho wants playing just behind the striker. With Chelsea’s strike force being a bit goal shy Oscar looks the better bet because he is far more of a threat in front of goal.

In fact every other midfielder who can operate in his position(s) and playing regularly has scored more goals. Eden Hazard has eight, Andre Schurrle three and Willian three.

On the other hand though none of these players has a pass completion as high as Mata’s, although the worst is Oscar, 6% behind. Of all the midfielders and forwards only Hazard has made more key passes than Mata, 49 overall, with the rest some way behind Mata’s 30.

It would appear then that Mourinho is right to keep the former Valencia player on the bench. All the other attacking midfielders at Stamford Bridge are more or less on a par with him in terms of passing.

However they all offer more in front of goal and are more likely to score and when Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba have just seven goals between them in the league this season that is something the Blues desperately need to maintain a title challenge.