What’s the Mata with Mourinho?

Juan Mata might decide to move on in January

According to new reports in Portugal surfacing in Portugal, Tottenham will make a move for Mata in January. Portuguese sports newspaper Record suggest that Spurs’ manager Andre Villas-Boas will try again for Mata in January, seeing that he is now out of favor at Chelsea and will want to bolster his chances of playing in the World Cup next year in Brazil.

Some reports have also linked him with a reunion with Rafael Benitez at Napoli. The midfielder flourished last season during Benitez’s interim reign at Stamford Bridge.

The playmaker has hardly been used by Mourinho, just three times this season. Whether or not he fits into Mourinho’s plans, he is an invaluable asset to Chelsea. More than he needs Chelsea, it’s the other way round at the moment. His creative game and constructive passes made him a must have in Chelsea’s big matches, clearly something which Chelsea need at this instant.

Mourinho clearly wants the 4-2-3-1 formation, a tactical play he is infinitely convinced with. It is the reason why his pursuit of Rooney was so avid, and when that came off the hooks, he signed Samuel Eto’o, who played at a similar role under Mourinho at Inter.

True, Mata rarely contributes off the ball, and while Chelsea seem to have abundant options in that area, they don’t produce the same cutting-edge finishes that Mata does.

Rather like Joe Cole. A gifted footballer, darling of Chelsea and England fans alike but under-appreciated by Mourinho, and certainly not central to his plans. Mata, respected highly by the Chelsea faithful now sees himself fighting for a place against Willian, Eden Hazard, Oscar, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre Schurrle.

Chelsea must fear his departure in all ways, more so to a domestic rival. Selling Mata would unquestionably weaken Chelsea. Sure enough, Oscar and Eden Hazard are extremely talented young players, but they are not experienced enough to carry the burden of being the supply line of creativity and passes.

Even Willian cannot be expected to provide goals and assists in the absence of Mata. No player can supply exquisite, perfectly calculated passes like Mata does for Chelsea. And indeed it’s the frequency of them that ultimately matters.

There aren’t too many players who have won the European Championship, the World Cup, Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League by the time they are 25, but Mata is one of them. It is clear indicator of the influence Mata has on the team he plays for.

Being an ardent Chelsea fan, I see myself in a peculiar position having to question Mourinho’s tactics. Before the start of the season, everything he said made sense to us. Why wouldn’t it? Still, a few losses haven’t a little bit fluttered our wings of hopes and trust on him. But this somehow feels wrong. Deeply unsettling.