The re-signing of a player for £21m that Chelsea let go for as cheap as £5million about 3 years ago, Nemanja Matic’s January transfer move was ridiculed by many regarding the absurd policies of Chelsea’s talent management. Despite that, Jose Mourinho had a vision, a vision about a team with solidity for the 2013-14 season, and Matic formed the core in that vision.
It just took the Serb a minute to make his decision of coming back to Chelsea as he clearly stated his happiness and desire to play for a big club in a big league and under Jose Mourinho.
“I am very happy for this opportunity. I just want to say I will give my best to help the team and make the Chelsea fans happy,” said Matic.
Ever since his tearaway performance away at Manchester City against his major counter-part and among the best midfielders of his type, Yaya Toure, Nemanja Matic has consistently given those types of performances that reassures a fan about the defence of his team.
“He is not the kind of guy to play any square passes. He can do so and keep possession, but he can see the movement forward, look at the passing into space.”
“He is very clean. He recovers a lot of balls in a clean way, he doesn’t make fouls in dangerous positions” – Mourinho
Nemanja Matic gives Chelsea, the defensive midfielder who has the vision for a key forward pass and not the simple no-risk-passing that most defensive midfielders like to do. At the heart of the midfield, Chelsea desperately required the presence of a dominant and technically sound midfielder who would control the game from a deep position and could singlehandedly shield the back four.
Nemanja Matic is also a leader in the midfield. He gives Mourinho the option to use any central midfielder next to him. He organises the midfield in such a way that his pivot partner, is allowed a more liberal role forward on line with Oscar, who under Jose Mourinho, is expected to play a little deeper. Thus Chelsea’s midfield forms a “V” shape where the intersection is Matic’s position and it also allows him to find the attackers at the end of the “V” in tempting space and thus serving the purpose of a deep play maker.
Chelsea without Matic were more vulnerable and goals scored by the Blues were fewer. Before his arrival, the whole team was required to defend together and fall back in an attempt to win the ball. An ageing Frank Lampard was over-worked while his replacement Marco van Ginkel is out for the season. The Brazilian contingent of Stamford Bridge- Oscar, Luiz, Willian and Ramires were utilised extensively in the midfield to win the ball and start counter attacks. Chelsea could not create chances while dominating possession because without a specialist like Matic, most of the passes were without any quality purpose.
With Matic’s arrival, the general organisation’s main principle of departmentalization of work duties was observed after a long time, as Matic did the dirty job of winning the ball and starting attacks while Chelsea’s flair players did what they are best known for. Having added the extra hard working responsibility on all Chelsea players, Jose Mourinho is on his way to get the best out of this little horse.
Let’s look at some of his stats so far this season. Having made just 10 appearances in the league so far, Matic has made 34 clearances and 24 interceptions, which roughly accounts to 7 defensive actions per game.
It remains to be seen as to whether Nemanja Matic’s transfer becomes the key difference between the little horse and the title-winning horse.
Stats via Squawka