Chelsea: All is not gloomy at the Bridge
Fans hold up a sign for Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League Group E Match between Chelsea and FC Basel at Stamford Bridge on September 18, 2013 in London, England. (Getty Images)
Although the start to the season might not be as Jose Mourinho expected, and his second coming has been far from a bed of roses, the recent results suggest that all is not lost at the bridge.After a couple of poor performances against Everton and FC Basel, there were questions asked about whether or not Mourinho’s men could challenge on all fronts this season. But the second period at White Hart Lane was arguably as good as Chelsea have played during Mourinho’s second stint, and a firm reminder that they are still a top, top side.
Juan Mata and David Luiz have been assigned to more bench duty than they would like so far this season. The Spaniard completed his first 90 minutes at Swindon, while Luiz has made only one full league appearance since Mourinho’s return.
Mata seemed to have an almost immediate impact on the London derby. The Spaniard has been nothing but professional, as Jose kept questioning Mata’s role in the squad. That was a wee bit harsh on Chelsea’s player of the season for two consecutive years. His performance at White Hart Lane has helped in abridging the gap between the two.
Mata has been, constantly linked with Hoi Polloi of premier league teams, not to mention the rekindled interest from Napoli and his former club Valencia. Mata seems not phased at all by all the hype surrounding him. In an interview with Ralph Ellis of the Daily Star the Spanish midfielder said:
In my career I have played in three different positions. In the beginning I was a left-winger, then I played on the right and last season as a No. 10.
I feel comfortable playing in any offensive position, it is better if a player can play in lots of different positions rather than just one …
For me, the only thing in my mind is to keep working, training hard, and improving as a player, and to keep scoring and making assists. That is what I did at Swindon.
Hoping that Mata – Mourinho saga will be resolved sooner rather than later and Mata gets to do what he does best and that is not warming the benches.
Another player facing the wrath of ‘The Special One’ is Luiz. The Portuguese has preferred starting the all English pair of John Terry and Gary Cahill. Luiz has been guilty of showboating, thus causing some very noticeable defensive lapses.
It’s no secret that he enjoys playing the ‘Xabi’ role and if his performances during Rafa Benitez’s regiment are to be used as any indicator, than it seems to be a pretty good idea. The injury to Marco van Ginkel during the Capital One Cup tie may just present Luiz with some opportunity to play at his preferred position.
Mourinho however prefers Luiz as a traditional centre-back and a string of more than average performances against Swindon, Spurs and Steaua Bucharest seem to suggest that he has turned over a new leaf.
Players that can spin the wheel of fortune:
Fernando Torres: The arrival of Samuel of Eto’o might have raised questions about Chelsea’s 50m man, Fernando Torres at the Bridge. Eto’o was handed three back to back starts. However the Cameroon international has failed to net thus opening the door to Torres.
Torres was given the nod against Swindon. He scored the first goal and created the next one, seemingly doing enough to earn a start in the London derby. Torres showed an incredible work rate and some mesmerizing skills in both the halves.
A late red card may have put him off contention for the next Premier League game; however, more threatening would be the first half injury he suffered against Steaua Bucharest. The blue brigade will be hoping that El Nino takes the field as soon as possible.
Michael Essien: Returning from an impressive loan spell at Real Madrid, Essien has been sparingly used by Mourinho. Essien shows a greater defensive composure and ball control than John Obi Mikel, who is often by preferred Mourinho. Mikel has been prone to defensive blunders and it might not be a bad ploy to start the Ghanaian once in a while.
Andre Schurrle: The German was the first player Mourinho bought this transfer window, costing him somewhere in the region of 20m pounds. He is a dynamic player and offers a wide variety of options. He can play as a genuine number 9 and can take up the number 10 role as well as provide an attacking option along the flanks. He has often played second fiddle to Hazard in the current blues line up. Exploiting his number 9 attributes can be something Mourinho can look into.
Chelsea have shown some improvement in the last couple of weeks. After back to back losses against Everton and Basel, the blues have put in 4 good performances winning 3 and drawing one. A point from a trip to the White Hart Lane is an extremely good result, something any manager would be satisfied with. Chelsea are managing to stay in touch with the rampant Arsenal and a similar string of performances will ensure a top four finish.