Jose's evolution still echoes his pragmatism

 Jose Mourinho took the extraordinary step to explain his controversial move of publicly declaring Oscar as the playmaker of his new Chelsea team on Saturday night.

 Mourinho was on SkySports’ post-match television interview where he gave candid view after his side bounced back to winning path with a 2-0 triumph over Fulham at Stamford Bridge following successive defeats to Everton and Basel.

 He said: “ I understand a lot of people like (Juan Mata) and believe he should play in that position but he has to adapt to the way we play because I’m not trying to change Oscar’s position. I think Oscar is a number 10, a player that gives us so much creativity but at the same time, when we want to press up (the pitch), he is a runner, a player capable of press(ing).”

 You can hardly fault that appraisal from the manager who went on to speak about Mata after being probed further on his expectations from the little Spaniard who who was not even considered for the substitutes bench for the Fulham clash.

UNCERTAINTY: Mata has struggled to fit into in Mourinho's plans

“Juan has to learn how to play the way I want to play. He has to be more consistent, more participative when the team lose the possession of the ball”, say the Blues manager who went on to make an incredible suggestion that Mata’s style had suited Chelsea’s ‘defensive style’ of play in the last few years.

 “I think it’s not his fault, it’s a consequence of the way he is playing in the last years. Since he arrived Chelsea was playing very defensive football with a low-block all the time.”

 No one is likely to win the tactical battle with the Portuguese considering his pedigree, and more importantly, his achievements in the game, neither would you be able to disregard his charm when he makes his points.

 But after watching the team against the Cottagers and as well as hearing Mourinho talk about the long term plan of evolution and style of his ‘ideal’ Chelsea, it is difficult to accept his arguments regarding non-suitability of Mata as the key playmaker.

 He said: “the ideal is to play high-block, to recover the ball very fast, to build well (from defence), to control the game, to be pro-active not reactive. The ideal is to have the ball possession and use it in a proper way and in my opinion we are not doing very well at the moment when the opponents close too much.”

 It is not difficult to figure out this is not a new philosophy, and Mourinho admitted it was not his style but one which was agreed upon with his employers. It’s a mission the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been pursuing since his appointment of Felipe Scolari, then aggressively attempted with of Andre Villas-Boas in charge. Mourinho admitted it was not his style but which was agreed upon with his employers.

 Villas-Boas revolutionised the high-block defending at Chelsea, a decision against which senior squad members revolted and eventually led to his dismissal after a poor run overthrown an interesting start to his tenure. Yet it is fair to say his successor Roberto Di Matteo exploited the defensive strategy claimed by Mourinho, as the Blues went on to win the UEFA Champions League.

 Roberto Di Matteo was forced to change his conservative style at start of last season after his interim deal lapsed, especially with the arrival of Eden Hazard and Oscar. Again it produced some of the club’s best attacking football with Mata, at times playing on the right in a 4-2-3-1 before another poor run led to the change of manager.

 But then Rafa Benitez took over and built from low-block to medium-line defending and Chelsea returned to decent performances winning the Europa League and finishing third in the league. It has to be said that the team played a defensive game in the final against Benfica.

 Interestingly, Mata’s best spells were actually when the side played attacking and high-pressing football, and was terrible in both their Champions League and Europa League final matches, contrary to Mourinho’s claims.

The Spaniard loves the quick, short-passing that Mourinho hinted his new team is aiming to play. Mourinho’s new Chelsea have hardly demonstrated any high-pressing game since he took over in July, rather they have opted for defensive approach Bayern Munich and Manchester United, the two biggest matches of his new regime.  Surprisingly Mourinho didn’t feature the man he claimed is best suited for the style.

So how many top games are Chelsea going to play with defensive style in an era of ‘high-pressing’ game? We will have to wait to find out.

Mata’s record as a No 10 stands at 32 goals and 49 assists in 117 Chelsea appearances at the end of last season and it appears worrying that he is the main victim of reign which promises a more aggressive attacking football. The Blues attempted a highline defensive approach briefly against Fulham but the Cottagers left both John Terry and Gary Cahill flat as Darren Bent scoffed his shot straight at Petr Cech.

Mourinho is demanding that Mata proves him wrong by adapting to play on the right, not in his favourite central role. He’s trying to build a new playmaker with huge defensive participation, even though he’s already regimenting his wingers to defend to the byline and cover for full-backs.

So with two ultra-defensive central midfielders, Chelsea must be aiming for one of the most conservative attacking football, aren’t they? So far, they look like an incoherent counter-attacking side, rather than ‘pro-active’ Mourinho claimed.

The manager lamented after the Fulham game that Branislav Ivanovic was still launching aimless crosses as f Didier Drogba was still at Chelsea, yet ignored Azpilicueta who is a more technical & quicker defender.

Mata and Mesut Ozil are two of the best players in Europe with close control and movement between the lines which drags defensive opponents out of position, as well as possessing the intelligence to find the killer passes in the final third. Oscar is talented why hoping a talent matures in a role when you’ve got a proven alternative who is not in decline?

Mourinho moaned about defensive teams preventing his side to create chances, so it looks weird he does not see the need for Mata as the recipe for breakthrough. Instead he sees a weakness in him.

Surely, it doesn’t actually add up. Does it?


Written shortly after the Fulham game, published late