Jose Mourinho has an incredible squad at his disposal. He could potentially name two strong starting line-ups with no appreciable loss in quality. Rotation of players has long been frowned upon in the English league, but in the days when there are two matches every week, it becomes a necessity.
Chelsea fans will know that Mourinho is not a fan of rotation. Didier Drogba played an incredible 60 matches in the 2006-07 season, while the likes of Frank Lampard and John Terry are no strangers to such mind boggling numbers.
The squad is arguably stronger in midfield than during his first spell. Hence, it seemed very strange that he decided to go with just one change for the tough encounter against FC Basel. To be fair, Mourinho realised his mistake and has said that he may make changes in the forthcoming matches. He said:
This situation maybe helps me to make decisions when we have consecutive matches. I got signs of fatigue and players having trouble playing two consecutive matches in three days.
That will push me for sure to make different decisions. That’s obvious.
In some positions we have that situation resolved in a very easy way, because we have lots of players to play the attacking positions behind the strikers to try to give the team the sharpness it needs to win every game.
We will make decisions but it’s not a question of punishment; it’s a question of using the squad and the options we have.
It is great that Mourinho has realised his mistake in a match that will not hurt our season much. Despite the defeat, Chelsea have still made it to the last 16 stage. The last match of the group stages should be a winnable encounter against Steaua Bucharest at home.
Mourinho has said in recent times that he will rotate the squad, but he is yet to implement it.
Mourinho’s latest comments could also mean that the likes of Juan Mata and David Luiz will see more action in the coming weeks. Mata was once again on the bench and he was never used. Oscar was preferred in the place of Mata, but only Mourinho will know why a World Cup and Champions League winner is not good enough for a place in the team. Has Oscar been much better than Mata of the last two years? Absolutely not.
Cahill constantly gave the ball away, while Lampard continues to play two matches per week even at 35 years of age. Lampard is one of Chelsea’s greatest players, but is Mourinho suggesting that there is no one good enough to replace a midfielder coming to the end of his career?
There are times when rotation must be done and this match demonstrates this fact more than anything else.
I didn’t y he is nt using mata, dis guy is gud player nd still using 35yrs man on game. Y is it dat? I tink b4 he com 2d club, u told so dat old player will wait while d young one r d one2b use. So giv dis guy playing tim nd hw we become in games.
Jose mourinho stop been bias is obvious to the world to see if there is one thing i know for sure dat is Mata is not a problematic person what has he done to u mourinho or are u sharing lampard salary with him ? I think some thing is happening don’t worry it will surely be expose later !
jose u have to use mata Torres Azpilicueta mike cole hazard terry cahil remise cech nd if u need then used ur player oscar at side nt in mifl if u need continue winning if not.
jose mourinho u have to use mata Torres Azpilicueta mike cole hazard terry cahil remise cech nd if u need then used ur player oscar at side nt in mifl if u need continue winning if not.
Stop being stupid we need Mata not your age mate lampard
mourinho is selecting his teams based on sentiments,how can he play a 35year old player in 5 days
Oscar sud play as a deepl lying playmaker along with Ramirez. Mata as a playmaker behind the striker. Recall Luiz to rotate with Oscar or Ranmirez to don the midfield. That guy Luiz has an excellent vision for long balls n through balls ..Mou you aint fragile n that will cost us soon! Modern thinking plz, prepare strategy as per the squad you have n not thrw the strategy as per ya convenience. I wish Guarddiola or Klop wud av bn signed. Boring Chelsea with so many talented player its lyk sucide to my vision.
Mou, give mata playin tym an u will see de best out of him pard is old pls us ur eggs
MO is self centered and it is obvious he hates mata. time will tell and ur greediness will soon expose. I hope u read the comments n them into ur fuckin head
Muo has made us lose valuable points in winable circumstances d season just because of his ego problem. Hw can u play somebdy at d twilight of his career twice in a space of abt 3days.its absurd.pls muo shift ground lest ur ego cost us our season
Mourinho has been found out. He is just a team-in-crisis manager. He does not know how to consolidate on success hence he will not stay long in any club. When he came to Chelsea the first time, the club was hungry for success in both league and CL, hence he was able to rally everybody together. This time around the club had been down and was gradually picking itself up only for him to come in and what do we have? Can you imagine Mourinho in Bayern, he would have benched Ribery and sold Robben for sure. I am really scared for us if this guy does not change his attitude. Yes, you are right, the players were tired. Tired of you and your bile and bitterness. He foolishly even made the Basel coach’s job easier, so who got killed?
we don’t need to blame any body yet mata will still pick up under mourinho it just a mata of time.
Pls let someone remind mou dat we sack without looking back.
The more you continue using lampd, the more you continue lossing match. That ur lampd will soon sack u out of Chelsea .
jose z nt a coach manu garba of golden ealet z beta dan mou bcoz 35yrs old dat’s y he benched mata abeg play mata 4 us u get sack by russian billionnaire
Drogba was in chelsea, mata won player of d year award in chelsea, drogba left for shanghai shenhua we bought in hazard and oscar in 2012, mata still won chelsea player of d year award.. Mata contributed more dan 68goals to chelsea last term living him with 23goals and 45assists in all competition for chelsea just in d past season… Again, mata assisted drogba in munich nd ivanovic in amstardam were wee lifted the europa cup…. Mourinho is just a darm suck fucking being dat hates good things. to curt d long story, he shud be playing mata regularly and atleast get one or two top srikers dat will fire chelsea to d league… #thank u all ama chelsea baby# follow me on twitter @ozzy_epiic #i follow back instant #i tweet only chelseanews and rumour updates #twitter@ozzy_epiic…. Thank u one more again. KTBFFH
boss helpss sak the man?’?
Mourinho pls used mata in all ur matches cos he is beta than 35 years old lampard who is weak
Mourinho pls u should use juan mata cos he is a great player indeed,,,,he is a creative player,,,
Jose pls give mata a playin time and let him sure his best to d team, He is one of best player in stamford bridge, why mourinho pls.
Jose pls give mata a playin time and let him sure his best to d team, He is one of best player in stamford bridge, why mourinho pls.
Every body should stop blaming mou.is lampard older than pirlo?we need experience in the team.mata should fight for his place bcos there is time.
At the time of Andre v.Boas,Lampard was benched and success refused to come,Boas was sacked.at the time of Dimato lampard was used and we won the FA and CL cups.at the time of Benitez Lampard was also used and we won the Euro cup.we dont know yet,let stop castigating him bcos 100% of our accurate passes he contributes 70%.He (mou) knows why using him.
pls mou try as much as possible to mk sure dat I start Mata in dis upcoming matches even David luiz.pls sir 4 God sake we bought dem to play nt to sit on d bench,pls mk amendment nd stop using a 35 years old man..# tanks…..