We suffered our 2nd consecutive defeat after the International breaks as FC Basel came out as shock winners in the Champions League opener just days after the Blues lost 1-0 away at Everton. Manager Jose Mourinho made some high risk choices as he started Van Ginkel alongside Lampard in midfield and Willian started in his debut against The Swiss side in the Champions League.
It was two days ago, when Jose gave a press conference before this tie and promised that he would start 4 under-22 players in the UCL opener and described the squad of young players he has as ‘Beautiful young eggs that need a mum, in this case a dad’. While it was true what he said about the potential of the players and their talent, the players he described as that let him down in yesterday’s group stage opener all but, Oscar. The Brazilian continued to shine and showed just why he is favored to Juan Mata in the No. 10 role as our player of the year proved also why Mourinho didn’t start him after coming on in 2nd half. Let’s analyze more things we learned from this embarrassing defeat which is Jose’s first AT STAMFORD BRIDGE WITH CHELSEA…
1. Chelsea’s 4-2-3-1 isn’t working as Jose would hope.
Jose Mourinho continued the implementation of this formation after previous managers, Roberto DiMatteo and Rafael Benitez used the system as well. The Special One’s favored formation at Chelsea was a strong, counterattacking 4-3-3 with a great transition from defense to attack with fluid movement upfront with the likes of Duff and Robben in his 1st reign. Now, the owner Abramovic wants to see attractive football at Chelsea. But, Jose would have to convince Roman and the players that this possession oriented football is not always a winning tactic even though it’s pleasing on the eye. Much tactical orientations can be done with this squad as 3-5-2 illustrated here might be a possibility.
2. Oscar’s more than worthy to start in that number 10 role.
Even though I hugely admire Juan Mata’s technical prowess on the ball, I am now totally behind the fact that Oscar is much suited to the role in Jose’s formation. The Brazilian started the game and was a fundamental part of the possession as the Blues managed to keep possession for much of 2nd with 62% of the ball. And right before the end of the 1st half, Oscar received a beautiful assist from Lampard to put the ball into the back of the net by delightful turn. He worked relentlessly hard in fighting back to win possession from Basel midfielders and that’s what we miss when Mata plays. But, Oscar is fulfilling his duties to the maximum level and there is no way the Spaniard is going to get his preferred role back if his form continues.
3. Juan Mata’s fitness and play coming into question.
The two time double player of the year started on the bench yet again as Oscar was preferred in his role as he came onto the match by replacing Willian. Then, Mata was not fulfilling his obligations or defensive work as he was spotted in the midfield a lot of the time against Basel. In the build-up to the equalizer we conceded, he played a major part by losing possession and not trying to win back the ball by charging back despite being fresh after being introduced right around the hour mark. The Spaniard’s unlucky, poor form is continuing and he has not in a good position for a start in the upcoming games if he doesn’t step up his fitness and adapt to the type of player Jose wants him to be.
4. Star players not responding so well to Mourinho.
Jose Mourinho has expected a lot more from players like Eden Hazard and David Luiz who certainly are special players and the Special had said he won’t make life easy for top players. In this case against Basel, Eden Hazard completely failed to deliver his expectations for a match that we should have easily won but, Luiz played good by almost setting up Chelsea’s goal as his build-up from the back was influential for Chelsea’s attack. But, if both players including others like Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard played like the way they played against Bayern in the super cup, it’s a game we should have easily won. Star players should step up and deliver in tough moments if they are supposed to be considered one of the best in the world in football. Eden Hazard has to be consistent in showing his true quality and potential like he did against Bayern every single game.
5. Mourinho’s gamble backfired.
It sounded more like a genius idea when The special one claimed he would start FOUR players under the age of 22 in a major Champions League opener at home while benching the likes of Mikel and Mata in doing so. In the press-conference one day ahead of this game, he labeled his young stars, ‘beautiful young eggs that need a mum, in this case a dad’. A phrase that is perfect to describe the potential and future of our star players but, taking a huge risk by playing the likes of Van Ginkel and Willian, giving them their debut start for the club in a UCL opener was definitely not a good idea. The Portuguese has learnt his lesson surely and won’t make such gambles in big games by trusting this players. Their experience in such games should come in a form of substitute ans not in a start.
More things we learned:
6. Branislav Ivanovic is giving his heart out on the pitch through every single match and is a true born warrior!
7. Set piece defending between Cahill and Eto’o need to be solved out and improvements needed in player communication.
8. Frank Lampard did not get involved more times on the ball despite the assist as proven by stats against Basel.
Here are the FIVE top lessons we came to learn after the disappointing defeat in a Champions League which is the first time we lost an opener since more than a decade ago. Make sure to let us know through comments what you thing and if there is more things to add. Follow me on twitter (@FahmiCFC) and KTBFFH!
6. Willian is a really deal, better than Shürrle. Wow finally someone who spot it: Oscar is doing great f
6. Willian is a really deal, better than Shürrle. Wow finally someone who spot it: Oscar is doing great for sure, if Mata doesn’t work hard seriously he will remain on the bench. And in that case I’m full behind Mou. Past is for the past and today is the present..yes he has been our best player in the last two years but now he seems to lost it. Against Basel he was useless. Losing possession and never try to get it back, for someone who is coming from the bench he should have did better. Hazard he was poor that night and I think Mou should have took him off for Mata not Willian. OMG Cole was a joke. Hope we bounce back in EPL
I think it is the best analyse. Mata so far didn’t give us anything.
Mata came in 70 min and was 1-0 for Chelsea. 10 mn later, it was 1-2 for Basel. Mata doesn’t defend. In this modern football, everyone defend, Did you see Van persie last Tuesday? He was everywhere. Mata is a great player but we need him to defend like Oscar: this is the reality and that is why he is not in the national team
Tell Mourinho he has lost his mojo! Time to take a sabbatical leave. No praise chorus for failures.
Silly fans that fail to see that mou’s cagey style is gradually killing our players..were these players like this last season? Thats the big question
he shld freedom to play on the field of play and do away with the cagey, boring style of play
Mou’s cagey style has rendered most of our players confused.
He gives Hazard a lot of defending duties down the left and he still wants him to counter @ every opportunity with selfish trickery. We are not playing a possession based game, just because we have more possession than Basel.
Mou is the wrong type of coach for us.
Predicting Mata to leave us for a rival team, the way Daniel left.
This was essenstially the same team that destoryed Basel (Home and Away) last season with more intricate passing.
I quite agree that Oscar is better in the NO 10, he is agile and tracks back to defend but when we look at the goals and assists that Mata produced in the last two seasons, one will go for Mata though, he is not fit as compared to his electricuted form of last season. That by the way, MOU should find a means of bringing Mata back to game at least there is a way they did it last season.
Mikel: He is an integral part of this team and should be accorded that respect. Bringing Mikel from the bench in the name of playing attacking football that eventually exposed us is not a welcome idea. A lot of matches need to be won if we are to be reckoned with in EPL and Europe. Qualification from the Group Stage is not lot but Mou has to go back to the drawing board and start winning game for us. Blues for Life!
I quite agree that Oscar is better in the NO 10, he is agile and tracks back to defend but when we look at the goals and assists that Mata produced in the last two seasons, one will go for Mata though, he is not fit as compared to his electricuted form of last season. That by the way, MOU should find a means of bringing Mata back to game at least there is a way they did it last season.
Mikel: He is an integral part of this team and should be accorded that respect. Bringing Mikel from the bench in the name of playing attacking football that eventually exposed us is not a welcome idea. A lot of matches need to be won if we are to be reckoned with in EPL and Europe. Qualification from the Group Stage is not lost but Mou has to go back to the drawing board and start winning game for us. Blues for Life!
oscar is not a good number ten. De bruyne is better than him in that position. Ok, as the number 10, how many assist as he had to his belt. He only play for himself and not for the team, if he were lamps in that position where lamps have him that assist, he would rather shoot on goal than to give pass. Our strikers are not scoring because of this selfish nature of oscar and at times mata. Please stop using the guy. Can’t make a 5 meters accurate passes and you called him a good number 10. He should go to hell. We don’t need his goals all we want is the team winning.
Please someone tell me man: how many Chelsea’s game have you see? Seriously u know nothing about football. Oscar selfish? If hazard stop shouting in the sky Oscar may have got any assist on his name too! When we are playing big teams Mata is useless because it’s like we are playing with ten men. He never won a single tackle in the past two season so if someone is offering something that we missed stop hating on him because he took Mata’s place. Anyway hope Mata start against Fulham and see what he can do better ” Chelsea until I die” in Mou I trust since the day one
we need wining not big name in football Jose should know what to do with player during the pre season not now he should teach them the new formation in this competition.
Morinho should understand the fact that for now, no defensive midfielder like Mikel in chelsea. Why that under 22 guy in the midfield? Morinho should take caution
Some where some how you might be correct on Oscar for Mata but I burge to deffer with you, defensively Oscar is better than Mata but we it comes creativity Mata is the best. I would like you to watch our last game againist FC Basel, Oscar strugles to make a pass in between defenders and mostly the final third is always conjested. Mata is faster than Oscar in the final third hence it will be better to play both.
We don’t need to be playing counter attack football that is a poor style of play and outdated play. These days teams defend by keeping position and attacking. We can’t have 90 mins with our hearts in our hands we want to enjoy watching our team play.
Its better if Mou can’t cop with that to quit.
Samu Shingirai———- Sent via Nokia Email
Mata came in 70 min and was 1-0 for Chelsea. 10 mn later, it was 1-2 for Basel. Mata doesn’t defend. In this modern football, everyone defend, Did you see Van persie last Tuesday? He was everywhere. Mata is a great player but we need him to defend like Oscar: this is the reality and that is why he is not in the national team
Trash. Jose has lost everything even the players do not know what he is trying to do. He said he is going to improve the team but now every eye can see that he is damaging it. He should swallow his pride and seek advice. He should take a sabbatical leave. You craved for his come back and he has gladly come back to spoil the beautiful football this same team played under you much despised RB. If Jose was brought in as the time RB was brought in, this team wouldn’t have been playing even in the europa. The team is now in tatters. Swallow your pride, swallow your pride and be humble.
Hemm i thing at this time what we need is that we should hv patient because let thing how many coach have we sack in last 10yr mean that we need 2 pray 4 this club if we trully love him nd i know that with god all things shall possible thank you all chelsea 4life
I apρreciate what you’re doing! I can’t prtoclaim I have been satisfied or influenced ƅbу
a whole lot recenrly . however, you definitely had me eոgaged from the initial word.