Why Mourinho is RIGHT not to play Mata... but Hazard, Oscar and Willian could fire Chelsea to the title

EPL: Juan Mata is one of Chelsea’s best players. After winning the Blues’ Player of the Year award two years running, he is one of the favourite sons of the Stamford Bridge faithful. His attitude, cheery demeanour and - most of all - sublime skill brought an element of fantasy to Chelsea’s play so lacking in previous years.

Since Jose Mourinho’s arrival, however, things have gone a bit pear-shaped for the diminutive Spaniard. Whispers persisted all summer that the long-awaited return of the ‘Special One’ wouldn’t have quite such positive repercussions for Special Juan. Although the links with PSG and Arsenal didn’t materialise and Mourinho is insistent he doesn’t want Mata to leave, it remains inescapable that he is not the key part of the side he has been since his move from Valencia.

His fellow attacking midfielders have reveled in Mourinho’s return. Eden Hazard is in the best form of his Chelsea career, while Oscar is emerging as one of the finest midfielders in the league, and is set to run the show for the hosts at next summer’s World Cup. Everyone thought it would be Mata to line up alongside them, and were incredulous when the two-time Player of the Year was reduced to a bit-part role.
Minutes played

Oscar 1199
Hazard 1656
Mata 834
Schurrle 643
Willian 624

Goals

Hazard 8
Oscar 6
Schurrle 3
Willian 2
Mata 0

Chances created

Hazard 50
Mata 30
Oscar 23
Schurrle 17
Willian 13

Tackles

Oscar 49
Schurrle 19
Willian 17
Hazard 15
Mata 15

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