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CHELSEA WERE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

• CHELSEA WERE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

• CHELSEA WERE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

  StrumSolo > 23/01/2014, 18:36

  (But maybe not to United)
  
  On first viewing it looks a lot like the time they sold Sturridge to Liverpool, or Matic to Benfica (before bringing him back for -£18m), or letting Lukaku leave on loan. Stupid basically, but if we’re to assume that Jose Mourinho is there for anything approaching the long haul, then he had to go. Two-time player of the year or no, the Special One clearly didn’t fancy him. It wasn’t just pig-headedness at play though, he genuinely didn’t fit in to the new/old way of doing things. How many times have they started him this season, looked like drawing, taken him off and won?
  
  Can’t argue with the finances either. £37m would be a fair price if he’d been playing regularly and on top of his game, but not after half a season gathering dust on the bench. They’ve played United’s desperation to perfection, would anyone else have been willing to pay so much?
  
  And it really does look like desperation from United, as though they’re jumping on a big name at the expense of strengthening areas of the team that actually need some work. Where are they even going to play him? Moyes has generally gone with a 4-4-2 this season but he’s no out and out winger. They could play him off the main striker but isn’t that what Wayne Rooney and (supposedly) Marouane Fellaini are for? He’d be wasted centre mid, and considering the main reason he couldn’t get a game at Chelsea was a lack of work-rate, that’s probably not an option anyway.
  
  It could be that Moyes is looking to switch to a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, and while the prospect of Mata, Rooney and Januzaj/Kagawa supporting van Persie is a mouth watering one, it’s a pretty narrow one too if you haven’t got the full-backs for it. Can Patrice Evra’s legs carry him up and down the touchline for 90 minutes? Phil Jones and Chris Smalling can do a job on the right with a winger in front of them but they’re hardly attacking threats. Rafael seems to have fallen out of favour…
  
  And yet…
  
  You can’t help but feel that once Moyes has got the players he wants, or the job’s passed on to someone who knows what they’re doing, Chelsea might actually regret letting their best player join a direct rival. And United are still very much that, despite current appearances.
  
  Should have waited til the summer and swapped him for Diego Costa.
  
  Image source

• RE: CHELSEA ARE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

  StrumSolo > 26/01/2014, 14:17

  It's done. £37.1m and he's signed a four and a half year deal.
  
  Enough to transform United's fortunes? Ozil-to-Arsenal style?

• RE: CHELSEA ARE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

  Bob2306 > 27/01/2014, 00:36

  It's pretty typical of the way some clubs think now. Bad patch.....throw a load of money at it. Let's buy some success.
  
  I have really fallen out of love with football at the moment.

• RE: CHELSEA ARE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

  StrumSolo > 27/01/2014, 11:05

  (27/01/2014, 00:36)Bob2306 Wrote: It's pretty typical of the way some clubs think now. Bad patch.....throw a load of money at it. Let's buy some success.
  
  I have really fallen out of love with football at the moment.

  
  Their squad just isn't good enough to challenge. Needs a lot more strengthening still, and if they don't, the bad patch will escalate in to a full-on decline.

• RE: CHELSEA ARE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

  StrumSolo > 27/01/2014, 11:29

  

• RE: CHELSEA ARE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

  StrumSolo > 27/01/2014, 18:23

  He's been unveiled, and has taken the number 8 shirt vacated by Anderson.
  
  Big shirt to fill, that, and the gravy stains were a bastard to get out.
  
  I'm here all week, tip your waitress...

• RE: CHELSEA WERE RIGHT TO SELL MATA

  Bob2306 > 27/01/2014, 21:09

  (27/01/2014, 11:05)ScottyRampant Wrote: Their squad just isn't good enough to challenge. Needs a lot more strengthening still, and if they don't, the bad patch will escalate in to a full-on decline.

  
  I think you're right Scotty, a decline can, and often does, happen. It is a natural cycle, or at least was until clubs started spend big money. Success now has to be instant. No waiting for a squad to grow and mature, just go out and buy. Make up a team and win the league. Players that are willing to pick up a big wage packet to sit on the bench are players that are not playing for a competing club.
  
  Like it or not, and I don't, there has been a price put on the Premiership. And that price is far out of the reach of most clubs.
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