Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insists that he didn’t humiliate — or at least didn’t intend to humiliate Nemanja Matic by substituting him off just 28 minutes after bringing him on as a half-time substitute for Ramires who had been booked shortly before Southampton midfielder Steven Davis made it 1-1 in the 43rd minute last weekend.
Interpretations differ, of course, but only Mourinho will truly know what he was thinking. We can either believe him or not. There was boos around Stamford Bridge as the supporters were not happy with Mourinho’s decision to take off the midfielder, but Chelsea boss said he had no option due the Serbia international’s poor form.
Regardless, what’s done is done and the Blues will try to move on, and, most importantly, get better. Nemanja Matic’s form, though hardly the only problem, has been one of the glaring issues on the season so far. Gaping holes are the norm of the Chelsea midfield nowadays, which is something we’ve gotten used to not having to deal with too often since his return to the club 18 months ago.
With Matic away on international duty with Serbia, it was inevitable that he’d get asked about the Southampton match and his relationship with Mourinho, in general. According to Serbian media, here’s how he answered. “This is what happened with Mourinho and I can’t comment on that. What happened it happened, we move on.”
Apparently, it is indeed a “can’t comment” rather than a “won’t comment” — i.e. the insinuation is that Matic has been told that if he knows what’s good for him, he doesn’t blab about behind the scenes matters to the media in Serbia. “The rules are such, understand me.” Politely said, Matic.
Definitely a “gag order” according to at least the secondary source, but perhaps that’s a bit, sensationalist. Chelsea fans are ok with not knowing exactly what Matic thinks about all this as long as he and Mourinho can figure it out behind the scenes. The Chelsea player is probably happy to have a week or so with his national team to get his head fresh and concentrate on rediscovering his form. It should be noted that if 19-year-old English midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek indeed to get a run in the side as the manager’s promised, there’s a good chance he would be taking Matic’s place, rather than Fabregas. (Unless we’re intending to roll with a Matic-Ruben Cheek pivot and push Cesc forward, which is a move that hasn’t always worked out too well in the past.)
Interesting time ahead, to be sure.