2013 Capital One Cup News: Swindon Town FC vs. Chelsea FC; Mata Must Adapt to Mourinho's System; Live Online Streaming; Schedule, Preview, Squad
Speaking ahead of their Capital One Cup clash against Swindon Town FC, Chelsea FC assistant coach Steve Holland emphasized the importance of adapting to the system that manager Jose Mourinho employs to be able to suit up for the Blues regularly.
Juan Mata has been overlooked for a number of games this season which drew the public's attention.
The Spanish attacker has been named Chelsea Player of the Year for the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons but has failed to compel Mourinho to select him regularly.
Nevertheless, Holland is hoping that Mata will bring his "A" game, but must be well within the system, against Swindon to convince the Portuguese manager that he must be picked every game.
"Having to adapt is nothing particularly new here. I have been here five years and going back to Carlo Ancelotti's team playing with Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka playing behind Didier Drogba with three soldiers in midfield, Frank Lampard had to adapt and get out to defend against full-backs because Anelka wasn't asked to do that in the role he played," Holland told chelseafc.com.
"It changed with Andre Villas-Boas to 4-3-3 and Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata had to chase the full-backs, and with Roberto Di Matteo that changed a little bit and Salomon Kalou and Ramires played wide. Mata played in the no. 10 role for the first time really at Chelsea."
'With Rafa Benitez it again changed a little, a bit more of a compromise. Oscar was asked then to play wide andRamires, especially in the bigger games. When Juan's role was the no. 10 it was another adaptation that was required and he has shown here he is more than capable of doing that, and that will be the case this time.'
Holland reiterated that the "Special One" was, particularly, successful in introducing changes at Real Madrid wherein players who were used to having the ball needs to work off it because of the team's composition.
"Jose clearly managed to do that at Madrid given the results he had. I will also never forget the game against Chelsea when Jose was the coach of Inter," he added.
"I was working with Pandev, Milito, Eto'o and Schneider were the front four. Three of those were strikers and one is a no. 10, so a very creative team to come to Chelsea away and yet they worked like Trojans the four of them, I have never seen attacking players work so hard. Eto'o played on the wing."
"So Jose is quite clear in his mind given the success he has had. He knows the recipe for success and he feels that is the way forward for us this year. I am quite sure that can be achieved here as well."
"Jose is always pushing the players to the maximum every day, and that is evident not just in the teams but in the individuals he has worked with."
Schedule and Free Live Online Streaming (Streaming link will be available an hour before kick-off):
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September 25, 2013 - 4:45 am (AEST)
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