He’s not glamourous. His jersey is not the top seller at the Stamford Bridge gift shop. Many casual fans of the Premier League may not even know who he is. But while teammates Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have been widely credited as the difference-makers that have Chelsea at the top of the Barclays Premier League table this season, midfielder Nemanja Matic just might be the most important member of Chelsea’s starting 11 and the one player manager Jose Mourinho cannot do without.
The Serbian international was originally signed by Chelsea back in 2009 for a paltry £1.5 million. He only made two appearances for the club as he was sent out on loan to Dutch club Vitesse for the 2010-11 season. In January 2011, he was part of the transfer that brought David Luiz to Chelsea from Benfica. In January 2014, Chelsea brought Matic back for £21 million. Nicknamed “the Beast” by Chelsea fans, Matic immediately established himself as a regular in Jose Mourinho’s starting 11 for the remainder of the season.
While Eden Hazard, Costa, Fabregas, Oscar, etc. get the plaudits for their breathtaking runs and finishes on goal, Matic lurks in the background, the unsung hero. He is usually paired with Fabregas as the 2 in Chelsea’s 4-2-3-1 formation. The important thing about Matic is that he provides a steady hand in defensive midfield that allows Chelsea’s playmakers to run free in the opposing half while he stays back as added cover for Chelsea’s back four. He is dominant on the ball, shielding opposing players from the ball with his strength and then moving it forward quickly in the counterattack. Fabregas currently leads the Premier League with 11 assists so far this season and a major reason he’s able to be far enough up the pitch to contribute to those goals is because he has Matic behind him as cover.
For Chelsea fans that have been around long enough, the analogy that most will use for Matic is Claude Makelele. The French international was a stalwart of Mourinho’s first stint with the club, playing the same defensive midfielder role that Matic does now. While Chelsea has attempted to use other players in this role (most recently, Jon Obi Mikel and an aging Frank Lampard), none have been able to dominate midfield like Matic, both in terms of winning possession to stop opposing attacks, as well as moving the ball forward in attack after winning the ball.
Chelsea's quest to find a replacement for Claude Makelele appears to be finally over. It only took 5 and a half years. Photo: @BOLANIUM | Twitter
Matic has been an extremely durable member of Chelsea’s squad and, until a recent match against Newcastle, had appeared in every match the Blues played this season in all competitions, either as a starter or off the bench. And wouldn’t you know, in the first match Matic missed, as a result of picking up his fifth yellow card of the season the previous weekend against Sunderland…Chelsea suffered its first loss of the season in any competition.
What makes Matic so important to Chelsea is that his unique skillset is simply impossible for the club to replace in his absence. If Hazard or Oscar are out of the lineup, Mourinho can slot in Willian or Andre Schurrle in their place with an acceptable drop off. Even when Diego Costa, scorer of goals and destroyer of worlds, was out of the lineup this season with injury or due to suspension, Didier Drogba and Loic Remy have filled in admirably up top.
However, there is no one else on the roster (or for that matter, on most rosters in the world) that can replicate what Matic can do in terms of controlling midfield and protecting the back four. Mikel is the best that Chelsea has to offer in that role and while he’s adequate….well…to paraphrase the words of Lloyd Bentsen…I know Nemanja Matic, I’ve seen Nemanja Matic. Jon Obi Mikel…you are no Nemanja Matic. An injury to this Serbian tank that kept him out of action for a significant amount of the season would be a devastating blow to Chelsea’s title hopes and my general sense of well-being.
Hopefully this has peaked your interest in a player that deserves more praise than he gets in most publications. You can see Matic and the Blues in action next Monday at 3:00 p.m. EST against Stoke City on NBC Sports Network.
Follow Mike Smith on Twitter @thefootiegent
I’ll buy your jersey, Nemanja.
