Ramires’ perfect partner: Why Chelsea’s £21m is tailor-made for Mourinho’s tactics

It all began with a jest. After spending more or less three seasons atChelsea, where there were high hopes that the then 23-year-old would progress into a superstar, the Serbian defensive midfielder left in 2011 for Benfica in a swap deal which saw David Luiz arrive at Stanford Bridge. And it seemed at the time that Chelsea would be the beneficiary from the deal, oh how wrong could we all be.

So while the Brazilian has enjoyed a somewhat stuttering career in West London, where his every move was criticised by the press and his future at the club has always been a major talking point at the club, Matic has been a shining light for Benfica.

As a youngster, he was constantly weighed down by taunts suggesting that he was a non-talent and as a consequence was forced to leave Serbia and ply his trade abroad. However, his hard work and dedication eventually paid off. And his transfer to Chelsea was suppsoed to be the start of something big. However, he failed to make an impact and was later shipped off to Vitesse on loan, and later sold to Benfica.

Despite being unable to help Jorge Jesus’ side secure silverware throughout his stint at in Portugal, he leaves Benfica in good stead, with the Serbian arguably the side’s key player in helping topple his former side’s rivals, namely Sporting Lisbon and Porto. And thanks to Matic’s heroics, the Benfiquistas hold a two-point lead at the top of the table over Lisbon.

So the question remains: Where will the Serbian fit in Mourinho’s line-up?

As highlighted by his stint at Real Madrid, coach Jose Mourinho tends to play a much more defensive style of football, preferring to use quick counter-attacks as a medium to relieve pressure and place the opposition on the back foot. The defensive stability of the team is highlighted by the fact that they have conceded the least number of goals this season (19) alongside Manchester City and Everton.

A characteristic of Mourinho’s defensive style is the use of the double pivot which is encapsulated in the 4-2-3-1 formation used, with Ramires being a pivotal part of that double pivot. And although we have seen Frank Lampard fill that void, his game is not founded upon a defensive base and hence is not an ideal candidate for the role.

Lampard Duel Success – PL 2013/14

The arrival of various gifted attackers has seen Lampard shifted to a more defensive role. This season alone, the 35-year-old has underperformed and the stats tell the story; he only has three assists to his name from 18 appearances despite a high passing accuracy percentile of 83%. Also, his ability to complete 44% of tackles this season highlights the fact that he is not an ideal player in such a formation.

Matic, on the other hand, is your prototypical Yaya Toure-esque box-to-box midfielder. His experience in playing in 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 formations throughout his career highlights his tactical flexibility and will be of much use for Mourinho and it is likely that he will feature alongside Ramires in midfield. He is known to be very strong and often out-muscles his opponents. He’s also a superb tackler and frequently makes crucial interceptions to halt threatening attacks. In addition to the skills just mentioned, he’s a great reader of the game and his ability to anticipate is often enviable. Also, he’s very good in the air!

Having said that though, he boasts impeccable technique, which is a result of years and years of hard work. He is a good passer with impeccable vision and has the ability to pick-out teammates. He’s form in front of goal isn’t bad either and has scored some stunning goals over the years; his goal against Braga where he robbed Mauro of the ball within his offensive half before scoring from outside the box encapsulates the idea that he is indeed a complete midfielder.

The script could not have been written any better. Matic is finally back to prove his doubters wrong. However, despite being a late-bloomer, fans can rest easy that he is indeed Ramires’ perfect midfielder partner. More importantly, however, there is no doubt that the 26-year-old will be an integral part of the squad for years to come.