It’s a Mata of opinion

Why was Mata sold and how will he fit in at his new club?

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If Rafa Benitez had sold Juan Mata last year, the cauldron of hatred that was already bubbling away in Stamford Bridge would surely have erupted.

That the fans have remained relatively mute regarding the sale of one of their star players says something about the reputation of, and the respect for, The Happy One in southwest London.

To say that his decision to keep Mata on the fringes of his team has been met with confusion is an understatement. This is a player second only to David Silva for number of assists in the last three Premier League campaigns, who last year won PFA Players’ Player of the Year and who provided the assist for Drogba’s equaliser in the Champions League final just two seasons ago.

Why did Mourinho sell?

I don’t buy the idea that Mourinho is selling Mata to help United beat Chelsea’s rivals. He is intelligent enough to know that United are still long term competitors who, if not this season, have the potential to mount title challenges in the years to come.

I believe that his motives for selling are two-fold: tactical and financial.

Mourinho has a clear idea regarding the direction in which he wants to take Chelsea tactically, now that he appears to be at the club for the long haul. He wants a fast-moving, free flowing midfield which can keep defenders guessing and accommodate Mourinho’s tactical fluidity. He is one of the fastest managers in the world when it comes to changing tactics in the middle of a match; introducing substitutions and overloading particular areas of the pitch for short bursts in order to catch the opposition off guard before they can adapt.

We saw this as he masterminded Madrid’s defeat of Manchester United last year. His introduction of Modric whilst Ferguson was still ranting and raving about Nani’s red card led to the decisive goal which saw The Special One progress at the expense of The Experienced One.

Mata, although gifted, does not fit this midfield model. He does not track back as keenly as Oscar or Hazard. His work ethic isn’t as high as that of his competitors. He looks for the Hollywood pass rather than the quick pass-and-move. He is a player who could provide the creative edge which United need, but he is not the midfielder that Mourinho wants.

Moreover, with financial fair play rules slowly being introduced, Chelsea can no longer afford to spend in the same way they have done in previous years. Mourinho has managed to get in excess of £37m in return for a player who did not fit into his tactics. This money has already started to be invested in other players, with £11m being used to buy FC Basel’s Salah; a player perhaps more suited to the new style of play at The Bridge.

How will he fit in at United?

This is a more difficult question to answer, as Moyes has yet to show consistency with his team selection.

It would be nice to see more fluidity in United’s attack; a 4-2-2-2 formation akin to Manchester City’s, with a front four of Rooney, Van Persie, Mata and Kagawa or Januzaj certainly sounds formidable. However, Moyes has shown dedication to the popular 4-2-3-1, even if it means using certain players out of position. With an abundance of players queuing up for the #10 role, it is probable that Mata will occupy the role of a right-sided inverted winger.

However, taking on Anderson’s old number might suggest that Mata will be taking up a deeper position in United’s ailing midfield. Is he the one that Moyes has earmarked to replace Paul Scholes? Or is he in line for promotion to the #7 shirt once he has become an established Red Devil?

One thing is for sure – Moyes needs his new signing to succeed if he is to avoid further criticism in what has been a difficult start to his Manchester United career.