Nemanja Matic: 3 Chelsea Players Who Can Replace the Suspended Midfielder
With Nemanja Matic suspended for Chelsea's upcoming visit to St. James' Park to take on Premier League battlers Newcastle United, manager Jose Mourinho will have had to assess his replacement options in midfield.
The Serbian brought his tally of yellow cards in the league this season to five in the side's 3-0 victory at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, and he now faces a one-match ban.
Arguably the best player in England on current form, Matic will be sorely missed by the league leaders.
However, Mourinho believes his side will cope without the midfielder, as he told reporters in his pre-Newcastle press conference, per the London Evening Standard.
The manager claimed this suspension will be "no problem," continuing, "We give confidence to the other people. We don’t cry when somebody cannot play. So obviously, he is playing fantastically well for us, but that is the way we think. We forget him."
Chelsea have plenty of options in reserve for this holding midfield role, but who should replace Matic against Newcastle United?
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
John Obi Mikel
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The most obvious replacement for Matic would be his de facto deputy, John Obi Mikel.
More than capable of performing in the holding midfield role, Mikel has become something of a stabiliser on Mourinho's bench, making seven late substitute appearances for the Blues so far this season.
Although far from producing Matic's average output of 3.4 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game so far this season, Mikel has proved himself an effective defensive option during his spell at Stamford Bridge.
Utilising Mikel would perhaps have a negative impact on Chelsea's attacking, as the 27-year-old offers little in terms of forward play. As such, Cesc Fabregas' role may be altered.
However, the midfielder would be Mourinho's safe option.
Ramires
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On the opposite scale in terms of tactical influence compared to Mikel is Brazil midfielder Ramires.
Operating as a utility man since his £17 million move to Chelsea from Benfica in 2010, Ramires has made seven league appearances so far this season in a variety of positions.
Surprisingly, Ramires' most impressive game for the Blues so far this season was as a defensive midfielder in Chelsea's August victory over Everton; the No. 7 scored one goal and made two assists.
However, with the side conceding three in an eventual 6-3 win, Ramires' defensive deficiencies are clear.
A box-to-box midfielder by nature, Ramires could effectively replace Matic, but he could well require Chelsea outscoring Newcastle to gain a victory at St. James' Park.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
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While fellow youth prospect Lewis Baker is perhaps the more likely to break into the Chelsea first team under Mourinho, Ruben Loftus-Cheek represents a more like-for-like replacement for Matic.
The most akin to the midfielder of these options in terms of physicality, Loftus-Cheek is able to operate as this deep-lying midfielder, breaking up play and starting attacks.
Furthermore, Loftus-Cheek possesses the devastating ability to scythe through the opposition midfield when in possession, as recently detailed by Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe.
Despite this, the challenge of a Premier League debut away to Newcastle may come too soon.
However, with Mourinho keen to bringing through Chelsea's youth talents, claiming it is "something I really want to happen," per the Mirror, perhaps Loftus-Cheek could be given the opportunity at St. James' Park.
Who should replace Matic in midfield for Chelsea against Newcastle United on Saturday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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