The Juan who got away..

A loud cheer went up in the away fans' section as he got up off the bench to warm-up. The game was deadlocked at 0-0 in Hull City, with few chances for either team. This type of challenge was what Juan Mata had always excelled at, unlocking the most stubborn of defenses with slide-rule passes. His stature had been diminished significantly since the arrival of Mourinho. Chelsea fans were just about to stat praying for this chance to be the start of a revival. It was just then, when Eden Hazard, Chelsea's new MVP since Jose's return, received the ball wide out on left. He cut inside, past two defenders in a flash, and unleashed a low drive that would have far more serious repercussions on English football than one could have imagined.  Mourinho had the goal he wanted, and the diminutive Number 10 was sent back trudging to the bench. Juan Mata would not play for Chelsea again.

The news of Mata's sale to Manchester United has been met with incredulity from the footballing world (and unbounded delight from United fans, of course). Yet in strictly business terms, this seems to be a win-win situation for all parties involved. For Mata himself, this is a great opportunity to re-establish himself into Spain's plans for the World Cup this summer. He knows he will be the main guy at his new club, as opposed to a bit-part player in Mourinho's plans.

For Manchester United, there are already talks about whether he can fit in their system. But for them, Mata is more than just a player-upgrade. He is the big-name signing, which can lift the gloom around Old Trafford, the one which can kickstart their faltering campaign. Until last week, Moyes was a manager who couldn't convince Leighton Baines to leave Everton. Now he's the man  who has signed Juan Mata. As for Chelsea, a fee of 37 million Pounds for a player who doesn't seem to fit in the manager's plan is indeed a tempting offer, especially in the days of FFP.

So why so much anguish over his departure from Chelsea? To understand that, you must realize that football is far more about emotions than it is about tactics. Mata wasn't just a skilled footballer for Chelsea, he was adored like nothing else by the fans. Even in a team of Hazard, Oscar, Torres and Terry, Juan Mata was their crown jewel. He could do beautiful things with the ball, he loved the club from his heart, and we loved him back like our prince. Mata was closest to a magician Chelsea have had ever since Gianfranco Zola took his last bow at Stamford Bridge. And then it all started to go wrong.

Even though Chelsea won back to back titles in Europe, their domestic performances weren't good enough by the standards set in the Abramovich era. Jose Mourinho returned to plot a revival, and casualties were inevitable in a shake-up. Chelsea fans hoped against hope, but the harsh reality had started to sink in. The disappointed shouts every-time Mata was left out of a big game had dwindled down to mere whispers, as Mourinho's highly-functional Chelsea unit churned out wins. Mata was now a fantasy player, in a team which demanded as much industry as the finesse. Pleasing to the eye, but no more an untouchable. He carried himself with utmost professionalism in these testing times, but a departure had become unpreventable.

Let me make a confession. I have always vehemently defended the way Chelsea play against the so-called purists of the game. I have relished watching us bullishly destroy teams with Drogba and Lampard and Ballack, and enjoyed just as much when we mounted heroic defenses in times of crisis. But today I feel a tinge of regret, even if only for the sake of emotions. If only for a second, I feel wistful that my team plays a system that cannot accommodate a player like Juan Mata. My brain understands that tough decisions must be taken in search of greatness. But then, the heart wants what the heart wants, doesn't it?

On a farewell note, we enjoyed every bit of what you gave to this club, Juan. But perhaps, we did not deserve to keep having you. But that will not stop us from cheering every goal you score, going gaga when you produce those sublime pieces of skills and grinning madly watching you celebrate, even if it's for our oppositions. We do not know what the future holds, but what we do know is that the Blue hearts will continue to beat for Juan Mata, irrespective of the color he wears.

Adios.

The Tenacious Triumph

In the end, the tears told the story. Often hidden behind the facade of a flashy superstar, described unwittingly as "a commander on the field" by the FIFA president, Cristiano Ronaldo showed us his human side. He's already won everything on offer, yet he craves this so much. Declared the Best player on the planet this year, now officially.

Many find him difficult to like, even though he can routinely leave you spellbound. Ronaldo is never shy of creating a show, and he's never hid his ambitions of turning into the greatest to have graced the game. And then there's the small factor of having to compete against Lionel Messi, not just supremely talented but a lot more likable to the neutrals.

That's the funny thing with public opinions. Of course, it's a mark of greatness to be humble when you're successful. Very few can actually manage that. But it does not mean you look down on a guy who dares to display his desire for success, for greatness. In a world seduced by the easy, we scoff at a person who doesn't stop with dreaming big, but mono-maniacally devotes himself to achieving that goal. Ronaldo's latest triumph was not just of talent, but one of sheer willpower, a burning desire to prove himself to the whole world.

It may sound incredible, and even idiotic; but it is not easy being Cristiano Ronaldo. He doesn't just have to compete with one of the greatest footballers of all time for supremacy, but he has to do it while taking constant criticism, being seen in disdain by the so-called "purists" of the game. I came across a superb line by Rob Smyth in the aftermath of yesterday's ceremony, "Ronaldo's most impressive feat is not to usurp Messi; it is to believe he could do so in first place." How many others have been able to take that challenge? Sneijder faded away after one great season. The likes of Ibrahimovic and Suarez glitter, but not as consistently. And Bayern would make a case for Franck Ribery, but the fact is, he's just one component of a well-oiled machine. Take him out, and Munich still have a plethora of options in Kroos, Robben, Schweinsteiger and Muller, not to mention the newly-acquired Goetze and Thiago.

It is finally time we learn to admire Ronaldo for what he is. It's his insatiable hunger for more success that makes him so brilliant. He pushes the physical limits further and further every passing day in his quest. Look at his sculpted physique, see the power he generates with his kicks, watch his outrageous leaps in the air. They aren't god-given gifts, it's practice, it's literally blood and sweats, to go beyond what the world thinks possible, Even as an upcoming star at Manchester United, he would be last to come off the training ground. And it hasn't changed even today at Real Madrid, at the pinnacle of his career.

The comparisons with Messi are inevitable, especially when Ronaldo so openly declares his ambitions of being better than anyone else. But that should not belittle his extraordinary achievements. Because while Messi at his best seems almost divine, but Ronaldo's success is a triumph of human will. And for that alone, no one can deny him his place in the pantheon of all-time greats.

The cries of Crisis...

It doesn't take a lot for many to cry "crisis" while talking about Chelsea. Back to back defeats, injuries to 3-4 starters, shortage of sandwiches in the stadium cafeteria, global warming.. the media are super-quick to flash dramatic headlines about the Blues. Players are unhappy, the manager is under the pressure, Roman's about to pull the trigger, and what not. (Well, the last one does turn out to be true from time to time.) If the reports after the Basel game are to be believed, Jose's homecoming is already a disaster.

To be fair to the critics, Chelsea haven't exactly covered themselves in glory over the last 5 days. While it was erratic finishing that cost them against Everton, they were plain mediocre against a spirited Basel side on Wednesday. It's surprising, really. When it all began on a sunny afternoon on the opening day against Hull, Chelsea were magnificent for the first half an hour. There were talks of them storming away with the title, like in Jose's first season in England in 2004-05. And after that, they just disappeared. The aura around the Bridge because of Mourinho's second coming already seems to be evaporating, and the Blues have no one but themselves to blame.

The transfer dealings:

While most of the talk around Stamford Bridge has focused on the return of the "Happy One", Chelsea's transfers over the summer haven't been scrutinized too much. There's no doubt that the likes of Schurrle and Willian are top-class footballers, and van Ginkel can develop into a long-term midfield anchorman, the question is whether they are what Chelsea needed the most. The West Londoners haven't really managed to replace Didier Drogba ever since his departure. Fernando Torres huffed and puffed since then, along with Demba Ba to little avail. And after a prolonged public pursuit of Wayne Rooney, it was a kind of an anti-climax to end up with Samuel Eto'o. One of the most feared strikers in Europe a few years ago, Eto'o is hardly the same player these days though. And even though he may get better with match sharpness over the next few games, doubts remain on whether he really suits Chelsea's forward needs.

While Drogba was the focal point of all Chelsea's attacks, Eto'o seems to have the tendency to drift out wide often, which leaves the team with no target up front. With the Blues possessing an embarrassment of riches in terms of play-makers, it's vital for them to have a striker who just stays up front and scores goals rather than doing anything else. Romelu Lukaku would have been the most obvious solution. But the Belgian's desire to get regular playing time in a World Cup year means Chelsea are instead left with 3 big-name under-performing strikers. Based on comparative current forms, Chelsea's front-line does make an ominous reading for the fans.

The Mata Conundrum:

This is where even the hardcore supporters are feeling baffled. They love their "Special One" unconditionally. But benching the team's Player of the Year for last 2 consecutive seasons may prove to be too much. The Blues have sorely missed Mata, and the worst thing is, they have missed him while he's been available all along. Mourinho said that two years of continuous football has taken the toll on the Spaniard, and he'll take time to be fit again. But just how long can he afford to claim Mata as a vital part of his team, and continue to keep him away from the starting XI, that remains to be seen.

It's been claimed that Mata isn't a Mourinho type of player, because he doesn't always track back to help his defenders. True, Oscar offers much more with his relentless pressing in that position, but Mata's ability to create chances out of thin air is almost unparalleled. How many play-makers are out there really with finesse like his in world football? David Silva has been out injured. Fabregas perhaps. Ozil. Goetze maybe. That's about that. Chelsea just simply can't afford to not use someone of his stature and then moan about lack of creativity.

It might seem there's too much negativity around the Stamford Bridge right now, but it's too early to be panicking. The title challenges don't get over in September. Well, not unless you are Liverpool. (Even they seem to be extending their challenge-over moment a bit this season). So just a gentle reminder to all the restless Chelsea fans out there. Keep calm, and believe in the "Happy One". There might be plenty of crises around the world right now, but this ain't one of them. 

Sir Alex Ferguson: End of an Era

The tributes will start pouring in now on those social networking sites. There will be tons of stories, tons of analyses of his glorious 26 years at the helm of the most successful club in English history. But what I cannot stop wondering about is how it must have exactly been to be him. I mean, isn't that the ultimate life one can ever dream of? Getting over 70, and still having that boundless enthusiasm to do what you love? And to still be the freaking best at it after 39 years?

I won't talk about the stats and all the trophies he won and everything. Pretty much everyone knows about that, and if even if you don't, you're going to be bombarded with all that information anyways. The only statistic that tells the story of his life for me is this: 5 times Manchester United finished as the runners-up in the Premier League under him. On each and every occasion, they stormed back to win back the title. The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will, said Vince Lombardi. Willpower was never a problem with Ferguson. Every goal scored was cheered with the same childlike enthusiasm, that must have been present right from childhood. Every defeat was met with a burning desire to return to the winning ways.

The speculations are already rife about who shall succeed him at Old Trafford. For all we know, that might be the greatest managerial challenge one has ever faced. The kind of legacy he leaves behind, how do you compete with that? And yet Ferguson might not be gone just yet. They say he'll continue on the football board and as an ambassador. You wonder if there's one final challenge left for him. History tells us its a monumental task to continue the same level of success, when a team loses a legend like him. It took decades for United to get over Sir Matt Busby. Liverpool met with similar fate after Bill Shankly. I wonder if that's why Ferguson wants to hang around, albeit in an upstairs job. To ensure that Manchester United continue to move forward with the legend that he has built in last 26 years.

That, might just be the ultimate triumph for the Wily Old Scott.

Work In Progress...

Quite a few must have been surprised with how strongly Di Matteo's Chelsea began their season. They were supposed to be the team in transition; with all those fancy new play-makers coming in who would surely need  time to adapt. Add to that, they'd just lost the talismanic Didier Drogba, and a bunch of dependable squad-players like Kalou, Meireles and Malouda. The hopes went up pretty fast though, once they'd stormed to 7 wins in first 8 games, playing probably the best football in British Islands. Last few weeks have shown enough though, to remind us that, Chelsea very much remain a "work in progress."

So, where do the problems lie? People point out Chelsea haven't kept a clean-sheet in last six games. But, the defenders haven't been poor to be honest, nor the goal-keeper. They haven't really got enough protection from the midfield shield ahead of them. How many times have we seen Mikel so unusually high up the pitch for his holding-role? Some of us wondered how could Hazard and Mata play in the same team. Well, Chelsea even threw Oscar into the mix, and they have formed an incredible attacking-trio quite seamlessly. Chelsea's biggest concerns stem from not the new boys, but adapting the existing ones to the new system.

The Double Pivot:

Ideally to play a double midfield pivot, you'd prefer a combination of a strong ball-winner, and an excellent passer, the one they call "the deep-lying play-maker" these days. A good example would be Busquests and Xavi at Barcelona, or Vidal and Pirlo at Juventus; even though neither of those two clubs employ the the same formation. Last few games have shown us that Chelsea have neither.

With Di Matteo sticking to his preferred 4-2-3-1, it allows Chelsea to field all three of their coveted playmakers. But it has created a new conundrum in the deep-lying midfield positions. Last season, Di Matteo would play Ramires as the part of the advanced trio, leaving Lampard and Mikel  to sit in front of the defense. Lampard adapted to the role brilliantly, controlling the play from deep and even getting into strong tackles frequently. This season though, Di Matteo has had to choose two out of the three, and Lampard has found himself on the bench a few times because the energy Ramires brings to the midfield.

Lampard and Mikel proved to be a solid midfield-duo last season.

As Chelsea's approach was conservative for the big games, Mikel often stayed deep and went on to be one of the stand-out performers last season. But with this season's Chelsea wanting to play with flair, we've often seen him move high up the pitch at times, where frankly, he looks like a deer caught in the headlights. What's worse, it leaves Chelsea vulnerable to counter-attacks like the way United cut them open for their second goal. Oriol Romeu seemed to be tailor-made for a role in this midfield with his performances early last season, with decent tackling skills and excellent ball-distribution. But his form has pretty much fizzled out since.As for Ramires, yes, he's one of the most valuable midfielders in the Premier League right now with his boundless stamina, he's not the guy suited to his current role. Ramires is a proper box-to-box midfielder, tirelessly moving up and down the pitch. Thus, his attacking instincts leave Chelsea outnumbered in the middle of the park during rapid opposition counters. 

The Number Nine Role:

Well, there have been enough columns filled on this one. Chelsea do get goals, but they need more of them coming from their strikers. I feel the criticism handed out to Torres is a bit excessive. He's looked quite sharp recently, ready to take on defenders, even pulling out tricks and dummies. But Chelsea need him to score goals.Anyhow. Without them, the pressure is too much on the trio of Mata, Hazard and Oscar. At the moment, they're the ones expected to create chances, and then do the scoring too. Daniel Sturridge simply doesn't look good enough to start week-in-week-out. Which means Torres has to start games continuously without even thinking of rotations and stuff.

To be frank, expectations from Torres have been sky-high because of all the expensive creative talent brought in by Chelsea. During his heydays at Liverpool, everything went through him. But Chelsea's creators are themselves more than able bang in goals themselves, which in fact means, lesser clear-cut chances for Torres than one would expect. He's at his best when playing on the shoulder of the last defender, while currently he often has to come deeper to link with Mata and Hazard. This is one big conundrum to deal with for Di Matteo.

There are already talks of a January swoop for a big name forward. If the current scenario doesn't change soon, that might turn into a necessity rather than a luxury. We've been told Chelsea will be genuine title contenders this season, but all that talk may end up to be premature. This team is yet far from complete. The occasional flashes of brilliance might dazzle us temporarily. But unless Chelsea sort out their current issues, the English title looks unlikely to leave the city of Manchester.

The Return of a Boas...

From the managerial wunderkid to a naive failure. The journey was swift for a young Andre Villas-Boas. A year ago, he was the most coveted man in European football; with all the big clubs showing interest, after that incredible treble with Porto. Yet the gasps were audible when a move to Stamford Bridge materialized. No one had ever paid 13 million pounds before to secure a manager. Not even Roman Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour.

Yet here he stands now, as the newly-named boss of Tottenham, just four months after the unceremonious sacking at Chelsea, where his tenure lasted merely 256 days. Yes, Andre Villas-Boas is back in English football. Perhaps not amidst so  much fanfare this time, but certainly with even more resolve to succeed. His decision to take the reigns at Spurs is indeed a bold one, considering many would've shied away from such a fast return after a nightmarish experience.

We have already been subjected to lots of discussions on whether he can succeed at White Hart Lane, or what are the issues he'll need to handle immediately; from serious tactical debates to amateurish "Get Modric to stay, Sign a big striker and everything will be rosy" types. Let's not get into all that again. Villas-Boas' rise on the footballing circuit has certainly been fascinating. Did he try to get big too fast? Should he have waited another year, like his predecessor Mourinho, before making the big move? The discussions have been endless. And yet, a man as shrewd as Levy chose to put his faith in him ahead of an experienced Englishman highly popular at Spurs. That should tell us something.

Villas-Boas certainly has an interesting persona, although the media didn't exactly do him justice. The confidence was soon labelled as "arrogance" once he took them head-on, and results started dwindling. He came to Chelsea with a clear vision for the future, but the actual implementation was far more difficult. The plan was to play the beautiful passing game, with an extremely high back-line to press heavily (Yeah, we have heard tons about that!). Trouble began when Chelsea's Old Guard struggled to adjust to the new system. You could say Villas-Boas's reaction wasn't exactly diplomatic. Even that could work at some of the clubs, but not at a club where player-power is so rampant.

A few would deny the young Portuguese is an astute tactician; in fact, some would say he's too much of that. His attention to details is immense, inherited from his days as the Opposition Scout. It's said that some of the Chelsea's players didn't take it too well, when AVB tried to dictate even their smallest movements. He was a workaholic, poring over massive amounts of technical data about his players. In the end he became so engrossed with damage-control work, that he'd even sleep at the Cobham training center. Despite having a family home in Chelsea Harbour. People could call him naive, arrogant and loads of other things; but no one could fault his burning desire to make things work at Chelsea.

Some say Villas-Boas was too obsessed with the tactical data, than his own players.

To make things clear, this writer is a die-hard Chelsea fan, so any urge to see as bitter rivals as Tottenham fail should be almost obligatory. One would think that desire would be even more intense against someone who went there from the Stamford Bridge itself. And yet, I just can't bring myself to not like the man, who was willing to sleep on the training grounds, just to make things right at Chelsea.

Some of Villas-Boas' mistakes were glaring. The insistence on high-line with ageing defenders was always highlighted. Although his signing of Gary Cahill showed he understood the issue. No one had better stats last season in catching opponents offside as the last man in defense than the English Centre-back. He wasn't helped by the troubles in Chelsea's striking department, despite the abundance of talent. His success at Porto was built majorly on two phenomenal forwards, Falcao and Hulk. The two scored an incredible 74 goals together in Porto's treble-winning heroics. At Chelsea, neither Drogba nor Torres hit the ground running. Suspensions suffered at crucial junctures didn't help the cause either.

And yet, perhaps the biggest mistake was isolating Nicolas Anelka and Alex, once they handed in transfer request. Maybe a decision too professional for players' liking. These were 2 experienced footballers who had won championships with Chelsea and had greatly successful careers; most of the team felt a strong bond with them that Villas-Boas didn't share. The public humiliation of taking away their first-team privileges didn't go down well with the rest of the team.

Ever since that, Villas-Boas must have known he was on borrowed time. Chelsea looked like a broken team, as if they didn't even want to play under him. The sacking was almost inevitable, but Roman Abramovich did blame his players for the poor performances. Villas-Boas didn't play the blame-games; he fought audaciously  till the inevitable end came. They say Spurs are taking a huge gamble by hiring him. Only time will tell us if it backfires. But for now, the man who once laid claims to title of the "Next Special One" is back in English Football. And the Premier League is going to get a lot more interesting.

The Burning Boats...

There's an awe-inspiring story of the famed explorer Hernando Cortez that I can never forget. He reached the shores of Mexico in 1519. Wanted to conquer the land for the Spanish empire. But the hurdles were too big. A  mighty empire of Aztecs as enemies, deadly diseases, and scarce resources in a totally foreign land. As he marched with his army for the battle, he sent one of his captains back to the shore with a single order, "Burn our Boats." I love that attitude.

When Chelsea's famous Old Guard marched on to the Stamford Bridge turf on Wednesday night, they perfectly knew what future awaited them. They knew that, their boats were burning, and that there was no way back. Fight for survival, or die in the war.Simple. And they delivered. Sometimes, it's better to be under pressure, rather than coasting through everything.

John Terry said before the game it could be one of their greatest nights, and spot on he was. This was a performance that defined what Chelsea are all about. Simply refusing to die, refusing to give up on their long cherished dream of conquering Europe. Chelsea's golden generation knew this would be their last chance, a final onslaught in their quest for the Holy Grail, that is the Champions League. And they fought heroically, for the whole of those astonishing 120 minutes. John Terry, Mr Chelsea as he most certainly is, would lead the way majestically, miraculously just 3 weeks after a surgery on what had looked like a serious knee injury. Didier Drogba, who turned 34 days ago, battled like a monster for the whole of two hours, never allowing a moment's peace to all 3 defenders who formed Napoli's rearguard.

Let's give Napoli the credit they are due, though, for making this tie a memorable one. Any Italian team would try to sit on the two-goal lead they brought from Naples. But then, Napoli hardly play like an old-fashioned Italian team. They aren't afraid of the giants, and rightfully so. Their "Holy Trinity" is one of the best forward-lines in Europe, bettered perhaps only by Messi and Co. Napoli are quite an exceptional team, they move at a breakneck speed, they make the game thrilling, without doubt they went down fighting.

Walter Mazzari was right with his philosophy, despite the defeat. They knew they could score in London, leaving Chelsea to score atleast three. What he would not have thought, was that Chelsea would be up for the challenge. This was the Chelsea radically different from the one that fell lamely in Naples. Fired up for the occasion, ever since Terry put them ahead on aggregate, you could sense there would be no stopping them. Gokhan Inler's brilliantly taken goal, even though easily the finest of the night, merely delayed the inevitable. Chelsea would not be beaten on the night. There was far too much determination in them to be knocked out.

These are the nights that make football fans' lives worth living for. These are the nights that make Football the "Beatiful Game" that it is. Every club has their own, and this one perhaps, was Chelsea's greatest. There's far too much work yet to be done, all the hullabaloo will count for nothing if Chelsea can't get their faltering season back on track at the end. But this was a night, that galvanized the club, which days ago, looked a broken unit. Stamford Bridge erupted like never before, and it's likely to keep roaring again. The writing on the wall is there for all to see. Chelsea's Golden Generation are out on their final assault. They might not be around for long now, but they're far from finished. Not by a long way.

Is this the start of a revival for the Men from the Bridge?