Chelsea 3-1 Southampton: 5 Things To Consider

3. The Matter Of Mata - Should There Be A Place For Juan?

Opportunities have been few and far between for the little Spaniard this season, but he was restored to the starting line up for the game against Southampton on Sunday and was determined to show Mourinho that he was worthy of a place. He probed away in the first half but found space hard to come by. He did manage to create Chelsea's best chance of the first half when he was played in by Hazard and his cross found Torres whose header was kept out brilliantly by Boruc. The 2nd half saw Mata and Chelsea crank up the pressure on the Saints and on 54 minutes Mata's corner led to the equaliser for Gary Cahill. Seven minutes later, and another Mata cross found John Terry who headed home on his 400th Premier League appearance. Mata always looked to get on the ball and he has the ability to create something out of nothing. Mourinho has previously questioned his defensive qualities, but their is little doubting his ability going forward. Chelsea may be short on strikers but they have a wealth of talent in midfield, with Oscar, Willian, Hazard, Ramires and Lampard, all providing stiff competition for Mata. If Mourinho can find a system to suit Mata and if the player himself can reproduce his form from last season, it could give Chelsea the push they need to sustain a title push in the coming months.