Jamie
Redknapp believes Nemanja Matic could be a better player than Claude
Makelele if he continues in his current vein of form.
Signed from Benfica in the summer, the 26-year-old has turned out to be one
of the players of the season so far for Premier League leaders Chelsea.
He was excellent again for the Blues as they eased to a 2-0 Boxing Day win
over West Ham to remain in control at the top of the table.
And Sky Sports pundit Redknapp has been so impressed with Matic that he
thinks he could be on course to be better than the legendary Makelele.
"For John Terry and (Gary) Cahill when they have Matic in front of them, it
must be a dream because he is the perfect shield," he said. "He just sits in
front, always protecting them.
"I remember playing against Makelele and thinking he is the best defensive
midfielder I have ever seen, but if Matic keeps it up in the form he is in,
then he could surpass him.
"This guy has a cultured left foot, always has his head up and plays like he
has time on the ball. He is a much better player than people give him credit
for, he’s not just a shield, it’s what he does when he has the ball. He
doesn’t mess around on the ball or showboat, he just does his thing simply."
Chelsea secured victory over the Hammers thanks to goals from John Terry and
Diego Costa in either half.
The result means they are likely to end the year top of the Premier League
and Redknapp says they are a joy to watch at the moment.
"At times, they were sensational," he said. "I put myself in the position
where if you were playing against Chelsea how would you find it - it would
be so hard.
"As a defensive four, they keep it pretty solid then they have the two in
front in Matic and (Cesc) Fabregas and they patrol that midfield but then
the other four up front have license to do what they want and that’s why
they are so difficult to pin down.
"If you look at Mourinho’s teams of the past, they haven’t really had that
fluidity in their play. At times, they have been regimented and difficult to
stop, but this team is so fluid, so hard to stop and that’s why they are a
joy to watch. Chelsea fans are probably thinking this is as good as it gets
in terms of being easy on the eye."
As good as Chelsea have been on the eye, they have also been solid at the
back and have only conceded three goals in nine league matches at home.
Redknapp says some of the secret to their success is the fact their squad
has not been disrupted by too many injuries so far this season.
"They have hardly any injuries which has really helped," he said. "Man City
and Arsenal have had so many injuries while Chelsea have been able to keep
the back four intact.
"Matic had the five bookings so had one match out and Fabregas has been
rested, but it really helps. The other side is maybe towards the end of the
season do they get fatigue and start to pick up injuries? But at the moment
you have to credit Chelsea because the training seems to be working - it’s
not just what they do in games."
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