Chelsea: Mateo Kovacic can be the Blues’ unsung hero

Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic won Player of the Season for the Blues last year, but he may have an equally important role this campaign.

Mateo Kovacic has developed into a world class player during his time at Chelsea, as evidenced by him winning the Player of the Season award during Frank Lampard’s first year. The former Real Madrid man made the move over to Stamford Bridge as a part of the Thibaut Courtois transfer and although he wasn’t a necessity at the time, the Croatian is quickly becoming one of the Blues’ most important individuals.

Kovacic’s role in the team has come into question at multiple points this season. After Kai Havertz’s big money move and being benched for Jorginho early on in the year, the midfielder had a tough time. Yet, whenever he is given his chance, he capitalizes. It’s not often a player falls off the face of the Earth one-year removed from his award-winning season, so nobody necessarily expected Kovacic to drop out completely. His place in the team did come under question though. We now know that although not flashy, Kovacic has a crucial part to play both on and off the pitch.

Beginning with on the pitch, Kovacic plays an important role in the big moments. He’s a Champions League winner with the aforementioned Spanish side and a World Cup runner-up with Croatia. The 26-year-old is one of the few people in the Blues’ team who is a proven winner, alongside N’Golo Kante, Olivier Giroud and Thiago Silva. Further, as one of the older regular starters, he provides leadership on the field.

Kovacic also plays the game with an unspoken elegance. The way he glides past defenders and other midfielders with the ball at his feet is poetic. He may not possess a lethal finish, but he’s got pace, technical skill and a dribbling ability unmatched by anybody in the Chelsea dressing room. In essence, Kovacic provides a mature complement to Kante and acts as a bridge between the rock solid back line and the lethal attack.

Off the pitch though, Kovacic’s significance is multiplied. Many believed it would be the £80 million man that would displace the Croatian in the starting XI, but the two will have a more symbiotic relationship throughout the season.

The supporters’ spotlight is now shining down on the German wunderkind and with that comes a great deal of pressure. Havertz has struggled immensely at the start of the season, or so some fans make it out to seem. In reality, he’s got four goals and three assists across 14 games for the club, a serviceable tally for a 21-year-old who faced COVID-19 and no offseason to start the season. Why does all of this matter though?

When new superstars make a move to Stamford Bridge, they are often expected to succeed off the block—rightfully so. However, the downfall of these transfers (e.g. Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko and others) has been the lack of a suitable sit-in while they get acclimated. Havertz has this safety net in his fellow midfielder. Kovacic represents a confidant that the young star can confide in and a solid on-field substitute. This has been seen when Havertz was battling Coronavirus, struggling against Leeds and is sure to be seen again in the future.

For all the tricks in Kovacic’s back pocket, perhaps it is his experience and poised personality that will prove most useful for Frank Lampard’s Chelsea this season. There’s no telling how long it’ll take Havertz to settle in SW6, but no matter, Kovacic provides star power for the Blues in the mean time. If nothing else, he also shifts the spotlight away from the stumbling signing.