Mourinho: Cuadrado will be given plenty of time to settle

I suppose one way to look at the purchase of Juan Cuadrado is that Chelsea were "panic buying" after the sudden departure of André Schürrle.  Since you and I and all of our closest Internet friends here on WAGNH had been following this story as it developed over a couple weeks, I don't think we'd harbor any such delusions.   But apparently that's one angle, and so Mourinho sought to clarify things right away.

"It's not a panic buy. It's a reaction to Schurrle, a departure that is not a panic buy because he's a player we've known for a long, long time.  I've coached in his league for two seasons. We are happy with our business. Schurrle is a player we like very, very much but the business was very good. We are happy with it."

In line with that thinking, Mourinho assured everyone that Cuadrado will get plenty of time to settle in and prove himself.  There are no immediate expectations of greatness to weigh the new man down.

"I don't think it's the best thing for him that I speak about expectations. He needs his time, as everyone does. He will have his time."

In further good news for Johnny Squared, Mourinho will not be expecting him to depose Thibaut Courtois or Petr Cech in goal, nor is he expected to push John Terry, Gary Cahill, Kurt Zouma, or any of our other central defenders for playing time.  Even Jose "I shall make Mikel into a defensive midfielder" Mourinho has a limit to his madness!

"Goalkeeper impossible because we don't need him there. Central defenders we don't need, and he's too small. After that he can play everywhere."

"I think he [is ready now], unless the Premier League or FA say some rule stops him."

Bonus dig at The FA?  Check!

Conditions are perfect then for Juan Cuadrado to make an impact.  Now he just has the minor task of convincing the boss to give him playing time ahead of Willian, Oscar, and Eden Hazard.  No big deal, right?