Gotta remember that it takes time to adjust to a new environment, with a midfield in flux, and a significant amount of tactical variation over the course of last season.
Max asked him to play a few very different roles, and it took him a little while to find consistency. He's really flourishing in the deeper role, and obviously continuity in a well defined role helps breed consistency. Like many have said, adding a player with Blaise's quality/characteristics also helps take a bit of pressure off him.
Anyway, 27 years young and his game is not dependent on pace. This guy is just entering his prime, and I feel as though he'll age like a fine wine. Mira is going to be an extremely good player for a long time yet.
Definitely one of Beppe's masterstrokes. Pretty lucky to have these men running the show.