Oscar

[didierforever 7,349]

Now, why does things have to be so polarized? Just because we acknowledge a player's limitations or weaknesses it doesn't mean we're ignoring his qualities and strengths. Don't we talk all the time about how Oscar isn't as creative as we'd like for a #10? Or as fast and strong as we would think useful, etc? While acknowledging that, we still acknowledge the things he does do well. We're currently talking about digs of form, so I was focusing on that. Ramires in the pivot has his problems, but also a lot of good things. As a RW though - as he's been used way more often than I'd like - those things I've said are exposed further. Still with all his problems in the RW Ramires played WAY better than Oscar did last match, so while he has problems it's not like he's a donkey in the wing. We could start Schurrle and use Rami as a sub (or moving him from the pivot the wing if he's already in the pitch) and spare Oscar a couple of matches.

I'm not saying Ramires is useless, but I do believe we should get an upgrade once our stakes also rise. Improving a team is always a nice objective and I wasn't saying the other days Ramires is useless (as this is about my view on Ramires, not necessarily my view on Oscar).

I think Oscar should miss 2-3 matches without taking any part at all. Do you think he made a positive difference against Everton? If he's going to play that bad, then we better rest him. We have players to replace him.

I further explained my point with Mata and Kevin in my answer to The Skipper. We have depth and neither Kev or Mata left while playing outstanding football for us - despite their very amazing potential - so why can't we use those players and rest Oscar? Mourinho found ways to rest Ramires - less than he's wanted I suppose, so he can find a way to rest Oscar too. But even he Mourinho decides to drop Oscar for bad form and not just to rest him, we should have enough replacements without saying we should have kept two players that didn't adapt to the system at all. That was the main problem for both Kev and Mata. They had struggled (Mata even physically at the beginning of the season) mainly because the system doesn't suit their style. Kev also had to adapt to the league. So if they were struggling a lot with the system, how could they be useful now? I mean in an objective way, not hypothetically. If they're just numbers, then we can use Schurrle, Rami, Lamps and even Salah.

I honestly don't understand what the problem with André is, but as I said I trust Mourinho on that and in all other matters, but we have replacements for the #10 (Willian or Hazard and even Lamps) and enough depth to replace them in the wings (Schurrle, Ramires himself, Salah) and regardless of Oscar's situation, we should be giving Schurrle play time to prepare him for next season.

Massively disagree. Infact we will have to agree on disagrewing cos like is said vefore I siimply don't think that fatigue is the problem. I have no doubt that oscar wipl start the fulham gane, and I hope he puts in a WC performance and shuts all of us up.

As for rambo, I again disagree. Matic-rambo pivit in itself will be immense. I won't mind a kroos cining in though but its stil very earky days in that option.

[Las7 951]

Needs to turn it up a gear; maybe a match or two on the bench might prove beneficial to him.

Still a young lad, last year Hazard was also struggling with consistency.

[lionsden 4,689]

Even when he was playing well and receiving the plaudits, I have always maintained that he's massively overrated and described him as a jack of all trade and master of none and I mean that in the most underwhelming way possible.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Really no reason to go overboard on him. It was only a couple of weeks ago that he was putting in a fine performance at home to Newcastle, and a couple of weeks before that he was the match-winner in the cup game against Stoke. At the start of the season everything went through him and he was our most important player, but he just looks a little jaded at the moment. He never got going on Saturday and I'm not sure how much a part this 'injury' played but at his best he's a remarkable player.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

6 goals and 2 assists in the premier league all season IS a cause for concern.

[Barbara 15,149]

6 goals and 2 assists in the premier league all season IS a cause for concern.

cause of concern is not having anyone to convert chances created into assists.

He isn't very creative - I agree - and we might even need better in the department in the future, but the main problem we have remains the lack of someone scoring goals for the chances not only Oscar, but Hazard (mainly), Willian and others create. I do agree Oscar hasn't created even that many chances.

Also, it's always the same, the kind of #10 fans want may not be the same kind of #10 Mourinho wants... so if the system, the manager don't necessarily require a overly creative #10 it's because they're expecting the chances to be created another way. I think Mourinho wants a balance more than he wants the super striker or the super creative guy. He knows a balance should be kept between defense, midfield and attack and doing some things doesn't allow a player to do others and then it's about deciding what's the expense of having something that is very effectively in one side, but exposes the other. If the balance between exposition and results is positive, go for it, if not, it's better have a balanced team rather than relying too much in one player that is too good in something and too bad in something else. Complete players normally are an '8' in most aspects of their games rather than being a 9.5 or 10 in some things and a 4 in others. I like complete players more than one-thing wonders.

edit: to illustrate my first point here. We have (or at least had until a few weeks ago) the player who has created more chances in the league (Hazard) still we're far from being one of the top scorers teams. That's the gap that keeps harming us. We just don't score and god, how frustrating some of our games are because of that.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

cause of concern is not having anyone to convert chances created into assists.

He isn't very creative - I agree - and we might even need better in the department in the future, but the main problem we have remains the lack of someone scoring goals for the chances not only Oscar, but Hazard (mainly), Willian and others create. I do agree Oscar hasn't created even that many chances.

Also, it's always the same, the kind of #10 fans want may not be the same kind of #10 Mourinho wants... so if the system, the manager don't necessarily require a overly creative #10 it's because they're expecting the chances to be created another way. I think Mourinho wants a balance more than he wants the super striker or the super creative guy. He knows a balance should be kept between defense, midfield and attack and doing some things doesn't allow a player to do others and then it's about deciding what's the expense of having something that is very effectively in one side, but exposes the other. If the balance between exposition and results is positive, go for it, if not, it's better have a balanced team rather than relying too much in one player that is too good in something and too bad in something else. Complete players normally are an '8' in most aspects of their games rather than being a 9.5 or 10 in some things and a 4 in others. I like complete players more than one-thing wonders.

edit: to illustrate my first point here. We have (or at least had until a few weeks ago) the player who has created more chances in the league (Hazard) still we're far from being one of the top scorers teams. That's the gap that keeps harming us. We just don't score and god, how frustrating some of our games are because of that.

Oscar's biggest problem, IMO is not a lack of creativity, but a difficulty in finding space to operate through the middle. He tends to get dispossessed a lot at the centre of out attacking third. He looks better when he has space to operate on the wings, like at Southampton. What happened to the rotation of position between Hazard, Willian and Oscar? Nowadays, they just stick to their positions, and it makes it easier for the opposition to pick them off.

It also doesn't benefit Oscar's style of play, which is mobility and attacking from both the left and right wings, just in and around the 18 (like Basel this season in the home tie, if you remember). This new, very rigid positioning by Mourinho is hurting his game. It seems Mourinho has reduced the freedom he gave the front trio, because there was a lot of interchanging earlier this season, when Oscar thrived. I don't buy that burn-out bullshit at all. Mourinho needs to let Oscar alternate his position with Willian in in-game situations a lot more than they have been doing. Or he could make Oscar drop deeper and dictate the tempo (like against Newcastle at home) while Ramires gets more license to get into attacking positions.

The lack of a reliable striker doesn't help. Eto'o is clearly our best one, but the guy has been over-used due to Torres being so injury prone. Also, a general lack of goals from the team as a whole. Our defense, Hazard and now Matic have been carrying us. We need others to step up. Willian (who I'm still not convinced by), Ramires, Torres, Schurrle and Oscar especially need to step up.

Note: Our strikers not converting is to comfortable an excuse. Remember, he was outstanding early season when our strikers were even more miserable. And that hasn't stopped Hazard from being just awesome.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

His dip in form is the very reason why letin Mata leave in Jan was a mistake IMO

[The only place to be 11,313]

His dip in form is the very reason why letin Mata leave in Jan was a mistake IMO

Mata wouldn't have played. He doesn't fit the system. It's akin to saying that Oscar's dip in form is the reason letting Courtois leave on loan was a mistake.

[Barbara 15,149]

Oscar's biggest problem, IMO is not a lack of creativity, but a difficulty in finding space to operate through the middle. He tends to get dispossessed a lot at the centre of out attacking third. He looks better when he has space to operate on the wings, like at Southampton. What happened to the rotation of position between Hazard, Willian and Oscar? Nowadays, they just stick to their positions, and it makes it easier for the opposition to pick them off.

It also doesn't benefit Oscar's style of play, which is mobility and attacking from both the left and right wings, just in and around the 18 (like Basel this season in the home tie, if you remember). This new, very rigid positioning by Mourinho is hurting his game. It seems Mourinho has reduced the freedom he gave the front trio, because there was a lot of interchanging earlier this season, when Oscar thrived. I don't buy that burn-out bullshit at all. Mourinho needs to let Oscar alternate his position with Willian in in-game situations a lot more than they have been doing. Or he could make Oscar drop deeper and dictate the tempo (like against Newcastle at home) while Ramires gets more license to get into attacking positions.

The lack of a reliable striker doesn't help. Eto'o is clearly our best one, but the guy has been over-used due to Torres being so injury prone. Also, a general lack of goals from the team as a whole. Our defense, Hazard and now Matic have been carrying us. We need others to step up. Willian (who I'm still not convinced by), Ramires, Torres, Schurrle and Oscar especially need to step up.

Note: Our strikers not converting is to comfortable an excuse. Remember, he was outstanding early season when our strikers were even more miserable. And that hasn't stopped Hazard from being just awesome.

when I mentioned the lack of strikers doing their job I meant that this is what hurts us the most, not Oscar, Willian, Schurrle, Ramires in the AMs positions (although Ramires there hurts my eyes with his passing).

You have an interesting point. Oscar is amazing to create space because he drags players with him when he has the ball or when he's moving, leaving more space to Eden and Willian. It's the way he moves and carries the ball that makes it possible. But as you pointed out, I don't think he's that good creating space to himself. In this case isn't creating, more like finding as you said. I still think his body is suffering and that it's affecting his game - both good reasons for him to see the bench. I doubt he will though unless he's really injured and Mourinho doesn't want to risk losing him longer.

[BloodIsBlue 291]

I hope he isn't benched Oscar has done well on the European stage last time we saw him there.

[Jase 43,479]

I hope he isn't benched Oscar has done well on the European stage last time we saw him there.

If Mourinho thinks Oscar is suffering from drop in form, fatigue and doesn't think he should play for now, then I don't see why that has to change like even for tonight in the Champions League despite his good past showings in Europe. After all, you could say that Oscar has previously done well then is because he was playing well and at least in some form.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Oscar always plays well in Europe. It's a given, he'll probably be our MOTM tonight.

[yuvala 2,167]

Oscar always plays well in Europe. It's a given, he'll probably be our MOTM tonight.

Sure hope so

[kellzfresh 7,226]

Hazard scoring a hattrick has changed his form to ordinary. I don't know whether it has to do with missing the hard work oscar does for him.

But except for the mancity league match/everton 2nd half, we've not played well in any match this year that oscar didn't play well.

We need oscar on form again.

[meetdoscar 335]

Even when he was playing well and receiving the plaudits, I have always maintained that he's massively overrated and described him as a jack of all trade and master of none and I mean that in the most underwhelming way possible.

All this you know and therefore judge a player who is 22yrs fans like you would ridicule players like Zidane until he was 25. I know your type.

Tony kroos who is 24 has scored 2 goals in 35 games but is still highly rated as a no. 10 and admired by some chelsea fans, some of such fans criticize oscar or willian for lack of creativity. Its laughable.

Oscars quality is not in doubt and he has shown a lot of promise along with hazard as very young players in a season we are challenging for the title in a long while. Only time will tell.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Oscar lad, what's happening to you nowadays? Maybe Jose needs to give him a week/two weeks off to catch a breath and find his form. I thought it was mostly a finding space issue, but he looked out of sorts even on the wings today.

[Namika 922]

A 1st for me covering the Premier League. Have just seen Oscar tell officials he doesn't need to find the team bus as he's walking home!