Cesc Fàbregas

[Korea 734]

Cesc should take all long fks and corner kicks responsibilities...

NO OSCAR, Willian or Hazard taking corners anymore.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

My only worry is when big games turn into a battle, when we faced him as a Arsenal player I was always confident Essien would have the measure of him, and he usually did.

Other than that no qualms whatsoever and is actually just what we need, our build up play will improve a lot with Cesc.

Matic will eat them all for breakfast.

[LAM09 6,547]

I wonder if he will be our number one PK taker now Lamps has gone, or will Hazard continue taking them?

[Milan 17,835]

Hazard has to be number one when it comes to penalties. His style of controling the gk's movement without even looking at the ball is just deadly.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

Hazard has to be number one when it comes to penalties. His style of controling the gk's movement without even looking at the ball is just deadly.

This. The way Hazard takes penalty is almost impossible to miss unless he slotted wide. He literally watches the gk dives to one direction before shoots to the opposite. It looks simply effortlessly like he can read gk's mind.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

My only worry is when big games turn into a battle, when we faced him as a Arsenal player I was always confident Essien would have the measure of him, and he usually did.

Other than that no qualms whatsoever and is actually just what we need, our build up play will improve a lot with Cesc.

I have absolutely no doubt that Rami is the first name on the sheet in the vast majority of big games.

[Pizy 17,860]

I have absolutely no doubt that Rami is the first name on the sheet in the vast majority of big games.

Don't scare me like that, Choulo.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Don't scare me like that, Choulo.

Jose rates Ramires VERY highly. There's no denying that. And he does give the side a very important balance in big games. It's just painful seeing him try to move the ball around against lower teams that park the bus.

[Barbara 15,149]

Jose rates Ramires VERY highly. There's no denying that. And he does give the side a very important balance in big games. It's just painful seeing him try to move the ball around against lower teams that park the bus.

That was the case last year... especially early in the season when Ramires was actually good. Later on it wasn't like we had better alternatives and he was suspended for some matches. Hopefully Mourinho won't rely and trust Ramires as much this season. I'm still holding hope that he won't be more than a squad player for e eventual match. If that's the big matches, so be it. Whether we admit or not, as frustrating as he can be we won most of the big matches with Ramires featuring on them. As long as we get the result in those matches and actually play decently, I don't care if it's Ramires, Cesc, Oscar... we only play as many big matches a season.

Of course it would be better if we evolved into a team that can face strong opponents without sacrificing as much as we do when we play Ramires. Let's hope for that, but I can handle Ramires in small doses if we keep winning big matches.

[Korea 734]

I have absolutely no doubt that Rami is the first name on the sheet in the vast majority of big games.

Jose rates Ramires VERY highly. There's no denying that. And he does give the side a very important balance in big games. It's just painful seeing him try to move the ball around against lower teams that park the bus.

I kind of dont understand how people can not see this. Its fairly obvious, unless Chelsea gets vidal.

[Madmax 9,219]

Jose rates Ramires VERY highly. There's no denying that. And he does give the side a very important balance in big games. It's just painful seeing him try to move the ball around against lower teams that park the bus.

I get that, but it's one thing rating Ramires highly when your other options are Luiz and Mikel, quite another if Vidal becomes available.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

That was the case last year... especially early in the season when Ramires was actually good. Later on it wasn't like we had better alternatives and he was suspended for some matches. Hopefully Mourinho won't rely and trust Ramires as much this season. I'm still holding hope that he won't be more than a squad player for e eventual match. If that's the big matches, so be it. Whether we admit or not, as frustrating as he can be we won most of the big matches with Ramires featuring on them. As long as we get the result in those matches and actually play decently, I don't care if it's Ramires, Cesc, Oscar... we only play as many big matches a season.

Of course it would be better if we evolved into a team that can face strong opponents without sacrificing as much as we do when we play Ramires. Let's hope for that, but I can handle Ramires in small doses if we keep winning big matches.

The thing is, it wasn't just at the start of the season, even at the end when he was missing matches, Jose kept on saying how much of an important player for us he is. In fact, him, Azpi and Hazard are the players that Jose praised most last season.

I get that, but it's one thing rating Ramires highly when your other options are Luiz and Mikel, quite another if Vidal becomes available.

Not you too! Unless it is a swap deal with Rami, I bet you anything that we will NOT get Vidal. It makes absolutely no sense.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Well, with Fabregas here, we don't have to worry if Oscar went "off mode" again.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

I'm guessing a drastic change from how it was last season. Using Ramires only as an effective substitute while shifting between plans and hold on to Matic , Fabregas and Schurrle. A team that has Fabregas needs a player like Schurrle. They'll complement each other very well.

[Barbara 15,149]

The thing is, it wasn't just at the start of the season, even at the end when he was missing matches, Jose kept on saying how much of an important player for us he is. In fact, him, Azpi and Hazard are the players that Jose praised most last season.

Mourinho criticized Ramires, something he also only did about him, hazard and oscar... He criticized his numerous suspensions... that's the context of the compliments btw... saying he was important but because of his stupid acts the team was missing an important player, although of course he didn't use the word stupid, but we all know that's how Ramires acted... and Mourinho was pissed at him for that - as he should.

Hopefully Mourinho won't want to rely on a hot headed again.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Terry on Fabregas :

"He’s a very good signing, he is great on the ball, a great box-to-box player, he scores an awful lot of goals as well and he has got an aggressive streak in him too – I certainly remember that from his Arsenal days."

"I'm sure he is going to fit in really well at Chelsea and do well in the years to come."

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Jose rates Ramires VERY highly. There's no denying that. And he does give the side a very important balance in big games. It's just painful seeing him try to move the ball around against lower teams that park the bus.

He also liked Pepe in first season but then benched him for Varane. If Ramires wont play well, he wont be starter. Simple as that. The real question is do we have proper "backup", because Cesc or Oscar are not Ramires mould of player.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He also liked Pepe in first season but then benched him for Varane. If Ramires wont play well, he wont be starter. Simple as that. The real question is do we have proper "backup", because Cesc or Oscar are not Ramires mould of player.

But that is exactly the point, while the general consensus was that Rami was playing badly, Jose thought he was playing very well because while most fans judge him based on individual moments in a match (bad pass, bad shot...etc.) Jose judges him based on what he overall wants from him: energy and dynamism in midfield and a lot of pressing.