MrExcalibur100

How the fuck is that a booking for Fabregas?

I like that idea.

Interesting perspective.

And the sad part is we have the players to do it.

What a shite first half. Fabregas has been beyond a joke. He hasn't dropped deep to dictate play, string passes across the pitch, he's losing the ball, his set-pieces are poor. He really needs a kick up his ass. Oscar and Willian has not been good enough but that's because they're receiving the ball in bad areas thanks to Fabregas' poor play. The whole team just looks disorganised and we can't build attacks.

Fabregas, Willian, Oscar all incredibly poor. Hazard again showing why he's the best player in the side. The only one who's playing like he has a brain when with the ball.

What the FUCK is Fabregas doing? He's been so unrecognizable.

Oscar has struggled to get into the game. Fabregas has been invisible. They need to improve dramatically

No Ramires on the bench either.

The one problem with the line-up without Costa, Remy or Schurrle is that we have nobody to make runs behind their suspect back-line. We need Drogba to hold up the ball properly today even if he does nothing else.

Maybe Jose is hiding him in the laundry basket.

Definitely shooting technique, shooting power and taking more shots.

Didn't Costa travel with the team? Maybe he's doing some sight-seeing in Manchester. Truly bizarre.

Will Busquets continue to be a "top top player" now that the powers of Xavi and Iniesta are on the wane?

(1) The stats I showed represent a singular season at Lille, the other two were at Chelsea in the EPL. I've already made the point that Di Maria took the set-pieces for Real Madrid and his "assist" stat was bloated because of that and the fact that he's feeding bloody Cristiano Ronaldo. (2) I've already gone through this with you many times, dear. You're the one making Hazard sound like Nani not me. You've become so critical of him that it blurs the reality of the player he is.. Case in point. You said he performed mostly in spurts, for a couple of months last season. Hazard started last season slowly and then began to really perform in late October to Mid/late March and got injured against PSG. That's majority of the season, dear and barring the injury, his form would most likely have lasted till May. Compare that to Bale who won a player of the year award in 2012 for literally, yes literally for preforming half as season, from January to May. You said "Hazard didn't score in open play from Febuary last season to the end of it". In case you didn't notice, Hazard was not our bloody striker, our strikers refused to score goals, Hazard has ALWAYS been a creator first before a goal-scorer, it's to his detriment a little because his shooting technique and shooting power isn't exceptional. Luis Suarez who was amazing last season and is a striker went on a barren run for a month or so where he didn't score a goal. Rooney was similar when he won the award in 2010. Do you realize how DIFFICULT it is for an attacking player to be "exceptional" for the entirety of a season? The only players doing it nowadays are Messi and Ronaldo and even they have off days. The standards you've set for him are rather excessive. No reasonable person will do that to a 23 year old. (3) If you watched him, then you won't have called him a goal scorer which is a ludicrous claim. You'll also know he was inconsistent by the exact same insane standards you judge Hazard by. "that has yet exploded" ------- Depends on what you mean by exploded. He's been in the PL team of the year back to back (who was the last player to do that in a new league), won YPOTY and was 2nd behind Luis Suarez for POTY all in two seasons. This was voted by his fellow professionals and journalists. Amazing how the inconsistent player keeps receiving such accolades. I think he's been exceptional. Better than I could have imagined and can get better. "with a lot of inconsistent throughout his two seasons". ----------- I'm sorry but if you really feel that way, then I can't help you. I hope you one day return to judging Hazard like you do every other player. If you're a fan of his like you say you are, then you should.

(1) That's a weak point, because even if Ronaldo and Messi didn't play in La Liga, other players will be considered instead of Di Maria (with his last season there, he will have but prior to that, no) La Liga also has their awards segregated into different categories : i.e best midfielder, best defender , where players won't be in direct competition with Messi and Ronaldo, Di Maria never won best midfielder. (2) Now you're just being rude. You have no argument.

The evidence suggest Hazard outstrips Di Maria statistically and is miles ahead in terms of individual accolades. All this while Di Maria has had the privilege of playing in the most "visible" and appealing club in the world, littered with world stars, the most expensively assembled side ever (seriously) and alongside one of the greatest footballers in history. While Hazard was given passes to Torres and Ba, Di Maria was given them to Ronaldo and Benzema. If you want to argue Hazard has always been the PK taker for his side and has more chances to score goals, I can argue that Di Maria was the designated set-piece taker which bloats the "assist" stat. Individual accolades are clear. Hazard is one of the greatest talents of his generation and a special player, Di Maria is a fantastic player with one great season and a sensational performance in the CL final. There's a reason why Hazard has been considered a future Ballon d'Or winner since he was a teen and Di Maria, a talented winger for Benfica was not. .It's easier to pick out Hazard's faults because we see him every game, but then we see the fancy highlights and the odd match of these guys and then they're better than our best guys when they're not.

(1) Hazard goals/assists in the last 3 seasons: Angel Di Maria goals/assists in the last 3 season 2011/12 : 20 goals 17 assists 2011/12 : 7 goals 16 assists 2012/13 : 14 goals 19 assists 2012/13 : 9 goals 10 assists 2013/14 : 17 goals 9 assists 2013/14 : 11 goals 22 assists Total : 51 goals 45 assists Total : 27 goals 48 assists Total games : 156 games started Total : 128 games started (All stats from ESPN) Individual honours in their careers so far. Eden Hazard : UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year (2): 2010–11, 2011–12UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year (2): 2008–09, 2009–10UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year (3): 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12UNFP Player of the Month (3): March 2010,[244] March 2011,[245] March 2012PFA Young Player of the Year (1): 2013–14PFA Team of the Year (2): 2012–13, 2013–14Chelsea Player of the Year (1): 2013–14Bravo Award (1): 2011[15]Ballon d'Or (23 man short-list)Di Maria : Primeira Liga: Player of the Month April 20102014 UEFA Champions League Final: Man of the MatchUEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2013–142014 FIFA World Cup: Dream Team

(a) And where does Di Maria play exactly? He was basically played as a "second left winger" / CM in Ancelotti's 4-3-3 last season to accommodate Bale, but he's spent majority of his career on the right wing. (i) Hazard is much more than just flair, tricks and what you're saying. It's not a matter of "perceiving." He's a huge creative force and a brilliant passer.

Di Maria isn't a goal scorer, his highest ever tally in his career is 11 goals. His goal scoring record in the last 4 seasons is 9, 7, 9, 11. Hazard on the other hand has scored 12, 22, 14, 17 in his last 4 seasons. Prior to him virtually playing out of his skin last season, Di Maria was known to be an inconsistent player, a fantastic player on his day, but he had many bad days and that's why Madrid wanted to sell. His reputation seems to have been boosted tremendously off the back of an outstanding season, a great performance in the CL final and Man United paying over the odds. Way too much revisionism. Hazard is definitely a better player than Di Maria and has been for most of his career . I'm not going to go in depth into it as I normally do because it's a match thread, but it's just amazing how some other guys have such extraordinary reputations here, while Hazard just has more "flair".

You said Alexis Sanchez is as good as anyone in his position. That's not a factual statement. It's a laughable one. You didn't watch Alexis play for Barcelona, how frustrating a player he was there. He left on a high note with a good season state-wise only, really but that's about it.

That's bull. Robben, Hazard and Ribery are clearly superior to Sanchez and Di Maria is also better. As good as anyone my foot. The amusing fact is how you say it so matter of factly.

I don't understand what you're talking about, mate. I'm not sure who you're referring to .

The demise of Diego Costa has of course been greatly exaggerated.

Hazard has spent most of his Chelsea career playing left wing but he's been brilliant as a 10. Hazard, playing mostly as a 10 had something like 22 goals and 21 assists in Ligue 1 combined with numerous performances of the unplayable variety in his last season at Lille. It's a bit of an aberration to even consider James battling out with him. He's a vastly superior player.