MrExcalibur100

http://talksport.com/football/chelseas-secret-weapon-their-perfect-start-stats-analysis-blues-belgian-maestro

Does anyone have the long version of Jose's press conference for the City game? (10 mins later ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_JjSEU0HCY

This hasn't been posted here already, so:

The expected, predictable result in a boring soap opera. Andy Murray must be feeling like a tit now for his tweet.

It's the reality we are going to have to deal with, mate. With Fabregas in central midfield, we were always going to be less solid. The compensation is the 15 goals we've scored so far. It's what Roman wants to see and has been craving for. Give me this over the unwatchable stuff from last season. Admittedly 6 conceded, but so have Liverpool (5), City (4), Arsenal (6). The media keep on bullshitting us about this goals conceded stuff instead of praising our tremendous firepower and ability to go to Goodison Park and smash them for 6.

Last time we tried this Matic-Mikel pivot vs City, we got dominated in midfield and beaten easily. We need a more mobile partner next to Matic, namely Ramires. That pivot will have serious problems dealing with both Aguero, Toure and Silva as they come to more central positions. We will also have trouble playing the ball from the back. Mikel is just far too slow and negative in possession.

I'm not making a case for Willian or Oscar to start, instead I'm making a case for why starting Oscar would not be a preposterous idea. I'm not exactly sure why it should be anyway considering his class. I have no problem with starting Willian. He tends to put in a hard-working, if not spectacular shift in big games and played well last season vs City. But the fact that Jose rested Oscar vs Schalke suggests playing Oscar on Sunday is in his thoughts.

Precisely. Mangala hasn't nailed down a spot in the starting XI for City as well. Maybe both managers are slightly apprehensive about changing personnel in their defense just at the moment. Trying to keep things steady for the first few games. I'm certain he will nail down the LB spot sooner or later. It's a matter of when I guess.

1. Which sort of duels 2. No he's not. He's incredibly rapid but more often than not, he makes the wrong decisions. 3. This is true, but Oscar is more likely to do something useful with it. 4. I don't know how you come to such conclusions. Besides, the right winger will most likely be pre-occupied with Kolarov. Silva does his damage in central positions. 5. So, what does that have to do with anything? Oscar has better movement. Doesn't prove anything. Also, we have a dribbling machine called Hazard if that's what you like. 6. Statistically false claim. Willian doesn't create as much as Oscar. 7. True but Oscar is no slouch. I can do 7 reasons why I think Oscar should start as well, doesn't prove anything. I'm not against Willian starting but the idea that somehow starting Oscar in this game is some sort of preposterous thought is unfounded. It's not like a case is being made for Salah to start. I'm pretty certain Oscar has achieved more in his CFC career than Willian but that's besides the point.

1. That's not true. He has not been amazing but he is certainly playing well. Certainly better than anything Willian has shown this season. 2. Willian might have better work-rate but it's marginal. Oscar has tremendous work-rate as well. Certainly more than enough to do a job. Also, Oscar is far more likely to make the right decisions in counter-attacking situations than Willian is. Willian is quicker, but Oscar far more intelligent player with the ball. 3. Ramires' decision making, shooting and awful composure in the final third is laughable sometimes. It was primarily because of this that we wasted so many attacking chances in the reverse fixture last season.

I just don't want a situation were we're struggling to keep possession of the ball with Man City dictating the tempo and controlling possession with Thibaut thumping pointless balls to nobody in particular. We can't afford to let them control the possession like Everton did, especially with how open we look when the opposition attacks us. At one point in the Everton match, they had 75 % of the ball. That can't happen against City. Aguero, Silva and co will crush us. If we can keep ball possession stats respectable and be patient in our attacking build-up, we have serious chances of getting a draw or a win.

And do you have any reason as to why?

No-brainer for me. Azpilicueta's form has been dipping for a while, since the ending of last season (a very slow, steady dip, mind!) . The novelty of playing him out of position has worn off now and he's occasionally making the mistakes that one would expect from a right footer defending the opposite flank. Whether to start him vs City is another matter though. He should have already been introduced to the XI earlier than now but maybe he wasn't yet fully fit.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/15116/9476205/sergio-aguero-and-diego-costa-were-atletico-madrid-team-mates-but-their-routes-to-the-top-have-been-so-different Decent article from Adam Bate who's one of the few English journalists that actually has a high football knowledge.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x266ife_filipe-luis-we-have-to-keep-going-hd_sport

Mourinho might actually be thinking of starting Oscar since he didn't start vs Schalke. Perhaps on the right in a 4-3-3 as an inverted winger like in the 2nd half vs Swansea. Willian still makes more sense due to his pace, technique and slightly better work ethic but he's much more likely to fuck up counters and such due to poor decision making.

I'm not sure what you're getting at here. While it's true Drogba was not the most prolific striker in the history of the PL, he was arguably the most influential to his team, alongside Henry. When he wasn't scoring goals, he was a nightmare for defenders to defend against, occupying entire back four's with his incredible hold up play and physical, direct style. He was much more than just goals and a pound for pound superior player to what van Persie and Rooney ever where. He was also not our regular penalty taker like those other players you mentioned (except Jimmy). And he also had seasons were he fell out with some managers/managers fell out with him which affected his scoring numbers. Also, when was Chelsea ever a high scoring team when Drogba was in his prime here? Apart from the season under Ancelotti, we were one of the lowest scorers among the "big 4" clubs. To say Drogba was not a PL great and was "not close to being our greatest ever player" shows how completely clueless you are about: (1) Drogba's contribution to Chelsea. (2) The history of Chelsea FC. The fact that that is a "popular" post worries me. Seriously, have a word with yourself son.

It was the first time I criticized him because I feel he's been brilliant since he joined us. The "some that are making it sound like" doesn't include me but Barbara indirectly replied to my "poor" comment by saying some want to make Cesc a "scape-goat", which is closer to paranoia than reality. I personally wanted us to sign him when he was still a Barca player (posted that on his former page), while some posters here, who are now big time Fabregas fans, were still on the childish "Ex-Arsenal captain" / "Lampard hater" type thing. I haven't noticed any particular poster constantly criticizing Cesc all the time or that has an agenda towards him or anything of the sort. And yes, Fabregas was far from the worst midfielder out there. I thought Ramires had a shocker.

Lampard's defensive work when we switched to a double pivot was somewhat underrated, imo.

The same thing is also being said about Toure just now. For all his amazing performances in the league, he's hardly dominated a midfield vs a European powerhouse in his life. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2760017/Yaya-Toure-needs-realise-defence-important-attack-Manchester-City.html The bottom line is Cesc can improve on his play when Chelsea don't have the ball. That much is clear. We've only played 5 games so far, and it's going to take some time for us as a team to adjust to having an extra attack-minded player in midfield, that's obvious. But the over-the-top stuff in response to very light criticism doesn't make room for healthy discussion. It's not something ludicrous to say like "Drogba had an amazingly good performance" today

Definitely agree 100%, Dee. For the first time ever, I made a critical comment in passing, on how I thought "Fabregas was poor" today, and I got hammered for it and accused of "scapegoating" him. C'mon people. Seriously?

He was brilliant in his play today as usual, the best player in blue by a mile but the most glaring weakness in his game showed up today which is his finishing technique. If he can just improve on that a bit...........

Very impressive as expected. The guy is easily one of the best LB's in Europe right now. The Azpilicueta LB thing has lost its novelty and it has to go. He's not even as solid as he once was and of course offers nothing in attack. It's become pointless now that we have Filipe Luis in our team.

You could see how upset he looked when he got subbed off. He was thrown into the fire today and should have been off by half-time. Hopefully, he get's a chance to shine vs Bolton (the game he should have started)

There's a difference between making a scapegoat out of a player and believing a player didn't play well in one game, dear. Personally, I felt he didn't play well without the ball but neither did some others as well. I thought Ramires was pretty poor as well. Both offensively and defensively. Worse than Fabregas was. But as much as I like Cesc, I'm not going to say he's had an even decent game when he didn't. Goal aside (which shouldn't have stood)