Bir_CFC

Mata's style of play is too direct for Spain's tiki-taka, false-nine bullshit imo. However, if he starts Torres then it would have made sense to start Mata too.

He'll fill in the void left by Gervinho, not Hazard.

Torres - Falcao swap would be amazing for us. Torres + 20M would be fine with me as well.

The way we play, our biggest weakness is counterattacks and Spurs are the best counterattacking team in the PL. RDM uses Ivan and Cole to provide width and they play very very high up the pitch so we are susceptible to counterattacks. We have to be aware of that threat. If we can avoid sloppy mistakes and keep a lot of possession thus limiting their counterattacking opportunities we can kill em. Should be a very entertaining match.

Forget Luiz, the entire team won't get enough credit for what we did. Shit was heroic.

Marin is a great player but his end product isn't 10% as decisive Hazard's.

This is gonna be a tough game for sure. Our toughest one yet imo.

The sole reason RDM isn't playing defensive wingers is because Oscar provides so much good defensive work from the #10 position. Mata is just on another level but its pretty obvious we've yet to see the best of Hazard or Oscar, very excited.

He's a very good dribbler, if someone presses him a lot and lets him turn with the ball then they're asking for trouble. I agree that he's not an ideal player for the double pivot but we need at least one ball winner in that pivot he's the only one we have. Romeu is another one, but either Ramires or Romeu have to be one of the double pivot in all games imo.

Drogba taught him that for sure. Pretty much identical to how Drogba used to take em.

Terry, Mikel & Hazard will start for sure considering they got a rest. Oscar probably needs a rest too. Cech Azpi - Cahill - Terry - Bertrand Mikel - Lampard Moses - Hazard - Mata Torres

Not the best display but happy to be up a goal. Moses has been poor but he's probably nervous too so he gets a pass from me.

Mata has the best first touch in the world, I swear.

That was very poor from Torres.

Yeah probably a 4-3-3 with a lot of pressing from the Ramires & Oscar so I'm really hoping Lamps holds his position.

Risky playing with two CMs in the pivot who both haven't really shown the discipline to play there. However, I don't know how weak Nordsjelland really are, so maybe not a risk at all. I'm thinking we'll play a high line since no Terry, that way the pivot won't be so important defensively either. Lamps is key and has to stay back because we know Ramires is going to hound the ball and Lamps have to be extra careful since he's only used to play with Mikel in the pivot who always stays back.

The problem with that is that our attackers and midfielders press but our back line plays deep so there is always a gap between the lines, we'll have to play a much higher line if we wish to actually improve our pressing, which means less and less JT.

It just means he outperforms his expected goal-scoring ability, meaning he converts more chances than he would have expected to be.

hahahahhahahahahahaaaaaaaaahahahaha

Oscar having a tough time out there. Moses for Oscar imo and move Mata or Hazard in the middle.

At their best, Silva > Mata > Cazorla Right now, Mata > Cazorla > Silva

Oscar will start imo because he's capable defensively plus probably the only one of the attacking mids that can actually provide some goals. Mata has been on another level since his return from vacation so he must start. Hazard might get dropped though if RDM decides to opt for a defensive winger because I think Oscar and Mata both are ahead of him on the team sheet for THIS match. I hope Sturridge starts because I don't think Torres is good enough to get the better of either of Arsenal CBs.

Torres was the worst Chelsea performer imo. Piazon was also meh, lost the ball the alot. Mata was just on another level to anyone out there. I didn't think Moses was that good either, but nice header for the goal.

Mata two assists already after his vacation BEAST !!

The biggest thing is that Ramires gets a second game in the pivot. I was scared that RDM was only trying that as one time thing. Slowly but surely RDM is making all the right moves