Greyco

It's hard to perform when only playing 90m of competitive football every 6 weeks. That's why a lot of Chelsea's fringe players move out so fast. Mourinho rarely rotates his squad. Great on the one side, because the starting players gain a lot of chemistry. The downside is that fringe players have it very hard. They only get a few minutes to waste some injury time and are then asked to step it up and show it during a league cup game. Some players are great impact players and can deliver straight away, others need a couple of games to get to their best form. Mourinho's handling of his fringe players is a just criticism seeing how many have failed to step up in the 2 years since he got back. De Bruyne was behind in the pecking order to Oscar, Schürrle and Ramires who was often used as a RW. Schürrle who has been struggling to get game time at Wolfsburg where De Bruyne has delivered.

Don't know where people keep getting that argument from... He was excellent during his season on loan at Bremen. Just read the recent quotes from Klopp and Zorc. CL-finalists that year who did everything they could to get him to come to Dortmund after his first season in the Bundesliga. Chelsea and Mourinho vetoed the move, told him he had a big part to play in the upcoming season and then benched him for 4 months. This with the first World Cup in 12 years coming up for a young Belgian side where he had been the main man, by far, in qualifying the year before. The final drop was in december when Chelsea had that month with 8 games and Mourinho stated that he needed KdB for the upcoming exhausting month and he'd get plenty of minutes. He got about 8 and handed in a transfer request and moved to Wolfsburg. After a month he turned it back on in the Bundesliga and got the most assists since new year in the league with 6. Looking back, it's strange to see Mourinho escaping with any criticism that season. He did well to temper expectations with the small horse stories but Chelsea had every chance of winning the title that season and were right in the mix until the end of the season. But Oscar went of the boil and Hazard had that injury. If he had kept either KdB or Mata more involved during the season, they could've made a difference. Instead Chelsea had to bed in a new Salah who didn't deliver. A lot of similarities with this season. Except the amount of points Chelsea were infront at new year. A Cuadrado that struggled and a team that was driven into the ground during the first half of the season and struggled in the 2nd half. All that said tho. I don't think KdB is a Mourinho player. He's way to aggressive in his passing. Which is fine in a team that excels in transitioning but hard for a team that plays against a handball defence most of the time and have to watch out for counters.

Bit late to reply but meh. I actually love it. Lost my interest in the Belgian league long ago. But since this system is in place I actually enjoy it. And others in my circle of friends do to. There's a buzz when the play-offs start and every season since the changes has been great entertainment until the last day of the season. I don't get the unfair arguments either. How is it unfair? Every team knows the rules and that the emphasis of the league is in the play-offs. There's not one team that benefits over the others. You just have to make sure you're team are at their peak in the business end of the season. And if your club follows a good policy, it's a great system. In the first half of the season you have the chance to focus on your European campaign as the points in the league have less value. Thus enabling the league to get sufficient points in the UEFA ranking. Since this system was introduced Belgium has risen in the UEFA ranking. The champions are directly in the Champions League group stages while the number 2 has a chance through the play-offs. A few years ago we had 1 team that had to play play-offs to even reach the group stages. Also, since the early part of the season has "less value", it's a lesser risk to give youngsters a chance. You've got 3/4th of a season to bed in youngsters or new signings when you're one of the top teams. Enough time to get them ready for the 10 game play-offs at the end of the season. A decade ago the Belgian league was mocked for being a league filled with African players and 3rd rate players from Eastern Europe. The youth education has definitly improved but it's easy to see why youngsters might get their chance sooner now. Even at the teams lower in the table. They might miss the lucrative play-offs. But they have 2 months at the end of the season to take that outside shot for a European ticket or give a youngster a few games to see if he has what it takes for next season before going on the transfer market.

What's up with Arsenal fans and Hazard tho? They're the only fanbase that are obsessive about discrediting him. Social media are filled with them.

Visiting his preggo gf and her family in Madrid. She's due in a few weeks.

How is that first one a dive? Don't know what those circles are meant to indicate. Freeze the images 14 seconds in, Hazard clearly gets caught on his left thigh.

Warped logic. Look at the Tottenham vs Fiorentina results, does that mean the Serie A is stronger than the PL? Hu? The PD far behind? Far ahead you mean? They've been outperforming everyone else is the last 5 years.

Vertonghen rules you haters. One of the most genuine players in the Belgian squad. He did tap Hazard on his shoulder after that foul, you can even see Hazard give him the thumbs up after he gets back up. One of those players you love when he's in your club and hate when not. He's incredibly popular in Amsterdam because he doesn't have any diva-behaviour. Actually appreciate him more because he's genuine and honest and not one of those media-trained robots that know how to play the masses. (cough*Kompany*cough*Mertens)

Instead of laughing you might want to look deeper into the fact that Fabregas has such a low defensive score. You might have discovered Fabregas is the leading player in the category "dribbled past" in the whole premier league. I'll add ridiculous, laughing, joke and a couple of ? in for good measure so you won't need them in your next post. Might save you some time typing and me reading next time to get to the point.

Well you might want to contact every topteam in Europe to explain to them that they could save a load of money because nearly every club has a data-analyst and head of performance analysis on their payroll. They all use statistics, highlighted by video-evidence, in preparation for the next game. The difference in the ratings is easily explained tho. And luckily they aren't exactly the same or they'd be a lot less interesting. Most use the same source material but give different weight of importance to some of the statistics in their calculations. Haven't come across anything contradictory tho. I guess if you run them through a program like SPSS you'd find a huge correlation. I guess it's the same reason a forum has smileys? A fan-forum is hardly a place you'd find crawling with coaches carrying an UEFA A license giving a thorough analysis.

Don't see why they should be nonsense. They give a clearer picture than most of the mob just looking at goals and assists which do exactly as you have in your signature. Most of the players in those list are actually pretty accurate. There are surprises in there, like Downing, but he's been the standout performer in a team that sits in 4th. They give a pretty good picture as to who has been doing well this season.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/players/ea-sports-player-performance-index.html?paramSearchTerm=&paramClubId=&paramSeason=2014-2015&paramPosition=&paramEaBreakdownType=ACCUMULATIVE&paramGameWeek=1&paramItemsPerPage=20&paramSelectedPageIndex=1 http://www.squawka.com/football-player-rankings#performance-score#player-stats#english-barclays-premier-league|season-2014/2015#all-teams#all-player-positions#16#44#0#0#90#16/08/2014#19/12/2014#season#1#all-matches#total http://www.squawka.com/football-player-rankings#performance-score#player-stats#champions-league|season-2014/2015#all-teams#all-player-positions#16#39#0#0#90#16/09/2014#19/12/2014#season#1#all-matches#total#desc#total http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/2/Seasons/4311/Stages/9155/PlayerStatistics/England-Premier-League-2014-2015 http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/250/Tournaments/12/Seasons/4333/Stages/11564/PlayerStatistics/Europe-UEFA-Champions-League-2014-2015 All those rankings have him in the top3. And still there are fans on other boards that claim he isn't in the same bracket as Aguero, Silva, Di Maria and Sanchez or claim he hasn't been anywhere near contention for being Chelsea's best player this season which has been Fabregas or Costa.

Fulham away 2nd half last season.

Uncalled for. Do you need that opening to give your own confidence a boost? It's absurd claiming I'm arguing conspiracy theories here in my posts. I'm arguing semantics used in the press and how such statements shouldn't be taken too literally but more with a balanced view. As this is my field of work, and my company gives workshops to professional sportteams in the Benelux and big companies and how to make statements to the press while limiting ones risk, exposure and responsibilities, I hardly think I'm retarded in the subject. Could you also point to me where I've stated that Mourinho wanted to get rid of Lukaku? I think I've already stated that I'm sure it was Lukaku who wanted to leave Chelsea.

When Guidetti returned to City, Negredo and Jovetic hadn't joined yet. They had Balotelli and Tevez who by that time had become fringe players and where on their way out. I'm not comparing Lukaku's situation with Guidetti tho. Just used that example for illustrating what can happen to promising young players at a club of that magnitude instead of keeping yourself on the pitch and earning marketingdeals and boosting your profile for future contracts. Lukaku may respond to Mourinho's comments in the near future aswell. If he states that he didn't demand the starting spot but a genuine chance to have a significant amount of minutes on the pitch, would that make a difference? Or would he simply be called a liar on here because Mourinho stated otherwise? Like I posted before. People should take a more balanced view on the comments of managers. They make promises to fringe players for gametime to keep their squad well stocked. After a while those fringe players become disillusioned and are replenished by some new young hopefulls hoping to have a nice stable career at a topclub. Most will stay fringe players and will be replaced again. And so the cycle goes.

Like I stated earlier. Lying is taking it too far, it'd call it embellishing the facts. I've got no doubt that Lukaku demanded a significant role this season and plenty of minutes. But the tone and context changes when it becomes guaranteed starting spot no? Most would agree with Lukaku after his accomplishments on loan when stated like that, that he deserves to have a decent go at it. Everyone bar the diehard Lukaku fanboys would find him claiming a guaranteed starting spot unacceptable. Just to make sure, again, I'm not one of that 2nd category. I'm actually of the opinion that Lukaku will ever be good enough to lead the line at a club like Chelsea. Besides his finishing he just isn't strong enough to bring midfielders into play. All I'm trying, and seemingly failing, to do is placing certain statements of Mourinho in context and providing arguments why. And ofcourse stating my absolute wondering why so many on here are slating a player which just generated a ton of profit for the club. At least Lukaku just brought in 28million and didn't walk out on a free after cashing in his checks.

There's a difference between don't deserving or needing sympathy of Chelsea fans and people on here branding him a coward for not fighting for his place and claiming he's a deluded tool for asking minutes. Which was exactly the point I was trying to make. Chelsea have got a nice profit on him, Lukaku has what he wants so I'm baffled and frustrated by why people on here feel the need to now start throwing mud to him. And we're still talking about the livelihood of a player. Since your Dutch you should know about Guidetti? What has happened to him since he went back to City to fight for his place after his brilliant year on loan at Feyenoord? I don't think Lukaku should be subject on that kind of abuse on here for choosing the starting spot at a stable subtop-team and a genuine future in English football. Besides, are you sure you'd want Lukaku to respond to Mourinho's comments. Those comments played out in the media have the nasty habbit of evolving in nasty backstabbing of eachother.

If you'd take time and research my post-history you'd might conclude that I'm anything but a fanboy, certainly of Lukaku. It would have been justified if you labeled me as such in an Eden Hazard discussion who I've been following closely since he was 16. You might have noticed that I've been critical of Lukaku's earlier comments. Claiming that I stated that Mourinho is lying is taking it too far. I would actually call it distorting the genuine facts in his favour. A tactic that is very common in managers, it's playing the mediagame. And what right do you have to act as the moral compass as what might be posted on this forum? Most of my posts actually contain some well deliberated content instead of the foaming drivel penned down here by people who post while under the influence of the red mist instead of actually taking a breath before stampeding over their keyboards. Comments like that immediatly devaluate everything, everything in your past and future posts. Despicable behaviour. Not every quote is an attack, there is absolutely no reason to include words as embarrasing in your posts. It's cheap.

For one. I'm not a Lukaku fan. And I'm sure this is what Lukaku wanted. I'm just not conviced Lukaku would have demanded the guaranteed starting spot but instead significant time on the pitch. A line that is now used as a stick by the mad horde to yell "Good riddance to the coward."

Aren't you a bit naive to completely believe Mourinho's statements? Mourinho is under pressure to justify the transfer of a homegrown player that has clearly shown potential to get a shot at Chelsea. Mourinho clearly had doubts about Lukaku's abilities. However, if he stated that clearly in public and Lukaku proved him wrong in the near future. This would come back to bite him and would be a stick for the press to beat him with. By stating that Lukaku demanded a starting spot and that he can't promise that he gave Chelsea fans a reason for the transfer and covers himself for the future. It's a tactic you see times and times again with managers. The more plausible truth isn't that Lukaku demanded the nr1 spot as stated by Mourinho, but a significant role in the coming season and plenty of minutes and Mourinho answering he would have to compete with Drogba and Torres for that as Costa would be his main striker. A doubtful future for Lukaku who would have remembered his first season here in the stands while reminding himself of the great season he had at Everton.

Frustrated that he gets so much flack on this forum. He made some comments in the press during his loans that weren't smart. But like so many young talents at Chelsea, he soon became disillusioned with the chances and career path the club has for young players. Lukaku isn't my type of player. I don't rate him as a footballer and I loathe his style of play. But he is a terrific goalscorer who will be guaranteed to run 1 in 2 during the season, which gets you 20 goals a season if he stays fit. And it is scoring that matters in the end. His record for a 21-year old is remarkable. I think Lukaku is far more realistic than the brigade that has been stating that he should stay and fight for his place. He had a first row ticket to see Sturridge blossom after he was a fringe player at Chelsea for years. The first year at Chelsea was his most miserable in his career. And he saw KdB being promised guaranteed minutes by Mourinho for the busy month of december in november last season which turned out to be a hoax. In the end, it's a good deal for both Chelsea and Lukaku. At least if Costa comes out guns blazing because the press will turn on him, Mourinho and Chelsea if Lukaku outscores him next season. A lot of people have said in this thread during the years they'd lose all hope of ever seeing a homegrown youngster break through to the top at Chelsea if Lukaku didn't succeed. There's genuinly a case to demand Chelsea re-evaluate their policy regarding youngsters. Yet the current policy has made the club a ton of profit. Funny thing is the wheel turns and now those people turn to Bamford to be disillusioned in 3 years and turning to another youngster.

You clearly haven't been reading what I've stated earlier. It was the club's intention to play a more attractive style of football. Hence they signed Hazard and Mata. Hazard even alluded to it when he signed his contract here, that he had spoken with Abramovich and he liked the way the club saw the future with the young attacking talent they were signed or just had signed. That was a major selling point of the club in trying to persuade him to opt for Chelsea instead of all the other suitors. After 1 year where Chelsea tried to employ this new philosophy it all has been thrown out of the door. Key players for that philosophy have been moved on and we're building again towards the same style. What style I prefer has nothing to do with it, and I don't understand why you even brought it up in the discussion. A lot of supporters keep mentioning how far off the title Chelsea were last season and the CL failure as reason to discard that new path the club chose for. Well, Liverpool were even further off and this season the were able to turn it around while being admired for their style. I find it a real shame we gave the Hazard-Mata relationship on the pitch only a single season. A season were the squad clearly lacked a Matic and an undisputed manager which influenced the performances. I tend to visit a lot of other football boards and last season rival fans were incredibly jealous of the trio Oscar-Hazard-Mata and looking at potential transfers to rival that trio in the future because it had them scared. This season you had to look very hard to find something positive about our play. ps: I actually completely forgot about that Arsenal game, I can't even recall one goal..

Actually, I saw a lot more of attractive football from Chelsea last year. Some of the combinations between Mata and Hazard were mesmerizing. The goal from Mata against Tottenham away with the sublime throughball from Hazard. Hazard's goal against West Ham at home were he and Mata had that brilliant combination. The trashing of Villa... I think there were a lot more of memorable moments of sublime style last season compared to this season. And actually, I loved watching Bayern under Heynckes, Barcelona under Guardiola, Roma under Garcia, and even Liverpool and City in the EPL at the moment. Football should still be entertaining. And there isn't a neutral fan in the world which liked the way Chelsea played this season. If you want to grow as a club, you should be a brand that attracts people and in that case, results aren't the only thing that are important. Sponsors, upcoming superstars and even fans want to be associated with a 'sexy' brand, not a dull one.

What nonsense? Two years ago Chelsea was planning on building a team that played in a dominating style that would attract neutrals after the bad press the club got for the style it employed. This was the story told to players like Mata and Hazard and why the club opted to go for such players. That plan is completely out the door now. Mata has been moved on and our most recent signings have been players who are more suited to counterattacking play.

Such a shame he was sold. Chelsea wanted to start a new era with attacking flair players and freshen up the negative image of horrid style amongst the neutral supporters throughout Europe, hopefully winning new admirers to elavate the club further. They've made some poor managerial appointments, were slow to address some obvious deficiencies in the squad (Striker(s), midfield) and suddenly that whole plan went out the door and Chelsea is back to rebuilding again.