BlueLion.

We should break the bank and give him anything he wants monetarily, as far as I'm concerned.

Totally agreed. That's what separates him from Messi, IMO, is more of a team player.

Locked as we have the other thread open See the link in Royal Blues' post.

If it's a strain rather than a pull or a tear then happy days. Maybe up to a week out of training at most, though I can see him being rested for next weekend.

You can play "well" and statistically have nothing to show for that performance. Conversely, you can have a below-par game and end up with a well-taken goal and a genius assist. I'm quite happy seeing more of the latter. For his entire Chelsea career, Oscar's contribution has been for the team and rarely ever individual. By that, I mean he isn't an archetypal number ten. He is the least glamorous of our attacking players based on the role he does for the team, which is not to score or assist goals; his role is to be a combative little terrier in the middle of the park who effectively acts as a screen in front of our two pivot midfielders. He pops up with the odd goal and assist because he often plays a lot deeper than the number 10s mentioned above. The way he interchanges with Hazard, Willian and Fabregas is excellent and his versatility makes him a very useful player for us. José could "let him off the leash" and allow him to play his natural game, but for our present 4-2-3-1 system to work it requires more of a box-to-box player in the number ten role; something Mata simply couldn't fulfil. I think Oscar is a terrific player whose contribution to the team shouldn't be measured by assists and goals. If we were to let him have free rein, he'd pop up with 15 goals a season and 15 assists. But if we did that, defensively we'd be horrific. I'd agree, he might occupy the number ten position on the starting line-up whenever Sky do their thing pre-match, but the reality is he does have a free role behind the striker - but unusually it is more of a defensive role than an attacking one. Whichever way you choose to define it, he's a top midfielder and shouldn't be judged on the goals and assists he provides because ultimately Oscar's contribution to the team is the lung-bursting run he makes to get back and make a tackle after having supported attack after attack. His engine is incredible, but because we were spoiled by having some incredible attacking midfielders, not least Lampard, Ballack, Essien et al., anyone who plays as an advanced midfielder for Chelsea has to score 15+ goals a season, just like Frank did. The fact is he is now starting to show more individual impact upon the game in terms of goals and assists is positive, IMO. He shouldn't be judged on that output but nonetheless he is an attacking midfielder and will be expected to offer goals and assists.

He is a proper striker. At times he makes even Drogba look like horse shite (that is not meant as an offensive comment, Drogba is my second-favourite Chelsea player of all time and I have his name on more shirts than anyone else) - what I mean by that is his ability to finish, which is the bread and butter of a forward, is better than any other Chelsea striker I've ever seen. Power, surprising amount of poise, and equal parts precision. The man is a beast and will finish with at least 25 in the league alone this season, possibly pushing 30 in all competitions. It's still a concern (well, sort of) to me that he hasn't scored in Europe yet.

I didn't think Willian was that bad. Oscar was atrocious before the break; both Hazard and Fabregas were totally anonymous. Mourinho clearly ripped into them at half-time - he's my MOTM.

Courtois broke his thumb - why risk playing him when you have another of the world's top five goalkeepers in your squad?

19/19 please.

I wouldn't care if Pornhub sponsored us and put a picture of a dildo on our kit tbh. Okay bad example, but if they're paying more than Samsung then that's fine with me.

20. rip.

Let's pretend it's 10 so he can beat the record.

You're welcome! Thanks for reading!

To be top in the PL? 6 more to equal, 7 to beat it. I wouldn't be surprised if Cech makes more appearances than people expect between now and May. I'm desperate for him to make ten in the league (7 more required) just so he gets a winner's medal if we win the league.

#225

Match report: http://www.talkchelsea.net/_/match-reports/costa-strike-sends-blues-two-points-clear-r657 Please read and share your thoughts!

Chelsea bounced back to winning ways in the Premier League with a hard-fought win against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge. Right at the end of a frustrating first half where Newcastle created a number of fine opportunities, a modicum of genius from Willian saw the Blues capitalise on a well-worked and improvised short corner routine, as Oscar fired home from close range. And early in the second half Diego Costa made sure of the points when he capped off a flowing team move with a precise finish for his fifteenth Premier League goal of the season. It is tough on managerless Newcastle, who, for periods in the first half looked by far the better team, especially through the inventiveness of Remy Cabella who forced Petr Cech into a fine diving save to maintain parity. Cech, in for the injured Thibaut Courtois, deputised more than ably and was tested by a fiercely-hit free-kick by Yoann Gouffran but the Czech goalkeeper passed with flying colours. Courtois, typically the Blues' number one this season, broke his thumb in the Blues' five-goal thumping at White Hart Lane on New Year's Day, and considering the quality of Chelsea's second-choice goalkeeper, there was no real need for José Mourinho to risk further injury. After impressing - and scoring - in last weekend's defeat of Watford in the FA Cup, Kurt Zouma was handed a further opportunity to stake his claim for more first-team football, though the French defender was being given a tougher examination than many people might have expected prior to kick-off, Indeed, Newcastle continued to dominate for large periods, and moments after Moussa Sissoko saw a shot cannon off the joint between crossbar and post, things got even worse for a visibly frustrated Mourinho as Cesar Azpilicueta limped off after over-stretching his groin. Cabella - party tricks and all - was running the game from midfield as Newcastle continued to show the greater urgency of the two teams, but when Willian won a corner off of Fabricio Coloccini, the former Shakhtar Donetsk showed great ingenuity to take the set-piece quickly. He fed Branislav Ivanovic, who should be credited for being alive to the situation, and the Serbian showed great composure to roll the ball into Oscar's path. The Brazilian did not disappoint with his first-time finish. That goal was a middle finger to the Brazilian's critics, though, in an almost deliciously ironic fashion, that goal served to paper over the cracks of an incredibly disappointing individual performance, though few in Chelsea blue were faring much better. He was involved in a far better team display after the interval break and played a pivotal part in wonderfully setting up the chance that Costa buried to make it 2-0 fifteen minutes into the second half. Eden Hazard and Filipe Luis - an early replacement for the injured Azpilicueta - combined neatly on the edge of the penalty area, and the latter's flick into Oscar's path saw the Brazilian cleverly back-heel the ball into Costa's path. Taking the ball into his stride, Costa took two touches before dispatching it with gusto past the exposed Tim Krul, who may have preferred to have extended his ten-game enforced absence through injury given the brutal clinicalness demonstrated by the Blues so far. Cech, a spectator for much of the half, was then called into action when Newcastle substitute Sammy Ameobi's cross threatened to loop over him and into the back of the net in fashion not too dissimilar to Papiss Cissé's stunning volley in 2012, but the Blues' stopper was this time able to parry the ball over his crossbar. Costa then saw a shot excellently cleared by the covering Coloccini as Chelsea looked to extend their lead. Beating Krul with his low drive, the naturalised Spaniard could only watch as the Newcastle skipper stuck out a size twelve to divert the ball behind. Former Toon forward Loic Remy soon replaced Costa and went close after shooting across goal following an incisive Fabregas pass, but the damage had already been done and Newcastle - dejected and seemingly consigned to defeat the minute Costa's strike ruffled the net - had by then already had their spirits zapped by a totally professional Chelsea performance. It was gritty rather than pretty - but that's what would-be champions do. And the Blues' ambitions of lifting the Premier League title at the end of the season were helped by Steven Naismith's 78th-minute equaliser for Everton against Manchester City - a goal that puts the Blues two points ahead of the Citizens with a superior goal difference.

THANK YOU EVERTON!!

COME ON EVERTON YOU CUNTS

DIEGOOOO