Jase

They would probably do so but less than before as long as Costa, possibly Remy and even Drogba fire in the goals on a regular basis.

The more that happens, the more it highlights the point Steve Clarke made last week - Lukaku needs space to be at his best. http://www1.skysports.com/watch/tv-shows/goals-on-sunday/news/9438257/romelu-lukaku-striker-suits-everton-more-than-chelsea-says-steve-clarke

I don't think both Aguero and Dzeko will play all 3, certainly not starting together anyway. Pellegrini seems to be playing with just 1 ST upfront these days with Jovetic floating behind as the AM/2nd striker.

Fortunately for us, we have a proper striker who is single-minded and only had one thing in his mind then. Had it been another certain Spaniard, he would have chickened it out by passing to Mikel and/or squandered the chance himself.

True but then again, they have a big enough squad to rotate and rest players even if all 3 are important games for them.

Have we bought the brother of Ivanovic?

While I do think Costa needs to calm down a little bit and that these little squabbles are petty, it happens on the pitch like almost in every game like Craig Burley said. It's nothing but because it's Costa, the media (and even the opposition manager in this case) are too keen to paint him as the bad boy and trying to create an issue out of nothing. Danny Murphy said on MOTD last night that Costa was just bantering and giving Coleman a taste of his own medicine and that there was nothing wrong with it. It's rather pathetic that Martinez and Everton can dish out the ugly treatment but can't take it when others hand it to them. Even worse when referees fall for it, like in the case of Jon Moss yesterday. Cracked under pressure from the Everton fans and players.

Losing 1 v 1 situations 90% of the time? Not sure what you were watching. Then again, you always seem too eager to bash Azpi for whatever reason... There were even times during the first half we saw Costa in the left back position...

Defending narrow has always been a feature under Mourinho and I don't even think Azpilicueta has defended so narrow like you're trying to make it out to be, certainly not like Ivanovic who got so incredibly narrow for the Naismith goal for instance. To use this as some sort of excuse to say that it's alright for Hazard not to defend all the time is nonsense. It's a team sport and everyone should be doing their fair share of work, diligently and consistently. As I pointed out previously, Ribery and Robben showed how you can still be a devastating attacking player while doing your fair share of defensive work under Jupp Heynckes in Bayern's treble winning season. Even Gary Neville also praised them for such qualities and how that should be an example for wide players to follow. If even the best players can do that, then why not Hazard? Like I've been saying all this while, unless he can start producing the end results consistently in the offensive third, he would not be getting a free role in the team just yet. Moreover, why is it that this notion of "he's an attacking player, he shouldn't be defending" seems only to be used more often on Hazard than anyone else? There have been instances in the past when Schurrle, Willian or Salah failed to defend properly, the first reaction of most people was to blame them for not tracking back/defend properly. Nobody was really saying "he's an attacking player, defending doesn't come naturally to him" like they are now with Hazard.

GRAHAM POLL: Everton 3-6 Chelsea was the worst officiated game I have ever seen

You seriously can't expect a FB to defend alone like in 2 v 1 or even 3 v 1 situations and then complain that he doesn't do enough defensively in that position.

I don't disagree with that but him not going forward is almost clearly an instruction given by Mourinho. If he is given the license to go forward, I'm sure he would but judging by what has happened since last season, Azpi has clearly been told to stay back so that we always have enough numbers back and not totally disorganized when Ivanovic goes forward on the other side. Azpi is not playing on his natural side and seems like he's only allowed to go forward when the time is right. Otherwise, the license for a FB to go forward is with Ivanovic right now, not Azpi.

Mikel already has got more assists than Silva, Ozil, Mata and Di Maria combined this season. All hail King Assist Mikel.

3 games in and Fabregas has already got 4 league assists this season. Only Sigurdsson can match it right now. Lamela and Ramires joint second highest with 2.

Mourinho on Costa's performance.. http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2014/08/final-whistle-verdict--anything-is-possible.html

Mourinho was clearly unimpressed with our defending... http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2014/08/final-whistle-verdict--anything-is-possible.html

Funny how she mentioned 'Don't be a chicken to Ivanovic' but then only used a small bucket of ice water for the challenge.

Has Azpi been sacked from his translator job?? On a side note, Courtois looks like the Belgian version of Bamford.

Even Craig Burley is talking sense...

Unless of course if Wenger couldn't get his other target and has been forced to take Remy..?

This notion of not having to defend just because you're an attacking player is absolute nonsense. Nobody asks that attacking player to become a 'full-time' defender but doing their fair share of defensive work consistently (i.e. Robben, Ribery under Heynckes in Bayern's treble winning season). Unless Hazard starts to produce the results offensively on a regular basis (which he certainly can) like say Ronaldo, then don't expect the shackles to be taken off completely from him under Mourinho.

Some stats to throw in... - The last time Everton conceded 6 goals at home in the Premier League was back in 09/10 season - lost 6-1 to Arsenal. Fabregas scored 2 then. - It's the first time Chelsea have scored 6 at Everton. Previous best was 4. - Chelsea won 6-3 at Everton tonight - the most the club have scored in a PL away game since a 6-0 win at Roberto Martinez's Wigan in Aug 2010. - Four Premier League goals in three games for Diego Costa. It took Fernando Torres 39 games to score four PL goals for the Blues... - Cesc Fabregas has scored three and assisted three more goals in his last three Premier League visits to Goodison Park. - In the 6 league away games against the Top 7 last season (Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Everton and Man United), Chelsea only scored 4 goals. This term, after just 1 away game against a Top 7 team (or contender without jumping the gun), the Blues have scored 6.

Bullshit? I wasn't talking about the game against Everton but in general. We all know that defensively, Hazard can still be a suspect. I don't deny that he has improved but he definitely needs to be more consistent in doing the defensive work. People are denial if they think otherwise. But if you want to talk about the game today, he went AWOL at times especially during the first half. And even if he was there, he wasn't doing it diligently. Second half was better but I'm sure it's mainly because Mourinho had a word with it about his defensive duties.

Roberto Martínez unhappy at Diego Costa’s taunting of Séamus Coleman