Chelsea Legend 11

Oscar on Cesc - "We have been switching positions a lot and we hope to perfect that as the season goes on because it has been working very well for the team." Precisely why I've been saying Oscar and Fab have formed a nice partnership, they play off each other so well.

This fixture last year was the one I thought we lost the title on. After beating Arsenal 6-0 we came into this game at Selhurst Park and had little to no attacking nous. I thought Palace offered little as well other than a shitty pitch that played extremely slow, but they did seem capable of frustrating us. Firstly, we were without Ramires and Eto'o so we started with Frank and Torres... full lineup was 4-3-3 with Cech, Brana, Cahill, Terry, Azpi, Matic, Luiz, Lampard, Hazard, Schurrle, Torres First, Luiz was subbed off at half with an ankle injury and the game changed for the worse. Oscar came on and we changed from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1. We no long we in control of the match. Frank, I thought played decent but couldn't get the ball moving into dangerous areas quickly enough, he was later taken off for Salah in what I thought was a really bizarre sub since it was such a physical contest. Salah came on and provided some spark but had little understanding with the team so was utterly useless. We took off Schurrle and brought on Ba... Jose, I love you but this game lost us the title. Fernando Torres was slightly more effective than a lamp post and got a full 90... Not only should he not have started but he should've been subbed at the half for being largely ineffectual and mostly shit! We were clearly playing with 10 men all game, the one decent chance he had to score came in the dying minutes of the game when O'Keefe passed it backwards right to torres who had Ba and Oscar in fantastic positions to score and he shot it well over the bar... No surprise there. He had nothing all game and was being physically dominated all match, Ba would've provided way more and should've started. Hazard looked so tired! he too went 1 v1 with the keeper and had his shot well saved by Speroni. 9 times out of 10 you would expect him to score... that was the one time. Other that than he had no influence and looked disinterested. Brana, Azpi and Terry had probably their worse games collectively. Terry not only scored the OG but also missed a couple of glorious opportunities to equalize off set pieces. He was very unsure defensively as was Brana who also looked completely knackered and had to chase Puncheon all game. What I'm trying to say, in a rather long winded fashion is, we can't ever be as poor as we were last year at Selhurst Park. If we show up playing anything close to the football we've been playing this year we should win. We had 21 shots but only two were on goal.... I can't imagine that being the case again this year with Costa. We should win comfortably 3/4-0 we have much more than they do and are very good on the road this year.

Can someone buy him a birthday cake! Last thing we want is a Yaya situation!

I hear you but I wouldn't say it was a tactical oversight, its not like Eden was always in the ascendency with just he and chambers. He had a few instances on the flank but it not like we took full advantage of Chambers on a yellow and Hazard isolated on him. I actually thought Arsenal were pretty decent defensively yesterday, nowhere near as cavalier. They showed us respect.

Not really. While it is true Ozil tucked inside chambers always had help in the form of Flamini or Cazorla.

I fucking always hated sanchez and this just make me hate him more... such a prick

Anyone see this? https://vine.co/v/OKHhUuYtqaF

Its not even just his vision that's world class its his vision coupled with his ability to make the pass that is second to none. He sees the pass and delivers it with deadly accuracy, not many combine both.

HAHAHAHAHA Do yourselves a favour and read this article! https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/early-doors/makes-you-think--ban-these-arsenal-thugs-121114251.html

nothing I saw would suggest they were 77 and 81% from what I saw, they were both brilliant

huh? try again. hazard 90% fabregas 88%

You're probably right. I feel when he doesn't have to work so hard tracking runners he is better... Nevertheless his work rate is about as poor as I've ever seen. Looks so disinterested like he lost his wife in a car accident the night before.

In defense of Ozil(not that you can excuse his disinterest) when played in his proper position, 10, he is pretty good. He can't influence the game from the flank... Wenger just looks completely inept as a manager right now, everyone and their mother knows Ozil is useless on the flank. I am dumbfounded that Cazorla came off for Chamberlain! Ozil had zero impact on the game whereas Cazorla looked the most threatening.

Schurrle wasn't very good.

I wonder when people are gonna stop and realize that the reason Azpi doesn't overlap is because Jose WANTS coverage for Hazard on that flank. Its by design and not because Azpi is poor. When Hazard attracts two defenders it leaves space for others to exploit, we just have to start moving the ball quicker is all. Hazard was in the mood today, explosive and very influential! Whenever he was in the middle of the pitch he looked a threat and that's exactly what we need from him.

he's either the match winner or the match killer... PRECISELY what you want from your striker! GOAL. FUCKING. PIG.

That's what I meant Yarim! Your best bet is to keep an eye on this space http://www.dailymotion.com/unCFCTV

That was you Yasim?

Oscar did foul an awful lot. I would give man of the match to either Brana for bossing that flank or Hazard for being absolutely next class. Probably Cesc in with a shout too.

Fantastic result. Our best players were just too much for them. We are clearly looking the part in this season a balanced team with ruthless efficiency up front. Arsenal took 90 mins to get a shot on target, that says something to me. Hazard is/was Hazard again probably could've had 2. Fab... Not only the pass but his overall work in the midfield winning balls and breaking up some threatening moves. Really worried about Courtois don't like head injuries at all... Oscar had amazing industry all game. Willian for Schurrle all day for me.

I do expect them to react after being humiliated like they were last year. Its like being in a fight, the person who is most angry usually wins... We are laughing at them right now, they may come in with that sucker punch. I truly believe the first 15min will be the most crucial portion of the match, if they come out guns blazing and we weather that we'll win going away. The longer the match goes on without a decisive moment benefits us! I'm confident but I know that they carry a threat.

Having said that if Eden Hazard is once again Eden Hazard we should have the pieces to get the win... Matic is going to have to put in a MotM performance I feel

Its almost too perfect. The way I'm seeing it, after we smacked them 6-0 we're going to have to expect a reaction or better yet may wait for a reaction before we wake up. In my head I can see another 6-0 but in my heart I'm getting a warning. Football isn't played on paper, emotionally I feel like Arsenal have the edge, they have more to prove to themselves and their fans. Not to mention I'm not sure Fab will be 100% motivated... He better be!

Its always gonna be about us, we take care of business the other results don't matter.