Chelsea Legend 11

Great game from Ramires... It'll go unnoticed.

We also changed systems and abandoned our defensive shape to get the win. Not just about the players though they were brilliant

what a goal...

yikes

I guess we'll have to play the wait and see game. he's a good striker of the ball and gets into good areas, 26 isn't old its the prime of your career. He's got better teammates to play off of too. I don't think 10 goals is out of the realm of possibility

Who knows maybe this year we see it?

Agreed. The Messi comparisons need to stop until he takes the initiative to run at players at top speed. That's what Lionel does better than anyone in the game. When Hazard starts to do that successfully then we can say we have a ballon d'or candidate on our hands. He has all the tools its just mental now.

I think we'll be looking for the win more often than not this season. We played 4-3-3 in the 2nd half of the season when we had already dropped deeper... Jose will still employ that in the big matches but the addition of Cesc will make that less apparent.

Nothing is ever enough for Chelsea supporters, its like we need to play with 18 players on the pitch before everyone is happy.

He is obviously more of a playmaker than a finisher but I do agree he needs to take better advantage of the areas he often gets into. Also I think he slows down the play too much, he needs to attack at full speed more often than he does. So many times you'll see him get into space and be ponderous on the ball, he needs to be faster and not allow the defense to reset when we get out on the break.

The hatred for Ramires is so comical right now... Like he is the root of the problem in 4-3-3 in his first game back in action. LOL. I think you guys need to take a few chill pills and realize this is PRE-season and Ramires, Cesc and Matic don't have any understanding of how they are to function as a mid 3 yet. let me preface this by saying I prefer us to play 4-2-3-1 because I think it best utilizes the strength of this team which is our attacking mids, however when we need to defend and counter attack 4-3-3 is a very good system to employ. First off Ramires was OFTEN used on the right flank yesterday so it wasn't exactly a 4-3-3, looked more like a system that would allow Hazard and Willian take turns coming inside with either Filipe or Ramires providing the support when they did. I thought Ramires did a great job of recycling the possession and joining in on the few opportunities we had to get into space. I also thought he was useful in winning the ball back cleanly even though the ref blew foul a couple times. No matter what he does whether it be good or bad you guys are hell bent on casting him as a guy we don't need, I'm just thankful Jose Mourinho is the decision maker and not any of you guys, we'd look like Arsenal overnight if you guys had it your way; pretty passes, no tackling and absolutely no defensive shape whatsoever... Ramires had an awful 2nd half to last season, as did many Chelsea players yet none of you seem to recognize the good he brings to the team... Hilarity. What's even funnier is when you're once again proven wrong none of you will have the balls to admit it. Ramires is EXACTLY what I want in a squad player, a willing runner who can play multiple formations and positions who works hard whenever called upon. I'm still trying to figure out what most of you expect from him? Anyway I may be the only one out there who absolutely loves our squad this year, with the exception of Torres I think the board and Jose have assembled a fantastic mix of players and styles which will allow us to play well in whatever situation the game calls for. Most of you just want tiki taka and pretend you want steel, I want balance and with Ramires you get that.

Knowing the people on this site they'll probably keep slagging off Ramires even when he plays a decent game. Arrogance knows no bounds

Costa, Class. Matic is pretty much our best player in the preseason Oscar played well looks very comfortable playing with new teammates. Fab needs to come and find the ball more and he needs to continue to run from deep. Hazard looked off in his first appearance and better in the second. Cahill isn't my fave player, don't like the way he is always backing off of attackers. Luis, for me starts on the bench this year. Willian is def off the bench. Schurrle looks top quality Salah could be a nice change of pace sub Ramires still adds loads to this squad Courtois is my keeper at the beginning of the season

I really don't rate Gary Cahill that highly. Luis hasn't really impressed me at all this preseason either.

Diego Costa though... Oscar had a terrific half too. Hazard looked terrible...

Tough lineup to crack. Ashley Cole couldn't get in... I think Luis needs to win the job its not gonna be handed to him especially since our back four was so amazing.

Luis hasn't done anything to win the job away from Azpi. Our back 4 was rock solid last year and Luis needs to do a lot to supplant or displace anyone in that side.

Meh... I think you guys are getting carried away but that's me. He can do better and has shown better, he's 22 and is struggling for consistency big deal.

Not me. He's slightly better technically but doesn't seem to possess the engine or desire. He's good, not great.

hold on... for as 'poor' as Oscar was past February he was still our 2nd highest goal scorer and worked extremely hard in winning the ball back. You guys make it sound like his only contribution to the team is his work rate, he's done a lot for the team and when he isn't scoring goals or assisting he's still making a contribution to the team. When you can find a no.10 who can do that then you may have a leg to stand on. As is, Oscar is important to the team for more reasons than end product. He cost us 23M because he doesn't have world beater ability, he can do a lot for a team given his skill set and fee.

I realize that but no one was saying anything close to this at any point in 12-13 or the first half of last season when he singlehandedly carried the team. He had a bad spell and looked tired, I don't think that should be overlooked or understated Jose demands a lot from his players and Oscar probably wasn't in the best shape to cope. And yes his work rate for the team does make up the the lack of elite technical ability, when you can find another no.10 that works as hard as him to win the ball and initiate counters then we can talk.

He can do better and I expect the 22 yr old to improve as well! He's played well in patches, much like Hazard to be honest... He works extremely hard for the team and in the end that takes away from his quality going forward.

its 45min games so he get a full 90.

Haven't been able to watch a lot of the preseason games gonna take this in and see where the team is at. Need to stop experimenting with Torres on the wing and play with the team we expect to feature a lot for us. 1st half - 4-2-3-1 Courtois Azpi - Ivanovic - Terry - Luis Fab - Matic Schurrle - Oscar - Hazard Costa 2nd half - 4-3-3 Cech Ivanovic - Zouma - Cahill - Ake Van Ginkel - Mikel - Ramires Salah - Willian Drogba

Oscar? You guys watch football from one end of the pitch, Oscar works hard for the team and what he lacks in high end quality on the ball he more than makes up for in work rate and defensive acumen. Not everyone on the team has to be brilliant on the ball. Anyway back to Moses... He can learn a thing or two from Oscar.