Stats

Great win. The second half was a much better performance and we done really well on the counters and should have finished them. Hazard once again the best player on the pitch by miles. Definite POTY for sure. About time critics of Cahill on here give him the credit he deserves. Was excellent again today alongside the rest of our defence. Now please one thing for next week. Let's wipe Arsenal off the floor please! :blue scalf: :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

I am aware of that but when in possession he has been bullied of the ball quite easily.

It is a concern how easy it is for opposition players to knock Fabregas off the ball recently.

I think you should see who United have missing. Rooney is having to play CM because of their injuries. Fabregas must feel so frustrated in these big games. Same routine. Run and chase. He can't play his normal game when we keep playing this negative football and he wil not influence it as shown in many big games. We don't play to his strenghts. Preparing for the same against Arsenal next week

Such a shame we set up in this way when we are the bloody home team against a team who have Blind, Rojo, Jones and Evans out. That is why we have not won much of the big games this season. Yes, a point would be good but at least show that you want to win the game. I read the way this game would go from when I saw the line up tbh. Not surprised. Feels like Man City at home all over again. We can go up 1-0 fwiw but this is awful to watch against a team who should be fearing us. SMH!

Was about to mention that before you posted that. That is a fantastic compliment. Maybe went OTT to describe him as better than any current LB but it shows how much Wright was impressed by him. The youngest player on the pitch as well. I worry about his height in the long run but yeah fantastic talent. Despite his tender age, reads the game excellently in defence and attack and already has the experience of playing with the likes of Terry in our pre-season friendlies.

If Mourinho said he did not play Brown up front because he is more of a winger why did he not just bring Solanke then? He is an out and out striker who has scored 30+ goals for the reserves/youth team. I am not saying he had to bring on Brown but to say he did not bring him on because is more of a winger is quite odd. Solanke and Brown both played the full game on Monday, so he could have easily called up Solanke. Baffling reason.

Jesus Christ! This is exactly what annoys me. Oscar has been poor recently and has been justfiying criticism. One game (where he was not even brilliant. He was decent) does not change that fact. For how many good games he has had this season, compare the awful ones. The critics have not been OTT. It is obvious to see he has been poor. No need to deny it. That being said he done well for the goal. Fair play.

Yeah, fair enough. As I was saying, he was not awful. But the overreaction after the goal is a bit OTT. It as if a few here are having digs at those who have been giving justified criticism of Oscar. That is how it looks. When we played Southampton last season at St Marys and won 3-0 and Oscar came on for Mata just past the 50th minute that is what I call changing a game. Because that game he truly did. Compare that game and the one today and you can see the difference.

I don't understand though? It is not like we played well when he came on. We did not get any closer to scoring. Up until the goal we still had 0 shots on target. I am not criticising him anyway but the performance was bad today. But Oscar and Hazard halped change the game with that link up for Fabregas goal. As simple as that for me. Like Stroey said he came on pressed well and I remember he also did one wasteful pass then at the end he provided a nice pass for Hazard to set up Fabregas.

Give it a rest? Why don't you? He changed the game? Yes, with the link up play with Hazard at the end. I credited him for that but like I was saying that is it. He did not do anything major apart from that that shows he his picking up great form. That is how I honestly see it.

I think he done well. Made some very good interceptions and you can see he is aware of getting a 10th yellow card which is affecting his game. Considering that aspect he done well. Now he does not have to worry about the suspension I think you will see him do what he does best. Bossing the game, intercepting balls. I am just happy he game away from this game without a card. Like I was saying that has an impact on what he does in the game. He does not want to go in for a challenge that he may get booked for. Still a crucial player and best DM in Europe for me.

He played a crucial role in getting the goal. He did not have a great game. He done his job. Hazard and Oscar both played a crucial role in getting the winner. Credit to both. Anything more is just OTT. I don't think this should be used as a game to say he merits a start though.

Gave my MOTM to Cahill. Courtois was a beast and saved everything at him but Cahill, the player who is always criticised on here dealt with everything. Was excellent on the ball, in the air and gets my MOTM. Terry was a beast as well. Never let the abuse get to him and handled everything. That probably was our worse performance of the season and one of Hazard's only games where he was virtually non-existent for majority of the game but like great players do, they keep going. That is what Hazard done. Picked up on Green's error and after some nice line up play with Oscar, provided a crucial assist for Fabregas. Priceless. At this stage of the season and considering Costa and Remy were both injured, I was never expecting a tidy game of football. I think majority of us can accept right now the crucial thing is getting 3 points. That is what we done. Drogba done well up there but I pray to God, Remy is fit for next week. COYB! :blue scalf:

Musonda was one of the best players on the pitch imo. Solanke was poor first half. Second half he improved. 2 goals eh. Can't complain.

Really? I would say he is like Hazard. The Iniesta links is there because of the close ball control and dribbling but don't see the Xavi and Fabregas connections at all. But I find Musonda and Boga quite similar. Boga is nust a bit more stocky but in terms of dribbling, creativity ad pace, they strike me as very similar. That is just my opinion.

Such a quality player. He is destined to become a great player somewhere. Hopefuly us though. His close ball control, dribbling, acceleration and balance despite his size his excellent. You only have to look at his goal in the U21 game at OT last season to see he has fantastic balance. Although he has got no way near the first team, he still manages to be a key player for the NT U21 which is rare for players who don't have first team football. Been running rings around that Roma team. Him and Boga are just a joy to watch.

Don't understand the Eriksen inclusions. He has been good but not spectacular and has been inconsistent through spells this season. Certainly does not deserve to be in that team ahead of the likes of Fabregas, Cazorla, Coutinho and Matic imo.

Sturridge played poorly? More like we played him out of position and he performed excellently. We played him on the RW when he clearly was our best striker at the club and he done well. Yes, Suarez and Sturridge worked very well together however you are underrating Sturridge form in Suarez absence. When Suarez was suspended last season Sturridge scored 6 in 5 without him. He scored in Liverpool's first 5 games where they won 4 and drew 1. He clearly showed that he was capable of standing up which proves your point wrong. Like Costa, when he returned from his injury you could see clearly he needed games. Same applies for Sturridge. When fit, he is one of the best strikers around. The thing is when Sturridge was sold the majority of us knew he was going to score for fun at Liverpool because it not as if he did not impress at us. He done very well considering where we played him.

Bertrand in for Azpi I would say but apart from that I totally agree.

I agree with you and I am sure Mourinho takes this approach to. This is what he said in regard to Costa when he had 4 yellow cards to his name and we had WBA upcoming at home: "‘Diego has four yellow cards, but am I going to protect him from any game? No way, he plays,’ said the Portuguese. ‘When he gets the fifth he gets the fifth. The most important game is West Brom. After that the most important game is Sunderland". When Matic and Fabregas was on 4 yellow cards he never protected them and continued playing them, regardless of opposition. Like Mourinho said the most important game is our next opponent which is QPR. We put ourselves in a better position to win the league by beating the smaller teams anyway.

In our dreams. No one surely would be that stupid to spend that much on him.

The thing is I am sure Remy knew what he was signing up to when he signed here which is a good thing. I don't think he was very deceived into thinking he would get PL games over Costa. He is on nice wages and he is playing for a team who are challenging for major honours. That alone I think was enough to convince him to come here. That being said it is so refreshing to see that you are not too fearful of misfiring when your main striker is injured. Remy is a proven goalscorer. He may not be as good as Costa but I have no doubt that if Remy was the main striker for us he probably would be up there with the top scorers in the league. His goal tally this season for the minutes he has played is excellent. While I am annoyed to see Costa injured I am happy to see Remy get his deserved extended period in the team.

Are you serious? That is where he deserves to be based on his form this season. Mata does not have the same defensive work rate as Oscar but he is a better technincal player and in reality is just a better player. Oscar is only in the team because he can press better. With Mata you can see that he is genuine quality and can score, assist, cross and do the spectacular and I would describe him as a quality player. Oscar is not. He is inconsistent. We would be lucky to get an offer for Oscar anywhere near the same range we did for Mata. Right now I would sell Oscar for £20m and even that is pushing it. I know he has age on his side but I look at his general qualities and I just don't see where he will drastically improve in. With the likes of Lukaku and KDB who were 21 and 22 respectively when we sold them you recognised that they have qualities where you know will help them. Lukaku has the pace, power and finishing. KDB has the dribbling, crossing and general quality technical ability. Oscar does not have any of those traits where I think he will go on to be a star player.