TrippingStep

Otherwise JayC, yes Mata could have helped yesterday as against team that defends deep, Him and Hazard could scheme things more patiently but in the greater picture, fullbacks and better central midfielder than those of yesterday would helped a lot more.

When I saw the line-up, I expected an average performance but that we would still win. I think that if Jose would have to win this game as his life would depend on it, he would have chosen a different line-up to maximize the chances.

I think that attacking fullbacks and other players than Mikel Ramires as defensive midfielders would have helped. Since last year we have a really bad streak with Mikel in the team. It's four players (Azpi because he plays on the left) that do nothing against team that parked the bus. Even Schurrle instead of William acting more like a second striker, attacking the box would have helped. And it's not like we haven't struggled before, against Swansea that were very compact and defensive last year, even with Mata we struggled to score. Evra is shitty defender but against this kind of team, he helped you a lot and you have Van Persie as a striker.

What I don't understand is why he made so many changes from the match from Stoke. I thought he would have played nearly the same players. This match was asking players that could do something from deeper positions as it would surprise no one that West Ham would try to crowd Hazard and Oscar. Wonder if we would have beaten Liverpool if Ramires was not suspended and Ivanovic injured that led to Azpi playing to the right and being a big part in the Eto'o goal.

I disagree. They're a hoofing ball team, they play shit from the back like the first match against them showed. Their defenders are awful defenders that don't know what to do with the ball and slow.

Didn't see the match but i don't understand why Jose chose this line-up for this match. A back 4 and pivot much less able with the ball than the line-up against Stoke. I was surprised when Lampard didn't start as West Ham are not really a quick counter-attack team with quick passes on the ground.

I didn't say he was a shitty player. Just that he has more limitations than some players and not just physically. If he could play more with his right it would help him. Players who press him knows where he will turn, to his left foot.

He's a good player but he has not a cutting edge. The way he played yesterday reading many comment of Manchester United fans was how I expected him to play especially with Valencia and Young in the wing. I guess he will look extra good again if he plays with Januzaj that will eliminate players in midfield. He played deep yesterday, playing either very conservative passes or speculative long balls. He played good last year as second striker but it was Oscar Hazard that were going past players. Like I said earlier, it was Oscar, Ramires, Hazard and Torres that were doing the work of carrying the ball, going past players, movements around the box that were giving him extra time and space in the final third.

Wonder if he had pain when it happened or just if putting pressure. When it happened to me i had no pain when I felt. It was such a stupid thing, was playing basketball during lunch time at school, doing a reverse when I tried to stop to avoid a guy walking. It will all depend if he has broken bones as well as my cousin had as he had to have steel plate in his ankle while for me it was just a surgery and having a cast and walking cast for 6 weeks in total and after that kine. Looked to me Lukaku was not in great pain wich should be good news.

Why not as a squad player. As the main forward no but he could train with the first team, have some cup matches and after if not making it here, play in a midfield pl team.

I think he was too happy to let others shine before and also letting the boredom of play in certain matches affect him. Since he was at Lille, I felt that he needed coaches that let him know how important he can be and also be tough on him. Guys who know how and when to give him stick or carrott. He's more agressive now in his attacking play when he has opportunities, less waiting and playing with defenders to wait for an overlapping run when there's no need for and attack himself. He's more like when he was in younger category but with added capabilities he has learned over the years.

If he couldn't put any pressure on it, it's surely broken ligament. I had broken ligament in my ankle and I couldn't even have a toe touch slighlty the ground without having pain. I was fortunate it was clean break. Was funny seeing my ankle very swollen and my foot 45° of his axis Hopefully it's just the ligament and very clean breaking of them and no bones complication. Better the ankle than the knee, it takes less time to come back.

For his first touch, it will improve when he will have a bit more strength in his legs to be more in balance when opponents breath on his neck.

I wouldn't play Mikel, he's way too slow and static. Wait, I'm confused now, you're talking about west Ham or Man City. Against West Ham, Mikel can play but against City I wouldn't play him.

We would see crosses from him unlike Cole. Against Stoke, Cole made an overlapping run, was receiving the ball with no defender in front of him, three chelsea man in the box and still didn't make a low cross.

It doesn't surprise me. When he played under Di Matteo with Malouda, Anelka as "wingers" he wasn't impressing me. Was often playing sideways pass and was incapable of beating a man or at least drive with the ball wich draw defenders and create space. It was Oscar Hazard coming last year that made him look more impressive than he is.

Turning to his "weak" side the left. What I find funny is that on the last two matches, after scoring going inside, the opponents are now protecting their inside but are skinned outside

Thauvin has the same football iq than Ben Arfa

Luiz is Averell Dalton

Me I've always liked Oscar more than Mata. Don't get me wrong, Mata is a good player but like Cole at Lille, he was good at giving the ball back to his run but other players have to make the run, carry the ball for him. Last year Mata had an excellent year but look at the support Mata had when he was drifting to the right. All three of our most hard working players Ramires, Azpi, Oscar were there or drifting there. Mata couldn't have more support. Look at the left side, Cole Lampard or Mikel, the slowest and less running players. Against Shaktar, the only good periods we had was when Oscar and Hazard were working together on the left. No wonder that Jose Mourinho prefers these two to Mata. I wasn't found of Mourinho in the beginning of the season but not because of Mata treatment, more because we were playing very poorly, slow at the back at that time.

Besides his lack of pace, the other problem he has when he plays on the side is that he can't turn to the right his weaker side. And in central position, while Oscar will offer support on either side, Mata was often drifting to the right. Ramires, Mata, even Torres all drifting to the right, with Azpi and Oscar playing on the right, no wonder that our play last year was going way too much in the right side. I guess at Manchester United, Januzaj on the right wil have to create the space for Mata.

Well surely not the first matches but if not by the end of this season, the next season. Willian being the first back-up with his all-around quality for the three players behind the striker.

I think Salah can take William position on the right if he's good defensively as he's likely more dangerous in the final third.

He will be sold this summer. He will sulk too much if he's just a squad member. And his comment that he doesn't like playing target man at Everton the last matches is why in the national team of Belgium, he barely play average games and was only useful against Croatia that was leaving 40 meters behind their back. He's not a teamplayer, if he can't run behind defences in open play he's breaking attacking play by not making runs to open space for players behind, is often offside because he's staying up the pitch and not tracking back and he's awful defending, not even playing the cutting passing angle that takes less energy than pressing.

What surprised me was when he gave a back pass while he had space to do a lowcross and had three chelsea players in the box.