Barbara

Well knowing Mourinho has been talking to his father and that he's said that to him, I'm more hopeful about Hazard staying here longer. He doesn't seem to be motivated by ego or fame and that's basically what being at Madrid would give him over us. And a lot more exposition to his family - something that might be important to him to avoid. Going to RM gives a player more visibility than any other club in the world (maybe tied with Barça), but it comes with a price. Perez is unpredictable, there's no managerial stability, they can be hot and cold. It's not all daisies and rainbows. If his father is telling he's an amazing son, father and husband in the same breath he's saying Mourinho is the manager to make Hazard change enough to have more tenacity, ambition and mental aggression (something I've been begging him to have, so it's good to know his father thinks the same), but not too much, maybe senior Hazard will advise him to continue at Chelsea under Mourinho's tutelage. This interview has been very encouraging.

no, actually fact is he doesn't play enough matches to even have a contest/comparison, let alone be a winner. So the point is, Thiago barely plays, but for Nike he's still better than Cesc - even if he doesn't play because he's injured all the time. Of course it's a shame he's injured... for the 3049503496th time. That's exactly the point when the 'serious' conversation was going on. How can you compare a player that barely plays to a player that has been in an UCL final, is an European (twice) and a WC winner, won six (I guess) trophies at Barcelona actually playing in most matches? Thiago won trophies at Barça and Bayern barely playing a part because he's injured all time. He doesn't have continuity not because of inconsistency, but simply because he's always injured. The absurdity of that comparison was so big that even injured he's better than Fabregas (for Nike anyways), because that's how he spends most of the season anyways, because what Nike is defending is that a player that barely plays is better than a well established player that is one of the best midfielders in the world. It's not even a joke, it's sarcasm by Iseah.

yeah, but I don't see him dribbling, having a fancy finish or a mesmerizing goal all the time. He's technique is somewhere else. I think maybe we should start using the word flair instead of technique.

Great interview by Hazard to The Telegraph Who are the five players Chelsea's Eden Hazard thinks are better than himself?

From pages of Thiago to US being math dumb. Can we please, just go back to Cesc? It's been a while this thread has been about him...

Unless he has an injury like Kaka's that destroyed his career, he will. Neymar is very talented, even if very selfish. I just wish he didn't dive so much. He's a clear cheater...

come on, that's a brilliant save... absolutely brilliant. I still don't get it. You mean he isn't good in 1 vs 1 against goalies that go and close down his angle options? You talked about him having a problem with the angle, but each of those misses come from different angles. For Spain he's very centralized, although cutting inside a bit, in the Everton he's totally coming from the flank and as far as I remember against Sporting, it was a very centered attempt too. So which angle are you talking about? Regardless of not understand what you're labeling as a problem, I'll give my two cents. Costa isn't a technically gifted player. He's very smart and he has an incredible ability of making the most out of shots (his dribbling for that Willian goal two weeks ago isn't something I can see him pulling out successfully a lot). So everything that requires a more refined touch or technique, I think he'll lack. But he doesn't need a refined or fancy touch to score those goals. He could just hit it hard, in a good angle. In this last season's goals compilations he scored 1x1 with goalies coming out to get the ball and close down his angles in 10 occasions out of 36 goals scored (0:38; 0:58 - this one identical to Howard's save which just makes me believe further it was a great save, he really stretched out his already big leg; 1:12; 1:20, 1:36; 2:24; 2:42; 3:03; 3:24 - in this one instead of shooting, he chose to dribble the GK; 3:34). Notice that in some of these goals not only he had the goalie ahead of him, but also a defender. I don't think Diego has a problem with certain angles. He's predictable, every time he's cutting in and the goalie is closing him down as well as the angles, he's going for a wide shot. He also could have a larger repertoire, with curls, chips, high balls. But I don't think it's an angle problem. Also I remember watching this very same video before he signed for us and I remember my thoughts exactly: 'that's not that impressive' because I was looking at those goals and thinking that they weren't that hard to score, a bunch of sitters, with a few good goals mixed. The thing with a good striker is that he doesn't make impressive things often, he just keeps scoring. That's the impressive part. And in that sense, Diego is more than impressive - and I once again admit I was completely wrong about him.

lol, tell that to Iniesta and Xavi, they've missed the memo. I think a better physical condition can help a player get passed by others if they aren't a great dribbler. But then again, Thiago gets injured so often that I wouldn't say his physique is anything worth mention. He can run a lot, but then his body can't take it and he gets injured. Has been the story of his career...

I read that the pitch was awful, with a lot of sand and very dangerous for players to get injured. They probably held back a bit (all players)

which angle you're talking about then? (so I can understand)

How our Brazilians players were against Japan? I hate those breaks because they're boring, annoying, risky for players to get injured but also disrupts the evolution the players are in the season. It's been good for Luís though as he doesn't play much for us.

dude, your arguments are getting worse and worse. Just drop it already. Seeing your posts in every thread is hard to believe you understand the game or that you've been watching it for long. Many of the things you say don't make sense... Also, back to Cesc? I just read a post about Bayern in this thread. I don't need this shit spread here. I love a few of their players, but ugh Guardiola and ugh Bayern.

The Spanish media doesn't decide anything though, otherwise del Bosque wouldn't be there anymore. He was basically skinned alive by them during the WC as well as a few players... His goal against Arsenal is basically the same thing... I don't think he has a problem with the angle. His shots were saved then and this one was missed and he scored from the same position (sort of) against Arsenal. That's not a problem at all. Just a bad choice at the moment or lack of luck (Howard's save was outstanding and I think Rui Patricio also did a good job although in that position the player just has to score)

it wouldn't be this simple at all.... He wouldn't be dropped if he didn't score now, especially because after next month's international break we won't have another for months... A goal against Luxemburg is hardly what will make or break his career at Spain. Or the matches next month...

Honestly Isco has nothing to do with Cesc in terms of players they are. Completely different players and even position. Cesc is the same breed as Alonso... and I can't think of a young guy with the same. But tbh, normally those kind of players catch your eyes later...

had no idea Brazil was playing Argentina, let alone now. *moving on*

Luís himself admitted he was having trouble dealing with the EPL physicality a couple of weeks ago... I do believe Iva will hardly be dropped by Mou and he likes a lot Azpili, but the moment Luís is ready to deal with the league, I don't see why Mourinho won't drop Azpili. there's a reason Luís was a starter for UCL games from the go...

wow kid's been good indeed. He leads some of our offensive stats, despite struggling in the first 2-3 matches of the season... but he doesn't contribute enough it seems.... Fabregas has been fabulous though

The thing is playing as a #8 for us he's a DLP but he goes quite up in the pitch all the time. the only match I felt he wasn't playing near the striker when we had comfortable possession is City. Oscar - who's mostly our #10 - drops a lot. So even if Cesc plays as #10, he'll drop a lot to help and make transition from the deep because that's what the #10 does in our system. Willian also dropped a lot against City (supposing he was the #10... I see Hazard as the second highest player in the pitch that day). So if in the pivot he plays from the deep during transition and he plays closer to the opposition's box when we have possession, at the end of the day calling him #10 is only labeling a position for the sake of it. In our system the '#10' plays both deep and high. So does the #8 (which is theoretically his position). In reality the difference is small and last match I felt like Oscar played deeper than Cesc did... so I think we're labeling something that is pointless. He's the boss of our midfield (except defensively because then that's Matic). He plays higher and deeper all the time, alternating with whoever is the #10 in the team. Also we look a lot like a 4-3-3 a considerable time, with Hazard, Costa and whoever is in the right wing playing ahead of Matic, Cesc and whoever plays third midfield. All those matches Daniel mentioned in his initial post Cesc played as the pivot player. It was only a couple of them that José changed him to #10 at the end of the match when he brought Mikel. He's a sort of b2b player with a lot of license to move wherever he feels he should move. And that's what sets him apart everyone else. His space awareness and vision are amazing. Who were we talking the other day that doesn't have space awareness in the pitch? I forgot, but Cesc is the opposite of that.

someday without reading one single post here in a few days I'll come and post about one of the following Compare him exhaustively to at least one of the following: Messi, Ronaldo, Bale, Robben or Neymar His lack of goals Compare him exhaustively to at least one of the following: Messi, Ronaldo, Bale, Robben or Neymar His Balon D'Or chances Compare him exhaustively to at least one of the following: Messi, Ronaldo, Bale, Robben or Neymar Or the latest trend: compare him to his teammates and pick who's the best or most important Compare him exhaustively to at least one of the following: Messi, Ronaldo, Bale, Robben or Neymar I'm sure I'll stay on topic without even trying. This thread became more predicable than French media releasing a new PSG speculation on his transfer every few weeks. It feels like people can't just be happy for him playing here, or how he's constantly restating he wants to stay or his progress and even his achievements. I even like to discuss his future, his areas of improvement especially now that my concern about his attitude to be a winner has been proved to be unfounded. But there's rarely a positive (even if criticizing) discussion going on here. So we have a bipolar thread that either makes it impossible to criticize him for the few things that deserve a light criticism or he's downgraded, unappreciated and the loser of all comparisons. Weird place indeed.

imo he does. What he basically says is that as teams are setting up their attack from deep, it makes no sense to have a DM positioned in the middle ahead of the defense. He's suggesting instead that attacking players should still play in the attacking zone of the pitch, except instead of being attack-minded, they should play a defensive role, even as high in the pitch as in the attack because theoretically no team is still employed the classic, attack-minded #10 - who was the guy the DM was designed to mark deep in the pitch. It's an interesting view of the sport and I can see teams migrating to that kind of philosophy. Most teams seem to prefer to attack through the flanks or by countering because the middle had been so overcrowded. Which means the DLP are creating from deep - and should be stopped - and the wingers are taking control of the attack. I'm just confused by his inclusion of Messi as a winger, such as Robben, Ribery and Ronaldo. I don't see Messi as a winger, he's much more a forward imo, who plays most in the middle. I've watched ALL La Liga matches in the last two seasons he played there, most of their Copa del Rey and Champions League matches. It's not easy to find someone who's watched more RM while Mourinho was there than me... but thanks for the advice. And no, I don't want to talk about Ozil in RM. I think we've watched completely different players and among all RM fans I know (and I know tons of them), among all people following Ozil, you're the first one to mention in 5 years that he has a good work-rate. I swear you are. You did realize I'm not talking about Oscar anymore, right? Oscar is a top player, playing in a top club, in what used to be a top NT too (although 4th place in the WC isn't that bad). He's also a 23-yo, under development and who shone for Chelsea and Brazil NT on several occasions and who also faded to nothing in other numerous times. He needs consistency and he needs improvement and he isn't yet at the level Ozil once was. And he had an amazing performance Sunday praised by many pundits, fans and people. You just happen to disagree.

@Rom2013, sorry, but Ozil has a LOT of limitations as a player. He's slow, he's lazy, low stamina, poor work-rate, inability to defend, sometimes he disappears from the match and lately even his passing has been erratic (easily dispossessed, poor turnovers and even uncompleted passes). He's far from being a complete #10. I'm not saying he isn't good and I'm not saying he isn't better than Oscar, I'm just saying he's far from being a complete #10. Ozil is one of the guys with the lowest work rate in any possible position. He does very little to help the team defend and press, he's noticeably lazy... I don't know if he's lazy because he has low stamina, if he's lazy because he's slow or because he hates (or can't) defend and press, fact remains, he's lethargic, even attacking sometimes. There are matches where he completely disappears. Since moving to Arsenal his passing is on and off. He doesn't seem to bother sometimes, I don't know what happens. The heavy partying life he led in Madrid seemed to have made it even worse. He has a lot of potential, he's one of the most talented players of this generation, but sometimes he just doesn't seem interested enough. We can agree to disagree about him being a complete #10, but all those things I've mentioned (in the second line of this post) about him if not facts, are the most acceptable truth about him. Slowness, poor work-rate and maybe even the low stamina is something few would disagree.

imo Hazard is our best and most talented player. Not sure the most important though. I can't decide between Costa and Cesc who the most important is right now, and even though Eden was involved in many of our goals this season and he's single handled why we could score against Arsenal in that moment, I think maybe Cesc and Costa (individually or as a combo) would find a way around to give us the lead. There's no way Arsenal would be able to press like that the whole match, as they aren't used to it. Our second goal comes from a situation that could have still happened if the match was 0x0. The important thing, the most important thing, the really important thing though is that regardless who's better or more important, the three of them are the mainly responsible for our success so far. I don't think we need to pick. Some matches Costa was more important, others Fabregas, others Hazard. I agree with Mourinho though about Fabregas - there hasn't been one match yet where he wasn't incredible or at least very good in the attack for us. Hazard had a couple of quiet matches. Again, irrelevant imo. I prefer to look at what they keep doing good.

so what? He played even more defensively against Arsenal... if I compared this Barcelona match to that one he'd have even better defensive stats. As I said, I wasn't trying to prove Oscar is more creative than Ozil, just Ozil can't and doesn't do the defensive job Mourinho requires frm Oscar. And that other teams in England are also now requiring too because that's a whole new world there. The tougher the opposition, more defensive responsibilities Oscar will be given, something Ozil can't think about doing even in his (or yours) wildest dream. So you keep proving my point further and further and I really can't understand what you mean. Ozil does one thing better than Oscar, Oscar does another thing better than Ozil. Oscar is much more suitable for a #10 position in England than Ozil is. Go ask Arsenal fans how much they love Ozil... they've been badmouthing him this whole year. They were praising him the first half last season, but since the winter and now the early days of this season they can only complain. I still don't get your point. You may think Ozil is a better #10, that's your opinion and one I'm maybe even inclined to agree as I'm a huge Mesut fan. The point being made in the thread and that you disagreed is that Oscar is a different breed of #10 and one we need in the system. Then you brought the nonsense that Mesut can also do the defensive job while being better creatively. Sorry, mate, that makes no sense at all simply because it isn't true. Your vid doesn't prove anything. Two tackles under five minutes doesn't prove Mesut can do pressing and marking, just that he bothered for five minutes. Then he didn't as you can't find another tackle by him in the whole match... If you have a problem with how he played against Arsenal, then go talk to your countryman and ask him why he gave Oscar instructions to sit deeper so Fàbregas could launch our counter-attacks. Your problem here is with Mourinho then, not Oscar. If Oscar proved four days prior to that that he can create chances and the manager asked him to sit deeper, then at least blame the right person. You continue not making sense or I continue to fail to understand you.

well he's in an ascending curve... regardless of where he plays, one could only expect his current season to be even better than the last one as he improved considerably from 12/13 to 13/14. Then there's the fact he thrives in a physical style (which is why I think he'll never fit in completely for Spain, too much tiki taka BS for him flourish) so although AM is physical, La Liga isn't. So many of those physical duels would have be called fouls there and play would be stopped and as you said, here he has Fàbregas. Atletico didn't have someone nearly as good in terms of vision... it's a combination of facts...