Barbara

I'll tell you this. Even if I agreed he compromises our midfield as much as some others believe, I would still keep this man in every match of the season... I think we'll need some time to settle the midfield and defense with the new attacking system in place, I think 3-4 matches further we'll have a better idea of how we'll look for the rest of the season. If he needs more legs by his side, then we should switch to 4-3-3 (I think we should regardless of anything else, this team is perfect for a 4-3-3) with either Ramires or Oscar by his side. I think our second half formation is really ideal. Maybe Schurrle is having a little bit of world champion hangover or just struggling with his fitness after a busy summer. He and Willian are good options, but I'd insist with both Ramires and Oscar in addition to Cesc and Matic. Cesc is as important in this team imo as Costa is. I hope he doesn't have a second half of season sleeper (some say he normally doesn't produce much then, and so doesn't Oscar, so we really need both to prove everyone wrong). He's been instrumental to this change of style we've had. Even if he doesn't give the assist to a goal, more often than not he made a good pass starting the play. He's the kind of 'compromise' that is worth. The thing is I'm not even convinced he compromises at all. We just need to move to 4-3-3 for all and once and keep smiling.

more than ours? I doubt it

that formation from the second half is actually a great shot against City. We need to play 4-3-3 against them, especially if Touré plays. I think Schurrle offers a lot in the counter, but at the same time he didn't have a good match and Oscar did. COZAGAS lol... the sound is very similar to cocegas (tickling) in Portuguese. Given how much they've been making me laugh, I vote for this one.

by a fair margin... actually despite the own goal, Matic's and defense mistakes, I think Schurrle was our worst player in the first half. He was really bad, worse than the others who weren't that good - except Hazard and Costa (I do think Costa was good since the start). As for Oscar. It's nice that he reminded us of what he can do. It's actually great, but he needs to keep it up. Now is the time of the year that he normally plays well. It's hot, it's early days, he normally does well from August to December. We need him to keep this level. He showed he can do a flick, and he has some vision and some nice assisting pass on him all while tackling, pressing, shortening spaces for the opponent (he did all those things very well imo). He needs to find some consistency on his game. With no national team distraction and two seasons under his belt, I hope he finally takes that step towards his ceiling, consistently playing better. It's been a needed improvement, but he can do more and he definitely can do it more often.

First in his thread after the match I think he was amazing today - fixed the defensive issues from last match, took our midfield to a new level, gave us stability, played well in the attack, was very good passing, tackling, pressing. He was really one of our best players in the field (Hazard and Costa were out of this world and I think Cesc did very well too, but other than that, I think Ramires was the next in the MOTM pick). And it's interesting to see how he fitted in, he wasn't playing as deep as I expected he would when Mourinho brought him. It was a 4-3-3 imo with him and Cesc alternating the highest position, which was a welcoming and nice surprise. Not only he did well in the attack with his passing and pressing, but he also did well defensively tackling, pressing and filling spaces. I believe we had already turned the match around when he came in - Hazard did that - but still he made our midfield look much better. Everybody here knows I'm a defender of us playing 4-3-3 and today's match just proved it further for me, but while I've always thought Ramires would be an option, not a constant, I might have been wrong. It's too early to tell, but I do think he keeps it up and if he does, he's a nailed starter, regardless of the opposition, regardless if replacing Oscar or Schurrle. I just don't think he should replace Cesc. They should play together.

I think that's something we should really appreciate about this match. He was the one who stepped up when we were crappy. That's the attitude I want to see from him at all matches... even when he tries and things don't work as he wanted (everyone's entitled a bad day in the office). I've watched the match today wearing his shirt (had put Oscar's on, then switched before the match started), hoping he'd have a great presentation and he did. I'd rate this presentation even higher than the 8 I've asked I'd like to see in like 30 matches a season. He didn't score, he didn't assist, but he was instrumental in the win. He took matters in his hands and if he can keep it up, the goals and the assists will come - even if they don't come as often as other players. That's the Hazard we need, and let's hope we won't have to wait 6 matches to see it again.

I have a similar feeling, that's why I said Hazard was the 'enabler'. When we were lost and being ridiculously dominated by them (ridiculous by how easy they made it look, they were actually a very team and I think they'll continue to surprise others) Hazard took it in his hands to turn this around. And then he fired up the team and then Costa scored and never stopped. In a way I feel like if Hazard didn't have a good day in the office, we wouldn't have dominated them like that (maybe we could have won anyway, but he was instrumental in the way we turned the match 180 degrees). Then Diego Costa did his thing and some more. So I understand saying Hazard was more influential, although I don't necessarily agree. He was influential in a way and Diego in another. We don't even need to choose one between them

Where do I start? I won't comment on the goals we conceded, on our mistakes on them. I already did in the live thread - especially the first. I'll choose to focus ONLY in the positive. I have to vote for the hat tricker because I mean, how can you ignore 7 goals in 4 matches? Then I also have to vote for the best assister in the world, I mean, how can you ignore 6 assists in 4 matches? Then I also have to vote for Eden Hazard - who in my opinion fired the game still in the first half and enabled this victory even if his name won't appear in the stats sheet. I'll vote for Costa, but the other two are tied with him imo. Or maybe Hazard is and Cesc is a bit behind them. I also have to praise Ivanovic, has been a beast in the attack again. I still want to see Luís in the team replacing Azpili. While I think Azpili isn't making any mistakes, and has been solid, maybe that's the shake our defense needs to wake up. Ramires, my dear Ramires... Prove me wrong, baby, prove me wrong every single day and I'll concede defeat with a smile in my face. Regardless of the great assist (again) and before that I had already admitted he's been great, then you add the assist and his other contributions after that and there's no way this guy should be left out of our starting lineup now - regardless of the opponent. I hope he has his best season yet with us this year. I hope he carries on, I'll eat as many humble pies he wants to shove down my throat. I'll still have the silly smile I have on my face now. I may have forgotten some unsung hero, but I'm on high adrenaline and oxytocin now to think sort of properly

I can see our league goals scored record being broken this season.... By Diego Costa alone

He knows how we feel. Our head cheerleader

Happier than kids in Christmas morning. He knows exactly how we feel

Oscar with the assist, Remy with a debut goal. Well, everything is perfect, except Hazard's goal or assist. He deserves it

Iva put in a great cross in the first - for Costa I guess, just on his head. He's been amazing in the attack, AGAIN. Ramires has been shutting me up right and left, he's been amazing, he should start regardless of the opposition, he's been amazing. I hope he carries on. Hazard has been amazing too, brilliant even. Oscar had his moments and I think Cesc has been magical, but also ran and covered a lot. If we concede but play like this, I'm satisfied.

am I the only one literally laughing like an idiot now? I mean, this is Chelsea, bitches!!!!!!!! We're scoring and playing for fun. Boring team is what they said

who has the hat trick? seriously, is this really happening? I mean, how's that even possible?

but Ramires has been pretty high in the pitch too... Ramires brings stability in games like this, I agree and concede he should start. Schurrle and Oscar should be taking turns in the AM for matches against teams like this and Ramires should play there, but still Ramires is playing very high and I can't honestly say between him and Cesc who's playing higher. It seems like a diamond with both Cesc and Ramires near the attacks and Matic in the back, if you ask me.

guess who, bitches?

why didn't Oscar shoot? UGH!

Think Schurrle should be subbed, not Oscar... and maybe for Willian, but Rami would do

when Matic is back in the zone, eating opponents for breakfast, we'll look much more stable, but never like last season. He'll come there, I'm sure he will, he's one of our key players and I think we'll look much better defensively when he's finally on his best again. He's like a thermometer in the team, but regardless of when he regains his best form and enters beast mode, we won't be as solid defensively as last season because the system changed, there's no way to keep that defensive solidness and have more attacking football employing only 11 players. Some of them won't have as much defensive contribution because they're too busy contributing in the attack and there's so much running up and down they can do... I think Matic is also feeling this - we all know stamina has never been his forte, but hopefully he'll be able to keep up and find the balance.

exactly my feelings

so did I, but they won't listen under their pessimism and surprisingly Mourinho criticism... Also, I'd rather keep Cesc - the midfield liability for some in the team - if he continues to assist every match than anyone else. And that's after the guy being everywhere... but you know... I think Hazard was brilliant this first half, that the kind of performance I hope he keeps throughout most of the matches, assists and goals are consequence of that and will come now and then. He's been really good, doing his thing, enabling the team. He's been our best player in the first half