Barbara

Just because he's been rested a couple of matches it doesn't mean he doesn't need more than that. He's been playing crazy amount of matches for 20 months in a row competing in June/July both last year and the one before. Also Mourinho himself acknowledged that he isn't on his best physically (before the match) and reinforced that in one of his post match interviews (I guess the one in the official site - the final whistle thing). Those things are cumulative and having rested a couple of matches - both of which he took part anyway coming as a sub - doesn't mean he's had as much rest as he needs. He was horrendous today, can't think of another word and if the manager says it's because his body can't take anymore - which seems an obvious statement, I'll trust him and my own spin of the situation (have been saying he needs a rest way before Mourinho said this week he's struggling physically and his body reached its limit)

Iva against WBA was a Luiz flick. But good one about Cahill. Who assisted that chance? The point remains, it's already round 26 (in addition to the Cups) and we have to go search our memory to find a worth mentioning corner... We should be doing better. I don't think we're doing bad in free-kicks, but corners we've been wasting our good headers with half-arsed corners easily deflected by opposition. We need someone to step up, doesn't matter who. As for Mata, he wasn't that great this season - but poor thing is having an off season all-around, he was awesome in the last two.

Well without the heat of the moment and the frustration that comes from knowing we could (and should) be doing better, that first half wasn't as bad as some of you made it out to be (I'm not saying your assessment is wrong, just that those things I've mentioned can affect a lot how we perceive a match and make it worse than it really was, as you 'lived' the moment with a lot of emotions). As I'm watching a replay, knowing the score beforehand, I'm watching it coldly and coolly and I think we were actually good for the first 12 minutes or so. I've seen a few of you praising our defense, but all chances Everton created in the 1st half was because our defense wasn't that well positioned (except Azpili who I haven't found one fault in the first 45). I'm not taking a jab on them at all because Terry, Iva and especially Cahill were very good in many other situations, but we weren't flawlessly defending (imo) as implied. I won't be able to watch the second half til tomorrow, but I guess that first half wasn't half bad when watching it half a day later (how many times did I write the word half in the last sentence? lol). Hazard was good and Willian wasn't as bad as I've read either. Oscar was beyond poor, but I don't think Lampard was very far from him either. He didn't have a good match at all (Lamps). Oscar should be benched, end of it. It's better to have him fresh for march and april rather than burn him out even further.

At the 24:00 mark he's made that face he's famous for - the one that says 'don't mess up with me otherwise I'll fuck (in all possible meanings of the word) you and your family' and said to someone (seemingly the referee given the position one sec before he says it, from a different camera angle) 'fuck off, man'. We need that in a gif!!!!!!

Hazard did take a few - as far as I remember - and nothing impressive. But he doesn't take them often for it to be fair to assess him on that. The same applies to Oscar. But Willian and Lampard often take it and we should have better takers, especially as our attack is far from effective. For a team that isn't clinical in the finishing, set pieces should be a huge thing to make up for that. We're doing okay in the free-kick department imo. Scoring some goals, having some very dangerous chances created from it. But corners are a huge disappointment I mean straight from corner. Willian isn't good at all taking them. Lamps hasn't been creating much from it and when Mata was still here it wasn't anything worth mentioning (this season). I think our players should train it more often, especially as I said we have good headers that have been wasted lately.

random question and observation: when was the last time we scored a goal from a corner? Or at least when our corners were dangerous to opposition? I've seen a couple of them early in the match and let's be honest. Oscar, Mata, Willian, Lampard all had taken plenty of corners for us this season and not one of them stands out. For some teams corners are such a dangerous weapon and we have such great headers (Terry, Iva, Cahill), it's really disappointing that our corners more often than not - like 90% lately - come to nothing, not due to the opposition defense or even us wasting assists, but simply to the ball never being well placed in the box by whoever takes the corner...

according to the link I posted he's created 5 chances. You know how much I hate how misleading that specific stat is, but five is a high number for it to be considered only passes before a stupid shot on goal (which means I believe he's created at least half those for real). I'm about to watch the match, but I don't think Hazard has been poor lately. He's just a bit burnt out - as many players in our squad - and he isn't as brilliant as he was a couple of weeks ago. Nothing poor as far as I can say... edit: here's a link for those who may want to rewatch or watch http://livefootballvideo.com/fullmatch/england/premier-league/chelsea-vs-everton-2

you missed the memo, but I'll resend it to you now I was about to answer to both of you. Yeah, his answer doesn't make any sense regarding to what you said. That said it seems to me at least looking the stats that Hazard wasn't that poor http://www.squawka.com/news/2014/02/22/chelsea-1-0-everton-key-stats-and-player-ratings/2014022273566 (can't post the pic straight here, grrrr) but you're right. Previous form shouldn't be talked about when one is criticizing a player's performance in a specific match. Oscar was amazing for us at the start of the season and I read it was a consensus he was pretty poor today (even if due to an injury). So previous form doesn't give a free pass to a player when he has a bad match. A poor performance is a poor performance regardless of previous or current streak of form. Of course you don't dismiss a player within one a poor performance - which isn't what you implied, but you can say even Messi or Ronaldo, let alone Hazard had a poor match if that's the case. As I didn't watch the match I can't agree or disagree with your assessment or The Skipper's... but I get what you're saying and double standards are a very common occurrence among fans.

don't worry about it. He's nowhere near to losing his spot at Brazil's starting eleven. The boy is burnt out, given the insane amount of matches he's played in the last 20 months, it's understandable, especially when you look at him and can't see a very strong guy. I think he should be benched a few times... we'll need him at his best at the end of the season, especially around April. We have depth, we can play Luiz alongside Matic and have either Lamps or Ramires (kill me) in the AM, but I think we should be resting Oscar now... I'm sure he'd understand if Mourinho did that.

idk, but the guy is more often than not a pain in the arse!

for fuck sake, are you really nit picking even on this? Dude, let me break some news to you... you don't get to say what people should write or not. That's the lesson you keep missing about being part of a forum.

so how was the match? Only sober comments though (and I'm not excluding alcohol drunk, only pessimistic and negative drunk) I had a party at the school today and missed it Worth watching a replay on internet?

died when he was 2 or 3.

"So we have to take care of him" Aww... Mourinho always speaks so affectionately about Oscar - more than about anyone else - that it tears me up a bit. I think he sees the kid quite like a son - especially because he must know what happened to Oscar's father. Anyway, I do hope we get to see the best of Oscar again. We need our best players to step up again, and Oscar is one of them.

this thread. I don't mind (much) discussing Mourinho's attire, but seriously, did it come to a point he's compared to Pep even in the wardrobe department? It comes to no surprise the media is the way it is. People actually go around doing it, so they might as well write the garbage they always do because public to read it they have. What's the point of comparing their clothes? Seriously!!!!! Who gives a shit if Guardiola dresses better than Mourinho or not? And why Mourinho doesn't have an excuse to dress whatever way he wants? Yeah, I get that some people are interested to discuss it (I'd understand better if it were just some loose comments about his wardrobe, no comparison, no lack of excuses argument), it doesn't change the fact that's one of the worst discussions I've seen in this forum. But the comparison to Guardiola is ridiculous! The only good thing I've got from this convo is that José - like me - has a Yorkshire Terrier and that's because I'm completely in love with the breed, so one more thing to love Mou for me

This guy right there is my biggest idol in the sport currently (players in activity). there's no one bigger or that I like more than Javier Zanetti - I ignore or even forget he's an Argentinean. But he belongs to Inter and Inter belongs to him. He should (and probably will) stay there. This is just one of those wild rumors that make no sense and still some editor approves and it get published. The word legend is small to Il Capitano.

I already agreed to samba if we win the league. Fully clothed though Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

A professional cunt who also plays football? That's the only description that comes to mind. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

Aww such nice words!!! Thanks a lot Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

Well I had a couple of bad experiences, but the lads here are top class, they treat as if I was a lad myself, not a lass, so I think I'm cool. I don't think everyone here even see me as a girl anymore. I've been collectively friendzoned or I friendzone the whole forum, don't know what happened first, but as I take part of the football discussions, I think you guys treat me just fine Which I appreciate btw. Even in a thread like this, I don't feel disrespected or offended, even with the jokes.

why not? Girls just want to have fun And man, I feel like a woman

exactly where we stand now :ph34r2:

Favorite tea: chocolate and mint delicious other than that camomile, mint, and some brazilian herbs. But I do with the herbs (except the chocolate mint), not from the bags.

I'm up for the president job, but not for the admin I don't like to work that much