Barbara

How I love Eden Hazard

I'm normally against Luiz on the pivot, but given Rami is missing this, that was the only thing I was hoping Mourinho to do. It came to a point I absolutely trust his lineups, even when I disagree, but Luiz replacing Ramires was the one thing I really hoped he'd do and he did. With all mistakes he's done this season (which weren't many imo), I still trust this manager to get the best lineup every single match. Huge disappointment on Cissohko being benched. He was such a transition liability against City. But in Sakho we trust.

You mates are all very strong and tough... some said they got a tear, others a smile. I was crying copiously through most of it. I'm such a cry baby Touching vid though. Wasn't Willian in the game and he wanted him to sign the shirt too? Is that so? JT forever and ever. They may say he's a dick or whatever, well in that case he's my dick then - although I don't think he's one. He's a fine guy and proved it many times. He's just overly active

I think the plan was for him to be released from heavy defensive duties, but we've been so shaky defensively that Mourinho probably can't afford to give Eden as much freedom as they both wished. The whole team needs to mature now, not only Hazard. The only players solid throughout the season imo are Terry and Ramires (and we all know Rami has his limitations). Everyone else either has to find form or mature thier game some. Once this starts working as an oiled machine I'm positive Eden will have more freedom to roam. Mourinho didn't hide for one minute Hazard is his star whereas Oscar is his hard-worker. One is supposed to have more freedom and the other to hold the team together. But fot all of them finally start to work well together they'll have to start producing individually their best or close to that. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

I'd repeat Mazacar or at least have Oscar to play and press Liverpool's transition, especially sissoko and sakho - both of which big liabilities in Liverpool's defensive system. I guess that's something we can take big advantage of. I'd make an exception and play Luiz in the pivot as Ramires is set to miss the match. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

That was a very good first half and a few unlucky chances in addition to Etoo wasting some incredible clear chances a striker just has to net. I think tha 1st half was actually good football by us. Mazacar had a very good 45 minutes imo. They were fluid and link up well. Finally Oscar had a good match after the injury, he was immense defensively and I came undone with some of his tackles. Mata also had a couple of orgasmic passes and Hazard was very good again. Two things I think make a difference in our system: Luiz's long balls in the attack and Oscar's defensive contributions that gives us balance. Now January can't be here soon enough. If we don't sign a striker I honestly think we don't have a chance to win the league, but with a half good striker I guess we actually stand a chance. I'll pretend Ramires won't miss the Liverpool match... Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

don't trust a manager (unless it's Wenger and Moyes) saying they won't sign someone else

Well, I based on the kind of complaints I've seen about this match I stated such. It weren't complaints about foundations, but about how we should have gone to the win in the last 20 minutes the same way we've gone the first 70. It has nothing to do with foundation. Which is why I said I take the defensive posture in the end, I accept the subs because we don't need two of our best players currently to be burn out with minutes when we have three important matches coming in less than 10 days, the first of which only 2 days later. The complaints I addressed were people - including you - complaining about the result and the posture in this match I didn't refute anyone talking about the team's evolution. This team has been oscillating way too much, so I'm happy we played a good match and also grabbed one point that I think isn't too little. It is an amazing result imo given how shaky we've been lately. If we were nearly the end product, I'd agree totally with you. But given how bad we finished matches lately, I'm behind Mourinho's decisions and the point achieved. But ofc we can agree to disagree, as I said to Strike in Mourinho's thread. It's exactly because we aren't the end product I'm happy with a good presentation and one point away from a title contender. In other circumstances I'd be inclined to agree with you, but right now? I'm taking what I can. It's been four months of official competition, I'm not sure how to measure the evolution. Benitez took about the same to have Chelsea playing well last season, but then again, he wasn't building a style, a system, anything. He was just trying to accomplish the results. In some matches worked, but we also looked clueless in many of them (from March one), so I guess it's realistic to ask a little bit more from Mourinho, but he's trying something permanent, not a quick fix like Benitez (which was what he was hired for). (ps. I tried to answer in the proper thread, but it was locked while I was writing, so I transferred it here)

This team misses Oscar playing well - defensively even more so than offensively. He brings such a balance to the team, although we shouldn't have to rely on his tackles this much. But it seems whenever he plays well, the team is more balanced... And I have no complaints about Mazacar today, it's working very well. The three of them are individually playing very well and linking up greatly. If only the striker wasn't Eto'o (not sure who to replace him and actually make a difference)...

is this presentation some sort of belated Christmas gift?

things I've missed dearly: Luiz's passes in the final third and Oscar having a good match

We can agree to disagree. I can't see how people are so sure we'd score in the last 20 minutes if when our players were fresh they couldn't. Of course they could have scored, a lucky goal, a individual talent goal, a collective effort goal, whatever goal you want it to be. It's just that given our recent history chances are that wouldn't happen. we've been conceding goals towards the end of the matches lately, not scoring them and while that doesn't mean we'd concede, it's still what's been happening. I'm not saying there's no way we would have scored, but I'm inclined to think otherwise given our recent form. So as I just said in the match's thread, I'll support Mourinho in his coward decision and will take the one point happily. We were better than Arsenal, we've never dominated them though for people to be so adamant we should have kept a tired Hazard and not only risk conceding because he and especially Willian were very tired, but also risk burning them out when we'll need them in form the next 10 days to play 3 very important and difficult matches. I'm 100% behind Mourinho in this one and I'd bitching til tomorrow if he kept Eden, but especially Willian, regardless of the final result. I'm looking at the big picture here and I guess he is too.

The more I read the more I'm convinced even people who say they don't have much expectations about this team they do. Some say they don't expect results, titles and the end product right now, but they want us to win everything. They simply want us to win against the best 6 sides away and home as if it were that easy... Given how unbalanced and how many deficiencies we do have in some areas I'm happily satisfied with our position at the table and overall results. There's a lot of improvement to be done in the team's football and Mourinho has made a few assessment mistakes imo and I hope he finally acknowledges we need better strikers and more quality in the midfield, but it still surprises me how impatient people really are despite everything. I can't for the life of me complain about a point away at arsenal bc that one point can make a difference in such a close league... why risk losing one point given our recent record of messing up in the end lately? How many in the top 6 beat arsenal at Emirates? How many even beat any top 6 teams away? It's all ifs bc no one knows what would have happened if he kept hazard for example. Why are people so sure we would have scored in 20 minutes when we didn't in 70? How are they keeping it realistic if they don't properly give the team time and have no patience? We aren't the end product yet, so there's no reason for Mourinho to take risks with a team that proved if anything it isn't reliable yet. I'll take that one point and Mourinho's supposedly coward approach, if that's how they call it. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

Who could have filled Hazard's shoes in the second better than André? I may agree that Mata instead of Oscar (despite the fact that it would compromise the defensive aspect as Willian's work-rate was immense and all of us know Mata doesn't come even close), but the only player we had to lead our counter-attacks with dribbles and pace (that was what Hazard was doing so well) was Schürrle. André didn't have a good match imo, he was disconnected from the play. Oscar is still in terrible form and added nothing to our attack. I think Mourinho simply didn't predict how bad (or at least how non-factor) the subs were. Watch Hazard's last minutes before the sub. He wasn't going for the plays anymore, he was tired. The match he was supposed the rest, he played about 40 minutes (against Sunderland). I honestly can't find anything to complain from Mourinho's part, although I was very unsatisfied with both André's and especially Oscar's performances. Oscar seems burnt out, not sure if as a consequence of the injury or because the matches finally piled up. He wasn't playing that well even before the injury. Both Willian and Hazard were immense helping Iva and Azpili and also the pivot. Somehow André and Oscar couldn't keep even that. They were nothing special (far from it) offensively, but defensively they weren't much better. Oscar is sort of expected, he's been playing terribly lately, but André was playing well in his last matches. So I get why Mourinho did it, but I can't blame him when his players didn't turn up. I'm sure he didn't ask them to be sloppy, unfocused and disconnected from play... And I think it's very naive of you to think that Arsenal would continue to be passive as the end of the game approached. Any team at home will take a last sprint at the end of match to try to win it. They started to grow before the subs, after them they had their best chances as expected. I'm not sure Azpili's clearance would have been a goal. I've seen that play at least 10 times and I'm still not convinced, although absolutely thankful he was there to make sure it didn't go in.

The guy wanted to play Champions League... what's wrong with that? How people can get the idea he's a mercenary just because among the many options he had, he stuck with one would give him UCL football as a mercenary? Those guys have dreams, they aren't on this only for the money... so the fact he wanted to play UCL football and it weighted on his decision proves the opposite imo. If he wanted only money he'd go wherever paid him more and end of story. Instead he wanted to go to a team that gave him the chance to play one of the biggest competitions in the world. Hardly a mercenary decision imo... As for him wanting to go to RM... well I think any player would like to play in Bayern, Barcelona and RM nowadays simply because those clubs have better chances at winning the biggest titles at stake. RM is now struggling to settle with Carlo's tactics, but in a season from now if Perez doesn't fire him (or he decides to quit), they'll be back on track. Then it's down to the player's personal preference and I don't know Hazard well enough to say how much playing in a superior team (squad wise) in a less competitive league (competing with 'only Barça' and every 3 years some wonder team like Valencia two years ago and now Atletico). Mourinho is praising him constantly and seems adamant to give him plenty of chances... I wonder if part of it isn't a strategy to gain his trust and club loyalty (or manager loyalty) in addition to trying to give him confidence, ofc.

@Peace., I've missed you dearly. I was really happy when I saw your username by mine's in the online users. You're so much class, don't deprive us from your amazing posts. Now I'll actually read what you've said

and that's the borderline behavior I don't get. It seems like Chelsea never win with some people. So many people saying we were going to be hammered, then we aren't and it's bad too. So damned if we do it, damned we don't? Or maybe their problem isn't Chelsea, is Mourinho.Whatever it is I don't get it. Based on pre-match posts you'd think people would be very happy 1) we draw away against the league's leader (who've been there for a long while btw) 2) we outplayed them for most of the match. You don't outplay only when you create more chances (which we did), but also when you don't allow them to create anything (which we also did) 3) our players were mentally tired by the mark 70 (give or take a few minutes), Mourinho made changes that would ensure the players efforts to win wouldn't end with a defeat because they were tired. Isn't all that progress from the spanking they predicted we would face? Not only the spanking never happened, but we were the best side, still there are only complaints. Someone (don't remember who) said or implied the half time conversation changed the players' mentality... I disagree. We started 2nd half with the same mind we've finished the first. We even created some very good counter-attacks - only we didn't create a chance as clear as the one Lamps missed and Willian messed up in the first. We carried on the philosophy we finished. It was only when Mourinho noticed the team's gas dying out quickly after the 60 mark. Once you don't have anything else to give (and some players didn't) you just deal with it. Willian and Hazard when taken out weren't on the same pace as they were in the first half and starting the second. It's just that simple imo. But even if we complain about the last few minutes... I don't get how we go from definitely being raped by them, to outplaying them and the tone is still moaning and complaining. I'd get it if Arsenal fans had such reaction as they were also sure they'd slam us.

He was my motm. I was a bit nervous when the lineup came up, but he made a flawless match, absolutely flawless. He's back to a very good level and I just wish he had a bit better pass. Sometimes he roofs the ball without trying to pick a pass instead, and while I think some moments ask for that, many aren't that dangerous, but he seems terrified of going for the pass. It doesn't compromise, it's a flaw, but it doesn't compromise. Played a very secure match, handled their players very well and I think Luiz better up his game if he wants to go back to the team. If Cahill can carry on playing like this he deserves to start.

let's bring Benitez back. We played great football at the end of the season with awesome 2x1 plays.

absolutely. Cech didn't have ONE save in the match, we finally fixed our defense, we were very unlucky not to have scored in the first and people are complaining. Our players were tired by the 60 mark on, Arsenal was growing in the match, so Mourinho set for a draw when we once again couldn't get the ball in (today more lack of luck than quality imo). Willian had a bad of couple decisions, but there are a lot of positives! Our pivot wasn't raped, Cahill was VERY secure in the defense along with Terry and had a great match imo. Yeah, he's inability to pick a pass is stuff of legend, but I'll take the flawless defense over his lack of technical ability to make a pass instead of getting rid of the ball to the sidelines. So I get people being frustrated, but this team played 120 minutes 5 days ago and as much as we had time to rest, I guess it showed a bit in the end... so I'm not complaining, I just wish luck was on our side in EPL as it's been in UCL. Both managers had good game plans and imo we've executed our much better than Arsenal have. So seeing how shitty we've been playing lately, I'm quite happy myself. We outplayed them, we didn't make stupid mistakes we did in other matches. Drawing is hardly something to complain imo Where's the MOM poll?

we're not playing for a draw. We're playing counter-attack and we actually deserved the win more than they imo edit: NOW we're going for a draw, LOL (Luiz for Torres) See? That's Mourinho trying to draw (or not lose as he'd say)

there was a contact, I agree, but not a pen as Willian didn't cause anything that wasn't happening already... he didn't influence the play imo and Walcott was already in the pitch

I'm not sure I'd change. We've got them on our pocket. We balanced it and even got the game favoring us. We just need more luck finishing (as usual), but I don't think I'd change anyone, maybe except someone for Hazard. He's a bit on snooze mode although I wouldn't take even him off now. But Schurrle for him is the only change that would remotely make sense imo, but I wouldn't go for it yet, and would give Eden more time to wake up and fire up. edit: just to make it clear, I don't think Eden is having a bad match, I just meant him to fire up a bit and do his individual play. He's been good linking up. It's just I think he can do a bit better.

Attemps: Chelsea 7, Arsenal 0 (though I guess that Rosicky shot just before Dean ended the first counted as one, lol) Well, can one of them actually get in?

Is Dean bloody kidding me? Rosicky deserved a yellow for that karate move on Azpili