Barbara

I know, that's exactly my point. He shouldn't start because he isn't 100%. I guess no player in the top teams in the world has played nearly as much as Oscar did in the past 18 months. It's taking a toll on him now that's recovering from injury. I don't think he's shit, but he's far from his best form

it was the weakest match I've seen Oscar playing. It was embarrassing. Shouldn't even get near the team starting against Arsenal.

the only good guy there today... He was lively when the second started and he was very good in the first. Still he will struggle to be as good as on Shakhtar because he still struggles with the physicality of EPL. Still, he's very fast, tons of class and flair, he's very objective (unlike all our AM bar Schürrle) and I just don't know why he hasn't been presenting himself to shooting areas more often as he has a good finish. Those 30m will pay off, I just don't think it'll be this season, but he's an improvement of some of our AMs and he offers something different from others, so it's a good signing - whether we needed it or not (I do think he's very useful, and I'd sign him too if I had the chance)

We deserved this win less than Arsenal deserved losing 6-3 earlier today. I'm all for the 3 points and the win, I do believe we have good chances of topping the table against Arsenal (not sure if Pool will drop points, so we may beat Arse and still not lead), but we sort of don't deserve it. When you struggle against Crystal, lose to Stoke, concede 7 goals to both + Sunderland, sorry, you just don't deserve to lead the league, especially when City and Arsenal are playing so well. But football isn't about justice, so I hope we lead next round and hopefully we'll fix our defense. our attack was once again disappointing, but it's our defense that has been compromising. Oscar was appalling. Mata was nothing special, not nothing special is still miles better than whatever Oscar did. Luiz didn't have a good match, although the capital chances Crystal had were surrounding Terry and Azpili's side (and both involved too). It doesn't change the fact Luiz was decent at best, our defense is still terrible and our attack doesn't produce enough. To think that if we had beat Stoke - as we should - we would top the league today...

JUST BLOODY SCORE CHELS!!!!!!

it wasn't an offside because Torres was in the same line... still Oscar's finishing was a testament of his match so far: below criticism

Mata really lacks shooting skills (compared to his outstanding creativity skills). Two poor shots in a row. Willian is lively in the second... one more reason for André to come for Mata.

that's his kind of defending. We can't blame him when there were four players around Chamakh watching him score. So yeah, Luiz was unfortunate (didn't do a mistake, he tried to tackle, but the guy was faster), but we have to blame mainly JT and Essien, while two other watched. Sorry mate, this isn't the goal you can blame him, he was back in position when the ball was crossed.

be careful, his profile states that's a he, so you're either seeing a product of modern medical technology or a gf or sister. I'm kidding @der Kaiser on the medicine part, mate.

Can we have André for Mata? Mata did little, I think Willian has a much better work-rate (which we'll need given how bad we're defending) although offensively he didn't do much more than Mata did. We NEED André objectiveness and speed. Hazard is playing well, but he turns his back to the goal, nearly the midfield line, holds it while the opponents pile up around him, and while it's useful and I do think he's playing well, having someone to do the opposite, receive the ball and just run. His long-distance shots are a MUST in this match as we seem completely incapable of penetrating their defense.

I don't think our leaky defense has anything to do with Cole's absence unless you call him an amulet. Ivanovic's side - and some people still call him a CB - is the place where most goals we've conceded lately came from. The fact we didn't concede in early matches with Cole in the team is a miracle because every.single.match people ran by him as if they were strolling in the park and he was raped by a few opponents too. Fact is our defense seems to be fragile for whatever reason. It doesn't surprise me much. in the transfers threads before the season started I did say we needed a LB and a CB (in addition to a CM). But I'm actually surprised Ivanovic has been so shocking. And still we see formations in every match thread being suggested with him in CB. If he's so bad in the RB I can only imagine how terrible he'd be in CB. The Swansea match last season comes to mind...

I QUOTE MY FRIGGING SELF!!!!!!

It's not even funny how much Schürrle is missed in this bloody pathetic match

what a contrast from the match I was watching just 15 minutes ago...

TORRES TO SCORE #delusional&hopeful

I don't get why Schürrle isn't playing consistently for us... I don't mind Mata or Willian, but one of them should have be benched in favor of André... but well, in Mourinho we trust. I don't mind an Essien-Rami pivot in this match

LOL Giroud. I guess the time of Arsenal overachieving and overplaying their standards may be soon over (hopefully)

I don't know why, but I feel like we'll win 5-0 this match. I know of the difficulties, but it's just a feeling.

none taken sorry if I offended you anyhow

I agree, but there were a few occasions he should have gone for the shot but he passed. Hazard fixed that about his game and is now shooting more. If our AMs don't start trying to score, given our strikers' form, we'll continue to struggle to convert dominance into goals - which has been costing us some points. We need all of them to put on their scoring boots. Also, they should be taking more chances anyway. Ryan, you forgot to add Mata has 2 assists (Oscar has 0 for EPL)

Good thing you did, I read the entire portion you quoted and it was suggested to bring McEachran to the pivot because it'd benefit both the team and the player and implying we wouldn't do it because we don't put faith in our youngsters. That's jumping the shark... so yeah, it gets worse than implying the problem was Mikel and Ramires...

doesn't he do the same to Bertrand and Cole when he puts Azpili in the left and says he has two #1 players for the LB position meaning Azpili as one of them? But I do agree with you on André being kept as a winger. I don't feel compelled to see him as a striker or a false 9, although I was sold on the idea at first.

that's what you said... but maybe you meant side as in team? I understood side of the pitch, if you meant side like a team, then my bad. I made my words bold so you'd see what I said and what you said, because in your posts you implied I used Ronaldo as an excuse for him (while you were the one who did it, saying Ronaldo is the reason why he has assists) and when you said I made him look better than Ozil, when I didn't. I just said he has good linkup and the fact he has 15 assists is better than other AMs who are there to assist strikers. It's all good, mate. I just don't like it when people say I said things I didn't - just wanted to clarify that. We can disagree on our opinion about Benzema, despite a few facts brought pro and against him. Also I read a lot of nonsense in your posts, I'll make sure to point out it in the future and call it blah blah.

(almost) all of which I can agree, mate, that's a way to talk about his deficiencies that makes sense. It's reliable data. Still in my discussion with him I disagreed that 1) he can't play at any side of the pitch 2) he only assisted because he had Ronaldo there. His linkup is very good, regardless of who he links up with. Also, I disagree with you about the Barça thing. The first 5-6 or whatever (can't remember exactly the number) matches Ronaldo played against them he hasn't scored and now we're going to question how much of a big stage striker Ronaldo is because of that? We need strikers better than the ones we have, that will score against the teams we've dropped points lately: Newcastle, Stoke, Basel... Benzema can provide that and RM is willing to offload him. We don't know if Liverpool will offload Suarez, or Monaco Falcao, or Dortmund Lewa, etc... while it's sort of known fact that Florentino (not sure about Zizou or Carlo) wants to negotiate Benzema. If we focus on going only for guys we may never bring because they won't leave or will leave somewhere else we will risk to end up with another Eto'o because another Rooney couldn't come. maybe we should be opened to a guy like Karim who has plenty of qualities and is much better than the ones we do have. I've watched nearly all matches Madrid played in Mourinho's first two years there and I felt the need to correct two wrong assumptions about Karim. That's all. Never said he's the best striker for us or is better than Falcao.