Barbara

can't be worse than Iva has been... I'm dead serious

If Mourinho had balls - which I'm clearly saying he doesn't - he'd sub Iva off for Azpili... Not gonna happen though. The least he could do is get either Ramires or Oscar for Willian then.

they aren't capitalizing... that's the thing. We've been playing very bad... but they're even worse. We can afford to play this bad because it's liverpool across us...

I can't stand our right side in this match... I don't know who's worse between Willian and Iva. I want to implode our right side altogether because it's painful to watch, both in attack and defense. PAINFUL

I'll be surprised if they don't... We've been playing very bad

I realized ever since last match Hazard is missing the sharpness he had recently showed. He's missing that final pass, that key touch... I hope he gets it back soon... but he's a bit down to his own standards - which isn't a complain, again, I'm just pointing it out. and for God's sake... what was that cross a couple of minutes ago when instead of closing down, Iva back away, with the damn arms behind him and Willian had to run and close down the Liverpool player (I guess it was Sterling). It's getting on my nerves...

as were at least 4 out of the 6 they didn't call us before the Swansea match. Handballs, tackles, we had everything. Clear as day some of those, more than this one tbh Maybe artkison has missed the last Chelsea Campaign meeting

It looks a like like the league game... except we were graced this penalty when they were outplaying us... But then Liverpool becomes Liverpool and start making their usual defensive messes just like this now... lol

Did the FA change the unofficial rule of not calling penalties for us?

LOOK WE HAVE A PENALTY!!!!!

we're being outplayed... as clear as day...

they're young, they'll master those passes with time...

Cahill was already backing away AGAIN!!!! lucky us it was useless Moreno and not someone more capable. We've been missing something in this match so far...

oh, If it was Oscar missing the timing and spot for that Costa pass just now we'd have at least 5 posts in the page complaining about it. As it was Hazard no one will mention it. And yeah, I'll be that bitch... (not blaming Hazard at all, after all, is part of the match, well... except when Oscar is the one doing it)

He was given plenty of freedom, the players sought him, basically all plays went through him, we were dependable on him - but he didn't influence as many matches, he had no other tactical responsibility other than pass, it was like everyone else were supporting him, protecting him, exposing our back, exposing our midfield, limiting the kind of play we had - unless we were extremely defensive. Under Rafa it was even worse. Mata was the anchor in his team. We played very narrow on many occasions, we tried to keep possession because it suited Mata, and as you said because we didn't have better tools, but even then Hazard was here in that season - and they linked up brilliantly because Mata has excellent vision and had a quick understanding with Eden (same way Cesc did - which leads me to believe Eden makes it easy for technical players to find him and have good and quick chemistry with him). For a player that plays centered - like Mata - and who likes to have time to touch the ball, to analyze for long seconds what to do with it, to carry it, to make 1-2s in front of the area, that team was perfect. As he's FAR from physically capable, he didn't have to press, to tackle, to help, he just stayed there in his captive #10 position waiting the team to give him the ball so he could play his magic - magic that had come many, many, many times from set-pieces. So given the number of goals and assists he had from set pieces - which have nothing to do with the crappy team you say he had surrounding him (still that team won UCL beating Barça and Bayern, but to each their own, that team wasn't that bad, it was just terribly managed). so for a player who had plenty of freedom, had the other players suit his style of play as well as the tactics (which for me makes a team built around him) and who also benefited of being an excellent set piece taker, I don't see anything unexpected from his stats. As I said if Cesc or Hazard had the same freedom, they'd have the same. Actually allow me to rectify my previous comment, they would be MUCH BETTER than Mata was imo... Cesc, playing from the pivot, with a lot of defensive responsibilities and also being far from a physical player or a fast one, will end up the season with nearly the same amount of assists. Scoring from the pivot is definitely more challenging than from behind the striker, especially when he's 3rd, 4rh in the pecking order to free kicks straight to the goal. The United team is a mess from behind the pivot, starting there. But they have one of the best attacking midfields and strikers in the league, absolutely NO excuse for someone supposedly as good as Mata is known around here to have those stats. As I said he's playing alongside van Persie, Rooney, Falcao, di María... if that isn't an improvement of what he had here, then I don't know what could possibly be. The difference is that there he isn't the main man. There all set pieces aren't automatically assigned to him, the tactics haven't been changed to suit him, he doesn't stay static waiting for the ball to arrive to him... But to each their own, if you think he didn't have a team built around him under Rafa is your prerogative. I disagree. Making excuses for Mata with the attacking power United has for him to feed really makes no sense in my head. He should have twice more assists than he does when his target are Rooney, RvP and Falcao. As I always say, he left a low of widows here. Ain't gonna change.

I'm (positively) surprised Luís is playing. Maybe he's finally convincing Mourinho to take a risk (I don't mean Mou has been unfair, but that Luís hasn't been good enough) ohhh, I forgot he's been injured... lol

Mata had a team built around him something not even Eden has under Mourinho That team allowed opponents to make us their bitches in the league - which is why we finished 6th, you point being....? now that he's just another player in the team - the same way Oscar is here, he isn't as effective. The same he wasn't under Mourinho. I said it many, many, many times, under FSW - when he gave free reign to Mata and under di Matteo when Robbie didn't seem to realize how much Mata exposed our pivot and defense while also giving him too much freedom - Mata seemed to be much bigger than he is. If for a small streak we gave Hazard or Cesc the same kind of freedom Mata had here, they'd also have that sort of stats. Also Mata was very lucky in many, many goals. How many matches he was completely anonymous and then somehow scored or assisted? When he's anonymous - and contributes a lot to the opponent scoring or dominating us - he's a king because he scored or assisted. When Oscar misplaces five passes after scoring two goals and playing well, he's sloppy and everyone is jumping on his back because of a few sloppy passes every other match. Yes, Oscar needs more focus and to improve his passing, but still most matches this season he's kept his passing % around 80% (in 18 matches he averages 84% with 60% of them forward passes, he had lower than 80% pass accuracy only in three matches - but had at least 90% in four)... it's not like he's been playing as bad as he did against Newcastle (in the first half) every other week, but people took advantage of a catastrophic 45 minutes by him (where he still scored a vital goal for us) and are now making it look like that has been the standard from him this season (saying his sloppy passing isn't something only from last match - when he hit the incredible mark of 11 according some stats sites and 12 according others). He had a sequence of anonymous matches in December, where his passing was below average as well as his overall game. that's called a slump that I hope he left it behind him. Still in the last 9 league games he contributed directly - between goals and assists - with eight goals - more than any other player in the team including Hazard, Costa and Cesc. Make the math, the last nine games in the league coincide with part of his slump. I'll take the goals and assists - without compromising his need to improve in some areas - but that's a 23yo player stepping up during a difficult time, scoring opening games, being quiet, but also decisive. Something we've missed last season. Had Oscar not scored in some of those games we maybe wouldn't have won them. He scored and assisted against Palace and Newcastle - games we dropped points last season. He was blamed then as he should - but he's barely praised now.

excellent points made - especially the last paragraph. Interesting enough the people that can't wait for Oscar to develop or that say he won't get any better are the ones that always give stick to Mourinho for not developing youth. As if they're patient enough - to wait and see instead of writing young players off. Again, amazing post, Dee.

Oscar isn't more creative than Mata. He's just more effective and this season even creatively and attacking wise. Which is why I hate to compare players. What's the advantage of Mata being more creative if in the end Oscar has been creating more? Moot convos imo.

That's my title I'm the biggest Schurrle fangirl around here [emoji7] [emoji7] [emoji7] [emoji7] I don't like competition. I all honesty though Oscar was frustrated, that's normal

Hopefully in my lifetime I'll witness a striker - maybe Bamfordinho - come through our ranks and stay a long while to replace him as top scorer as well. It's not even that I'm bitter... that's an old dream of mine... to have a striker to have the same career as Terry had here. scoring more than Lampard has just become a bonus

Tiny? He's no Hulk but far from tiny

I was listing the things that bothered me here, not saying you or someone else said all those things. Well, as I said to someone else, I respect your (his and everyone else's) feelings on this. I just think it's unfair

I agree on his sloppiness - I agree he's inconsistent. I just find it harsh 1) to ignore his impact LAST match and mention he was sloppy because of 5 passes uncompleted in the second half. People said it in the post match thread and in this thread. They were talking about the Swansea match. It's like they're like 'he did okay, scored twice, BUT was sloppy in the second, BUT lost the ball many times or misplaced many passes'. Then another discussion started - which I said I agree partially. He's been inconsistent. We should expect more from him, but at the same time, there's only much is fair to ask from a 23yo. Some players peak later than others and I think he's been doing okay lately and has done in some streaks in the past. I for one am happy it's still winter - when he normally struggles - and he's finding his best form. Last season he was in a free fall following the Saints' match where he and Willian won us the match in 20 minutes (the last 20) in the first week of the year. It's not that we can't say he has to do better, is completely writing him off in the future - as some did, including Skipper, which surprised me - ignoring his age and comparing him to other players either more experienced or playing a completely different kind of opposition. I don't like comparisons in the first place. Mata could be the best player of the league in other country and inexpressive in EPL. KdB found his best form in German football, while here - despite receiving few chances - he didn't seem to fit (seemed a bit too soft, both physically and mentally). Just because one recognizes the kid has been impacting our games despite not being on his best technically doesn't mean we're ignoring his shortcomings. We're just giving him credit for what he's been good and also recognizing some improvement without ignoring he's still a work in progress. I feel like I've been repeating myself on this thread over and over for the last three days. We all have different instances on him. Some think his 'supporters' are delusional or blind, others think his critics are too harsh and unfair. While he scores and assists 8 times in 9 games I won't complain much, I'll at most address some shortcomings, but along with a lot of praising for return. Which other AM has had such return in his latest 9 matches? Fans from other teams would be all over the moon with the substantial and impacting contribution. Chelsea fans are demanding him to be the end product right now and nitpicking five misplaced passes in a second half where we were winning 4-0. How many times people demanded Oscar and Hazard to impact more directly in the matches? Hazard got some very late recognition about his contributions, and Oscar seems to be on even later recognition. IT seems like we're demanding everything at once. Consistency, creativity, direct impact, growing big balls and resolving when we're struggling. That's too harsh imo. Let the kids grow and mature their games, tactics, deal with their limitations and improve what they aren't naturally doing well. They ARE work in progress I think you've skipped most of the talking in this thread before the Swans match. Many people weren't asking for him to be dropped, but to be replaced by a new signing altogether saying he's not Chelsea material. there aren't many 23yo around the world I'd call Chelsea material tbh.

I guess you misunderstood his post. He said Willian is used NOT because of his quality (therefore lack of it), but because of his pace - which is more suitable to counter-attack (which we tend to play in big matches away from home)