Oscar

[Funkyflashman 187]

From what I've seen (and I haven't gotten all the way through the full highlights for Juventus or Arsenal yet), this guy is playing really nicely. I think it's pretty short-sighted to judge Oscar purely on his attacking prowess. Marking Pirlo out of the game is in my opinion much more impressive than what he did offensively. Of course yes we needed the goals, but limiting one of the best deep-lying playmakers in the world to nigh-on spectator status is fantastic.

I think Oscar's defensive work makes a band of three of Oscar, Hazard and Mata a lot more viable. If he can limit playmakers ability to distribute, AND link up with the attack, he is going to be a vital, vital player in years to come. Not knee-jerk but I am very, very excited about this guy.

[Madmax 9,219]

Thought I'd leave this here :

Mikel Arteta's average pass count before the Chelsea game - 91

Mikel Arteta's pass count in the Chelsea game - 59

Of course Diaby going off injured and them turning to the flanks a lot more played a part, but there.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

I strongly disagree. Arteta was not in the game yesterday because Arsenal attacked via the wings. Their two players who had the most touches were Gibbs and Jenkinson. As they outnumbered us there, it was natural for them to attack us on the sides. Arsenal players had no problems moving around Oscar and even when he was subbed off, there was no change at all in Arteta's performance (where he was being marked, I assume by Mata). Oscar had a poor game. Again, nothing wrong with that, all players have poor games from time to time, but this is the sort of match where if it were Kalou or any player that's been at Chelsea for more than 2 years, the same people praising Oscar for his work rate would be saying "he loses the ball the time. he makes stupid fouls, work rate isn't important if you can't contribute offensively, he's useless, we need to buy this or that player."

What I'm saying is that, he did exactly what dimatteo wanted from him, mark out arteta so that arsenal chances on target are reduced. That was why they were force to attack only from the wings instead of through arteta. Like how will they pass to him if he was always marked by oscar.

I'm sure if he didn't score in the juventus game u would say he played bad and vidal ran through him. It wasn't his best game, but he did well. He did the task RDM gave him - "mark out arteta"

Mata and hazard are more attacking and oscar balances that, FACT.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

What I'm saying is that, he did exactly what dimatteo wanted from him, mark out arteta so that arsenal chances on target are reduced. That was why they were force to attack only from the wings instead of through arteta. Like how will they pass to him if he was always marked by oscar.

I'm sure if he didn't score in the juventus game u would say he played bad and vidal ran through him. It wasn't his best game, but he did well. He did the task RDM gave him - "mark out arteta"

Mata and hazard are more attacking and oscar balances that, FACT.

Not fact. You reading into something. Check out the positioning of Chelsea against Arsenal. We had six players within about 10 feet of the centre-circle. It was obviously RDM's tactic to crowd the centre to force Arsenal up the wings. Arsenal played up the wings, not because Oscar was on Arteta, but because we simply had too many players there and they had more players than us on the wings. If you'll notice, when Oscar went off in the 73rd minute, Arsenal's attack didn't change at all. It wasn't any better when Mata was marking Arteta. They still came up the wings because that's where we gave them space. And why do you think that I would say he had a bad game against Juve? He didn't. He was great and he was great against Stoke as well. He was poor against Arsenal. Not all of us are pro and anti certain players no matter what. I don't watch games for confirmation bias like about 3/4 of people on here seem to.

[zolayes 14,489]

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar.

I think people are really underrating how well he's done to keep both Pirlo and Arteta quiet. That is really hard to do.

The only Juventus games I've seen where Pirlo didn't totally boss the midfield were against us and vs. Fiorentina a week or-so ago.

I never expected him to be so versatile. By versatile, I don't mean like in Fifa etc. as in the amount of positions he can play; but instead the amount of roles he can adopt on the pitch from that one position.

He's also clearly very mature. He reminds me of Toni Kroos a little actually, but Oscar's the better at defending while Kroos has a better shot on him.

Coming to us was a good move. We'll make sure he's good under pressure, which'll likely mean Brazil getting the best out of him at the World Cup.

Oscar and Chelsea could potentially be a match made in heaven if things continue like they have.

agree I never expected him to be able or willing to do a defensive role , Must say Im impressed but look forward to seeing him with more attacking

opprtunities . Seems a great signing

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Not fact. You reading into something. Check out the positioning of Chelsea against Arsenal. We had six players within about 10 feet of the centre-circle. It was obviously RDM's tactic to crowd the centre to force Arsenal up the wings. Arsenal played up the wings, not because Oscar was on Arteta, but because we simply had too many players there and they had more players than us on the wings. If you'll notice, when Oscar went off in the 73rd minute, Arsenal's attack didn't change at all. It wasn't any better when Mata was marking Arteta. They still came up the wings because that's where we gave them space. And why do you think that I would say he had a bad game against Juve? He didn't. He was great and he was great against Stoke as well. He was poor against Arsenal. Not all of us are pro and anti certain players no matter what. I don't watch games for confirmation bias like about 3/4 of people on here seem to.

I understand you. Oscar didn't play to his usual standards. I'm not denying it. But nobody else can provide chelsea with defensive cover and be good enough to give good passes for attack. (Lamps is too slow now)

If oscar doesn't exaust his stamina defending a faster arsenal, then he will have the extra energy to be effective as mata in attack.

All I'm saying is that his attacking productivity was sacrificed to close down arteta. Don't say the whole team marked arteta bcos mikel can't leave the back and come foward just to mark arteta so stop saying the whole team prevented arteta, even dimatteo said it, it was a man marking on their playmaker like pirlo. It was totally oscar that made sure arsenal don't pass to arteta.

This caused them to go through the wings and they couldn't hold possesion. Just look at how they played mancity at the etihad and u'll see what I'm saying. They possesed the ball in the middle and were able to create chances. But since we forced them to go to the flanks to lose possesion, we held unto the ball more, making them have fewer attacks.

Dimatteo will field the defensive line up that he used for qpr if he didn't realise oscars workrate. His more defensive role exausted him from being more attacking, that's what happened.

Come on, arteta had an average of 95 touches per game (the highest in the league) before chelsea and against us he had 65, pls Give credit where it is due.

[Stingray 9,441]

Not fact. You reading into something. Check out the positioning of Chelsea against Arsenal. We had six players within about 10 feet of the centre-circle. It was obviously RDM's tactic to crowd the centre to force Arsenal up the wings. Arsenal played up the wings, not because Oscar was on Arteta, but because we simply had too many players there and they had more players than us on the wings. If you'll notice, when Oscar went off in the 73rd minute, Arsenal's attack didn't change at all. It wasn't any better when Mata was marking Arteta. They still came up the wings because that's where we gave them space. And why do you think that I would say he had a bad game against Juve? He didn't. He was great and he was great against Stoke as well. He was poor against Arsenal. Not all of us are pro and anti certain players no matter what. I don't watch games for confirmation bias like about 3/4 of people on here seem to.

Yes indeed. point.

[Dion 2,476]

I'm impressed with Oscar's defensive prowess. I'd say he's doing great for a player who's not used to play as defensively as he's been doing lately. Not for Brazil nor for any other teams or games I can remember of. I can only think RDM is improving his defensive skills and bulking him up bit by bit so Oscar can become an awesome deep-lying playmaker in the near future.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

I'm impressed with Oscar's defensive prowess. I'd say he's doing great for a player who's not used to play as defensively as he's been doing lately. Not for Brazil nor for any other teams or games I can remember of. I can only think RDM is improving his defensive skills and bulking him up bit by bit so Oscar can become an awesome deep-lying playmaker in the near future.

Feel the same way. He could really become an awesome deeplying playmaker. He's got the quality's for it and he wouldn't need to change his style as he already likes to chase down the opposition aggressively and has got a tendency for dropping deep and picking up the ball.

[Term-X 7,891]

We're certainly the first PL club to integrate a group of brazilian players.. 'successfully'. Well, so far so good anyway.

[Yeboii 1,844]

We're certainly the first PL club to integrate a group of brazilian players.. 'successfully'. Well, so far so good anyway.

Haha yeah i was thinking that not long ago.

[Madmax 9,219]

Not fact. You reading into something. Check out the positioning of Chelsea against Arsenal. We had six players within about 10 feet of the centre-circle. It was obviously RDM's tactic to crowd the centre to force Arsenal up the wings. Arsenal played up the wings, not because Oscar was on Arteta, but because we simply had too many players there and they had more players than us on the wings. If you'll notice, when Oscar went off in the 73rd minute, Arsenal's attack didn't change at all. It wasn't any better when Mata was marking Arteta. They still came up the wings because that's where we gave them space. And why do you think that I would say he had a bad game against Juve? He didn't. He was great and he was great against Stoke as well. He was poor against Arsenal. Not all of us are pro and anti certain players no matter what. I don't watch games for confirmation bias like about 3/4 of people on here seem to.

Think Diaby coming off for Ox also contributed to that.

[Clevemayer 764]

I really like what I'm seeing of him, sometimes he fades out of the Game but he is a class player, and I still belive he will be the replacement for the "classic" Lamps-Role with his finishing and we will see him in the double pivot too... I'm sure of this the more often I see him.

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

Oscar: I want to be a Chelsea legend like Lampard and Terry

"I hope to have the same path as Lampard and Terry here at Chelsea," he told the Daily Mirror. "They have a great career at the club and are very important for the squad. They are big idols."

Maintaining his own high playing standards is one way Oscar plans to fulfill his ambitions, and believes the Blues supporters view him in a new light after making a surprise goalscoring entrance against Juventus.

"They [the English] will certainly follow me more closely now," he added "When I played against Juventus, whenever I touched the ball, people looked at me in a different way. I hope I keep playing at a high level here.”

[Tomo 21,751]

Since Oscar has came into the fold Robbie has ditched his 'defensive winger'. Oscar's pressing has been a main part of that.

I wonder whether next time Robbie drops/rest's Oscar, will Ramires or Bertrand be returning on the wing?