Oscar

[TheIceMan 596]

Am I the only one who thought he had an excellent match?!

Yes, someone should remind him that he can actually move when the ball is at his feet, but that did not take away one bit from the great shift he put in on Monday. He was the engine in the team that kept the game flowing at the tempo we wanted. His interchanging with Cesc was crucial to breaking down the Burnley defense as was his quick one-touch passing.

I am almost certain he will start tomorrow.

You're certantly not alone in this! But I personally prefer to spare my words and let Oscar show what he's made of with his football! And with his actions to show all of his PUNY haters why he is starter for Brazilian National Team! And why he was prefered to be a starter in expense of a player, whom alreday had a legendary status among the fans!

[The only place to be 11,313]

I wouldnt say excellent but he had a solid match. Some seem to want him to fail on here. Hope he gets a run of games his attacking play can only improve playing with Cesc

You're right that he was solid and not excellent (calm down people), but it was in a new role and that's why he deserves some leeway.

If he was still putting in the same shit performances he did for half of last season at 10 then he'd deserve some stick but no-one wants him to fail. He just set the bar high with his debut and has struggled to reach that level since then.

For me he starts today though because he needs to build that rapport with Fabregas and Matic. That triangle looked fabulous at times, but their spacing was iffy and that made us narrow occasionally. That's something they need minutes together to develop.

My hope now is that rather than becoming the next Kaka, he follows the career path of Modric and goes from being an all out AM to a link-up/DLP/busy little bee of a midfielder.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

If you don't understand his role, you can't call him weak link. Probably the last person to be left out of the team-sheet...

Because everyone here on the are master tacticians. He does nothing with the ball when he has it, has to run so deep to receive it sometimes and when he get's into a good position he is wasteful. Until he starts showing some form then yes I will call him the weak link in this team this year.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Because everyone here on the are master tacticians. He does nothing with the ball when he has it, has to run so deep to receive it sometimes and when he get's into a good position he is wasteful. Until he starts showing some form then yes I will call him the weak link in this team this year.

You just said does nothing with the ball, has to run deep and when gets into a good position he's wasteful. Your opinion, I disagree with it entirely. In my opinion, he is going to start every game. If he does nothing and is a weak link, Jose wouldn't brand him as an important player. You want goals and flash from him every game, you won't get it. That does not make him a weak link.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

You just said does nothing with the ball, has to run deep and when gets into a good position he's wasteful. Your opinion, I disagree with it entirely. In my opinion, he is going to start every game. If he does nothing and is a weak link, Jose wouldn't brand him as an important player. You want goals and flash from him every game, you won't get it. That does not make him a weak link.

I don't want goals and flash every game, like I said he wasn't terrible but he should be contributing to more incisive passes and stop being wasteful in the final third. Our team is very strong this year, but I think Willian would do better as the 10 at the moment.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

I don't want goals and flash every game, like I said he wasn't terrible but he should be contributing to more incisive passes and stop being wasteful in the final third. Our team is very strong this year, but I think Willian would do better as the 10 at the moment.

And that's where you went wrong. We don't have a #10. We won't for a long time now. If we had a traditional number 10, we'd be playing to Oscar's strength. Right now Jose is developing him into a player that can rotate with the two midfielders behind him. With Oscar in the middle (not as the #10) we have someone who can press in the intial phase, and rotate with Fabregas, who can excel in a position he loves. He gives us versatility. I have nothing against Willian, but he'll probably play a lot more on the wings when we need to counter directly to a threat from a winger.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Because everyone here on the are master tacticians. He does nothing with the ball when he has it, has to run so deep to receive it sometimes and when he get's into a good position he is wasteful. Until he starts showing some form then yes I will call him the weak link in this team this year.

Well, our manager obviously completely disagrees with you.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Well, our manager obviously completely disagrees with you.

I hate the master tacticians stance. Your opinion is being questioned. Stand with it, you don't need to label people.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

50th epl start today.

[didierforever 7,349]

somehow after we win a match his poor performance gets labelled as a good workrate performance!!!!

lets call it as it is... he has been poor today, he has been poor for the last 8 months since this year started.

anyone who cant see that must be blind or prejudiced!!!

he needs to step up and show that he is worth the hype in the 2nd half. cos right now, he looks absolutely PATHETIC.

[ulsterchelsea 3,221]

No one was good first half. Can't pick him out solely for blame

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Thought he is quite good for the first 30 minutes.

[Shaan 263]

No one was good first half. Can't pick him out solely for blame

problem is that he have been poor for quite a long time.....

[hjperdeath 2,226]

The whole team has been pathetic. We've found our new scapegoat now that Torres won't make it into the team-sheet.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Weaklink made a pass that lead to the goal.

[iseah100 5,612]

Weaklink made a pass that lead to the goal.

You're a weak link.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

You're a weak link.

I prefer being called Cesc tbh.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

"Weak link" was the leader and orchestrator of that second half performance. Unlucky not to get a goal.