Willian

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

I apologize to Willian, after what I have seen from Schurrle today, would rather have him in the team than Schurrle

[BloodIsBlue 291]

I apologize to Willian, after what I have seen from Schurrle today, would rather have him in the team than Schurrle

How quickly things have changed.

[didierforever 7,349]

Hahahaha... awkward???

[The Skipper 20,593]

How quickly things have changed.

One bad game from Schurrle and people will be wanting to sell him again.

[communicate 2,703]

One bad game from Schurrle and people will be wanting to sell him again.

I don't, I always like Schurrle. He is much more direct. With Willian Oscar hazard we are almost back to our mazacar, nobody running behind, everyone want the ball on their feet.

[Sheva. 5,373]

He's still a better option than Oscar atm.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Schurrle-Willian-Hazard for now IMO.

[Polo7 3,496]

Schurrle-Willian-Hazard for now IMO.

Hazard has to be in the middle. He is more creative than Willian as he showed today.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

I'm not to worried about his lack of goals because he is a very goal-shy player. Look at his record in his past teams. His play in the final third is not very threatening either. That's what bothers me the most. He can improve a lot. IMO, he has played some good games, but he doesn't look like a 30 million player. When you see an absolutely top, top player, it's obvious. Every one could see it with Hazard from his Lille days. But it's not my money. The only reason why we paid that was because Spurs were desperate too spend the Bale money, and we matched their bid.

I think he'll improve with a top class CF though, next season and the burden to chip in with goals will decrease a little.

[Stingray 9,441]

Hazard has to be in the middle. He is more creative than Willian as he showed today.

I agree. I think Eden will profile himself as our 10 this year. Unpopular opinion but he rocked that position at Lille even more than on the wing. He can do it here as well.

[Polo7 3,496]

I agree. I think Eden will profile himself as our 10 this year. Unpopular opinion but he rocked that position at Lille even more than on the wing. He can do it here as well.

Its only unpopular because it means Oscar either doesnt play or plays on the wing. Unfortunately even with Oscar performing badly lately I cant see Mourinho dropping him as his no.10.

[didierforever 7,349]

I agree. I think Eden will profile himself as our 10 this year. Unpopular opinion but he rocked that position at Lille even more than on the wing. He can do it here as well.

Doubt that. Eh17 might have improved his defensive work and his general workratd by 10 Times compared to last season but is still far behind oscar in doing the dirty work which I think is essential for our current systen.

[Stingray 9,441]

Doubt that. Eh17 might have improved his defensive work and his general workratd by 10 Times compared to last season but is still far behind oscar in doing the dirty work which I think is essential for our current systen.

I have a feeling Mou is using him more and more central. It is never a pure winger situation, more like a fluid interchange in the 10 zone. So we will see :-)

[didierforever 7,349]

I have a feeling Mou is using him more and more central. It is never a pure winger situation, more like a fluid interchange in the 10 zone. So we will see :-)

Hmm that's true. But I sincerely doubt we would line up somethin like

Schurrle-hazard-salah

Which would mean hazard as a pure 10. The bull work is essential to the way we play and the solidity which right now does not seem something that EH17 can do better than willian or oscar.

[nyikolajevics 2,576]

Schurrle-Willian-Hazard for now IMO.

I would also love to see Willian-Oscar-Hazard and Schürrle as a striker. Andre showed that he is a good finisher and his positioning is great as well.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Hmm that's true. But I sincerely doubt we would line up somethin like

Schurrle-hazard-salah

Which would mean hazard as a pure 10. The bull work is essential to the way we play and the solidity which right now does not seem something that EH17 can do better than willian or oscar.

If we signed a proper midfield playmaker like Gundogan or Kroos our number 10 wouldn't have to do as much dirty work IMO.

[didierforever 7,349]

If we signed a proper midfield playmaker like Gundogan or Kroos our number 10 wouldn't have to do as much dirty work IMO.

don't think. Infact doubt if either of kroos/gundogan can do the dirty work as much as rambo.

If u meant that we ll have more possession and better possession play then maybe but lets see then

[Jase 43,479]

what people fail to realize is that defensive responsibilities take away from their offensive performance.

Haven't we been discussing Mata's bad form this season for months now? Do you think he simply forgot how play football in the time span of three months? No, he was bad or subpar offensively - and his stats say as much - because he was coping with what Mourinho asked him to do defensively (and in the end it was proved he couldn't cope at all, hence why we kept saying he didn't fit the system). Why is it so hard to understand that asking more defensively leads the player to get more tired, to divide his focus and efforts and just to change how he approaches the game?

so if Mata's creativity and offensive game suffered because of the other responsibilities he was asked, why can't Willian and even Oscar have the same fate (especially because they aren't anywhere near as creative as Mata)?

Mata's playing in the wing for ManU and still he's had more assists there in 3 or 4 matches than he's had here in 11 (or 15, don't even remember the number of times he's started for us this season). Is he still only a shadow of what he's used to be? Absolutely, he's been through a patch of bad form. I don't buy the playing in the wing destroys him BS. He's played in the wing for his whole career except the last two seasons, he knows how to play there too (although I agree he's way more effective in the middle, but he isn't supposed to be garbage in the wing). He's just lacking any resemblance of confidence, even happiness to play and he's been in bad form. It's a vicious circle where each of those things makes the other worse and he'll need a new season (basically a well done pre-season, without injury) to start over. He probably won't make it to Brazil in the abysmal form he is (compared to his good days). Spain has incredible depth on his position and many players are preferred over him by del Bosque. I think he could use the vacation and after a good pre-season he'll come a new player, more like the one he's used to be.

So ignoring a bit of Mata and talking about the problem in hand, Willian is coping with everything Mourinho's been asking him to do defensively and it's affecting his offensive game. He's through EPL football adaptation, has been trying to prove himself to Mourinho and Scolari. I think he's doing well (nothing exceptional, just well) under those many circumstances.

I think once we have a more reliable pivot next season with Matic already settled, and maybe just maybe, a better partner for him (here's hoping Marco really recovers well and continues from where he's stopped), Oscar and Wilian will be released of some of their defensive responsibilities, although in a Mourinho team one, at most two, players in the whole pitch are exempted from defensive responsibilities.

Fair points and you're not wrong at all but let's not pretend as if Willian, despite all these defensive responsibilities, have never found himself in the final third for us. When he has for us this season, his end product has mostly been average and/or not consistent enough. This is where he needs to improve on and fans want to see more from him especially when we know he's a quality player.