Willian

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Haha, funny, I honestly thought he had one of his poorer games for us last night, but each to their own!

Either way, I'm happy with how (relatively) fast he's settled in.

[Special Juan 27,428]

Haha, funny, I honestly thought he had one of his poorer games for us last night, but each to their own!

Either way, I'm happy with how (relatively) fast he's settled in.

I know what your saying and with most being poor I was focusing on how players approached the game and how they did with the basics during it. Like I said in the match thread I was looking at the close control, tracking back and passing as a whole and Willian did it all for me, he got the basics spot on. Some of his cross field balls to feet were just delightful, he also showed some quality first touch control when all others looked like they had controlled a ball in their life before.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I know what your saying and with most being poor I was focusing on how players approached the game and how they did with the basics during it. Like I said in the match thread I was looking at the close control, tracking back and passing as a whole and Willian did it all for me, he got the basics spot on. Some of his cross field balls to feet were just delightful, he also showed some quality first touch control when all others looked like they had controlled a ball in their life before.

Yeah, he does all that tracking back malarkey very well, granted, but I'd have loved to have seen some Hazard-esque explosion of attacking prowess last night; it was the perfect chance for him to really announce himself in English football. But, oh well, he did the basics right without being spectacular - a standard 6/10 last night.

[Soul Caliber X 27]

Haha, funny, I honestly thought he had one of his poorer games for us last night, but each to their own!

Either way, I'm happy with how (relatively) fast he's settled in.

Speaking of fast, boy is he quick, gets away from people before they can even react.

[Weckerz 3,781]

Has a tendency to get more sloppy as a match progresses, not the first time I've noticed. Did play ok though overall

[Soul Caliber X 27]

Has a tendency to get more sloppy as a match progresses, not the first time I've noticed. Did play ok though overall

Ya i agree, do you think it has to do with the effort he puts in?, maybe he gets a little tired.

[Korea 734]

Has a tendency to get more sloppy as a match progresses, not the first time I've noticed. Did play ok though overall

Willian and Oscar tend to get sloppy a lot...

However, they do press the most out of everyone save Rambo..

People keep talking about Oscar vs Mata, but the fact is Willian is the backup to Oscar for that role, rather than Mata.

[Weckerz 3,781]

Ya i agree, do you think it has to do with the effort he puts in?, maybe he gets a little tired.

He isn't playing as often as some so might be fitness, might just be a coincidence

[Weckerz 3,781]

Willian and Oscar tend to get sloppy a lot...

However, they do press the most out of everyone save Rambo..

People keep talking about Oscar vs Mata, but the fact is Willian is the backup to Oscar for that role, rather than Mata.

Hmm, Oscar isn't a winger and Mata is a tad slow to be effective on the wings. It wouldn't make sense making Willian or anyone else we have nr 10

[Korea 734]

Hmm, Oscar isn't a winger and Mata is a tad slow to be effective on the wings. It wouldn't make sense making Willian or anyone else we have nr 10

Mata was a winger/striker since his youth days in Spain...

However, he is a tad slow to be effective sometimes.. Also, its not my idea that Willian is backup cam, but Mourinho seems to prefer Willian as backup cam, moreso than KDB and Mata.

[Las7 951]

I still haven't seen why we signed him - apart from that one goal against Norwich, there were some flashes here and there but nothing that would make me think he was in any way essential signing this season. Considering the money we have paid for Willian he hasn't lived up to the expectations for that type of fee; I know it's some what unfair but it does still seem like a pointless signing.

Obviously best of luck to Willian hopefully he makes an impression over the course of the Christmas matches since that period will be hectic and we will be using the full potential of our squad.

The match against Steaua isn't a match I will draw too many conclusions from, since I doubt we would be playing this caliber of opposition very often.

[Tomo 21,733]

I can defiantly see/understand why we signed him, even if other position's were more off a concern.

Before he came in we were a Mata injury away from relying on 22 year old's in our key position, im all for giving youth a chance, but even youth obsessed clubs like Southampton have some form of age balance.

Also people wanted Lukaku and Van Ginkel to get fair chances, but how could they if the AM's were so young every game? we would be slowly turning into a Olympic team while making the Arsenal team's that bottled it (due to lack of expierence) look like a group of seasoned veterans.

Look at 10/11 for example, United won it because they had the perfect balance of youth (Rafeal, Hernandez) players in or around their prime (Rooney, Vidic, you could argue Berbatov too as he was outstanding that season) and a lot of experience (Giggs who assisted all 5 goals United scored against us in the last two months, Scholes, Cuntinand), we lost it because of lack of hunger, Arsenal bottled it due to lack of experience.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I can defiantly see/understand why we signed him, even if other position's were more off a concern.

Before he came in we were a Mata injury away from relying on 22 year old's in our key position, im all for giving youth a chance, but even youth obsessed clubs like Southampton have some form of age balance.

Also people wanted Lukaku and Van Ginkel to get fair chances, but how could they if the AM's were so young every game? we would be slowly turning into a Olympic team while making the Arsenal team's that bottled it (due to lack of expierence) look like a group of seasoned veterans.

Look at 10/11 for example, United won it because they had the perfect balance of youth (Rafeal, Hernandez) players in or around their prime (Rooney, Vidic, you could argue Berbatov too as he was outstanding that season) and a lot of experience (Giggs who assisted all 5 goals United scored against us in the last two months, Scholes, Cuntinand), we lost it because of lack of hunger, Arsenal bottled it due to lack of experience.

The problem I and a lot of people have is not that we signed him (although that as well), it's that Chelsea spent 30M pounds on him and why? We could easily have brought in veteran players for about 1/10th the price who would have been fine to rotate into the team. If we wanted experience, why spend so big on it and why get a player who actually has less big game experience than anyone currently on Chelsea? You can't have only youth, but you don't go and buy someone, clearly overspend on them, just because they aren't young. Why not go for say Jesus Navas who is 28, plays as an actual winger, is a better player than Willian, and cost half as much? That would be Chelsea filling a need for real width (which we still don't have). Chelsea right now have about 6 players who could play central attacking midfield.

He's a talented player, it's easy to see that.. He actually fits well into Chelsea because unlike all our other midfielders, he seems to be OK not shooting but it was still a ridiculous buy and there is no way he will ever be worth 30M pounds or anything close to that and spending a massive fee for a rotation player when we have such glaring needs is baffling. We are a Mata injury away from Oscar starting. So what? Oscar is fine starting and if he got hurt, we could play Hazard there or Schurrle or De Bruyne. We are a Ramires injury away from doom. Hell, we are a Lampard injury away from big trouble. You want to see Essien and Mikel central midfield partnerships? Want to see what happens if Terry gets hurt? I don't. We have now spent, in the last 3 seasons something like 150M pounds on attacking midfielders.

[Las7 951]

I'm not really discussing the relative merits of his match against Steaua, I'm just puzzled why we spend so much on a player who barely features in any of our big matches - in a position where we were well covered. If we really wanted cover for the wings we might have just kept Moses around, that wouldn't have cost anything.

Whether we are looking at central midfield or striking position those 30 million pounds could have been spend a lot better.

I don't think he would have been a player to push Tottenham above their current position by any means at least by what he has shown so far at CFC. So far is pretty much one of the most underwhelming big signings we have made. I don't know 30 million pounds were till a few years ago a record breaking amount in the EPL and Willian doesn't warrant such a fee

[Reddish-Blue 2,347]

I'm not really discussing the relative merits of his match against Steaua, I'm just puzzled why we spend so much on a player who barely features in any of our big matches - in a position where we were well covered. If we really wanted cover for the wings we might have just kept Moses around, that wouldn't have cost anything.

Whether we are looking at central midfield or striking position those 30 million pounds could have been spend a lot better.

I don't think he would have been a player to push Tottenham above their current position by any means at least by what he has shown so far at CFC. So far is pretty much one of the most underwhelming big signings we have made. I don't know 30 million pounds were till a few years ago a record breaking amount in the EPL and Willian doesn't warrant such a fee

He was much more suited to Tottenham than Chelsea....they needed something different, someone that could provide more creativity.

We needed a CM.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

He bossed it today.

[zolayes 14,489]

Well I think Willian will prove to be a GOOD buy

[lucio 5,418]

super. always looks dangerous