Closed Sunderland 3-4 Chelsea

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I really don't see another talking point from this game. Eden Hazard that's all.

That was quite simply the best performance of skill, technique, explosiveness and command I've seen from a Chelsea wide man, he was on another planet. That game is what I expected to see with more regularity from him when we signed him.

[zolayes 14,489]

i love winning, no matter how they come. and in the end, the only important thing is that we got 3 points out of this game, and are still pretty much in touching distance of arsenal and are 2 points ahead of city. next week city play away to southampton and arsenal play against everton so we have a real chance of opening a gap with city and closing the one with arsenal.

i felt the performance was brilliant. in attack we were great but thats football for u. u can play great football, but still screw up by doing the basics wrong, like not defending the set-pieces well.

cech - could not have done anything for the 3 goals. all 3 of them would have been amazing stops if he had. an average performance from the big man. 6/10

iva - he is TIRED. he is working his socks off but he is looking tired. jose must have seen that and noticed it too specially towards the end of the match. his crossing has improved brilliantly, which is a good sign. i felt he should have done better for the 2nd goal in trying to get his foot on the ball to clear the immediate danger. also, he got caught on the ball again to create a situation pretty much like the wba's 2nd goal. 6/10

JT&GC - an off day. they both got owned by ALTIDORE. i mean how is that possible. JT was shocking for the first goal. i mean to let a ST turn and shoot inside the box, is criminal. GC lost his man for the 2nd one who ended scoring the goal. hope they got this out of their system and now we can have a string of clean sheets. 5/10

azpi - good performance. some really good runs off the ball to give hazard that split second of time. good interceptions too. 7/10

rambo - LIKE A BOSS!!! though again, should have done better for the 3rd goal. but i have to say, this guy is the BACKBONE of the team. hats off!!! 8/10

lamps - that run for the hazard goal!!!! just goes on to show that class is always class!!! really good performance but sometimes i want him to take the risk and try to spray the ball better rather than playing rambo in. 8/10

willian - i felt he was not that good. lost a lot of balls. specially in the first half, got bullied off the ball a couple of times by dossena. that attempted cross to hazard was really poor. but credit to him for the 2nd half performance. held onto the ball well, or atleast better, was a constant threat on goal. 7/10

mata - oscar has been our player of the season so far, but if u want to play possession football, mata should very well be in the team. worked hard off the ball too and his vision was just great. the only thing that annoyed me was that he seems to be taking the easier option of passing/crossing/chipping the ball to another player when he can go for the kill. well atleast sometimes he should. 8/10

hazard- WHATTEY PERFORMANCE!!!! now this is HAZARD bitches!!! this is what he can do!! all those people who ridicule when hazard is called on for an average performance or even an above average performance is cos we know what he can do, what he is capable of!!! simply destroyed sunderland today. now, i hope he keeps is up!!! we have a string of difficult matches coming in arsenal (a), swansea (h), pool (h), southampton (a) and we will need his brilliance to win most of these.

torres- if u cant finish and put the ball in the net when 1v1 with the GK, with the GK on the ground, then there is no point. there was another chance from a corner when any1 from rvp, rooney, suarez, sturridge, aguero, negredo would have put it in. well that is the difference between a comfortable win and a win like this. otherwise, his general play was good. 6/10

subs -

ba - should have scored. should play against stoke. his aerial threat would be much needed. 6/10

mikel - should have cleared the ball for the 3rd goal.

schurrle- N/A.

you didnt give a rating for Hazard ?

[Special Juan 28,141]

Just got back, brilliant night, bumped into Ross Turnbull and he got his photo with my boy....

The game was madness, we where shite from their set pieces and sublime going forward. Hazard produced that performance I knew and wanted from him, he drove at players like I keep wanting and some of his flicks and tricks where sublime. He needs to stay at that level now. His little touch for Frank and the back heel back to him was superb, had us in the away end on our feet and did that all night.

Willian was a little on the fringes of the game and I felt Schurrle should of been on earlier but I am not Jose he knows best. A really satisfying away win with great vocal support and beers flowing all night. Azpi was great again, guy is really making in roads on that left side, had another really good game.

Anyway, I'm off to bed, another three points on the road and I have a happy seven year old boy seeing his heroes win.

Carefreeeeee!!!!

[didierforever 7,349]

you didnt give a rating for Hazard ?

i dont do the obvious things.

the guy played out of the world today. anything less than 10/10 is a slap on his face.

[zolayes 14,489]

i dont do the obvious things.

the guy played out of the world today. anything less than 10/10 is a slap on his face.

try 6 or 14 ...

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

torres- if u cant finish and put the ball in the net when 1v1 with the GK, with the GK on the ground, then there is no point. there was another chance from a corner when any1 from rvp, rooney, suarez, sturridge, aguero, negredo would have put it in. well that is the difference between a comfortable win and a win like this. otherwise, his general play was good. 6/10

subs -

ba - should have scored. should play against stoke. his aerial threat would be much needed. 6/10

Torres did absolutely nothing positive other than win a couple aerials, he was awful today.

Ba did more in his limited time and should've scored.

[The only place to be 11,313]

you didnt give a rating for Hazard ?

[didierforever 7,349]

Torres did absolutely nothing positive other than win a couple aerials, he was awful today.

Ba did more in his limited time and should've scored.

ba did more cos he was not playing to break down a defence. the chances were coming thick and fast and we should be converting such chances to make our lives a little easier.

on the other hand, torres' workrate was good. i remember the moment when willian lost the ball on the wing and torres covered for him and then even after being on the ground tried to put in a tackle. as i said to @younameit, his link up play was decent. torres could easily have finished with 2 goals and 1 assist (the low cross).

[Tomo 21,751]

On another note that's 9 wins in a row at the Stadium of Light. We always get a tough test at that ground yet still come out on top.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

ba did more cos he was not playing to break down a defence. the chances were coming thick and fast and we should be converting such chances to make our lives a little easier.

on the other hand, torres' workrate was good. i remember the moment when willian lost the ball on the wing and torres covered for him and then even after being on the ground tried to put in a tackle. as i said to @younameit, his link up play was decent. torres could easily have finished with 2 goals and 1 assist (the low cross).

So sick of hearing this as some sort of excuse. He was poor today the hallmark of a Jose team is for everyone to work hard without the ball... He didn't put them under any pressure and missed an absolute sitter! That is poor, not okay, poor. He's been hot and cold and cold his entire Chelsea career

[guddy69 174]

Hazard with 99% MOTM votes.

Only because the other 3 people are trying to be smart arses.. :0)

[didierforever 7,349]

So sick of hearing this as some sort of excuse. He was poor today the hallmark of a Jose team is for everyone to work hard without the ball... He didn't put them under any pressure and missed an absolute sitter! That is poor, not okay, poor. He's been hot and cold and cold his entire Chelsea career

what excuse!!! he missed a sitter, did i deny that??? read what i wrote for torres again. but missing sitter does not take away everything else from what he did on the night, just like it dint do so on the night against city. only difference was he played a very similar low cross, schurrle made the right run and scored, today hazard dint.

and then against city he got lucky due to his workrate and got a goal, today it was not so.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

what excuse!!! he missed a sitter, did i deny that??? read what i wrote for torres again. but missing sitter does not take away everything else from what he did on the night, just like it dint do so on the night against city. only difference was he played a very similar low cross, schurrle made the right run and scored, today hazard dint.

and then against city he got lucky due to his workrate and got a goal, today it was not so.

The excuse isn't the SITTER its his WORKRATE. For what he gets paid that should be the bare minimum under Jose.

[didierforever 7,349]

The excuse isn't the SITTER its his WORKRATE. For what he gets paid that should be the bare minimum under Jose.

jose is the manager. he has set his philosophy but it is on the players to actually implement it. or am i supposed to believe that every1 will workhard cos jose in the manager? i dint see that happening against basel or newcastle.

for me, torres worked hard, did everthing right except for his main job (hence the 6 out of 10). i am not making any excuses for him missing his chances but i wont take away the positive he is giving to the team.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

jose is the manager. he has set his philosophy but it is on the players to actually implement it. or am i supposed to believe that every1 will workhard cos jose in the manager? i dint see that happening against basel or newcastle.

for me, torres worked hard, did everthing right except for his main job (hence the 6 out of 10). i am not making any excuses for him missing his chances but i wont take away the positive he is giving to the team.

Well agree to disagree. I thought he was poor and provided little to nothing as the leader of the line. He works hard, yes but that is the bare minimum for me...

[quickpassnmove 924]

good win, some good passing and movement in this match by Chelsea.

keep moving, keep improving the pattern of play, keep going, keep pushing.

can we get someone in January for centre midfield to give Ramires a break, please?

[Tomo 21,751]

good win, some good passing and movement in this match by Chelsea.

keep moving, keep improving the pattern of play, keep going, keep pushing.

can we get someone in January for centre midfield to give Ramires a break, please?

Would love Witsel.

Witsel, Ramires, Witsel, Lamps (would play well most games if he is used in a lesser role) and Mikel would get us through until Van Ginkel gets back.

[zolayes 14,489]

Only because the other 3 people are trying to be smart arses.. :0)

Willian was superb tho

[zyzz 711]

MOTD

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k4nbBpwGwyvlmu509NI

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

Willian couldnt create anything at all. all he did is getting the ball and playing backwards or to the men standing next to him. and Mata also couldnt create any chance at all. and in the 2nd half he was a total passenger.

futhermore we cant get any width to our game. azpi cant attack as a LB, and Ivas attacks are mostly just embarassing. he cant cross properly and his passing game is also limited...if not hazard, we would not have created anything today I think.

Willian drew a foul which should have had one of their players sent off with a second yellow.

He was fine.