Closed Chelsea v Steaua Bucharest

[Special Juan 28,141]

Hazard hasn't been quality, he's been better of late than he was. Against Sunderland he was immense, in the build up to that he was rank average.

Schurrle for me is the one here who has proven every time he has been selected that he can do a top job.

[Weckerz 3,781]

Hazard hasn't been quality, he's been better of late than he was. Against Sunderland he was immense, in the build up to that he was rank average.

Schurrle for me is the one here who has proven every time he has been selected that he can do a top job.

That's your opinion, he's been criminally underrated in some of his less prolific games this season. For me Schurrle is an extremely useful squadplayer with some immense qualities but he just isn't in the same league as Hazard or Mata or even Willian for that matter. Ignoring his goals he was average vs Stoke. That doesn't mean he isn't an important player for us.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Schurrle has been very good for all i care. Last game finally things went his way - and he still hit the bar - but he always puts in a shift, if not offensively then defensively, and unlike others, he's always in good positions to get a shot off and threaten the opposition.

[Special Juan 28,141]

That's your opinion, he's been criminally underrated in some of his less prolific games this season. For me Schurrle is an extremely useful squadplayer with some immense qualities but he just isn't in the same league as Hazard or Mata or even Willian for that matter. Ignoring his goals he was average vs Stoke. That doesn't mean he isn't an important player for us.

Of course it's my opinion, and I respect yours. I'm not comparing Schurrle to Hazard or Mata, all have their strengths and weaknesses. Your trying to put words into my mouth and missing the point. A lot of people on this forum are guilty of asking for such and such player because player A or B isn't doing it etc. Every player is important, we are a team, a unit, and all are a cog in the works, but if one player is not doing it then they have no divine right to selected just because their name maybe Hazard, Mata or Oscar for that matter, that goes for anyone.

Personally I would of dropped Hazard weeks ago and put Schurrle as I felt he was doing more to influence a game than Hazard was. This wasn't just my opinion of Hazard but that of Ivanovic and Lampard.

[The_Flash 1,144]

Hazard has kept us in he last few games. He has been very strong and fast really earning his shirt.

[Weckerz 3,781]

Of course it's my opinion, and I respect yours. I'm not comparing Schurrle to Hazard or Mata, all have their strengths and weaknesses. Your trying to put words into my mouth and missing the point. A lot of people on this forum are guilty of asking for such and such player because player A or B isn't doing it etc. Every player is important, we are a team, a unit, and all are a cog in the works, but if one player is not doing it then they have no divine right to selected just because their name maybe Hazard, Mata or Oscar for that matter, that goes for anyone.

Personally I would of dropped Hazard weeks ago and put Schurrle as I felt he was doing more to influence a game than Hazard was. This wasn't just my opinion of Hazard but that of Ivanovic and Lampard.

I'm not putting words in your mouth and I most definately get the point :/

I quoted a sentence out of Jose's press conference, stating De Bruyne isn't playing because the rest is playing so well. Which is a laughable statement because most of our AM's have been average at best.

We could continue discussing Hazard and Schurrle but that would only derail the thread and be pointless anyway =)

[bushman 2,043]

Schurrle is much more than a squad player. When he plays, the team seems to perk up a lot.

[The Mak 4,459]

Hazard and Oscar have been quality, the rest has been average at best with some spikes in performances. They definately haven't played well enough to keep KDB on the bench for half a season.

Agree with the KDB part but...

That's your opinion, he's been criminally underrated in some of his less prolific games this season. For me Schurrle is an extremely useful squadplayer with some immense qualities but he just isn't in the same league as Hazard or Mata or even Willian for that matter. Ignoring his goals he was average vs Stoke. That doesn't mean he isn't an important player for us.

You can hardly say that Oscar has been immense and Hazard underrated in some performances while calling Schurrle average.

If you're saying that Oscar has been 'quality' surely its mostly because of his work-rate, because his goals have masked his deficiencies going forward. While Hazard has been average for his high standards up until a few weeks ago. Maybe again you're pointing to his work-rate, I'm not sure. They have also been Mourinho's 'untouchables' in the team, so people would naturally rate them higher I suppose.

However, I do know that Schurrle is alongside Oscar and Ramires for the amount of effort he puts into his game. People may not notice it as much because he's on the wings or something, but he has played well every single time he has been called upon as far as I'm concerned. He also managed to score twice (almost 3 times) and was the best player on the pitch after going a considerable length of time on the bench. I don't think there are many, if any, players in the team who could've done the same (Hazard if anyone). It's down to his discipline and mentality, which has been nothing but brilliant.

In that regard, he kind of actually reminds me of Paulo by the way Mourinho said that he'd perform 7/10 in every game. I think Schurrle will give you at least 7/10 no matter what the circumstance and that's indispensable.

[bushman 2,043]

I just wonder whether Jose plays Shurrle tomorrow. Some say, he was injured though. Sorry, but I did not spot it.

Shurrle ought to be a starter, I feel. Him & Hazard, Mata played well together, I thought.

[Weckerz 3,781]

Agree with the KDB part but...

You can hardly say that Oscar has been immense and Hazard underrated in some performances while calling Schurrle average.

If you're saying that Oscar has been 'quality' surely its mostly because of his work-rate, because his goals have masked his deficiencies going forward. While Hazard has been average for his high standards up until a few weeks ago. Maybe again you're pointing to his work-rate, I'm not sure. They have also been Mourinho's 'untouchables' in the team, so people would naturally rate them higher I suppose.

However, I do know that Schurrle is alongside Oscar and Ramires for the amount of effort he puts into his game. People may not notice it more because he's on the wings or something, but he has played well every single time he has been called upon as far as I'm concerned. He also managed to score twice (almost 3 times) and was the best player on the pitch after going a considerable length of time on the bench. I don't think there are many, if any, players in the team who could've done the same (Hazard if anyone). It's down to his discipline and mentality, which has been nothing but brilliant.

In that regard, he kind of actually reminds me of Paulo by the way Mourinho said that he'd perform 7/10 in every game. I think Schurrle will give you at least 7/10 no matter what the circumstance and that's indispensable.

I really didn't want to give the impression I don't rate Schurrle tbh, I was merely trying to make a point about Jose's comments. I'd pick him over KDB or Willian on the wings most of the times, on merit of his impeccable work-rate and enthousiasm.

[The Mak 4,459]

I really didn't want to give the impression I don't rate Schurrle tbh, I was merely trying to make a point about Jose's comments. I'd pick him over KDB or Willian on the wings most of the times, on merit of his impeccable work-rate and enthousiasm.

Well definitely, based on José's comments, there is absolutely no basis for KDB being dead last in the pecking order. That's absolute bullshit in my opinion.

I've also felt really bad for him particularly in the past few games, not just because he hasn't started, but because our defence has been so fucking terrible that José is too afraid to substitute him on out of fear he'll be too rusty. Afterwards, he still doesn't give him a starting chance in the next game, meaning he's pretty much stuck in that shitty cycle unless someone gets injured.

[Barbara 15,149]

'At the moment if we play defensive corners against the dummies in training I think the dummies will score.'

Mourinho definitely was in a good mood today

re: Kevin. I think the fact that most of our AMs haven't been playing well lately only makes it worse for Kev (we can't consider the beginning because José heavily implied Kev had commitment issues with training sessions back then, something that nobody can say otherwise as they weren't there and Mourinho had no reason to lie about it. Again, nobody in England press gives a fuck if Kevin is playing or not, so Mourinho had no reason to justify his decisions any further by fabricating ideas that Kev hadn't been training well back then). It's hard to displace a player who's performing out of their mind, but if they've been average and still you can't displace them, then you're wasting your chances...

I do think André, for example, who hasn't played for almost 50 days for us (unless you consider those subs at the 85-90-minute mark), starts again and simply kills it, did the best out of the chance he's got (never understood why he hasn't played in November at all and in december up until stoke). Mata, Oscar, Kevin and Willian (to name only the AMs) can take a page from the kid's book. This throws through the window the idea that you always need minutes to help you shine in a subsequent match. André put his effort and determination in the chance he had and he's made better than Mata did imo. Mata started three consecutive matches for us and he wasn't as pivotal as André has been in only one of them, nor did he bring as much energy and effort imo.

For Kev it's all that harder because he spends much longer spells without playing, but he certainly didn't impress in his League Cup matches (iirc he was subbed in both of them) whereas Schurrle did more than enough in his and Willian and Mata were decent or good in theirs. Kevin will probably have another chance next week, and if he wants more minutes than he's been getting, he should use that match - against a side we've played only two weeks prior and we'll have some advantage - to at least match some of Willian's, Mata's and Oscar's presentations. André and Eden are out of his realm imo, as they've been outstanding.

[yuvala 2,167]

maybe we'll see Schurrle up front ?...

nah, probably gonna be Torres again.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

I fucking like all 6 of them. Although, sadly, six AMs might just be one too many.

They are the least of our problems. We need a CM/DM, a CB, and a top class CF, in that order.

[Billy. 2,742]

Aussie, dave, Terry, Cahill, Cole, Mikel, Lamps,Willian, Mata, KDB, Schrrule

[NishC300 1,865]

Rest many of the players. KDB has to start. Will Luiz be fit in time for this game? Essien ought to start to.

[Yeboii 1,844]

Fuuuuu came home early from work cause I thought the game was today.....

[zolayes 14,489]

hope this thread can be locked to their fans to prevent what happened last year

[Korea 734]

I thought the game was today..........

[yuvala 2,167]

I thought the game was today..........

Poor you, I know that feeling.