Tantalused

Mikel. I agree with all the Oscar comments. Looks like 5 stone wet through, tough as nails and skill to burn. Mikel I think has so much more to give. When he steps up and pushes the ball in front of him running at defences or when he looks up and passes 40 yards - he just doesn't do it enough. I have a feeling he's being designed as a Makalele and told to keep it simple with short easy balls and when there isn't one immediately available sometimes he gets tied up. But he's got good ball control too. I mean his ball control & passing are much much better than Ramires and yet Mikel gets stick whild Rambo is eulogised. Let him loose Jose.

I suspect that's a bit "tongue in cheek" but I thought Mikel had a very good game and was second best only to Oscar

Funny, I thought except for that late shot on goal that Ramires had been poor. Willian aimless. Essien disappointing. Luiz had a little ooops but apart from tha thas been good as has Cahill & Azpi & Mikel. Oscar again looking like our most dangerous while Eto'o should have buried that early chance

http://www.vipboxuk.co/football/199604/1/derby-county-vs-chelsea-live-stream-online.html

whippersnappers! I started following Chelsea about 1967. Beating Leeds in the Cup Final replay a couple of years later was sweet cos my brother followed Leeds. As somebody said the televised Cup Final day was special. The FA Cup is a really special trophy.

Went for Oscar. I know he came on as a sub but that game was heading for a 0-0 or even a 1 nil defeat. Changed the game.

Peckham Blue, I'm a fan of Mikel so I had a little hunt. I found this. Raw data and needs work but if you really want to know ... http://www.statbunker.com/players/SeasonMatches?player_id=18777&comps_type=-1&dates=-1

Is that Kenneth Omeruo or Oriel Romeu? I thought Romeu an excellent player but I think he got injured and he's on loan now. So is Omeruo I think. Another player I liked was Nathan Ake. Dunno what's happened to him.

Schwarzer Azpi Kalas Cahill Bertrand Essien Luiz Willian Mata Oscar Torres A game like this with 2 grafters alongside him should allow Mata opportunity to show what he can do. And with Luiz driving from DM there's plenty talent there to win this comfortably. Depending how it's going by HT Schurrle/De Bruyne maybe on to get the opportunity to build some confidence Alternatively, to give Azpi a rest cos he seemed to get a couple of twinges yesterday, Essien to RB, Oscar to DM, and Schurrle/De Brunyne taking Oscar's spot

On the game, Jose made the right subs obviously. Oscar & Willian just did everything quicker and worked harder than Mata & Schurrle. Mata just hasn't that intensity. He has class and I wonder how he'd do with Oscar and Willian playing alongside him. It might allow him to orchestrate while they took on the graft (as well as the skill they have). As for Shurrle, I think he looks better running with the ball from 30/40 yards out. The few balls to him today were down into the corner, the sort of place Hazard/Oscar can wizard something from. He also needs to up his intensity.

Ah! that might take a while longer!

On a quick shufti I think it pans like this played some part 9 wins played no part 9 wins played some part 4 losses played no part 2 losses played some part 2 draws played no part 2 draws Not sure that helps much tho :)

How long is Van Ginkel out for? And what happened to Nathan Ake?

Look at their first goal. Cole comes out the wing with the ball. 2 Sunderland players go to him. Hazard, instead of going to the wing to give Cole an outball jogs along inside. Cole boots the ball. Sunderland defender picks it up passes inside to teammate who skins Ba and passes between Mikel & Lampard and they're thru our defence. Second goal. Again Hazard not doing his job, watches Sunderland player take a pass and doesn't get close allowing the cross. Lampard strolling back 15 yards from where he should be allowing Cahill to be double teamed and from there it's simple for them. We aren't killing games off because our strikers are sh*t. Because our strikers are sh*t our "creative" players aren't trying to play killer balls or attacking the defence. Because our creative players aren't doing that we're playing round and round the opposition defence till we lose the ball. Mikel & Lampard as a combination are too slow so when the opposition attack us our back four are exposed and scramble until inevitably breached. We need an effective striker and some pace in defensive midfield. Otherwise it's just gonna be more of the same. Christ, it's alomost like supporting us 20/30/40 years ago, except back then expectations were lower.