Bar a signing in deeper midfield, which would push Fabregas forward I still see him starting regularly. HIs ability to press from the front is crucial in how we want to play.

I can see huge improvements from both Willian and Schurrle this season, and if Oscar doesn't raise his game, he's going to be on the bench a lot like at the end of last season.

Why are we selling one of our best players all of a sudden?

Not sure I would go as far as to sell him, however if we are sticking by a 4-2-3-1 in all honesty there are others who deserve to start ahead of him. Hazard in the middle, with Willian and Schurrle off to the sides.

I can see huge improvements from both Willian and Schurrle this season, and if Oscar doesn't raise his game, he's going to be on the bench a lot like at the end of last season.

 

I think he can be at the level required. For mine he was as good in the first half of the season as Willian was in the second. 

The annoying thing for me is that there are so many quality #10's around right now and we don't have one performing well.

 

And then you take a look at all their price tags.

And then you take a look at all their price tags.

 

Coutinho nearly a 3rd of Oscar's price, Isco and Silva cost about the same as him too.

Should play hazard in the 10.

I personally think Oscar will have a great season. He has no world cup to focus on, and mourinho will push the best out of him. Oscar probably knows himself that this season is crunch time and if he doesn't improve on the latter half of last season, he will get dropped and potentially be sold. I think he'll be one of the players with most assists and goals come the end of next season.

One of Schurrle, Willian or Oscar need to take that extra step this year. I can see one being moved on if there is no improvement. Oscar's inconsistency is incredibly worrying.

Ask me last season and I'd say Oscar is the best of those three (Oscar, Schurrle, Willian), but this season I think Schurrle will be the one that stands out with Willian a close second. They all have their merits and drawbacks - Schurrle is very offensive-minded and has a high shot count, but most of his shots miss, Oscar is strong in the tackle for a little guy, but lacks a top delivery and Willian is dogged and tenacious when he presses, but seems to lack ideas in the final 3rd. Still, a nice quandary to have and not a bad lad to have on the bench. But if somebody comes in with a big bid I think we have more than enough AM's to cover and we should accept.

Having Cesc and Costa in the team will help him a lot. I still believe Oscar will be a key player for us this season. Lets all remember he probably was our best player up until the start of december last year. He and Mata started about as many games as eachother i seem to remember and Oscar looked the best. He is also absolutely vital to our pressing, and defensive structure as many people seem to forget.

When hazard is being featured next season, lets see the comments role in....

Unless you think jose going to sabotage oscar/willian for hazard....... you guys should know better.

Simply put for Oscar now, its put up and perform, or be gone.

Oscar has taken #8 to allow Drogba to get #11 back, he's confirmed on his facebook.

That's a big number to fill; hope he does it. 

He WAS wearing number 11 straight after Drogba left...

He WAS wearing number 11 straight after Drogba left...

 

And he did a fairly rubbish job of filling that number, hopefully he'll do a better job with the number 8.

I wonder if we'll see a return of the 4-3-3 and see Oscar moved into a more Lampard-esque role, rather than a Mata-esque #10 role.

^ Pray that is the plan because I just don't see him as a 10 and I reckon to get the best out of Costa & Hazard, it might be wiser to play Fabregas next to them. I can see him flourishing ghosting in from deep where the onus is not on him to make split second passes.

And he did a fairly rubbish job of filling that number, hopefully he'll do a better job with the number 8.

he really didn't do that badly before the second half of last season.

I wonder if we'll see a return of the 4-3-3 and see Oscar moved into a more Lampard-esque role, rather than a Mata-esque #10 role.

Oscar has never played 10 as Mata did for us.

Oscar has never played 10 as Mata did for us.

 

He doesn't have the same skill set no, but rarely has he lined up alongside the other two centre mids.

Edited August 16, 201411 yr by Jonty

He doesn't have the same skill set no, but rarely has he lined up alongside the other two centre mids.

Not alongside no, but Oscar moves around a lot more and is utilized way more in pressing and defensive duties then Mata. He also likes to come deep to get the ball from the defense. Oscar plays more as a box to box midfielder then Mata whos purely a number ten who contributed f**k all when the opposition had the ball

Not alongside no, but Oscar moves around a lot more and is utilized way more in pressing and defensive duties then Mata. He also likes to come deep to get the ball from the defense. Oscar plays more as a box to box midfielder then Mata whos purely a number ten who contributed f**k all when the opposition had the ball

Ya that's the problem. He doesn't have the skills to be a 10 but Jose still played him there. Our attack struggled last year because of that. The signing if Cesc shows that ditching Mata for Oscar was a mistake. it shows that Oscar doesn't have what it takes to be a 10.

He was comically bad against Colombia and Germany. Not that I was surprised.

Edited August 16, 201411 yr by dcmining