Forget Silva for a second. How many no.10s are really better (or more suitable) than him? I wouldn't take Eriksen, Mata, Coutinho over him. It's probably less than a handful of players who would be legitimate arguments for being better in the role, considering our team dynamic.

Also I don't feel we look our best with Fabregas in the role. We look our best when we're playing an intense, high-pressing game and we lack some of that if Oscar is missing. And he's still only 23.

Id take Mata & Coutinho over Oscar, not necessarily for the way we play but as general out and out no. 10's they're better.

I would really like to see us try Oscar on the wing, with Fabregas in the middle for at least one match.

I remember the opening World Cup match really well, Brazil 3-1 Croatia, he was on the wing then and had a brilliant game, I remember many were saying he was the man of the match.

He was terrific in that game thought he was really getting back to his best, would quite like to see him given the chance out wide.

Coutinho?

Wat?!

No way.

Coutinho?

Wat?!

No way.

I think he's a very tidy player on the ball, like I said maybe not for the way we play but creatively I think he's very much at least on a par!

Oscar is basically a box to box #10. He's isn't a traditional creative #10 who poses great flair and creativity.

 

But still he's not bad at all. But just needs to be consistent.There are not many #10 who are better than him.

Number 10s better than Oscar:

 

Silva, Mata,  Ozil, (even Cesc), Siggurdson (if he is a number 10), Eriksen, Cazorla.

 

I would also add Coutinho aswell. Oscar is the better player overall but Coutinho can do what a number 10 does more effecivty which is thread defence splitting passes.

I would really like to see us try Oscar on the wing, with Fabregas in the middle for at least one match.

I remember the opening World Cup match really well, Brazil 3-1 Croatia, he was on the wing then and had a brilliant game, I remember many were saying he was the man of the match.

Wouldn't work here. We really don't have much aerial ability across the front 4 unless Drogba plays. It is also the weakest part of Costa's game.

Number 10s better than Oscar:

 

Silva, Mata,  Ozil, (even Cesc), Siggurdson (if he is a number 10), Eriksen, Cazorla.

 

I would also add Coutinho aswell. Oscar is the better player overall but Coutinho can do what a number 10 does more effecivty which is thread defence splitting passes.

 

Cazorla? You're having a giraffe. Ozil? When he plays, you mean? Bollox.

 

Coutinho I agree with, just.

Number 10s better than Oscar:

Silva, Mata, Ozil, (even Cesc), Siggurdson (if he is a number 10), Eriksen, Cazorla.

I would also add Coutinho aswell. Oscar is the better player overall but Coutinho can do what a number 10 does more effecivty which is thread defence splitting passes.

Most of those could be considered more creative, but their lack of contribution to other areas of the game outweighs the difference in creativity. To be effective Mata and Ozil need to be in teams that are very much tailored to cover their weaknesses. Only Silva is the real standout player.

the reason oscar will never be a great player is he is too inconsistent, great players have bad games, then it is back to normal service,great players are great from an early age, saying he is only 23 is a bit of a let off, hazard will be a great player, as his performances have shown by being more consistant when you get pulled up you go to the next level, i don't think oscar has another level. 

Number 10s better than Oscar:

 

Silva, Mata,  Ozil, (even Cesc), Siggurdson (if he is a number 10), Eriksen, Cazorla.

 

I would also add Coutinho aswell. Oscar is the better player overall but Coutinho can do what a number 10 does more effecivty which is thread defence splitting passes.

As a pure number 10, add KDB 

Saying Sigurdsson is better than Oscar is like saying Muzzy Izzet was better than Lampard.

Number 10s better than Oscar:

 

Silva, Mata,  Ozil, (even Cesc), Siggurdson (if he is a number 10), Eriksen, Cazorla.

 

I would also add Coutinho aswell. Oscar is the better player overall but Coutinho can do what a number 10 does more effecivty which is thread defence splitting passes.

 

You could make an argument for Oscar being a better number 10 (in our team) than all of those.

 

Coutinho is a different player but I really rate him. He's an excellent player with great balance and technique and a decently hard worker to boot.

Most of those could be considered more creative, but their lack of contribution to other areas of the game outweighs the difference in creativity. To be effective Mata and Ozil need to be in teams that are very much tailored to cover their weaknesses. Only Silva is the real standout player.

The point of being a number 10 is to be creative. Whatever Jose wants from Oscar as number 10 is not working offensively. You really need your number 10 to be a match winner if the rest of the team are having a bad day. Oscar is not that guy.

 

 

Cazorla? You're having a giraffe. Ozil? When he plays, you mean? Bollox.

 

Coutinho I agree with, just.

Serious, I would even rate Santi over Coutinho. The guy knows where the net is and how to pick a pass. Ozil is similar to Cesc, he knows how to crete chances. Yes he has his weaknesses but Wenger doesn't play him as a number 10. He puts him out wide where he is ineffective.

 

 

Saying Sigurdsson is better than Oscar is like saying Muzzy Izzet was better than Lampard.

 

Haha well every week I see SIggy popping up with a crucial goal or assist for Swansea. The guy is a clutch player, somehing Oscar is not.

Number 10s better than Oscar:

 

Silva, Mata,  Ozil, (even Cesc), Siggurdson (if he is a number 10), Eriksen, Cazorla.

 

I would also add Coutinho aswell. Oscar is the better player overall but Coutinho can do what a number 10 does more effecivty which is thread defence splitting passes.

 

I'd hazard a guess that Oscar has more assists and goals than most of those players whilst also having to share creative duties with Fabregas and Hazard and also contributing more defensively than all of them.

 

Has any of them put in a more complete defensive performance than Oscar's at home to Arsenal?

I'd hazard a guess that Oscar has more assists and goals than most of those players whilst also having to share creative duties with Fabregas and Hazard and also contributing more defensively than all of them.

 

Has any of them put in a more complete defensive performance than Oscar's at home to Arsenal?

 

Oscar has his pro's but not enough to be considered a great number 10.

 

I haven't checked but I would guess that your guess is wrong and that Oscar has LESS goals and assist that most of those players.

 

I haven't checked but I would guess that your guess is wrong and that Oscar has LESS goals and assist that most of those players.

 

What a surprise - you're wrong.

 

Only Gylfi has more, and he's the primary playmaker in the Swansea team. He also makes half the tackles of Oscar on average.

Oscar is not an archetypal number ten. He is the least glamorous of our attacking players based on the role he does for the team, which is not to score or assist goals; his role is to be a combative little terrier in the middle of the park who effectively acts as a screen in front of our two pivot midfielders. He pops up with the odd goal and assist because he often plays a lot deeper than the number 10s mentioned above. The way he interchanges with Hazard, Willian and Fabregas is excellent and his versatility makes him a very useful player for us. José could "let him off the leash" and allow him to play his natural game, but for our present 4-2-3-1 system to work it requires more of a box-to-box player in the number ten role; something Mata simply couldn't fulfil. I think Oscar is a terrific player whose contribution to the team shouldn't be measured by assists and goals. 

Oscar is not an archetypal number ten. He is the least glamorous of our attacking players based on the role he does for the team, which is not to score or assist goals; his role is to be a combative little terrier in the middle of the park who effectively acts as a screen in front of our two pivot midfielders. He pops up with the odd goal and assist because he often plays a lot deeper than the number 10s mentioned above. The way he interchanges with Hazard, Willian and Fabregas is excellent and his versatility makes him a very useful player for us. José could "let him off the leash" and allow him to play his natural game, but for our present 4-2-3-1 system to work it requires more of a box-to-box player in the number ten role; something Mata simply couldn't fulfil. I think Oscar is a terrific player whose contribution to the team shouldn't be measured by assists and goals. 

 

He's closer to someone like Modric than Kaka.

Oscar has been pretty good since he really nailed his starting position v Bolton, has had a couple of off days more recently, although he still hasn't really had too much of a rest in the past few years so perhaps bit much to except him to constantly perform. Offers a lot to the team both in attacking and defening terms. You see how much he brings to the teams in the arsena gamel, you can also see the talent he holds going forward, free kick vs palace that great goal v qpr.

His stats are good enough and judging him by Hazards standards might be a bit harsh. Although he is a different player he is certainly above the likes of nasri, navas and Milner at city so I'm not sure what people want from our team. Saying that a teams number 10 should be able to save them on an off day is not a good reason to say he's not performing well enough;

1) I wouldn't say he's a typical number 10 anyway so the standards must be different.

2) He DOES have the ability to change a game, score a great goal set up someone or block shots heading for the bottom corner. He should do it a bit more though.

3) We don't rely on him to save us, really. We have a different dynamic to other teams, city rely on Toures shots from outside the box to save them at times, we might rely on Cesc playing a killer ball through, they have their number 10 silva coming up with pieces of magic we have our winger hazard.

He probably won't get to world class level but people are dreaming if they think we will/should have a world class player in every single position.

He's closer to someone like Modric than Kaka.

 

I'd agree, he might occupy the number ten position on the starting line-up whenever Sky do their thing pre-match, but the reality is he does have a free role behind the striker - but unusually it is more of a defensive role than an attacking one. Whichever way you choose to define it, he's a top midfielder and shouldn't be judged on the goals and assists he provides because ultimately Oscar's contribution to the team is the lung-bursting run he makes to get back and make a tackle after having supported attack after attack. His engine is incredible, but because we were spoiled by having some incredible attacking midfielders, not least Lampard, Ballack, Essien et al., anyone who plays as an advanced midfielder for Chelsea has to score 15+ goals a season, just like Frank did.

The point of being a number 10 is to be creative. Whatever Jose wants from Oscar as number 10 is not working offensively. You really need your number 10 to be a match winner if the rest of the team are having a bad day. Oscar is not that guy.

No. There is no 'point' to any position. Only the role defined by the manager. You can argue that the 'point' of a winger is to create as well. Put Ramires on the flank and that 'point' is no longer valid.

Oscar - 3 goals, 6 assists, 2.1 tackles per game, 1.7 Key Passes per game

Ozil - 1 goal, 1 assist, 1.2 Tpg, 2.3 KeyP

Mata - 5 goals, 3 assists, 0.9 Tpg, 1.5 KeyP

Silva - 6 goals, 2 assists, 1.1 Tpg, 2.4 KeyP

Coutinho - 2 goals, 2 assists, 1.5 Tpg, 1 KeyP

These are just face-value stats. Never mind the work rate, the amount of times he covers positions etc.

Should he be more productive? Yes. Are all these guys better than him? Absolutely not.

Some of you have no heart and no humility.

Oscar is hardly a pure number 10, he's more of a roaming playmaker. 

Don't know if he came off injured or if he was hooked for a pretty lacklustre performance, but I'm hoping this isn't the start of his post-Christmas downturn in form again. Some fans put it down to the World Cup looming but he took half of last season off and he's had two poor performances in a row now.

 

We need him to start finding consistency otherwise he could be in trouble come the summer.