Willian

[ForeverCarefree]

I'm doubtful that he was consulted on this deal. Like the club were chasing Schurrle since last season and Willian's name was also in the rumors since AVB's time so it looks more like the club's signing than Jose's preference.

 

Jose acknowledged with the Schurrle deal that the club had been chasing him previously but that he was asked to give the final okay on it as he would obviously have to manage the squad and their playing time.

 

Same again for Willian, they've said they have the opportunity to bring him in and would have consulted Mourinho before finalising any offer. 

[Nick05]

If Mata comes into the plays wells and produces the goods (as he has done for the last two years) then Jose is going to keep on picking him.

 

New manager, clean slate for everyone and previous achievements count for little or nothing.

 

So as impressive as Mata has been for the last couple of years, he's now got a new manager he needs to impress all over again. 

 

That will only happen if Mata  is played in his favored central position. Mata has been our best player and the quality that he offers down the middle, it would be stupid to experiment with such a crucial player. If Jose is so bent on experiments then Willian should be the one to be shunted wide.

[ForeverCarefree]

That will only happen if Mata  is played in his favored central position. Mata has been our best player and the quality that he offers down the middle, it would be stupid to experiment with such a crucial player. If Jose is so bent on experiments then Willian should be the one to be shunted wide.

 

When Mata played on the left of a 4-3-3 formation under AVB he was still by far and away our best player.

 

If he asked to play on the right, then his quality will still shine through especially as he is going to be given license to cut inside onto his favoured left foot.

 

Oscar has looked superb in the middle for us so far this season and he, in my opinion, is the most wasted of all our attacking players when asked to play on the wing.

 

If Mata is going to play in the wide positions then it will be for the greater good of the team. Besides the forward three are very fluid anyway so even when playing wide you still interchange a lot have chances to influence the game through the middle. 

[DarkMata]

All I can say is calm down Mata hasn't been replaced and won't be sold.  He will still be our No.1 midfielder.  I believe Jose when he says his not match fit yet, everyones getting caught up in the media spinning transfer rumours.  Wasn't it Mourinho who said he wanted 2 players for every position when he first became chelsea manager? I think this is his aim again and we will see some of the weaker players sold/loaned in the next few days.

[jack_super_class]

Interview

 

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/exclusive-willians-first-interview-as-a-chelsea-player/#.Uh4bL4Hf5h0.twitter

[Nick05]

When Mata played on the left of a 4-3-3 formation under AVB he was still by far and away our best player.

 

If he asked to play on the right, then his quality will still shine through especially as he is going to be given license to cut inside onto his favoured left foot.

 

Oscar has looked superb in the middle for us so far this season and he, in my opinion, is the most wasted of all our attacking players when asked to play on the wing.

 

If Mata is going to play in the wide positions then it will be for the greater good of the team. Besides the forward three are very fluid anyway so even when playing wide you still interchange a lot have chances to influence the game through the middle. 

 

The main issue here is opposing teams congesting the centre of the park and that's where centre-leaning players like Mata would be less effective. Saw it against Aston Villa where team lacked penetration even with 70% possession. He's the sort of player who dictates play and doesn't have the burst pace like Robben to cut inside and shoot. Cole and Ivanovic are reluctant to venture down the wings so until one of Bertrand or Azpi play, the attack becomes further narrowed which teams would repel easily. What worries me is that Mata stuck to the wing in the Villa game as if he was instructed to play as a winger which is really not his way.

Edited August 28, 2013 by Nick05

[Damnation]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB6mUlqam0o

 

Here's a song for him, instead of Mili, sign Wili and it's all great. 

[coombsie]

All I can say is calm down Mata hasn't been replaced and won't be sold.  He will still be our No.1 midfielder.  I believe Jose when he says his not match fit yet, everyones getting caught up in the media spinning transfer rumours.  Wasn't it Mourinho who said he wanted 2 players for every position when he first became chelsea manager? I think this is his aim again and we will see some of the weaker players sold/loaned in the next few days.

 

Completely agree !! We are now developing the true strength in depth that we have been lacking the last few years., Plenty of width, strength in the middle of the park, cover at the back, now all we are missing is options up front. I am past thinking that Torres is one of them, praying that Lukaku truly is the next Drogba, but not at all convinced by Ba or Moses, both of whom I believe will be loaned. Therefore we need one more top striker and if as it seems, that is not going to be the turncoat Scouser, I expect Eto'o will be signed.

[ForeverCarefree]

The main issue here is opposing teams congesting the centre of the park and that's where centre-leaning players like Mata would be less effective. Saw it against Aston Villa where team lacked penetration even with 70% possession. Cole and Ivanovic are reluctant to venture down the wings so until one of Bertrand or Azpi play, the attack becomes further narrowed which teams would repel easily. What worries me is that Mata stuck to the wing in the Villa game as if he was instructed to play as a winger which is really not his way.

 

Well that's not a new problem for Chelsea, on quite a few occasions since the days of Duff and Robben we have lacked natural width.

 

As I said, Oscar isn't suited to playing on the wing and all he wants to do and all he does is drift inside. Mata, although he favours playing in middle is capable of playing out wide and it's up to him to provide the width when asked to play on the wing. He was clearly lacking match fitness against Villa and it was probably the worst I have seen him play for Chelsea so you can't really use that one game as a yard stick for his ability to play in the wider positions in a 4-2-3-1.

 

At the end of the day he is going to get opportunities to play and he will get his chances in the middle but we as fans have to back Mourinho's decision should he decide to play him out wide in some games. We have a massive pool of talent for those attacking midfield positions and compromises will need to be made by all players. I'm fairly sure that Hazard's favourite position is in the middle as well but playing wide left he gets on with it and performs well. It's up to Mata to do the same if needed and that goes for the rest of the team as well. 

[BrewCrew]

I don't think where Mata plays is going to be an issue. He always gets himself into the right spot. He is going to cutting inside from the left to get more central anway. Also, those three midfielders are always interchanging that Mata will find himself in the middle plenty. Just look at how Oscar tends to drop back to get the ball. Mata and Hazard would find themselves in the middle if they need to be there.

[Nick05]

Well that's not a new problem for Chelsea, on quite a few occasions since the days of Duff and Robben we have lacked natural width.

 

As I said, Oscar isn't suited to playing on the wing and all he wants to do and all he does is drift inside. Mata, although he favours playing in middle is capable of playing out wide and it's up to him to provide the width when asked to play on the wing. He was clearly lacking match fitness against Villa and it was probably the worst I have seen him play for Chelsea so you can't really use that one game as a yard stick for his ability to play in the wider positions in a 4-2-3-1.

 

At the end of the day he is going to get opportunities to play and he will get his chances in the middle but we as fans have to back Mourinho's decision should he decide to play him out wide in some games. We have a massive pool of talent for those attacking midfield positions and compromises will need to be made by all players. I'm fairly sure that Hazard's favourite position is in the middle as well but playing wide left he gets on with it and performs well. It's up to Mata to do the same if needed and that goes for the rest of the team as well. 

 

you can add KDB and probably Willian to that list.

And now you brought up Hazard. He's the only one of the 3 amigos who's got a real burst of pace and yet he doesn't take on the fullbacks as much as he should, more content to play tika-taka with Oscar and Mata. SAF would've made him a marauding winger  if he'd gone to Utd.

[ForeverCarefree]

you can add KDB and probably Willian to that list.

And now you brought up Hazard. He's the only one of the 3 amigos who's got a real burst of pace and yet he doesn't take on the fullbacks as much as he should, more content to play tika-taka with Oscar and Mata. SAF would've made him a marauding winger  if he'd gone to Utd.

 

I'm fairly sure Jose alluded to this recently, he said Hazard needs to have more confidence in his play and more faith in his abilities.

 

Without saying it directly he seemed to be alluding to wanting Hazard to take more responsibility which includes running at defenders which I agree he needs to do more of.

 

Schurrle looks to have a nice bit of pace to him and I think given time he is going to look a real threat when running at defenders too. 

[Zeta]

Just don't get this transfer at all

[FLYMJ]

Interview

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ODRrqra2w

[Huttsey]

Interview

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ODRrqra2w

 

It's mentioned in the video but Willian looks very happy at 0:48...

[mad_mac]

I somehow think this is the end of the time at Chelsea FC for Victor Moses.  I also see Moses was left out of the swuad listed to face Bayern Munich this Friday

[haifarul]

There us no point loaning Moses, his face dont fits with Mourinho.Just sell him , his value should have gone up after last season.From all the players we sent on loan none will ever be back.

[EdinburghBlue]

Decent player but don't understand why we signed him, the last thing we need is any more attacking midfielders.

[Loj91]

With this transfer now gone through I think it means that Oscar or KdB will be playing a more deeper role to fill in for frank when he hangs his boots

[charierre]

“There were good players like Willian, a player who can make a difference, a player that people come to the stadium to watch. A good character too. I made United aware of him straight away when things were going belly-up.''

 

Rene Meulensteen

 

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10263639/Manchester-United-v-Chelsea-Rene-Meulensteen-on-his-fantastic-12-years-of-doing-the-best-job-in-the-world-at-Old-Trafford.html

[evissy]

We lack a bit of directness in the squad and Willian is not solution to that. Mata is probably the most direct midfielder we have as he looks for the killer pass more than any of them. He solely dribbles and passes back. I feel Haz and Oscar do it more.

Schurrle is more direct and so is Moses. I have only seen Willian in two games so what do I know. Anyway youtube leads me to believe so...

[kellzfresh]

We lack a bit of directness in the squad and Willian is not solution to that. Mata is probably the most direct midfielder we have as he looks for the killer pass more than any of them. He solely dribbles and passes back. I feel Haz and Oscar do it more.

Schurrle is more direct and so is Moses. I have only seen Willian in two games so what do I know. Anyway youtube leads me to believe so...

Willian is the type of player hazard is, dribbles with speed and creates a huge amount of chances. His dribbling ability is at hazards level and he will provide another threat on the right wing so that teams cant double mark hazard anymore.

He will prove a lot of doubters wrong this season

[54veteran]

I'm fairly sure Jose alluded to this recently, he said Hazard needs to have more confidence in his play and more faith in his abilities.

 

Without saying it directly he seemed to be alluding to wanting Hazard to take more responsibility which includes running at defenders which I agree he needs to do more of.

 

He did a good job with Joe Cole.

[dkw]

We lack a bit of directness in the squad and Willian is not solution to that. Mata is probably the most direct midfielder we have as he looks for the killer pass more than any of them. He solely dribbles and passes back. I feel Haz and Oscar do it more.

Schurrle is more direct and so is Moses. I have only seen Willian in two games so what do I know. Anyway youtube leads me to believe so...

From memory that was exactly what he was in the 2 games against us, direct running taking on our defence. Now I didnt see a lot more of him other than those games so it could be that he usually isnt that direct.

[SydneyChelsea]

Direct in his book is to hoof to Lukaku/Torres/whoever. Passing the ball is overrated these days- it's not like Barcelona ever won a trophy, compared to Bayern who are basically Stoke in lederhosen.