I've never been that big a fan of Willian but to compare Kenedy, Moses and Musonda favourably against him is absolutely absurd.

Willian may be a very flawed player but he is galaxy's ahead of those three.

1 hour ago, Argo said:

Willian may be a very flawed player but he is galaxy's ahead of those three

Maybe in skill..

Victor Moses 220 EPL Appearances 20 Goals

Willian - 198 appearances 28 goals

In four seasons without Conte, Willian averages 3.5 league goals per season. 

But I think part of the discussion is about selling. Would you rather go into next season with €35M and Moses...  Or Willian on a two year contract?  

 

 

Edited June 20, 20197 yr by Skinnedy
Updated w/correct Moses stats

14 minutes ago, Skinnedy said:

Maybe in skill..

Victor Moses 220 EPL Appearances 20 Goals

Willian - 198 appearances 28 goals

In four seasons without Conte, Willian averages 3.5 league goals per season. 

But I think part of the discussion is about selling. Would you rather go into next season with €35M and Moses...  Or Willian on a two year contract?  

My ideal would be Willian and replacing him with someone like Pepe but as that's not possible the next best alternative is quite comfortably Willian right now for me.

Moses is a decent wingback but as a winger is a frustrating as they come.

2 minutes ago, Argo said:

My ideal would be Willian and replacing him with someone like Pepe but as that's not possible the next best alternative is quite comfortably Willian right now for me

Yeah... I get that. I don't necessarily disagree either... 

I'm more afraid of seeing Willian in 20/21 than anything.

I've resigned myself knowing that 19/20 is a foregone conclusion with the ban.. 

CHO is hurt, so Willian isn't blocking him like he did last year. 

I just wish we'd get this idea of him as a forward player abolished. I actually think he'd do a decent job as a midfielder. I'd have rather him than Kovacic or Barkley at various times last season. 

It's absolutely shambolic that we NEED a player that averages 4 goals per season in a forward position. 

19 hours ago, Spiller86 said:

Honestly Willian is so much better than he gets credit on here for. Alonso and Moses aren't even close to being in the same class as Willian. We'll need him lots next year without Hazard.

You are right, he is in a class of his own when it comes to corner taking and running around like a headless chicken. Moses and Alonso certainly could not do those things better.

 

15 hours ago, dkw said:

Thats absolute rubbish. 

From wing back they got 6 and 4 respectively under Conte, when they were expected to defend as well as attack. If given the freedom of a Emerson and Dave to cover them like Willian had this season I think they would score more than 3 goals like Willian did and chip in with more assists as well. No surprise with the freedom Sarri afford Eden he had his best season with us. Did not seem to do much for Willian though.

Is an opinion, we will never see if it is right or rubbish though.

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

You are right, he is in a class of his own when it comes to corner taking and running around like a headless chicken. Moses and Alonso certainly could not do those things.

Well for me Willian's key strength (and this will be super important with Hazard gone) is to receive the ball back to goal under pressure, keep it and either find a pass or draw a foul. There aren't many players with a better touch than him in these areas and it is a very important way of moving the ball up the field under pressure. Neither Alonso or Moses can do that as well nor can any of our other wide players. Hazard was brilliant at it. Beyond his g/a that is what we will miss most about him.

Without being able to recruit another wide player with skill back to goal, we absolutely need Willian.

1 hour ago, Spiller86 said:

Well for me Willian's key strength (and this will be super important with Hazard gone) is to receive the ball back to goal under pressure, keep it and either find a pass or draw a foul. There aren't many players with a better touch than him in these areas and it is a very important way of moving the ball up the field under pressure. Neither Alonso or Moses can do that as well nor can any of our other wide players. Hazard was brilliant at it. Beyond his g/a that is what we will miss most about him.

Without being able to recruit another wide player with skill back to goal, we absolutely need Willian.

Well he is not going anywhere so we will see which of us is right about him next season.

12 hours ago, Spiller86 said:

There aren't many players with a better touch than him in these areas and it is a very important way of moving the ball up the field under pressure.

midfield... please... midfield...

 

Nice goal by Billy! 

https://youtu.be/9TKp63uzQs0

He prefers the left but has been understandably behind Hazard for the position, but i can see him doing a job on the left whipping in those balls on his right foot, Abraham/Giroud will appreciate it. Until CHO is fit anyway, Pulisic on the right, and Pedro covering both.

1 hour ago, coco said:

He prefers the left but has been understandably behind Hazard for the position, but i can see him doing a job on the left whipping in those balls on his right foot, Abraham/Giroud will appreciate it. Until CHO is fit anyway, Pulisic on the right, and Pedro covering both.

This is what I'm thinking too. 

Not sure if you peeps watch Copa America, but last night Slick Willie help Brazil win a PK shootout vs Paraguay. checkout his pk

 

41 minutes ago, robdog said:

Not sure if you peeps watch Copa America, but last night Slick Willie help Brazil win a PK shootout vs Paraguay. checkout his pk

Hit the post too. If even half of his Woodwork shots went in this season, we might be having a different conversation about him. 

1 minute ago, Skinnedy said:

Hit the post too. If even half of his Woodwork shots went in this season, we might be having a different conversation about him. 

well look at what Firmino & Gabriel Jesus did during that match - Slick Willie looked miles better than both

2 minutes ago, robdog said:

well look at what Firmino & Gabriel Jesus did during that match - Slick Willie looked miles better than both

He's played really well for them when he's central. He's dreadful as a wing. The thought of him a little deeper in a 4-2-3-1 doesn't bother me nearly as much as the dread of seeing Willian-Giroud-Pedro/Pulisic in a 4-3-3

 

 

2 minutes ago, Skinnedy said:

He's played really well for them when he's central. He's dreadful as a wing. The thought of him a little deeper in a 4-2-3-1 doesn't bother me nearly as much as the dread of seeing Willian-Giroud-Pedro/Pulisic in a 4-3-3

 

 

I thought he did good. He was able to beat his man & get crosses into the box + that shot off the post - look at both Firmino & Gabriel Jesus shooting wide all the time + Firmino missed his penalty

 

Willian prefers the left side. Now that Eden is gone I think Willian will play a lot of games and on the left side. Pedro or Pulisic on the right. We would be in serious trouble if we didn't have Willian. Frustrating at worst but very skillfull and can hurt opponents in many ways. This is until Callum is back. 

On 18/06/2019 at 12:08, Dixons said:

For all his faults, there was a time when he used to work his ass off running around like a headless chicken, but he doesn't even do that anymore.  Sadly, because of the ban, we're going to have to hold on to him and Pedro. We really haven't had a great wide pair since the days of Duff and Robben's all too brief time together. A pair of that quality would make absolute mincemeat out of the carp defences around today. 

Interesting point about his work rate and as I last recall that was in JM's last season when it seemed some were not playing for him and Willian stepped up. Move a few years forward and Willian now has a good opportunity to show what he can do on the Left with Hazard gone, yet please find someone else to take the corners.

19 hours ago, Skinnedy said:

Hit the post too. If even half of his Woodwork shots went in this season, we might be having a different conversation about him. 

If my Grandma had wheels she'd be a bike.

19 hours ago, Skinnedy said:

He's played really well for them when he's central. He's dreadful as a wing. The thought of him a little deeper in a 4-2-3-1 doesn't bother me nearly as much as the dread of seeing Willian-Giroud-Pedro/Pulisic in a 4-3-3

 

 

Deeper as in the "10" role or where are you thinking?

Because thats where i think Lampard will use him. Pedro and Pulisic on either side of him and Kante and Kovacic in the pivot behind that trio.

2 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

22 hours ago, Skinnedy said:

 

If my Grandma had wheels she'd be a bike.

I'm just doing my best to find even a sliver of hope. Wrapping my brain around another season of Willian. 

2 hours ago, Sindre said:

Deeper as in the "10" role or where are you thinking?

Yeah... Basically anything that isn't part of a front 3 in a 4-3-3. 

The thought of watching another season of him in a front 3 depresses me. The thought of having more than one season will have me reevaluating how I want to spend match days ?

 

3 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

If my Grandma had wheels she'd be a bike.

I’m tempted to make a joke here but I’m thinking better of it 

Getting the number 10 shirt. You’ve gotta laugh sometimes.

This club never fails to disappoint me.