Watched the highlights of the Citeh game again last night and marvelled at how much work Willian got through. Hugely influential in all areas of the pitch and it is obvious there is a good partnership with Hazard in particular. All told I am loving this bloke and can't believe there are some on here who still don't appear to have warmed to him. Yes, his decisions with the final ball can improve, but it sure as hell isn't bad and is miles better than Schurrle's current level of delivery IMO.

 

And what makes it even better, even sweeter, is that we nicked him Lastminute.com off Tottenham. He would have improved them vastly if he had ended up in their midfield.

Fully agree Just, his work rate is tremendous and his eye for a quick ball even when seemingly off balance and at speed are impressive and his ability to play those balls when off balance at speed add to us all noticing his final ball is not always as good as it should be.

 

I love his appetite for the game, he always looks like he wants to be a massive influence on events and never drifts out of a game, he seems the same for the entire game.

Unbelievable work rate, and always hungry to get involved... Ramires-like in some aspects.

 

Not sure what they feed their forwards in Brazil...but me wants some! 

Edited February 5, 201412 yr by ButchersHook

Yep, totally agree, liked him from day one and with every game I see him as an ever inreasingly vital cog of the new look team that Mourinho is forming.

 

I think he epitomises what a 'Mourinho player' is in terms of work rate and mentality- this bloke was still sprinting round the pitch shutting people down to the last minute at City, he is perfect for the pressing game we are trying to implement. He was also not shy of getting stuck in to Toure.

Can't help but sing the Willian song at the tele whenever I hear it chanted.

I like the fact he hates Tottenham too, it has to be true because it's said in song.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2397845/Willian-60m-spree-replace-Gareth-Bale.html

Hehe

I remain unconvinced. Sure the effort is there, but for me that final ball is everything. That is why you pay the big money for. 32m (that's as much as we paid for Hazard and Shevchencko) is a lot to pay when you consider what else was about. 

 

When we are in situations against Bayern, Barca et al in the big Champions League games you don't get the number of chances we had against City, you have to make the one moment count. Right now I'm not confident that he has that in his game. For 32m I want that.

The best description of him that I've read is that he's the Duracell bunny. Never stops running but needs to improve his end product and decision making.

tremendous work rate---much the same as Ramires but prob better control, but like Ramires his decision making/final ball really is poor-------the 4 on 1 chance against city is one example, option should have been to pass early and put E'to in at edge of the box, a striker with goal scoring capabilities, not hold off and play Ramires.......same happened later in the game when his final pass pushed Ramires too wide...chances like these don't come often so we have to be putting teams away......would love to see him driving at players the way Eden does and cause havoc....

would love to know what the distant covered by the front 4 against city was?.....fantastic fitness shown by each of them, never let up whole game

Watched the highlights of the Citeh game again last night and marvelled at how much work Willian got through. Hugely influential in all areas of the pitch and it is obvious there is a good partnership with Hazard in particular. All told I am loving this bloke and can't believe there are some on here who still don't appear to have warmed to him. Yes, his decisions with the final ball can improve, but it sure as hell isn't bad and is miles better than Schurrle's current level of delivery IMO.

 

And what makes it even better, even sweeter, is that we nicked him Lastminute.com off Tottenham. He would have improved them vastly if he had ended up in their midfield.

 

And to think someone on here not naming names (brewcrew) thought he was lazy,he's anything but.

I don't understand how people can say he it's his fault we missed the 4 on 1? Not his fault Ramires missed and looking at it, he was the best option

I don't understand how people can say he it's his fault we missed the 4 on 1? Not his fault Ramires missed and looking at it, he was the best option

 

I was more annoyed with the silly over head kick after Ramires shot got saved.I know its easy to say but he should of headed it to Eto'o who was right next to him and facing the goal.

Edited February 5, 201412 yr by jack_super_class

Great player, every loose 50/50 he's comes away with. He beats people, has silky control and rarely looses the ball.

He does need a bit more composer in the last 3rd but it will come

I think if he and Ramires competed in a bleep test, it would go on forever.

I like the fact he hates Tottenham too, it has to be true because it's said in song.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2397845/Willian-60m-spree-replace-Gareth-Bale.html

Hehe

"

NRP, Basingstoke, United Kingdom, 5 months ago..

 

 

Liverpool fans are deluded. Spurs made a move for Willian last summer and in January - think you find it is Liverpool that chase Spurs targets. Not Spurs fault Willian has chosen to sign for the much better team, which greater prospects."

 

"Big mistake,the people of Liverpool are much friendlier and its a much more laid back kind of city,London is a hell hole who wants to live there,he will probably get mugged on his way to the ground for his medical."

Edited February 6, 201412 yr by guddy69

The most promising thing I can see is that he seems to be getting better every game . His understanding of those around him is improving and his link up play with Hazard in particular is getting better and better . I will admit that I was initially skeptical about this signing given the price tag and the wealth of attacking talent we had at the time . However , with the departure of Mata and KDB he has clearly become an important part of the Jose puzzle . 

 

Despite all the haters and his often casual final ball- we are winning more games with Willian in the side which is plain and simple for everyone to see . I'm not drawing conclusions here saying that it's solely because he is in the side but I would like to conclude that he is clearly having a positive influence on the development of this team . 

 

Thanks for bringing him in Jose 

 

He Hates Tottenham 

I remain unconvinced. Sure the effort is there, but for me that final ball is everything. That is why you pay the big money for. 32m (that's as much as we paid for Hazard and Shevchencko) is a lot to pay when you consider what else was about. 

 

 

 

I agree with that first part, however...

 

 

 

 

When we are in situations against Bayern, Barca et al in the big Champions League games you don't get the number of chances we had against City

 

 

Why not? Why should we settle for less? We shouldn't have to sit back and wait for moments of magic, IMO.

Besides that's what Ramires and Ivanovic are for, anyway

Great player, every loose 50/50 he's comes away with. He beats people, has silky control and rarely looses the ball.

He does need a bit more composer in the last 3rd but it will come

100%. He certainly needs to up his game around the box but he has all the attributes to be a super player. This is of course his first season in a good league so he needs time. If someone made the offer then: Willian in for 30m - Mata out for 37m, I'd take that every time. Mata will get you more goals and assists (right now), but Willian will make you a better team and ultimately that's what counts in big games.

He has the perfect manager in Mourinho and I can only see him getting better and better, I thought he made a massive difference on Monday with the way he got in the faces of the Citeh midfielders. 

Much like Oscar, he's a lot tougher than he looks. 

 

There are times where it seems he doesn't have much confidence on the ball, but as Liam says, Mourinho is the man to take him to the next level.

Hope he gets in the world cup squad.

To me Willian is a more technical and faster verision of Dirk Kuyt - he needs to improve in the the final third to be really a good signing. Right now there is far too little end product for an attacking player. Kuyt was also a fan favorite over at Anfield so don't take my comment as an insult. 

 

I think it would be better to wait until the crunch end of the season is over before we really get an idea of whether his signing is justfied. If he manages to help us on our way to a few titles with his industry and drive than obviously he would be worth every penny. 

Dirk kuyt - don't think so mate..?

Willian got pace, balance and class touch...only similarity with kuyt is work rate

First season in PL so far he is way ahead expectations. Few more goals and he will be properly rated

Great signing

Any player who works hard now gets compared to Dirk Kuyt? Willian sh*ts on him.

I agree with that first part, however...

Why not? Why should we settle for less? We shouldn't have to sit back and wait for moments of magic, IMO.

Besides that's what Ramires and Ivanovic are for, anyway

Not necessarily about sitting back. More about being forced into that position. It's hard for a team to gain a lions share of possession against those teams, certainly with the way we play. You can create in those situations as Bayern did last season with less than 40 percent of the ball against Barca but you have to be clinical something that in my view Willian is not.