The defence has problems but it's the attack that disappoints due to lack of outside shooters and no petration. It's since Oscar has been out injured that the problems started. Willian is no substitute.

William won't be dropped as long as Mourinho has a say in it. He needs his tireless runners.

I still think that Oscar is going to be used as bait in the Pogba deal.

 

Jose obviously f**ked up when he sold Mata and declared Oscar his #10 and the one he wanted to build the team around. Willian and Fabregas will fulfill that role in future. Willian will not be dropped by Jose until Fabregas can move forward once Pogba arrives and slots in next to Matic.

Oscar is a misunderstood player. I could write an essay as to why, and why I think he's important to us, but a few summary points;

 

1) At our very best last season, Oscar and Cesc had a brilliant understanding of their positions and Oscar would regularly and swiftly fill in for Cesc if he burst forward. This not only gave out side movement that was hard to play against, but mitigated Cesc's poor CM play while getting the best of having him and Cesc get a go at #10 throughout a game. For some reason, maybe fatigue, this broke down in the second half on the season. 

 

2) He has the worst job on the pitch. He is an CAM expected to put in the huge blocking defensive efforts like he did at home to Arsenal where he looked like a DM, while also producing half decent goal + assist output, in a defensively minded side.....

 

3) I literally can't remember the last time he didn't play and we looked good. Every single "damn great team move & goal" we produce usually goes through him. Every time he's subbed we don't improve at all. 

 

4) I have seen games where he's having a shocker and still sprints into space asking for the ball. People sometimes question his effort and attitude but I think his attitude is spot on. 

 

5) He has genuine ability. One of the few players we have who will get 2-3 worldies a season, his movement is really good, when he's on it he can even dribble past players with little space, and I see regular evidence in his play that he is one of our most intelligent players. I'm actually really exited to see what Hazard-Oscar-Pedro can do as a unit. Although I think it's hard to attack when your side is disjointed in other areas so CM and defense may need fixing before we see any of that.   

Edited August 30, 201510 yr by Nichollz

Oscar is a misunderstood player. I could write an essay as to why, and why I think he's important to us, but a few summary points;

 

1) At our very best last season, Oscar and Cesc had a brilliant understanding of their positions and Oscar would regularly and swiftly fill in for Cesc if he burst forward. This not only gave out side movement that was hard to play against, but mitigated Cesc's poor CM play while getting the best of having him and Cesc get a go at #10 throughout a game. For some reason, maybe fatigue, this broke down in the second half on the season. 

 

 

 

 

There are a number of players who are behaving differently in their tactics from when they first started under Mourinho. Costa has seemingly lost his ability to cut in from the left-hand side, Fabregas remains in the midfield third and Oscar is not permitted to switch positions.

 

It's been going on so long that I think it's less likely that it's due to players form or fitness and more down to a failed tactical instruction from Mourinho.

Point 2 is what gets overlooked most often about him. I remember the Juve game at home where he basically marked Pirlo out of the game.

Oscar was terrible for 2/3 of last season and we managed ok, I really, really don't think if we had Oscar we'd suddenly be playing excellently.

The 1/3 he was playing well we dominated.

Oscar was terrible for 2/3 of last season and we managed ok, I really, really don't think if we had Oscar we'd suddenly be playing excellently.

 

And without him we are even worse.

With the way he started this season we immediately need him. 

I'm of the opinion Oscar is a hugely important player for us, he'd be on the team sheet before Willian or Fabregas for me and as has been said, I really am looking forward to seeing him play with Pedro and Hazard.

 

He usually has a big workload under Jose and copes with it very well, sometimes it stunts his game a bit for me but the importance of his input is usually clear.

 

His attitude is also spot on and though often the player chosen to make way even when others are having bad games, he never complains.

 

I worry that if we do sign a Pogba that Jose willmove Fabregas into the no 10 spot and we'll ose out on Oscars well rounded game,

I'd be gutted if that happened.

Edited August 30, 201510 yr by Chippy

Oscar was terrible for 2/3 of last season and we managed ok, I really, really don't think if we had Oscar we'd suddenly be playing excellently.

No we didn't. Team fell apart as soon as Oscar went off the boil. After that it became Eden Hazard + 10.

Oscar is a misunderstood player. I could write an essay as to why, and why I think he's important to us, but a few summary points;

 

1) At our very best last season, Oscar and Cesc had a brilliant understanding of their positions and Oscar would regularly and swiftly fill in for Cesc if he burst forward. This not only gave out side movement that was hard to play against, but mitigated Cesc's poor CM play while getting the best of having him and Cesc get a go at #10 throughout a game. For some reason, maybe fatigue, this broke down in the second half on the season. 

 

2) He has the worst job on the pitch. He is an CAM expected to put in the huge blocking defensive efforts like he did at home to Arsenal where he looked like a DM, while also producing half decent goal + assist output, in a defensively minded side.....

 

3) I literally can't remember the last time he didn't play and we looked good. Every single "damn great team move & goal" we produce usually goes through him. Every time he's subbed we don't improve at all. 

 

4) I have seen games where he's having a shocker and still sprints into space asking for the ball. People sometimes question his effort and attitude but I think his attitude is spot on. 

 

5) He has genuine ability. One of the few players we have who will get 2-3 worldies a season, his movement is really good, when he's on it he can even dribble past players with little space, and I see regular evidence in his play that he is one of our most intelligent players. I'm actually really exited to see what Hazard-Oscar-Pedro can do as a unit. Although I think it's hard to attack when your side is disjointed in other areas so CM and defense may need fixing before we see any of that.   

Good post. People have also forgotten that in the first half of last season Oscar was usually the one opening the deadlock either with a goal or assist.

Oscar was terrible for 2/3 of last season and we managed ok, I really, really don't think if we had Oscar we'd suddenly be playing excellently.

 

Spot on. Another classic case of a player becomming a better player when they aren't actually playing.

Hugely underrated amongst many of our fans, but he's very important for us and wouldn't swap him for any player barring one of the best in the world.

Not having a shot unless we are at the pen spot or beyond is a problem.

Matic will shoot but is often not in a position to shoot, cesc rarely does, eden passes off the responsibility to others, willian does and the fans have to duck and Pedro we are getting used to now.

We need more midfielder willing to take on a shot.

Edited August 30, 201510 yr by axman2526

Hugely underrated amongst many of our fans, but he's very important for us and wouldn't swap him for any player barring one of the best in the world.

 

Underrated no way. The guy is lucky to still be at Chelsea with his constant poor performances after December. He is also lucky that Mourinho is manager because 90% of managers would most likely of had Mata and KDB over him.

Do you want 90% of the managers in the world in charge of Chelsea?

William won't be dropped as long as Mourinho has a say in it. He needs his tireless runners.

 

Oscar works just as hard as Willian though, the difference is Oscar has end product.

Do you want 90% of the managers in the world in charge of Chelsea?

 

We've have most of them not many left now.

Is he really injured or he's part of some deal to get Pogba? I remember he didn't go off injured in the Swanesa game, then mysteriously he had a muscular injury ( so as Moses). It's been 3 weeks now, I'm no doctor but that sounds like a long time out for this type of injury.

Underrated no way. The guy is lucky to still be at Chelsea with his constant poor performances after December. He is also lucky that Mourinho is manager because 90% of managers would most likely of had Mata and KDB over him.

 

LVG plays Depay over mata in the hole and Herrara/Adan as well.

RDM gave Oscar time in the n10 his first season and starting there in champs league over Mata.

Jose picked Oscar over mata.

 

Only coach that didn't was RAFA and he puts freaking Bale over isco/james in the hole.  

Been gone for a while and the same nub posters writing off oscar.

 

OSCAR is the reason why Chelsea has such a good defense.  His pressing allowed for turtles like Cesc, Matic, Jt, Ican, Cahill less opportunity to be exposed.   When Chelsea as a team were at their peak, you know what player was at his peak usually at that time?

 

OSCAR

 

It's no coincidence that we have let 9 goals already.  

LVG plays Depay over mata in the hole and Herrara/Adan as well.

RDM gave Oscar time in the n10 his first season and starting there in champs league over Mata.

Jose picked Oscar over mata.

 

Only coach that didn't was RAFA and he puts freaking Bale over isco/james in the hole.  

 

I know you love Oscar but lets get the facts right. RDM used Oscar on the right mostly. Mata wasn't used that much at the start of the season because he was tired so RDM gave him a rest so Oscar played there for a bit, here is the link

 

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8000370/di-matteo-to-rest-mata

 

Benitez playing Mata in the hole over Oscar was completely the right thing to do i would of done the same. Mata performances reflected that.

Edited August 31, 201510 yr by jack_super_class

I know you love Oscar but lets get the facts right. RDM used Oscar on the right mostly. Mata wasn't used that much at the start of the season because he was tired so RDM gave him a rest so Oscar played there for a bit, here is the link

 

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8000370/di-matteo-to-rest-mata

 

Benitez playing Mata in the hole over Oscar was completely the right thing to do i would of done the same. Mata performances reflected that.

 

RDM used Oscar in the hole for UCL.  Maybe you don't remember in that little brain of yours.

 

Rafa played Mata in the hole and we ended up 6th in the league, SO.......Maybe, you are a stat nerd that forgets how great this Juan Mata has been for a sh*tty United team...  Maybe, you also forget how Wolfsburg is a pure counterattacking team that goes through KDB as the main player.  At City, he won't be and will suffer statistically.  

 

Only player to get picked over oscar in the hole role is Neymar because brazilian's sponsors wanted neymar to be brazil's n10.