We are third in the table and 2 points behind the leader - FACT
We are still in the Champions League knockout rounds - FACT
Oscar may not be as creative as Mata but he has a much more rounded skill set - FACT
For the first time in 3 seasons do we still have a chance of winning the title in January - FACT
Can things be better? Absolutely. We could be 2 points better off and in the League Cup which shows how well we are doing anyways. The way you talk, one might think we were knocked out all of competitions and struggling in the EPL. Get a grip
Also anyone saying Mata has been warming the bench is mistaken. He is in the top 3 for minutes played among Chelsea attackers
True but again that was the day after Eto'o had joined, four strikers going into one position doesn't make for great playing time. I like how you said it was a sign of him not being mentally strong, him demanding to go out on loan so he could get game time links to quite the opposite. He knows what he wants and went for it.He requested a transfer actually after he missed the penalty in the Super Cup, little sign of not being mentally strong as a player. There was no doubt he still needed work and this loan deal will make him more the complete player.
What does all this have to do with what Carl said? Being third in the table has more to do with City and United losing points, not because we play spectacular football.
Again, irrelevant, if you play him as GK.
True but again that was the day after Eto'o had joined, four strikers going into one position doesn't make for great playing time. I like how you said it was a sign of him not being mentally strong, him demanding to go out on loan so he could get game time links to quite the opposite. He knows what he wants and went for it.
You could speculate that he'd be the main striker and would get the most playing time but it's highly unlikely.
Torres is likely to start half your games, so that leaves 20 or so for the other three, Eto'o could quite easily demand a place in half of those leaving Lukaku with scraps. Why stay for the chance to play 10-15 games when he can go out on loan and get 2-3 times that.
Pretty flawed reasoning you got there ... You are somehow assuming that Torres has the divine right to start half our games no matter how he plays. You are assuming that Eto'o will demand a place and moreover that a manager like Jose will give into his demands
Carl has a point ... Lukaku could have stayed and chosen to compete. Again I mention that it's not like he was exactly competing against world-class strikers. But he chose to go out on loan. I frankly don't blame him but it wasn't the most brave decision or one that exactly justifies the strong man persona he has been projecting over the summer
Lukaku has been consistently better than the rest of your strikers for the past 18 months. Going back out on loan was the brave choice, otherwise he would be sat on the Chelsea bench next to Mata.
If he wanted to play in the World Cup this year it was almost certain he had to go back out on loan.
Pretty flawed reasoning you got there ... You are somehow assuming that Torres has the divine right to start half our games no matter how he plays. You are assuming that Eto'o will demand a place and moreover that a manager like Jose will give into his demands
Carl has a point ... Lukaku could have stayed and chosen to compete. Again I mention that it's not like he was exactly competing against world-class strikers. But he chose to go out on loan. I frankly don't blame him but it wasn't the most brave decision or one that exactly justifies the strong man persona he has been projecting over the summer
Based on last seasons form he should be first-choice, but clearly wasn't.What makes you say he would have sat on the bench? Based on current form, he would have been our first-choice striker
What makes you say he would have sat on the bench? Based on current form, he would have been our first-choice striker
I honestly believe Mourinho bottled giving Lukaku a chance and signed Eto'o, now rather than admitting he is trying to blame Lukaku.
He never would have had the chance to prove his "current form" if he was still at Chelsea. This way he gets to play in the World Cup and that's fair enough.
That doesn't make sense ... You are basically saying that you won't be happy unless we win every game. The league is too tough now with any team capable of beating another on their day, leading the table out of sheer brilliance and not relying on others dropping points is asking too much of a team with no midfield and strikers. If you were a city fan then this argument would be valid
Oh stop being so na?ve, he was clearly never going to be first-choice! It's not just talent we're talking about, it's also reputation. And there is a hierarchy at the club, whether you like to admit it or not - how do you think Cech has retained his place for so long but Courtois has been repeatedly sent on loan, despite the fact that he's just as good? And based on his performances of the last few seasons, Mata would be key player on the team, but he's clearly not, is he?It didn't put him anywhere in the pecking order... He just had one more striker for competition along with Torres as Ba would have been loaned. You can look at it whichever way you want but at the end of the day, he was still afraid of competing and based on current seasons form of all 3, he would have probably established himself as first-choice anyways. As I said, I dont blame him for requesting a loan anyways
I have to admit I don't know too much about when he requested this loan, but surely if he had request it that early, he would've left earlier than Deadline Day? It doesn't seem to add up.We will get more than that for him, the fact is as brilliant as Mata was for us we are playing far better the way we are playing now without him.
He requested a transfer actually after he missed the penalty in the Super Cup, little sign of not being mentally strong as a player. There was no doubt he still needed work and this loan deal will make him more the complete player.
He should be top of that list, and should be playing in his favoured position more. He's better than Hazard, Oscar and Willian, and hasn't been performing recently because he's not been given an extended run in his favoured position. The media hasn't exactly helped with the rumours, though.Also anyone saying Mata has been warming the bench is mistaken. He is in the top 3 for minutes played among Chelsea attackers
What?! A quick recap for you maybe? Sure.
Carl said we are playing better without Mata.
Then I said that's not true at all. (if we are talking about the creativity in the final 3rd, but then again, what else would we be talking about? Mata is a creator, not a ******* Makelele)
Then you said how we were 3rd in the table and how we can still win it. (completely irrelevant to what's being discussed)
So, what are you talking about again? Where did I say I wouldn't be happy if we win the title? Where did I say I wouldn't be happy with 1-0 wins until the end of the season? Completely missing the point, Alcaraz. Maybe you should stop with that "Are you even a Chelsea fan" and start digging deeper.
Don't quote me anymore, I'm done with this discussion. It took too much of my time. Thanks.
Oh stop being so na?ve, he was clearly never going to be first-choice! It's not just talent we're talking about, it's also reputation. And there is a hierarchy at the club, whether you like to admit it or not - how do you think Cech has retained his place for so long but Courtois has been repeatedly sent on loan, despite the fact that he's just as good? And based on his performances of the last few seasons, Mata would be key player on the team, but he's clearly not, is he?
I have to admit I don't know too much about when he requested this loan, but surely if he had request it that early, he would've left earlier than Deadline Day? It doesn't seem to add up.
He should be top of that list, and should be playing in his favoured position more. He's better than Hazard, Oscar and Willian, and hasn't been performing recently because he's not been given an extended run in his favoured position. The media hasn't exactly helped with the rumours, though.
And that's exactly what I pointed out... If we played Matat, we will more than likely get ripped apart through the middle because whole Mata will roam around in his free role, he will offer very little defensive protection to the midfielder like Oscar does with his pressing and work-rate. So no, we will not play better with Mata in the side because we will sacrifice a whole lot of defensive solidity for an extra bit of creativity in the final third. This situation can potentially be rectified if we get a proper defensive midfielder in, basically we need the old Essien
I personally think you missed my point. You said that the reason we are 3rd in the table is because other sides dropped points and all I did was point out that it is a bit too much to demand that Mourinho gets Chelsea playing spectacular football and top the table when he has no midfield and strikers and basically an unbalanced squad. Pelligerini on the other hand has a fantastic squad with fantastic depth so in truth, Man City should really be the ones leading based on strength of squad alone
And I never ever said anything about you not being a Chelsea fan. I just feel your posts on here are nearly always cynical to extreme ends as Mike pointed out as well ... It's alright to criticize the club except you take it to another level and unfairly so at times
Alcaraz said:If your username did not have Chelsea inside it, I would have easily mistaken you for a Scouser or Mancunian. Just my observation anyways
I have already said about why playing Mata over Oscar would be foolish considering the state of our midfield