5 thoughts from the 2-2 draw against Juventus

Oscar makes his mark

Oscar scores a stunner

The Brazilian maestro did not start in any of the games before the Champions League match against Juventusand when RDM decided to hand him a Champions League debut, it raised some eyebrows. After all he was taking the place of Juan Mata, one of the best creative influences for us last season. 
In the matches seen before that, when he came on as a substitute, Oscar just looked ok, but didn’t quite light up the arena like Hazard has done. At the start of the Juventus match, Oscar was hardly involved with Hazard and Ramires running the show. All that changed in space of 2 minutes. While the first goal may have been a tad lucky with the deflection, the second goal was pure class. The Brazilian's contribution however came to a premature end as he was caught on the ankle by Vidal. Hopefully the injury is not as serious as it seemed.

Mikel should be benched for the next game
It will be cruel to drop a player for one mistake but the fact that Mikel did not even try to retrieve the ball after his horrendous ball forward is something that no Chelsea fan would have enjoyed watching. Mikel might well be thinking that his place in the XI is secured and thus the lack of commitment. I would drop him for the next game and try Romeu in that role. Starting Lampard in the role every week is also something that RDM should reconsider. I accept that Lampard is a club legend but that shouldn’t mean that he has the right to start every game. Next match, If I was RDM, I would bench Lampard and try Ramires in the role and also dropMikel  and try Romeu in his place. It is worth trying as RDM needs to find the best player suitable for the central midfield area.

RDM’s choice of Bertrand to replace Ramires was a poor one
When we have such an attacking talent at the disposal to play behind the striker, RDM’s choice to send out Bertrand in place of Ramires was a huge mistake and a move that slowed down the tempo of the game. Moses should have come on especially after his impressive performance against QPR. While RDM’s choice to start with Oscar was an inspired move, his substitutions were a bit defensive.

Where are the goals from set pieces
 We have relied a lot on goals from corners and free kicks over the past years, but this time after 13 goals in all competition, none of them has been a headed goal or from a set piece? This is one place we will miss the physicality of Didier Drogba. In spite of creating a lot of corners(especially at the beginning), we didn’t even come close to a headed goal

RDM’s selection headache just increased
With so many attacking midfielders at his disposal, RDM was always going to find the selection of the 3 behind the striker something of a headache. Now with Oscar also impressing at the centre of the midfield trio, who  makes the best combination? Hazard will undoubtedly occupy one spot, either the left wing or the middle. Oscar’s impressive debut means that it will be hard for RDM not to start the Brazilian and then there is Mata and Ramires, who were Chelsea’s best players by a mile last season. The return to fitness of Marko Marin and the impressive outing by Moses against QPR are also to be considered. I feel so sorry for Lucas Piazon, who will now find it very difficult to break into the first team. Perhaps Piazon can evolve more into a striker rather than an attacking midfielder, which can solve our lack of options upfront. Including Piazon, that is 7 players for 3 spots. Just makes his use of Bertrand in the place lot more confusing.