Chelsea are struggling to find consistency in their last few games. They are not playing with the swagger they possessed in the beginning of the campaign. They appear very lethargic and seem to be lacking purpose. Some of this seems to have carried over from their early Champions League exit. However, there are also several players that have dropped in form. Most notably, Fabregas and Oscar have looked shadows of their early season selves. However, where Fabregas seems he could find his form at any given time, Oscar has struggled to be effective for some time now.
Mourinho must bench Oscar for the next game. The Brazilian just hasn’t been up to par. He is slow in attack, ineffective and seems to hide during games. There are a few options in order to compensate for Oscar’s absence. Firstly, and most probable, Mourinho can move Fabregas up to his more favoured CAM role, while inserting Ramires into the pivot. However, I would like to see Jose put Willian into CAM and start Cuadrado on the right. The Colombian needs a chance to assimilate into the squad, and in a time where Oscar is struggling, it seems like the most obvious opportunity. I would also be okay with Ruben Loftus-Cheek getting a start in the pivot against Hull, with Fabregas moving into his CAM role. No matter how he chooses to react, Mourinho cannot afford to not change things around for this upcoming game against Hull.
In the long term, Jose needs to consider Oscar’s overall contribution to the Blues. While typically starting the season on a tear, the Brazilian always tends to experience a run of poor form in the second half of the season. A team like the Blues needs a dynamic CAM at all times, one with the ability to pull strings and dictate the game. Oscar often shies away from this role. It might be smart to offload the Brazilian this summer in favour of a more dynamic playmaker. Seeing as Juventus has reported interest in Oscar, and Paul Pogba seems to be a Blues target, there could be a blockbuster deal in the making. Whatever Mourinho decides to do in the long term, he must choose correctly in the business end of this season. The Blues cannot afford too many more lackadaisical performances if they want to comfortably capture the Premier League title.
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