It is fair to say that Chelsea have not had the best of starts to the season in their defence of last year’s title. Their 2-1 loss at home to Crystal Palace means that they have the second lowest tally of points after four games by any reigning champion in Premier League history. As well as the obvious problems in defence they also have headaches in other areas of the pitch too.
Eden Hazard has been extremely quiet compared to fantastic campaign last year and Cesc Fabregas seems to have lost his metronomic like passing ability. Meanwhile, up front, Diego Costa seems more interested in finding fights then finding the back of the net.
One player whose reputation has been spared during this slow start has been midfielder Oscar. The 23 year old has been on the sidelines due to a muscular injury picked up in training meaning he has missed the last three games. The only game Oscar has played is the 2-2 opening day draw against Swansea in which he scored the opener.
The wiry midfielder has been somewhat forgotten as the signature of Pedro and the struggles of John Terry have been highlighted repeatedly. There is a reason why Jose Mourinho resisted the attempts of Juventus to sign Oscar and that is because he is a vital part of Chelsea’s midfield.
Let’s take a look at the start of last season for example. Chelsea started last year’s campaign like a train and won seven of the first eight games. During this time Oscar scored three times and provided two assists but it was not only his attacking that contributed to Chelsea’s flying start. The Brazilian had made 26 tackles during those first eight games to really stamp his authority on the opposition midfield. Compare this to Jack Wilshere who made only 5.
Oscar’s tackling is a trait that not a lot of people pick up on. The thought of such a slim, technical player having an aggressive side is hard to imagine for some but Oscar is tougher than he looks. Evidence of this could be found in Brazil’s quarter final win over Colombia in the 2014 World Cup. Oscar gave as good as he got as a real battle unfolded in the battle for a semi final place.
The advantage of having such a player playing just behind a striker cannot be overstated. Chelsea were so successful last year because of the way they closed down the opposition so quickly. Pressing teams high up the pitch allowed them to retrieve the ball quicker and bully teams such as Tottenham who limped away following a 3-0 defeat.
This year Chelsea are not as dynamic and it may not be a coincidence that Oscar has missed most of the poor start. The great thing for Chelsea fans is that when he returns he will be fresher than ever. During the summer, Oscar missed the Copa America with a thigh injury which allowed him to have a summer of rest for the first time in five years! Maybe the constant football of previous summers can be cited as a reason for Oscar waning in influence towards the end of the last two campaigns.
At one point it seemed that Oscar would be playing in Juventus this year as Chelsea chased the signature of Paul Pogba. For fans of the London club it is a stroke of good fortune that such a player has remained at Stamford Bridge. It seems that the 23 year old is also content with where he is in what will be his fourth season at the club.
“I know there has been a lot of talk about Juventus,” Oscar told the Daily Mail. “But I am very, very happy at Chelsea.”
