As the world continues to debate which among Boyhood, Birdman or American Sniper is favourite to win, the only Oscar Chelsea fans are concerned with is the one who plays for them. The Brazilian is yet to hit top form ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge, but we have seen flashes of brilliance from him which might yet indicate how much of an asset he really is to his team. This article looks at the young, talented and hard-working attacking midfielder from Brazil and also throws light on something very un-Brazilian a attackers tracking back and defending.
Having been dubbed the next Kaka due to his Sau Paulo connection and a similar playing position, Oscar is yet to achieve the heights that the former has. However, given he is only 23-years-old and already playing regularly at one of the biggest clubs in Europe, the time is definitely ripe for the former Internacional man to achieve glory.
Ever since his sensational debut goals against Juventus in the Champions League, Chelsea fans are yet to see the best of Oscar. However, not even his harshest critics would say that it is for the lack of effort. Having seen the potential that he has and the goals that he could have scored, one can say that he has underachieved at the club so far.
One of Chelseaa s biggest acquisitions in the 2013/14 season was the return of Jose Mourinho to the club. And with Mourinho, came the inevitable questions about who he brings with him and if not, who he does not want at the club. The likes of Juan Mata and David Luiz were getting unsettled with lesser playing time, forced substitutions and ultimately being shown the door.
One of the philosophies that Mourinho brought to the club and has ever since been know the a Mourinho waya is that all players a with no exception a are expected to press and attack the ball when not in possession. An area, which many believe Mata lacks skill in and the reason why he was a forced outa of Chelsea. With the whole defending as a unit idea, a new breed of Chelsea players a the ones who not only attack, but also track back and defend a have come to the fore.
That is where players like Oscar come in a not only a skillful playmaker but also an excellent tackler. He can run box-to-box, create chances at one end, run to the other end and defend a corner a all in one go. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why Mourinho rates him so highly, not only on his attacking prowess but also his willingness to work hard for the team.
A look at the stats will reveal how he has been potent on the forward area of the pitch as well as the more central area while defending. At the forward end, he has created 30 chances, scored 6 goals and provided 7 assists so far this season. His forward passing percentage success rate is an impressive 83% and an average of 3 shots per game is also worth noting.
Oscar has also won about 40% of the tackles he has gotten into, won 1 out of every 2 duels and has a tackling success rate of more than 55%. He has run an average of ten kilometers a game and his heat maps from most of these games would show an equal distribution among the forward and central area of the pitch.
One of the biggest assets this Chelsea team has is that they are not afraid of throwing everything at the back (popularly known as a parking the busa ) when they know they have to defend a lead. In this case not only Oscar, but also his teammates and fellow midfielders Willian and Eden Hazard put their heads down and shield against attacks.
While we have been going on about the Braziliana s work-rate, one must also not forget what his primary duty is in the team a to score goals and provide assists. To that effect, his 6 goals and 7 assists in 25 appearances in all competitions this season seems a disappointing return. What must also be taken into consideration is the competition for places in Chelseaa s midfield and a general lack of playing time for all players in that area of the field.
However, what is also worth noting is that he has always been a bit goal-shy throughout his young career and looks at himself as more of a goals-provider rather than a scorer. What is surprising to most, however, is the very topic we are discussing related to the defensive side of his game. He has evolved himself under Mourinho and has shown that he is flexible enough to go out of his way to play for the team a a fact that bodes well for Chelsea and Brazil.
A bright spark in Brazila s otherwise disappointing World Cup campaign, the boys in canary yellow will be looking to Oscar as the foundation on which to build a new generation of superstars for the national team.
A vital cog in Mourninhoa s Chelsea machine, Oscar dos Santos Emboaba JA?nior can look at his career so far and call it a success. However, like all young careers with huge expectations, Oscar knows that to be established as one of the all-time greats, he needs to win trophies. And to do that, he needs to perform consistently at the top level and at a top club. If he does in fact stay at Chelsea (he signed a long-term deal this season) for the duration of his contract, there is no doubt in any Bluesa faithful minds that he will go on to become a success. If, however, he does wish to emulate his idol Ricardo Kaka, he still has a long way to go.