Chelsea's Brazilians Oscar and Willian returning to pre-World Cup form - Mourinho
SLOWLY but surely, Chelsea's Brazilians are putting the trauma of the World Cup behind them. The Samba beat is starting to pulse that bit louder at Stamford Bridge.
Diego Costa (left) Oscar (centre) and Willian all scored for Chelsea on Saturday[GETTY]
With Diego Costa, born in Brazil but now considering himself Spanish, the beat has been belting out since day one this season, and another strike in Chelsea's comfortable 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday made it eight goals in seven games this season.
But it has taken Oscar and Willian a little longer to put the nightmare of last summer behind them, the wounding, demoralising World Cup that ended in the horror of a 7-1 semi-final thrashing by Germany.
As well as the physical exertions, it has taken a while to exercise the mental scars. Only now does Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believe they have recovered.
Oscar, the best player on the pitch on Saturday, scored his second goal in a week as Chelsea brushed aside Villa to stay three points clear at the top of the Premier League, and Willian too sparkled and scored.
"Everyone that came back from the Brazil national team came without having a proper holiday and a proper pre-season," said Mourinho.
"They have not had enough time to start the season in a strong way. All of them have been coming back step by step. Now they are getting into the intensity of the Premier League.
"It was not about that match. Some of them now even make fun about it between them. The World Cup is history.
"It is more physical. Players need holidays. The next pre-season will be even worse, because there will be international matches. For a World Cup some teams don't qualify; for the international fixtures, every player goes."
Chelsea were in total control - Mourinho [AMBIENT]
I have scored two goals, but I want to score 15 this season
Oscar
But there will be a Copa America in Chile next summer in which all the South Americans will be involved.
"I don't even speak about that. I'm trying to forget it," Mourinho added. "If not I will sell all the South American players."
Oscar, who scored the opener with a seventh-minute tap in from Willian's pass having also found the net against Bolton in midweek, said: "I am feeling good now. I have had time. The manager told me that he has a lot of players, so I did not play against Manchester City or Schalke.
"But then I started against Bolton and today, and I played well because I am not tired.
"I have forgotten the World Cup. I'm okay now. I played well in the first couple of games back, I didn't score, but now I have and I am more confident.
"I have scored two goals, but I want to score 15 this season. That would be good."
Oscar opened the scoring with this close-range finish seven minutes in [GETTY]
At times Chelsea struggled to break through Aston Villa's 10-man barrier, but when Costa headed in the second goal from Cesar Azpilicueta's cross on the hour, the game was effectively over.
The third saw Costa weave through the Villa defence to shoot. Brad Guzan pushed out his drive, but Willian forced home the rebound.
For Villa, it was a second successive 3-0 thumping at the hands of one of the top six. But key striker Christian Benteke could return against Manchester City next week after being out since March with an Achilles tendon injury, and that will be a massive boost.
Manager Paul Lambert said: "Christian is not too far away. Everyone will be grateful when he is back with what he hands us as an attacking force.
"We will see how he does. You have to remember he has been out for five months. First and foremost you don't heap pressure on somebody with that injury."
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Courtois 7; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 6, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7; Matic 6, Fabregas 7; Willian 7, Oscar 8 (Mikel 77), Hazard 6 (Schurrle 68, 6); Costa 7 (Remy 81). Booked: Cahill, Fabregas. Goals: Oscar 7, Costa 59, Willian 79.
STAT: This was Jose Mourinho's 250th game in charge of Chelsea - he has won 64.5 per cent of them.
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