Cesc Fàbregas

[manpe 10,855]

I'm not trying to absolve Matic of any wrong-doing because he certainly has his faults/limitations as a player.

The way I see the mistake you've highlighted there is: Ramires is pressing the ball so Matic tries to cut out McGeady's seemingly only available passing option. That obviously isn't the smartest idea considering Azpilicueta and Terry have that passing lane covered. Ivanovic also makes the same mistake that Matic does - he is distracted by Lukaku's run despite Cahill being best placed to deal with a through-ball - and that allows Naismith to ghost in and score easily. It's a bad mistake on Matic's part but the initial press is beaten easily, he has gambled* and the players behind him have made mistakes too, that was a collective breakdown and not down to Matic on his own.

*Pressing isn't just about pressing the ball, it also means blocking any passing lanes and it's high risk, high reward. Matic is one of the few players in the team that is consistent at doing that. If the people alongside him and behind him were on the same wavelength we wouldn't be so exposed all the time.

Fair enough, and Azpi at CB doesn't sound that crazy.

Here's the Neville analysis by the way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjP9KVWA91U

The video has been taken down. Is there any other place where I can see it? I tried googling but no avail.

[Magic Lamps 11,449]

This game was symptomatically why FAbregas will never be even close to being a legend like Lampard.

H had e a big game up for grabs, against 10 men and a patch work defense, it was his job do complete the decisive passes. Yet a 36 y.o. Lampard made more impact in 10 mins than Fabregas in 90.

FAb is 27 and should be at his peak now, at 27 Lampard was the single best player in the world.

Cesc is still a great player, but not that player who can carry our team in the most important games. He is the king of flat track bullies and hence will be instrumental to winning the leauge. But we should get a perspective. It is our job to improve as a team to win those games, not expect it will be because of new and better personel.

[Barbara 15,149]

This game was symptomatically why FAbregas will never be even close to being a legend like Lampard.

H had e a big game up for grabs, against 10 men and a patch work defense, it was his job do complete the decisive passes. Yet a 36 y.o. Lampard made more impact in 10 mins than Fabregas in 90.

FAb is 27 and should be at his peak now, at 27 Lampard was the single best player in the world.

Cesc is still a great player, but not that player who can carry our team in the most important games. He is the king of flat track bullies and hence will be instrumental to winning the leauge. But we should get a perspective. It is our job to improve as a team to win those games, not expect it will be because of new and better personel.

he completed that pass, then Costa hit the wood. Then we conceded to a Lamps' goal and the whole team collapsed...

[Gilvorak 3,734]

I thought Fabregas couldn't play in a 2 man midfield?

[Daniel1980 1,425]

This game was symptomatically why FAbregas will never be even close to being a legend like Lampard.

H had e a big game up for grabs, against 10 men and a patch work defense, it was his job do complete the decisive passes. Yet a 36 y.o. Lampard made more impact in 10 mins than Fabregas in 90.

FAb is 27 and should be at his peak now, at 27 Lampard was the single best player in the world.

Cesc is still a great player, but not that player who can carry our team in the most important games. He is the king of flat track bullies and hence will be instrumental to winning the leauge. But we should get a perspective. It is our job to improve as a team to win those games, not expect it will be because of new and better personel.

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous.

We played too defensively and created next to nothing, but he did create one of our few good chances when he passed to Costa that could have ended in a goal. He played too deep and defended non-stop the entire match, and defended well, contrary to the popular opinion that he can't defend. He was one of our better midfielders today. You really can't ask a player to defend most of the game and expect that he'll create many chances.

[Styles 9,790]

The video has been taken down. Is there any other place where I can see it? I tried googling but no avail.

Sorry, that's the only video I was aware of. If I find it again I'll let you know.

[meetdoscar 335]

His defensive duties reduced his offensive game. I thought mourinho's tactic was rotten for the really good players we now have especially as we where conceeding corner after corner.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I think off the ball, Fabregas' positioning needs to improve a lot.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

Jose limited him too much and he didn't have the best of his games. Should have been the 433 with Ramires, Matic and Cesc in a more advanced role, but at the same time maybe he wanted to limit Yaya from bombing forward and thats why he put Willian in the three man midfield, to be his watch dog. Still, a decent performance from Cesc, although he didn't contribute that much offensively.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Jose limited him too much and he didn't have the best of his games. Should have been the 433 with Ramires, Matic and Cesc in a more advanced role, but at the same time maybe he wanted to limit Yaya from bombing forward and thats why he put Willian in the three man midfield, to be his watch dog. Still, a decent performance from Cesc, although he didn't contribute that much offensively.

That's the problem. Some people complained about Cesc's defensive contribution in previous games, saying that he was erratic and undisciplined, but it was to be expected, since he played as an offensive player who was just playing deep. Today he defended the entire match, was very disciplined and rarely went forward, but his offensive contribution suffered. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Seems we need Fabregas to score the winning goal against Arsenal, so that everybody will forget about Lampard goal.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Cesc on Jose:

"People will always see people how they want to see them. When you don't work with him you can only imagine the things he may do. But I always say never judge without knowing. You can have your opinion about someone, but when you see the reality it can be so different. What I really like about him -- and I see it on a daily basis -- is that he is a winner. He loves to win, he loves to train, he loves motivating the players, he doesn't let you breathe when you are training. He always wants you to give your best even in training. It is 'intensity, intensity' from him as we prepare for the games."

"I just love Jose's half-time team talks. Tactically you must do this, you must do that, so you go to the games fully prepared and knowing absolutely what you have to do. This is a very important thing for a player -- that you completely trust your manager. So when you see how he prepares for the game then it happens in the match, it is special. What I also like is what I'm seeing now in his half-time team talks. It's great. What I think we can do better is most of the time what he thinks too. What I feel on the pitch he can feel it too on the sidelines... he reads the game so very, very well."

How things change. Cesc has been converted into Jose's fan.

[Barbara 15,149]

Cesc on Jose:

How things change. Cesc has been converted into Jose's fan.

source, mate?

I want to favorite that page and have babies with it

[Daniel1980 1,425]

source, mate?

I want to favorite that page and have babies with it

Link

[Barbara 15,149]

Link

@

[Barbara 15,149]

Terry praising Fàbregas and saying he's part of the family

Chelsea captain John Terry hails Cesc Fabregas impact

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Sanchez’s ex-Barcelona team-mate, Cesc Fabregas, has proved the most popular with his new Chelsea fans, with 26.6 per cent of all personalised Blue shirts dedicated to the Spaniard.

However Diego Costa, who appears to have solved Jose Mourinho’s striker problem with seven goals in six games so far this season, was only seen on 20.2 per cent of Chelsea shirts. [source]

Huh. Really surprised Fabregas sells the most shirts for us. I guess most people already have Hazard's shirts, but I thought Costa would dominate our shirt sales, especially considering Cesc's history with us. Must be Costa's face.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Huh. Really surprised Fabregas sells the most shirts for us. I guess most people already have Hazard's shirts, but I thought Costa would dominate our shirt sales, especially considering Cesc's history with us. Must be Costa's face.

I got a Cesc shirt just to annoy my Arsenal mates, I imagine a lot did the same.