🇪🇸 Cesc Fàbregas

[Fernando 6,585]

And Jose put the blame for those performances at the feet of the strikers, and rightly so. Costa looks very much like a Jose signing. Matic looks very much like a Jose signing.

Fabregas looks like a Roman signing.

Fabregas....Rakitic....those aren't Jose players. He likes players with power about them, someone like Pogba or even Koke who has shown that he can be disciplined defensively as well as picking a pass. Jose is the guy who sold Mata and went with Oscar because Oscar edged Mata in terms of defensive discipline.

If this story was about United signing Fabregas then people would be saying he wouldn't fit Van Gaal's style....but he's going to fit Jose's? I have serious doubts.

Roman signing? Far from it.

If it happens it was a mourinho signing, period!

Roman would have kept DL and Mata, but he has given the power to mourinho to build to his liking.

So seriously there's no need to bash Roman this time.

And not a mourinho player? I guess Ozil never was then......

[Barbara 15,149]

This signing would surely mean the paranoia some have about Rami being a Jose untouchable are not true.

Hopefully he will be used in situations that suit him and his qualities next season, because games against team's that sit deep that Rami plays is so frustrating.

you know how much I don't rate Ramires technically when I'm willing to accept Fiberglass as his replacement...

There are three players I just hate in the football world: Dani Alves, Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas... but I'm willing to swallow my pride and self-respect and support this SOB if it means Ramires hits the bench.

I like Ramires as a guy, but as a footballer, I'm fed up with his limitations and how he messes up our attacks and his own tackles 3 seconds after regaining possession.

Bring Cunt Fiberglass if that's what it takes to get rid of Ramires in the starting XI

[Pizy 18,911]

you know how much I don't rate Ramires technically when I'm willing to accept Fiberglass as his replacement...

There are three players I just hate in the football world: Dani Alves, Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas... but I'm willing to swallow my pride and self-respect and support this SOB if it means Ramires hits the bench.

I like Ramires as a guy, but as a footballer, I'm fed up with his limitations and how he messes up our attacks and his own tackles 3 seconds after regaining possession.

Bring Cunt Fiberglass if that's what it takes to get rid of Ramires in the starting XI

Jesus.

hahaha

[Barbara 15,149]

Jesus.

hahaha

I'm dead serious.

I'll take whoever replaces Ramires as long as they're technically superior and as much as I hate Cesc in general and think most of you overrate him technically, he's miles ahead of Ramires...

[Pizy 18,911]

I'm dead serious.

I'll take whoever replaces Ramires as long as they're technically superior and as much as I hate Cesc in general and think most of you overrate him technically, he's miles ahead of Ramires...

Oh, I know you are. I believe you.

[laeth 527]

I

[LAM09 7,054]

I think for the rumoured £30m price tag, it would be good business. No doubt he will get a hefty wage though.

[The only place to be 11,313]

The strikers are pathetic but they aren't the only problem. Costa won't magically make Ramires a better player, won't make Oscar create more chances, won't make Ivanovic deliver better crosses etc etc.

Chelsea could have won the league with a proper striker, but said striker will still have many games where they have close to no supply.

Against West Ham we created 39 chances. The problem was the lack of a clinical striker to actually finish them.

And how on Earth is it easier to blame the strikers rather than the midfield??

People here really seeing the difficulty of how much better fit Cesc is to a direct side then Mata? Mata did not fit Mou system that goes beyond his defensive ability. I can see Cesc turning into a monster under Mou, his long balls and vision are one of the best in the world and it would be incredible to have that kinda player to turn counter. This team has a lot of work rate and Cesc understands team defensive concept very well, i am not worried about that side.

Cesc does not fit Barca system, that is no shame because a lot of great players have had difficult time adjusting to theirs.

I really do hope you're right but I've never been truly convinced by him. Maybe Jose thinks he can utilise him the way he used Alonso alongside Khedira, but I honestly think Alonso is a far more complete player especially defensively. He's got a lot more bite and zip to his game. Granted Fabregas was being used by Wenger as a de facto number 10 in his last couple of seasons, so I hope he shows he can do that.

But this will be a system unlike Arsenal, Barcelona or Spain's so there's no guarantees he'll thrive. Fingers crossed.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

[Toli 977]

Of course Barca fans dont like him that much..he isnt playing at his best for them (even though he had some great months for them). All in all, he isnt fitting in their system. He is much more fitting in the EPL though. I think getting him back to Barca was more of a marketing-thing, getting the lost son back then a well thought tactical move for a player they need. It was deemed to fail, because he is no Iniesta nor Xavi, he is something in-between those 2. Futhermore, he is someone who likes to dribble WITH the ball, while Barca prefers to play a lot of passes and move the ball without a lot of touches- something Neymar also had his problems with. I think he could fit in well here and we would finally get a goal-threat from midfield. Additionally to that, he knows the league+ town and I think he could adapt fast. I would prefer Koke or Pogba, but both seem to be not able to get, so Cesc is much better than sorts ilke Paulinho

[The Rising Sun 711]

haha have loved the Game of Thrones GIFS and a few others as well, had some stupid laughs sitting alone hoping no one around thinks im a psycho.....

Anyways, while everyone having different views on this forum is a positive, it is quite amusing when everytime we are linked with a player, the negatives for some take such a different level, its just nuts.

People should just think of the bottomlines when it comes to speculation.... will this person improve us as a team?

If yes, then think of the personal feelings. But you have to level out your subjective feelings with objectivity.

Objectivity always wins. Ashley Cole has been amazing for us the last few years. He was Arsenal too.

Not relevant : Almost every other Bayern signing is a Dortmund player.

[bushman 2,043]

Talksport´s Graham Hunter is reporting that Chelsea have agreed to Cesc´s fee..

[CHOULO19 24,332]

you know how much I don't rate Ramires technically when I'm willing to accept Fiberglass as his replacement...

There are three players I just hate in the football world: Dani Alves, Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas... but I'm willing to swallow my pride and self-respect and support this SOB if it means Ramires hits the bench.

I like Ramires as a guy, but as a footballer, I'm fed up with his limitations and how he messes up our attacks and his own tackles 3 seconds after regaining possession.

Bring Cunt Fiberglass if that's what it takes to get rid of Ramires in the starting XI

Just watch Jose switch to 4-3-3 when Cesc arrives to play both him and Rami in the starting XI!

[LukakutoStamford 779]

Should be interesting should Cesc end up a Blue. I think there are better options but they may not be realistic due to monetary questions. I've made no secret that a Witsel Matic partnership would be ideal assuming Pogba, Vidal, or Koke aren't available. I just really wonder if Cesc fits in Jose's system

[Pizy 18,911]

Just watch Jose switch to 4-3-3 when Cesc arrives to play both him and Rami in the starting XI!

Wouldn't mind that at all. In fact, I'd prefer it to be honest.

Midfield 3 of Matic/Cesc/Ramires looks extremely strong. Rotate Oscar and Ramires depending on the opposition. You won't burn Oscar out like last season and will have him fresh over a long year.

Think flooding the midfield with numbers will completely overwhelm most sides. Have Fabregas or whoever we buy as the most advanced CM.

[Barbara 15,149]

Just watch Jose switch to 4-3-3 when Cesc arrives to play both him and Rami in the starting XI!

I'll kill Jose myself if we switch to a 4-3-3 and he doesn't play Oscar as the third mildfielder... kidding about the killing part, but I'd be pissed. That's his best position currently imo.

Oscar >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ramires

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things I read in those odd 20 pages I've just read (post by post) and my take on them

1) Cesc and nobody is replacing Lamps. Lamps as a Blue is not replaceable, as a midfielder Cesc isn't the kind of player to replace him either. different kind of #8s imo

2) Cesc is a #8, not #10 and definitely not a false 9, no matter who decided to play him there. Barcelona have been a mess since the last Pep season there. They've got 3 managers in the last two seasons and it's a transition moment for them as their key players started the descending years of their careers (Puyol, Iniesta, Xavi) in addition to Messi having more physical issues in the last two seasons than usual

3) Cesc isn't as bad defending as some of you make him out to be

4) Cesc is even less amazing as most of you make him out to be. A good player and although as I stated I hate him, but I can recognize his qualities. I wish we had someone like Modric instead (even though Mou underused Luka in RM and he played much better at Spurs and under Carlo than under Mourinho).

Now I think there are some important information some seem to have overlooked or forgot based on what Mourinho said early in the season from July-November.

He was signed to make us one of the best teams in the world, with an offensive style. Some may argue that he's the wrong man for the job, but his second season at RM had one of the most successfully offensive and dangerous teams I've watched. He can do it, he just won't sacrifice his defensive solidness for that. He needs and will always pursue a solid defense so he can afford having a more offensive team. I'm not saying he's absolutely the right guy for the job, but dismissing his offensive capabilities, tactics and systems and labeling him as a defensive guy is something worth of our rivals fans and his haters. He's made mistakes, but I think he can see them and I believe he can get the right team for what he wants next.

Why am I talking about it? Because I don't think we need two overly defensive pivot players (such as Ramires and Matic or Mikel or whoever more you want to add here) for 75% of the matches we play. We can work with Matic and a B2B ahead of him just fine. I think Ramires is a B2B, as much as Lamps and Cesc also are although the three of them have completely different qualities and styles. Oscar offers a lot of support to our pressing midfield and if we move to a 4-3-3 (my biggest prayer for next season, right after a reliable striker) he can offer even more, while also supporting the attack. I can see us playing 4-3-3 against stronger sides with Matic-Ramires-Oscar and all other matches (about 75% of them) either with a 4-2-3-1 with Matic-Cesc or even the same 4-3-3 except with an inverted triangle of Matic with Oscar and Cesc ahead of them.

So I don't expect Mourinho to sign another Matic-like player to play by his side (also he already has a defensive guy on Ramires, to a lesser degree). I expect someone like Modric or Lamps (would rather a Modric), but how many of those are really available?

I can't stand Cesc, I don't think he's that great, but he is definitely major improvement from what we have in the pivot currently. And no, I don't think he offers Oscar, Hazard or Willian any competition for the #10 and Mourinho doesn't play false 9, especially with a real 9 coming for sure - thanks God for that.

[Pizy 18,911]

When's the "Football According to Barbara" book coming out?

[Barbara 15,149]

When's the "Football According to Barbara" book coming out?

I never know if I'm supposed to take that as a compliment or a bad thing... and I'm actually afraid to ask.

Maybe it's because I'm always very emphatic in my view and it may lead some to think I'm stating my opinion as a fact, but I'm not. I don't try to establish my view as the right one, but I like to defend my view and give my arguments for that, but I'm not trying to speak the truth above all truths...

[Pizy 18,911]

I never know if I'm supposed to take that as a compliment or a bad thing... and I'm actually afraid to ask.

Maybe it's because I'm always very emphatic in my view and it may lead some to think I'm stating my opinion as a fact, but I'm not. I don't try to establish my view as the right one, but I like to defend my view and give my arguments for that, but I'm not trying to speak the truth above all truths...

Compliment.

Your posts are always gigantic blocks that are basically blog posts.

[zolayes 14,489]

When's the "Football According to Barbara" book coming out?

Well I would certainly read it .. One of the best posters on the forum