Cesc Fàbregas

[Madmax 9,219]

I'm inclined to think that both are not entirely correct. The list with higher figures has more stars of previous generation but got the amount of assists too inflated for everyone for some reason, while statbunker is missing some names and possibly some data from earlier years.

Either way, it doesn't really matter. Giggs definitely didn't have 284 assists( though he probably had more than 131; 150-160 seems more realistic). ESPN has data only after 2000, and according to them, in 2001-2014 Giggs made about 90 assists in 13 seasons. It's very unlikely that he made about 200 assists in 1992-2000.

Yeah, they've both got it wrong at some level but the real figures will be much closer to one of the two. Giggs definitely didn't get 200 assists between 1992-2000 but he didn't get just 40 either ... logically you'd think he'd average more than 6 a season at a club as free scoring and dominant as United. Statbunker seem to have some limited data, e.g check out the Italian league figures, they have Totti as having 45 assists in 21 years at Roma!

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Yeah, they've both got it wrong at some level but the real figures will be much closer to one of the two. Giggs definitely didn't get 200 assists between 1992-2000 but he didn't get just 40 either ... logically you'd think he'd average more than 6 a season at a club as free scoring and dominant as United. Statbunker seem to have some limited data, e.g check out the Italian league figures, they have Totti as having 45 assists in 21 years at Roma!

Yeah, I think data on Italy is even more limited than on England. The premiersoccerstats gave Cesc about 1.65*the real number of his assists, so Giggs's real number of assists could be around 170 instead of 284, which sounds about right and is far more reasonable.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Looks like OptaJoe is reading this forum:

[Barbara 15,149]

Well, the thing is there are some sites that count penalties won as assists, EA for example does, which is why in the Fantasy premier league he had 72 assists from 2006/07 on (they don't have prior to that), but in the Premier League website for the same period he had 59 (and none in previous seasons).

Then you check his wikipedia page which has stats based on ESPN according to the link (I checked and they match) and for the same period he has 68 (and 9 more from previous seasons, totaling 77). They probably don't count penalties but count some deflected chances or something. I'll go with ESPN, it's an average between EA and EPL and I don't like the idea of counting whoever wins a penalty as an assister. It makes no sense in my head.

Also ESPN compared to the Opta that Daniel just posted only differs by 2. So I'll go with ESPN indeed. In all comps - for ESPN - he has 98 assists which is why that link posted by any of you saying he has 119 makes no sense in my head.

[Jase 43,479]

Looks like OptaJoe is reading this forum:

First, the things that Mourinho said and now that. Think TC is much more popular than we think it is...

[manpe 10,855]

First, the things that Mourinho said and now that. Think TC is much more popular than we think it is...

IIRC talkchelsea was once mentioned on chelsea TV. Jim or someone posted a link to it.

[nofacej 132]

Well, the thing is there are some sites that count penalties won as assists, EA for example does, which is why in the Fantasy premier league he had 72 assists from 2006/07 on (they don't have prior to that), but in the Premier League website for the same period he had 59 (and none in previous seasons).

Then you check his wikipedia page which has stats based on ESPN according to the link (I checked and they match) and for the same period he has 68 (and 9 more from previous seasons, totaling 77). They probably don't count penalties but count some deflected chances or something. I'll go with ESPN, it's an average between EA and EPL and I don't like the idea of counting whoever wins a penalty as an assister. It makes no sense in my head.

Also ESPN compared to the Opta that Daniel just posted only differs by 2. So I'll go with ESPN indeed. In all comps - for ESPN - he has 98 assists which is why that link posted by any of you saying he has 119 makes no sense in my head.

I think a won penalty should be an assist in some circumstances. If it's a tug on a shirt from a corner then absolutely not, but if a player has beaten his man and gets hacked down then I think it counts. I'd say the same for a lot of assists from open play as well. Squaring a ball to a player who then does all the work is hardly worthy of an assist credit, but it happens all the time. So I think you might as well include penalty wins if you're also going to include unremarkable passes from open play.

[zolayes 14,489]

Lol, he is definitely on top of all time diving list in PL by a distance.

Robben is pretty high if you count all his games

[zolayes 14,489]

I really came here to say if Cesc can win PL Player of the Year the TITLE is ours

[Daniel1980 1,425]

You ain't a real Chelsea player until you have a pic with Storm the Husky.

[Barbara 15,149]

You ain't a real Chelsea player until you have a pic with Storm the Husky.

OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!

I want to like that pic a thousand times. Thanks so much, Daniel, you made my day

#fangirl #girlish

[Polo7 3,496]

OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!

I want to like that pic a thousand times. Thanks so much, Daniel, you made my day

#fangirl #girlish

Its only a cuddly toy. :eyebrows:

[The Chels 2,502]

You ain't a real Chelsea player until you have a pic with Storm the Husky.

Where did you find that pic? It's not on Storm's instagram I don't think.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Where did you find that pic? It's not on Husky's instagram I don't think.

On twitter.

Its only a cuddly toy. :eyebrows:

Shh. Cuddly toys do things to women. No woman can resist a cuddly toy.

[The Chels 2,502]

'I always thought Cesc would be a Barcelona player because he is so good and being a Catalan and with the end of Xavi's career coming. When we heard the information he'd decided to come back to London we knew he was the one we wanted.

'His football brain is what we need in our team. I see him everywhere. His best quality is the speed of how he analyses the game and executes. It is difficult for him to lose the ball or make the wrong decision.

'He can play as a No 10 and score or a No 8 and give most of his game to the team as we have [Nemanja] Matic as anchorman and [John Obi] Mikel. Then we have Oscar and Willian as No 10s. Cesc is both, he is the missing piece of our engine.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2714262/Jose-Mourinho-missing-piece-Chelsea-team-signing-Cesc-Fabregas-writing-wall-Fernando-Torres.html#ixzz39HCHMf4f

[Daniel1980 1,425]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2714262/Jose-Mourinho-missing-piece-Chelsea-team-signing-Cesc-Fabregas-writing-wall-Fernando-Torres.html#ixzz39HCHMf4f

Lots of praise and lots of interesting comments all around. This is also interesting,

"The fact we also have Cesc Fabregas moves us in a different direction and we want to move in a different direction. It’s something that our football needs and we want to go in that direction.”

The profile was clearly identified but I always thought Cesc would be a Barcelona player because he is so good and being a Catalan and with the end of Xavi’s career coming, I thought that Fab would stay.But it was about him being so strong about this position and coming back to English football, a bit like me. I was in a big club and he wanted to be back. He was at a big club and wanted to be back. link

LOL Did he really call him Fab? It's interesting that he sort of relates to Cesc's situation. Just watch Cesc become his favourite.

[Barbara 15,149]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2714262/Jose-Mourinho-missing-piece-Chelsea-team-signing-Cesc-Fabregas-writing-wall-Fernando-Torres.html#ixzz39HCHMf4f

'He can play as a No 10 and score or a No 8 and give most of his game to the team as we have [Nemanja] Matic as anchorman and [John Obi] Mikel. Then we have Oscar and Willian as No 10s. Cesc is both, he is the missing piece of our engine.'

I think Mourinho has been sending a lot of hints he prefers Cesc as a #8. I really hope that's the case. Nobody can offer us what he does there - offensively speaking.

It's like having a #10 playing as #8, with a tank behind him (Matic) and a workrate horse by his side or a bit ahead of him (Oscar) to compensate his not so wonderful (but not so bad either) defensive abilities.

when we have the ball, if he occupies the space Lamps normally did (even when playing with Matic this year), he'll in a position as good as a #10. So we actually have two #10's playing against teams going overly defensive. That if we don't have two strikers as well, if Mourinho decides to move to a 4-3-3 with two strikers.

[bababoom 4,478]

Cesc - Matic

Willian/Schurrle/Salah Willian/Oscar Hazard

Costa

This is how we'll most likely set up against the smaller teams imo, if Oscar regains his great form than i can see Willian playing on the right if not he'll repalce Oscar as the number 10.

Ramires/MVG - Matic/Romeu

Willian/Schurrle/Salah Cesc/Oscar Hazard

Costa

Against the bigger sides we'll be more cautious, Ramires will offer the legs and Cesc can push up forward and be the number 10. I highlighted who i think Mourinho would play in this situation. Our squad as a whole is amazing tbh, so much strength in depth, the only area that worries me slightly is the strikers but lets see if we bring anyone in, if not than i hope Costa can do the business.