Cesc Fàbregas

[Jase 43,479]

He is saving himself for CL knockout games

And lead us to Champions League glory. Wouldn't mind that.

[Peace. 4,352]

Absolutely trash. I'm not even going to defend Fabregas on this one at all.

But tbh. It goes further than Fabregas. It's the way we set up as a team.

This. Fabregas has two shortcomings.

* He is immobile — even the Laocoon statue seems to have more movement than him. This is the main reason as to why he is not a big game player. Big game means high intensity, and he just cannot keep up to the rhythm.

* He is "poor" defensively. This is the case not necessarily because he is not powerful, lacks work-rate or does not know how to tackle — to be frank, would he be the "flying-tackler" that he still would be poor defensively. Once again it is intimately bound to his mobility — or rather lack of.

Nonetheless, we still play him in big games. He is by default not good because he cannot keep up with the intensity of the game ; but okay that is fine. He should be able to provide goods through his technic. But here comes the second problem : we ask him to relentlessly defend in a team fashioned to be all but technical and offensive.

In other words, we have a player that has a "default" shortcoming in big games — but instead of trying to nullify it we do our best to manifest his second shortcoming !! So no wonders we have a piss poor footballer in our hands in such situations...

[Fernando 6,422]

This. Fabregas has two shortcomings.

* He is immobile — even the Laocoon statue seems to have more movement than him. This is the main reason as to why he is not a big game player. Big game means high intensity, and he just cannot keep up to the rhythm.

* He is "poor" defensively. This is the case not necessarily because he is not powerful, lacks work-rate or does not know how to tackle — to be frank, would he be the "flying-tackler" that he still would be poor defensively. Once again it is intimately bound to his mobility — or rather lack of.

Nonetheless, we still play him in big games. He is by default not good because he cannot keep up with the intensity of the game ; but okay that is fine. He should be able to provide goods through his technic. But here comes the second problem : we ask him to relentlessly defend in a team fashioned to be all but technical and offensive.

In other words, we have a player that has a "default" shortcoming in big games — but instead of trying to nullify it we do our best to manifest his second shortcoming !! So no wonders we have a piss poor footballer in our hands in such situations...

This is why Mourinho loves Oscar.

Because he can provide a bit of creativity while also be a fighter with defense, pressing and all that good stuff.

[lionsden 4,689]

He makes me realize how lucky we were to have witnessed essien and lampard play for us in their prime. Our midfield crushed most teams's back then. I hope our focus in future is towards athletic and technically capable players in the Vidal/koke mould. You expect the regular starters at big clubs to have qualities that doesnt render them totally useless in high intensity games. I never worried or panicked that our midfield might be overrun going into any game when we had bison and ballack.

My biggest worry now is, knowing mourinho, he will never upgrade the midfield position as he sees fabregas as a world class player and will continue to play him in big games for years to come. Same goes for costa who I strongly feel could and should easily be replaced and upgraded over if we are to compete legitimately (without parking the bus and relying on luck) with Europe's elite in the future. essentially we are stuck with him.

[Parky 739]

He makes me realize how lucky we were to have witnessed essien and lampard play for us in their prime. Our midfield crushed most teams's back then. I hope our focus in future is towards athletic and technically capable players in the Vidal/koke mould. You expect the regular starters at big clubs to have qualities that doesnt render them totally useless in high intensity games. I never worried or panicked that our midfield might be overrun on any game when we had bison and ballack.

Yea I agree this was magic..

Makelele

Essien Lampard

[Styles 9,790]

I said Fabregas was the Mata of CM when he arrived and I was shouted down by certain members. Good numbers and fancy stuff every now and again but easily found out against the better players and teams.

He's supposed to be one one of our very best players but needs to be hidden in different positions and/or surrounded by baby-sitters every time we play a top team.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Give it a rest with the OTT criticism. He was the 2nd biggest factor in us winning the League last season. He's started the season poorly but he isn't the only one. Fact is we brought him in because he's the 2nd most creative passer of the ball after Messi, he's key to us breaking down parked buses.

[OneMoSalah 8,754]

Fuck me after however many years of guys like a past it Lampard, physically struggling Essien, Ramires with his 'shite technique', naive and clueless David Luiz and average Meireles you'd think we'd be fucking glad to sign a boy of this calibre for central midfield.... a season later and we need to drop him for big games/sign another midfielder to replace him in those games.

We should probably play a 433 and yes we should of perhaps signed another central midfielder but to play in tandem with Matic and Fabregas, not replace either of them but we haven't and that is not his fault.

Sometimes when I read this thread and also Costa's and see all the shite about needing to replace them in big games/sign somebody better it makes me wonder what the fuck you guys have been smoking because those two along with Eden were absolutely vital to us winning the league. Without Costa or Fabregas we wouldn't have won the league, Hazard was very good but there were times Cesc and Costa were the difference. Hazard didn't carry us by himself, despite what you'd think reading some stuff on here, Cesc was just as vital in periods of the season and so was Costa.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Either bring another CM next to Cesc and Matic or drop and eventualy sell him. We are painfuly immobile and unatletic in midfield. Cesc is tacticaly terrible.

I think for somone with such a key role and playing in vital position, getting all that praise and all, he has done absolutely nothing in key games; pointing at CL here. Not for us not for Barca before. And that is one major problem regardless of how you look at him.

Unless you want us to be like arsenal. Because Cesc is a definiton of Arsenal. He isnt warrior or winner. Good player for small games, invisible in big. And yes big games matter. Big games show the difference between best players and good ones.

[Styles 9,790]

Give it a rest with the OTT criticism. He was the 2nd biggest factor in us winning the League last season. He's started the season poorly but he isn't the only one. Fact is we brought him in because he's the 2nd most creative passer of the ball after Messi, he's key to us breaking down parked buses.

Address the fact he's irrelevant against good teams.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Address the fact he's irrelevant against good teams.

You act like any of our players excluding the defenders are great against the "good" teams. Hazard's usually the only one really.

[yuvala 2,167]

Either bring another CM next to Cesc and Matic or drop and eventualy sell him. We are painfuly immobile and unatletic in midfield. Cesc is tacticaly terrible.

I think for somone with such a key role and playing in vital position, getting all that praise and all, he has done absolutely nothing in key games; pointing at CL here. Not for us not for Barca before. And that is one major problem regardless of how you look at him.

Unless you want us to be like arsenal. Because Cesc is a definiton of Arsenal. He isnt warrior or winner. Good player for small games, invisible in big. And yes big games matter. Big games show the difference between best players and good ones.

I actually think Cesc does have the personality of a leader and a winner.

[lionsden 4,689]

You act like any of our players excluding the defenders are great against the "good" teams. Hazard's usually the only one really.

So jose's tactics (if that's what you are implying) is the reason why he's so un-athletic and a total defensive liability who players constantly blow past with ease?. Does the tactical setup also explain why his first touch and passing are so sloppy against good teams?

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

+ 1 Assist.

[Oscar 441]

Cesc the Spanish recruiter.

Now get Gaya come and Alcacer.

[OneMoSalah 8,754]

You act like any of our players excluding the defenders are great against the "good" teams. Hazard's usually the only one really.

Thank fuck somebody said this.

But honestly by the sounds of this thread, I suppose we might as well sell Hazard, Willian, Oscar and Costa too considering they've not shown up in big games as well.

[Polo7 3,496]

Thank fuck somebody said this.

But honestly by the sounds of this thread, I suppose we might as well sell Hazard, Willian, Oscar and Costa too considering they've not shown up in big games as well.

Hazard and Costa haven't shown up against big teams?

That's a laughable comment!

[OneMoSalah 8,754]

Hazard and Costa haven't shown up against big teams?

That's a laughable comment!

Well to be honest they have in some games and they also haven't in some games. PSG for instance but I don't think anybody showed up and also Man City last year Costa was pretty useless. Its not like Hazard hasn't had an off day in a big game, like Cesc has done or anyone for that matter but people will complain about Cesc not or lacking in certain parts of games but not Hazard. The double standards on this forum at times is horrendous.