Cesc Fàbregas

[Shakez 755]

My God, how many through balls assists he provided in those three years? I should have counted them while I was watching the vid.

As I'm positive I'll watch again, I'll count them.

Seriously, I know those vids mask a lot of things, but how could Barça fans hate him so much when he's so much class? His finishing got even better imo, his quick thinking is second to few, his vision is also very good, his pass quality is amazing, a neat and classy player all around and they hated him? They're indeed assholes as their names suggest. Not only the guy professed his love for that club - that should be reason enough to love him, but I suppose when you're a Barça fan that's not enough, but he also offered an excellent end product.

Maybe the games he suck he really, really suck? Because, otherwise, what's wrong with this guy? I keep trying to find the answer and the only thing that came to mind is that up to now his club choice was awful, but even that has been properly fixed now that he's a Blue.

He went missing at the end of each season for Barca, and like Özil had a tendency to be invisible in big game matches.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

He went missing at the end of each season for Barca, and like Özil had a tendency to be invisible in big game matches.

This wasn't true of his time at Arsenal though and even the second part about being invinsible in big games was not true early on in his time at Barca. It's not a general character trait for him as it is for Ozil. Did he not dominate the midfield in the CL encounter with Man City?

[DYC. 7,542]

He went missing at the end of each season for Barca, and like Özil had a tendency to be invisible in big game matches.

Yeah that's worrying about Fab. He won't be able to fade in the second half of the season at Chelsea as well. So here's hoping that will not be the case.

His performances in the big games were indeed disappointing for Barca. But I'm hoping it's because he was never sure of a starting spot in the big games, leading to him trying too hard or not being sure of himself.

Also hoping his injury troubles from his time at Arsenal won't come back to haunt him now he's back in the English game. Chelsea's fine medical staff should be a plus though.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

His finishing was actually the second best in the team after Messi(Sanchez and Neymar's finishing is not exactly clinical), but he didn't shoot that often at Barcelona.

Fabregas is a strange player. Midfielder with his vision and long range passing should have been a perfect holding deep-lying playmaker à la Pirlo(and maybe he still can return to his native position), but he has finishing and instincts of a striker too, despite the fact that he lacks great pace.

That was one of his biggest problems at Barcelona. They were expecting him to be a ready-made replacement for Xavi but he never had that patience in possession so to speak as a Xavi had. He was always looking to get forward but looked awkward doing that as he lacked the dribbling ability and close control of an Iniesta so he couldn't fit into their slow possession game and as a result, he was shafted to play false 9 quite a lot. They also made a huge mistake of letting Thiago Alcantara go to Bayern, Xavi's true heir. I don't expect him to ever be a deep lying playmaker the same way I didn't expect Lampard to re-invent himself as one. Besides, it's harder to score goals and make assists if you're gong to be played as a deep lying playmaker, which is one of the main reasons I think we signed him.

[Melanicus 5,208]

Made his ultimate team card, because I was bored:

[Sovieticus 743]

Made his ultimate team card, because I was bored:

Expect a downgrade though

[Daniel1980 1,425]

My God, how many through balls assists he provided in those three years? I should have counted them while I was watching the vid.

As I'm positive I'll watch again, I'll count them.

Seriously, I know those vids mask a lot of things, but how could Barça fans hate him so much when he's so much class? His finishing got even better imo, his quick thinking is second to few, his vision is also very good, his pass quality is amazing, a neat and classy player all around and they hated him? They're indeed assholes as their names suggest. Not only the guy professed his love for that club - that should be reason enough to love him, but I suppose when you're a Barça fan that's not enough, but he also offered an excellent end product.

Maybe the games he suck he really, really suck? Because, otherwise, what's wrong with this guy? I keep trying to find the answer and the only thing that came to mind is that up to now his club choice was awful, but even that has been properly fixed now that he's a Blue.

Part of the problem is that he didn't suit their slow possession style. In the first half of the 2013-2014 season, Martino changed the team to be more direct and quicker in transition. And Fabregas thrived when Barca played more direct football, as he used to do at Arsenal, and most of his assists and goals came in the first half of the season.

But although the results were very good and Barcelona was winning games, some people on the board, Barcelona fans and some players didn't like the direct style of play, didn't like that they weren't dominating possession. The rumor has it that Xavi went to Martino and convinced him to go back to tiki-taka.

Either way, it seems Martino was pressured into doing it, and the second half of the season, Barca dominated possession again and created fewer chances. Cesc became pretty much invisible.

Cesc at Arsenal:

Cesc in the first half of the season when Barcelona played more direct football:

Cesc in the second half of the season (back to tiki-taka):

Look at all the lovely side passes and possession domination!

[Magic Lamps 11,677]

Expect a downgrade though

Yup always the same with fuckin EA. Chelsea players have been underrated in FUT since its inception. Anyway. we wil have a monster team next season.

btw don't mind Fabregas going missing in big games. He has been bought as a flat track bully. His ability to smash the small sides is what we have been missing. Haven't we won almost every single big game without him last season?

[Sovieticus 743]

Yup always the same with fuckin EA. Chelsea players have been underrated in FUT since its inception. Anyway. we wil have a monster team next season.

btw don't mind Fabregas going missing in big games. He has been bought as a flat track bully. His ability to smash the small sides is what we have been missing. Haven't we won almost every single big game without him last season?

But they were generous with Hazard this year, weren't they ?

[Magic Lamps 11,677]

But they were generous with Hazard this year, weren't they ?

88 on his regular card about deserved after having one in form after the other. Though lucky that they don't do downgrades after march.

[Madmax 9,219]

......

Statzone - FourFourTwo?

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Statzone - FourFourTwo?

Yep.

[Sovieticus 743]

88 on his regular card about deserved after having one in form after the other. Though lucky that they don't do downgrades after march.

Not to go off topic, but he will be rated 87 in next FIFA lol. Just have a feeling.

[termninja 5,290]

I always wanted to see Cesc in Chelsea blue, especially when he was in Arsenal I'm really really happy we managed to bring him in and I wouldn't be surprised if he was our captain next season.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

I always wanted to see Cesc in Chelsea blue, especially when he was in Arsenal I'm really really happy we managed to bring him in and I wouldn't be surprised if he was our captain next season.

From the very start? I hope not.

[termninja 5,290]

From the very start? I hope not.

I meant season after this

[manpe 10,861]

Made his ultimate team card, because I was bored:

68 pace? Same as Matic and Mikel. No defending ability either, shooting is average, passing is for n00bs and dribbling is only useful with pace.... GET RID

[Tomo 21,736]

My only worry is when big games turn into a battle, when we faced him as a Arsenal player I was always confident Essien would have the measure of him, and he usually did.

Other than that no qualms whatsoever and is actually just what we need, our build up play will improve a lot with Cesc.