Cesc Fàbregas

[Muzchap 8,966]

Barca fan on barcaforum said this about his debut:

deluded bunch.

Yup - but they have to justify the move somehow

Looking forward to seeing him play this season - A Strikers dream is Fabregas...

[Special Juan 27,430]

Sounds like Liverpool fans when asked about Suarez......"It's OK we have Lambert and Sturridge"

[DanishBlue 426]

I would cry myself to sleep, if we had Suarez and replaced him with... Lambert!

[bababoom 4,478]

Barca fan on barcaforum said this about his debut:

deluded bunch.

Is there a Spanish Barcelona forum? that barcaforum is full of English members who jumped on the Barca bandwagon a few years ago, they are most likely very young. It wouldn't surprise me if they also 'supported' Dortmund and Atletico...

[Amblève. 4,995]

Absolutely amazing to get a player of his quality for the price we did, when you consider we sold a player not even half as good in Mata for more.

This lack of respect for Mata is reaching Liverpudlian proportions, and it's disgusting.

[Special Juan 27,430]

This lack of respect for Mata is reaching Liverpudlian proportions, and it's disgusting.

If all peoples opinions where the same it would be boring.

[stroey 2,525]

This lack of respect for Mata is reaching Liverpudlian proportions, and it's disgusting.

Mata is just a coward, he just didn't want to stay and fight for his spot. Why should we be respectful towards him? He was the player of the year for 2 years chosen by the FANS, and what did we get in return? He just decided to leave after playing half an year like garbage. He had the most minutes from the 6 AMs after Oscar and Hazard. He could've stayed and win his spot back but he decided to leave. Just a selfish guy with some nice words on his blog which meant nothing after all.

[Amblève. 4,995]

Mata is just a coward, he just didn't want to stay and fight for his spot. Why should we be respectful towards him? He was the player of the year for 2 years chosen by the FANS, and what did we get in return? He just decided to leave after playing half an year like garbage. He had the most minutes from the 6 AMs after Oscar and Hazard. He could've stayed and win his spot back but he decided to leave. Just a selfish guy with some nice words on his blog which meant nothing after all.

Let's forget that Mata was played in a position where he isn't effective at all, that he had to do something that isn't part of his game, that he was in the team one week, and then was benched the next weekend.

Oh, and let's forget that he was basically the only reason why weren't as "creative" as Stoke, that he had more win shares than anyone else in those 2 years.

This is exactly the "sheep and shepherd" analogy I was talking about in the pub.

[zolayes 14,489]

I was sorry we sold Mata ,,,,,,,, BUT IM fucking delighted we have Cesc,

[Korea 734]

I can honestly see jose going

cesc-matic-ramires and dropping either willian/oscar

[Styles 9,790]

I can honestly see jose going

cesc-matic-ramires and dropping either willian/oscar

Agreed. Hopefully Van Ginkel gets some minutes too.

A Matic-Fabregas midfield isn't going to work in my opinion.

[Korea 734]

Agreed. Hopefully Van Ginkel gets some minutes too.

A Matic-Fabregas midfield isn't going to work in my opinion.

The epl isnt that great in terms of CM combos, however, against chelsea, most teams will counter and neither matic or cesc have great stamina nor pace.

But rambo has great pace and stamina and more likely than not will at least foul the player....

[zolayes 14,489]

The epl isnt that great in terms of CM combos, however, against chelsea, most teams will counter and neither matic or cesc have great stamina nor pace.

But rambo has great pace and stamina and more likely than not will at least foul the player....

and pick up a red card .. wonderful logic ...

[Korea 734]

and pick up a red card .. wonderful logic ...

No sacrifice no victory......

I.e Suarez, haha.

[zolayes 14,489]

No sacrifice no victory......

I.e Suarez, haha.

I think you will find picking up a red card brings more defeats than victories

[iseah100 5,612]

Mata is just a coward, he just didn't want to stay and fight for his spot. Why should we be respectful towards him? He was the player of the year for 2 years chosen by the FANS, and what did we get in return? He just decided to leave after playing half an year like garbage. He had the most minutes from the 6 AMs after Oscar and Hazard. He could've stayed and win his spot back but he decided to leave. Just a selfish guy with some nice words on his blog which meant nothing after all.

Lol wtf. So a player who was the back to back player of the year and played amazing football is a coward cause he didn't want to fight an average 21 year old playmaker for the starting spot? Lol right.

[Barbara 15,149]

I'm not one to defend Mata's permanence. I think he had to go despite liking him as a person a lot and thinking few players in the world are as creative as he is. But I wouldn't call him a coward. It was a situation he was never going to win. Oscar wasn't the reason why he left (Mata is a better playmaker). He'd never fit the system and there isn't a system in EPL that he can fit without exposing the midfield behind him. He left because of inadequacy and that's different to giving up the fight. It was a lost fight and being the very smart guy we all know he is, he noticed it soon (and so did Mourinho). He leaving was a good thing for all involved, except going to a rebuilding United was a mistake imo. He should have left England, but in case he really wanted to stay, I think he chose the worst possible option among the top teams. Even with van Gaal here, the shortcomings of him as a player and athlete to play the EPL will be the same and a team being rebuilt not only in the management perspective but also with the players - a whole generation is being left behind - makes it all more difficult for him. I think for him personally going to United - even if he was granted more minutes - was worse than staying at Chelsea.

[Dion 2,476]

The epl isnt that great in terms of CM combos, however, against chelsea, most teams will counter and neither matic or cesc have great stamina nor pace.

But rambo has great pace and stamina and more likely than not will at least foul the player....

If teams are waiting for a counter, we have all the time in the world to build plays as long as we keep possession, and a partnership of Matic and Fabregas are the best we have to give us exactly that, pace would be good but not a must - stamina is a must for pretty much any pivot player though. On the other hand, teams that attack and give us counters leave more space behind, their defenses will usually sit a bit higher up for compactness or else they will leave a big gap between midfield and defense. In that kind of situation long passes and through balls are even deadlier than in the first. Pace is absolutely not needed in the pivot for counter-attacks, the players on the receiving end of passes are the ones who must be pacey, the ball can travel faster in a pass than any Ramires or Usain Bolt could do while running in possession.

For those reasons I think it works in both situations. Mourinho probably thinks that's possible as well. And he's testing Fabregas there against weak teams in the preseason, sides that are expected to give us a parked bus circumstance, which should provide a rough idea to how it may work. Of course nobody is giving these games much importance and teams who are going to park the bus in the PL are stronger than those we're facing right now, but still.