Cesc Fàbregas

[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.

[Sheva. 5,373]

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

This to me pretty much confirms Romeu will leave on loan.

Mikel/Matic as DM. Fabregas/MVG/Ramires for the other spot in the pivot, or 2 of them in 4-3-3.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

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

Lol, isn't it vice versa, if we win the PL, Cesc could win Player of the Year ?

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

This to me pretty much confirms Romeu will leave on loan.

Mikel/Matic as DM. Fabregas/MVG/Ramires for the other spot in the pivot, or 2 of them in 4-3-3.

That would be an ideal condition, like Mourinho said. Romeu for sure will go. The problem is we still have 1 surplus non HG player even if Romeu go, someone between Cech, Mikel and Torres must go too. Most likely it is Mikel, I'm afraid because of that our CM position turn from the strongest to our weakest position.

[stroey 2,525]

That would be an ideal condition, like Mourinho said. Romeu for sure will go. The problem is we still have 1 surplus non HG player even if Romeu go, someone between Cech, Mikel and Torres must go too. Most likely it is Mikel, I'm afraid because of that our CM position turn from the strongest to our weakest position.

Nah, we don't have to register 3 non HG goalkeepers. If Cech and Courtois both stays, Mou won't register Mark.

[The_Flash 1,144]

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

Aww that is the cutest picture can someone please make that into a signature for me

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Mikel is staying

[stroey 2,525]

Mikel is staying

Mikel is the best back up for Matic, really underrated.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

Mikel is the best back up for Matic, really underrated.

Especially since Romeu is being loaned. He's a great bench option to have

[Shakez 755]

Im sad to say it but i think we must shift Ramires back in when we play the big teams (go 4-3-3), because we probably need someone to cover his ass if we wan't our fullbacks to bomb forward.

[The Chels 2,502]

Im sad to say it but i think we must shift Ramires back in when we play the big teams (go 4-3-3), because we probably need someone to cover his ass if we wan't our fullbacks to bomb forward.

I think we're underestimating the 'smaller' sides in the league tbh. They don't all camp in their own box like West Ham did. I have a feeling if we play a Matic-Fabregas pivot they will press us very hard in the middle of the park (where we'd have little pace) and then counter attack from there. With our FBs bombing forward too this could be a big problem.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

I think we're underestimating the 'smaller' sides in the league tbh. They don't all camp in their own box like West Ham did. I have a feeling if we play a Matic-Fabregas pivot they will press us very hard in the middle of the park (where we'd have little pace) and then counter attack from there. With our FBs bombing forward too this could be a big problem.

I always said that Cesc wasn't great defensively and playing him in the pivot might not be the best idea considering his average pace and the fact that it would limit his creativity, but I'm not sure what today's game has to do with the argument of Fabregas-Matic pivot not working. MVG-Matic pivot didn't exactly look stellar today, despite MVG's great pace and their advantage of training together for a month already.

Yes, Fab misplaced some passes today, but misplacing some passes when you play as #10 practically comes with the job.

[Barbara 15,149]

I think we're underestimating the 'smaller' sides in the league tbh. They don't all camp in their own box like West Ham did. I have a feeling if we play a Matic-Fabregas pivot they will press us very hard in the middle of the park (where we'd have little pace) and then counter attack from there. With our FBs bombing forward too this could be a big problem.

watch the match again... first, our FB didn't bomb forward. There were times we had possession in the attack and you couldn't even see Azpilicueta in the frame. I remember one interception by Werder in our attack that ended up being a deflection and Azpilicueta got the rebound. He was in the middle line of the pitch literally while the ball has been in the attack for a while already. Luís was up more times, but often when Azpili was high, he was way back. We will never have both FB bombing forward as you call it.

Cesc played #10 today the full 90 minutes he stayed in the pitch. I can't connect this to what you're assuming will happen, but that hasn't happened yet as our best midfield presentation so far has been with him and Matic in the pivot.

It's pre-season, the opponents aren't stellar, but all conclusions are made in people's head as they haven't seen it happening yet to base their theories simply because it didn't happen as they picture.

I'm convinced we won't play him there in big matches, I'm aware he isn't that fast, but no one can say based on what they've seen so far that it doesn't work and he doesn't work because when he played there it simply worked. It may not always work - it certainly won't, but I'm actually surprised about the overreaction towards him in the pivot when he hasn't played there for one match and a half now (he played as third man midfield in the second half against Vitesse).

It's okay to have theories, we all have them, but make it clear they're theories about what you think will happen, not based on what happened because that couldn't be farther from what really passed.