Cesc Fàbregas

[Daniel1980 1,425]

I'm not picking on Cesc or anything but I doubt that particular stat is as significant as Miguel makes it. i get that he's writing for whoscored and has to throw about some of their statistics but then again, Fabregas was in Barca's midfield and they still struggled against defensive teams last season. I will like to see those stats from two seasons ago if you have a link to them.

Chelsea midfielders' through balls in 2012-2013(whoscored):

Mata - 8/16

Luiz - 2/2

Lampard - 4/5

Hazard - 5/9

Mikel - 0/1

Ramires - 1/3

Oscar - 1/5

[kellzfresh 7,226]

True, but you're making it look like if there's space to exploit, any player can make successful through balls. It is not true. Many don't even attempt to pull them off. Fabregas likes--and is good--at making risky passes. Barcelona almost always plays against parked buses, so there's very little space, and Barcelona have no true runner CF in the team, yet Fabregas still managed to make most through balls in Europe. It's not always just about space. It's also about passing ability and reading the game.

We don't play against West Ham in every game, yet this is how many through balls our midfielders made last season:

Hazard - 7 successful/12 attempted

Matic - 3/3

Mata - 3/4

Ramires - 4/9

Willian - 0/4

Lampard - 1/6

Oscar - 1/2

Mikel - 1/1

This is frankly sad. Only Hazard tried--and succeeded at--riskier passes.

Fabregas - 24/48

To say those throughball stats are poor is an understatement. Wtf!!

That's why it seemed like we always gave the ball to ivanovic to cross or hazard to dribble 2defenders and cross as our only moves.

Just look at our supposed attacking midfielders through balls in 25+ games, I mean Matic came in January and gave more through balls than oscar and Willian combined

Let's hope it was because of torres that it was that bad. Costa will scream at pple this season, if they don't raise their heads up and spot his runs.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

To say those throughball stats are poor is an understatement. Wtf!!

That's why it seemed like we always gave the ball to ivanovic to cross or hazard to dribble 2defenders and cross as our only moves.

Just look at our supposed attacking midfielders through balls in 25+ games, I mean Matic came in January and gave more through balls than oscar and Willian combined

Let's hope it was because of torres that it was that bad. Costa will scream at pple this season, if they don't raise their heads up and spot his runs.

Of course it was because Torres was beyond dreadful. For contrast, the highest accurate through ball provider in Atletico last season was Koke with 9/15, then the others are low like ours as well. Didn't stop Costa scoring 36 goals.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Chelsea midfielders' through balls in 2012-2013(whoscored):

Mata - 8/16

Luiz - 2/2

Lampard - 4/5

Hazard - 5/9

Mikel - 0/1

Ramires - 1/3

Oscar - 1/5

The question is what does it actually prove. Newcastle were one of the least inspiring sides last season in terms of football but they 3rd, freaking 3rd on the list ahead of Man City! I checked that same stat for sides like Real, Bayern and PSG and it's just as low as ours.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

The question is what does it actually prove. Newcastle were one of the least inspiring sides last season in terms of football but they 3rd, freaking 3rd on the list ahead of Man City! I checked that same stat for sides like Real, Bayern and PSG and it's just as low as ours.

No, nowhere as low.

We make 1.4 per game, while our title rivals make: Liverpool 5, Arsenal 3.8, Manchester City 3.2, Manchester United 2, not to mention many others.

PSG - 2 per game, and only Monaco make more in the league

Real - 4 per game

Bayern - 2 per game, and it's the highest through ball rate in the league.

[Garden Of Eden 40]

Fabregas is defo gonna be up there for top assists.

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

It's your game Cesc!

[The Chels 2,502]

Ramires

[Daniel1980 1,425]

https://twitter.com/PUMA/status/501364108349153280
"Wenger is a bellend"

Can't believe Puma actually posted this.

[Madmax 9,219]

https://vine.co/v/M3DVKATgvYL

Jizz ... jizz everywhere ...

[Jusek 2,031]

fabfabfabfabfabfabfab

[Garden Of Eden 40]

Utterly Fabregased

[DYC. 7,542]

Cesc with the throughest of all balls for the 2nd goal. The whole stadium and everyone in it just froze.

The guy is reminding me why I rated him so highly during his time at Arsenal.

2 assists and counting.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

He's so fucking good. Easily the best passer in the World. Thought he was very good defensively as well although playing with Oscar and Matic helps relieve pressure on that end.

[The only place to be 11,313]

That assist was one of the best passes you'll ever see. Vision, touch and disguised beautifully aided by a fantastic run from Schurrle and Costa pushing the defence back.

He's something we've been lacking for a while.

[Dion 2,476]

Fabregas and Costa were the missing pieces we needed to unlock the toughest defenses and there you have it. The victory almost looked too easy.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Cesc is better than Cecs!

[Daniel1980 1,425]

It's your game Cesc!