Cesc Fàbregas

[yuvala 2,167]

Almost every player in our starting XI plays bad to average every time we play a top team..

[123-blue 19]

I had made my peace with this guy NEVER standing up in a big game but the dire and atrocious set piece taking was just inexcusable especially since it looked like our only way of getting on the score board.

[iseah100 5,612]

Absent in a big game. Man, it was true.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

The thing is, we already knew he was shite in big games. he proved that about 100 times at Arsenal and Barcelona. He was bought as a flat track bully, so he should fucking be played as such. On the other hand leaving him out in a big game would mean playing ramires and/or mikel. so yeah we definitely need a midfielder.

[The Skipper 20,609]

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.

[didierforever 7,349]

do people still want to convince me that cesc is not a big game bottler?

[Jase 43,479]

The situation with Fabregas really is an ironic one. Mourinho didn't like Mata because he was a liability defensively and he sold him to United (despite making an effort of improving that aspect of his game). But with Fabregas, he is a defensive liability and Mourinho is willing to look past that and let it affect the team especially in the big games.

[Pizy 18,877]

His problems are more physical than mental. He's so slow and extremely unathletic. I saw Silva turn him quite a few times that game because he can't keep up.

He's at his best when he's deep in midfield and has time to use his brain to read the game. When he's forced higher up the pitch and is in more crowded areas where he has little time on the ball he's basically useless.

[Jase 43,479]

His problems are more physical than mental. He's so slow and extremely unathletic. I saw Silva turn him quite a few times that game because he can't keep up.

He's at his best when he's deep in midfield and has time to use his brain to read the game. When he's forced higher up the pitch and is in more crowded areas where he has little time on the ball he's basically useless.

Yes, just like when Silva created that chance to put Aguero through 1 v 1 early on. It was pathetic. Tried to close him down, unsuccessful and got turned and after that, he was just jogging back.

[Pizy 18,877]

Yes, just like when Silva created that chance to put Aguero through 1 v 1 early on. It was pathetic. Tried to close him down, unsuccessful and got turned and after that, he was just jogging back.

Yep.

This is why we 100% need a new CM. To play in these big games and free Fabregas from the need to defend as much and to make sure we aren't porous in midfield.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

You don't get kicked out of Barcelona for no reason if you are good...especially after the effort they went through to sign him again. He probably had a point to prove last season to them so he did extremely well for us in the 1st half of the season, but now with his place all but untouchable he is relaxing again and as a result his concentration also dips.

Honestly we need a Vidal type midfielder to replace this guy in big games, he can create all the chances in the world against Watford but he cannot do it in a high intensity game against a big team. Thinking about it why on Earth we didn't go for Vidal at £28m ffs.

[Billy. 2,742]

seems like he has got his EPL medal and now he dont give a shit

[Stats 7,142]

Almost every player in our starting XI plays bad to average every time we play a top team..

So why did we not lose a game against a team in the top 4 last season then?

[Jase 43,479]

If Mourinho wants to continue playing Fabregas in the big games, then he needs to go with the 4-3-3. That way, it gives Fabregas less defensive responsibilities and more license to get forward (IIRC, we played 4-3-3 at Arsenal last season and Fabregas put in a decent display). Otherwise, sticking in the pivot doesn't do him and us any favor. He can't affect the game much going forward and as I said earlier, he's a defensive liability. It leaves Matic having to do two players' job and the defence exposed.

[King11Didier 916]

It looks like somebody took off his magic hat... But man, he is really sloww. Maybe he is slower than Mertesacker.... And I think that's why he was sold form Barca and why he is not good enough in big games where the tempo is extremely high and you should keep the ball for a really short period of time. Cesc is the kind of player who does magic when he has the time to see the player and to give the pass, but in games with so high tempo it's not possible to show your magic. And in defending he is even worse. He made some good tackels last match, but as I said he is too slow to defend. Mata would have the same impact as Cesc at this club, if Mou didn't sell him...