How good would it have been if that 30 yard run when the Arsenal defence opened up and then opened up a bit more, had ended in a Cesc goal. That would have been priceless! As it is, I'll happily take the Chelsea win and Cesc being MOTM to ruin the Gooners weekend!

Edited January 24, 201610 yr by Nibs

Oliver Todd ‏@oliver_todd  23m23 minutes ago

Cesc Fabregas walks off the pitch applauding Arsenal fans abusing him and patting the Chelsea badge on his chest.

 

LOL

 

 

I was praying he scored, I genuinely had a feeling there was going to be a badge pat or even a kiss of the badge after the abuse he's got from them since last year.

I'm delighted he seems to be getting back to his best as well.

I've said a couple of times I think he's been unfairly scapegoated over the last 6 months.

It's no surprise when the likes of Costa are finding firm agsin, suddenly Fabregas' main traits are paying off again.

Also most tackles today, who said he doesn't put a shift in defensively?

Keep it up Fab!

I love the way he plays, with an arrogance born of blessed talent, head up demanding the ball, gesticulating to players go here run there, can see the Xavi influences!!

He was very good again today. He did run out of steam a bit though, and it was worrying to see players run past him, mikel, and matic in the last 10 minutes, especially as we had the extra man.

Hopefully he keeps this form up.

Loved the picture of him walking off patting the Chelsea club badge today.

Good for you Cesc.

Fab's 107 touches against Arsey yesterday courtesy of the Telegraph.

Edited January 25, 201610 yr by Droogba

I really wished he had scored yesterday.  Should have won us a penalty, but after the Red Card I felt that Clattenberg was pretty timid to get cards out against Arsenal thereafter.  Also, the foul on Fab in the area was by Koscielny who had picked up a yellow previously.

 

Look at the difference between Arsenal and their treatment of Cesc, and then our treatment of Cech.  And Cech went straight to a rival, Cesc at least had a spell at Barca before coming to Chelsea.

 

They are fast becoming delusional, petty, and a parody of themselves.

I really wished he had scored yesterday.  Should have won us a penalty, but after the Red Card I felt that Clattenberg was pretty timid to get cards out against Arsenal thereafter.  Also, the foul on Fab in the area was by Koscielny who had picked up a yellow previously.

 

Look at the difference between Arsenal and their treatment of Cesc, and then our treatment of Cech.  And Cech went straight to a rival, Cesc at least had a spell at Barca before coming to Chelsea.

 

They are fast becoming delusional, petty, and a parody of themselves.

 

 Says all you need to know about that scummy lot. They are fast approaching Liverpool levels of crassness but somehow they both seem to be the media darlings. I couldn't give a fig quite frankly.

He looks so much better at AMF than in the defensive position,may his good form continue until the end of the season.

Interesting to hear Cesc having a spat with that big twat Ibra after the game, Big props if true..

See, I like him playing in a deeper role because he then has the whole field ahead of him to pick out a pass, but then you lose having someone there to break up play.

However when he's in a more advanced role, i think he is too short sited and can't  get his range passing happening.

I'm starting to come around to the idea of him partnering Mikel/Matic if the wingers are working back to chop up some play every now and then, Pedro has been doing it well lately.

I like cesc deeper aswell, I think he needs someone next to him that breaks up play and has the legs to cover a lot of ground. Mikel has done well at breaking it up and giving it simple, but I do think we someone a bit more dynamic next to him.

I think you'll find Cesc covers more ground than nearly all our layers, just maybe not at speed. lol

I think you'll find Cesc covers more ground than nearly all our layers, just maybe not at speed. lol

Pirlo was the same in that respect.

Cesc is at his best when played deep, he's nowhere near as effective when he's played further forward. The problem is that when Cesc has played deeper he's been put in a 2 man midfield for the majority of the time, he isn't great defensively and doesn't get around the pitch quickly, he needs protection to be at his best

 

Pirlo thrived even into his 30s because he always had protection and wasn't expected to help defend, at Juventus he had the likes of Pogba, Marchisio and Vidal around him

Playing out of his skin at the minute.

Some of his passing has been wonderful to watch, his link up play with Pedro yesterday was on another level.

I really liked the way he was publicilly encouraging Hazard with the "you score one, you have to score another" comment. Good work Cesc.

Playing out of his skin at the minute.

Some of his passing has been wonderful to watch, his link up play with Pedro yesterday was on another level.

 

Mikel's presence is helping too i think. With Matic turning to sh*t this season, it's made things so much harder for Fabregas to play his game. Mikel just sits in that DM position and we aren't leaving as many gaps, it's giving Fabregas more freedom to play his passing game.

 

Matic was doing what Mikel is doing last season, but with better tackling ability, Matic seem's to have completely abandoned the way he was playing last season though. He takes forever to make a pass, he doesn't tackle as well, he charges up the pitch with barely any control of the ball, he leaves gaps which leaves Fabregas exposed and by the time Matic releases the ball, the opposition have already cut off our attacking threat.

 

Mikel's style in the past used to annoy me, his side ways passes and slow movement used to affect us negatively going forward, but with the way we play now it seem's to be getting the best out of him. Mikel keeping it simple is exactly what we need, it's helping get the best out of Fabregas. If Mikel was better at tackling, he would be a more complete DM.

Edited February 22, 201610 yr by Scott Harris

I don't think it's got much to do with our tactics and everything to do with other teams affording him a lot of space. When he's playing deep then every team should be getting a man on him and rushing him. City didn't do that yesterday, Newcastle didn't do it, Arsenal didn't do it and United didn't do it in the last half-hour. That's when he can absolutely rip a team to shreds and when teams do rush him, like Watford did, then he becomes far more ineffective.

 

It's why I think we need Oscar back to his best so he can act as a secondary playmaker if a team does press him and I think every single one of the next 8 teams we face in the league will do that. Hopefully Cesc and the players around him react to that.

If Fabregas can keep up this form and we sign a proper DM then I think we will be fine in those positions next season

Probably playing as well as he ever did last season at the moment. Really dictating play at the moment.

Maybe matic's form was the main reason fabregas struggled in 2015.

Great time for Cesc to score an away goal. I was not sure if that was an attempted cross or if he was aiming for goal, But once it goes in the back of the net, Who cares !!!

The guy is morphing more and more into a Pirlo, plays with such authority and self assurance of his technique..

 

This post is supposed to be in this thread

Cesc is at his best when played deep, he's nowhere near as effective when he's played further forward. The problem is that when Cesc has played deeper he's been put in a 2 man midfield for the majority of the time, he isn't great defensively and doesn't get around the pitch quickly, he needs protection to be at his best

 

Pirlo thrived even into his 30s because he always had protection and wasn't expected to help defend, at Juventus he had the likes of Pogba, Marchisio and Vidal around him

 

Brilliantly put. Reasons why I feel that we need midfielders who are both physical and technical like Koke. In Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Pedro we have too many light weights and while they will try hard, they can not give the same level of protection that say a Ballack can give. 

Cesc on Sky sport as co presenter with Car-jacker....