Does Fabregas count as a home grown player?

Yes.

Best ENGLISH eleven. Not quite the same thing!

He'd be one of the best players of the league no doubt about it. Class above class!

Did quite well against the "best" eleven from Premier League...

Its not even the best English 11 as players were missing and you can't tell me they play at Premier League tempo because they don't. International game is a different game to club level.

Pirlo wouldn't handle the tempo of the Premier League he's fine in Italy as its a much slower league.

Edited June 15, 201412 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

In that climate it's impossibe to play with the same intensity as Premier League games are played. The game yesterday is no indicator whatsoever of how well Pirlo would do in the EPL. Do you remember his games against Bayern or the first game against us in the 2012/2013 season? Showed that he struggles when he doesn't get time and space on the ball.

He'd still be a class player in EPL and probably would be able to adapt his game a bit to cope with the higher tempo, but I don't think he would be the same player he is in Italy.

In that climate it's impossibe to play with the same intensity as Premier League games are played. The game yesterday is no indicator whatsoever of how well Pirlo would do in the EPL. Do you remember his games against Bayern or the first game against us in the 2012/2013 season? Showed that he struggles when he doesn't get time and space on the ball.

He'd still be a class player in EPL and probably would be able to adapt his game a bit to cope with the higher tempo, but I don't think he would be the same player he is in Italy.

Of course the climate but we've played at home and in some countries that does suit us climate wise and yet we don't play at PL tempo.

Pretty much what I meant not that he'd be terrible but he wouldn't be as good.

Isn't that nice? Yet we don't have class. Do we get upset if certain players leave the club?  Sometimes, but we wish them well, usually. Burning shirts and death threats also aren't ways to go about it.

Of course not, that's silly, just cut their balls off then watch them run around then

I'm a Barça fan and I'm very sad for this, but i hope you will value Cesc more than us. If you have any question about him I try to answer you. (sorry for my bad english, I'm catalan haha)

Do you think he's good enough defensively and tactically to play in the pivot alongside Matic?

Mourinho promised Fabregas would be a key man and put the entire weight of the Stamford Bridge operation behind him. (El Confidencial)

Mourinho: "@cesc4official is a great player that gives a new dimension to our team is unlike Matic, Ramires and Oscar" #CFC (Marca)

Mourinho: "When buying @cesc4official I was looking for a certain profile of central midfielder and with him I will have it" #CFC (Marca)

Mourinho on relationship with Cesc: No problem. In 5 minutes it was all said. He knows what I think & everything is very clear. #CFC (Marca)

This transfer has been really low key. World Cup overshadowing it.

Looking forward to this. Interesting quotes. 

Good to hear they've cleared the air, as mature adults there shouldn't be any problems going forward.

Great signing. Fabregas fits the bill perfectly and should provide the creativity from deep that was sorely lacking last season. It's going to take some time for me to truly appreciate him given his Barcelona/Arsenal roots but I'm sure a few killer through balls to Diego Costa/Eden Hazard will assist with that  .

Do you think he's good enough defensively and tactically to play in the pivot alongside Matic?

Yes, totally, the big problem of Cesc in Barça is because he played in a position that is not positive for him. Cesc had been played where Xavi is playing this 2 years later. 

 

So I think he can do an excelent job in the pivot.

song idea - Lets talk about cesc baby, lets talk about john terry, lets talk about eden hazard, gary cahill, jon obi, lets talk abooout cesc

For the majority of games at the Bridge and probably around half the away games we could end up lining up with something like:

 

-------Matic-----

 

--Cesc-----Oscar

 

Willian--------Hazard

 

--------Costa-----

 

Flexible to return to a 4-2-3-1 with Cesc, Oscar or even Willian dropping back to support Matic.

 

In the more tight games we would probably look for something less offensive:

 

------Ramires/Tiago-------Matic

 

Willian---------Cesc--------Hazard

 

--------------Costa

 

Either way I am already really looking forward to pre season!

I'm a Barça fan and I'm very sad for this, but i hope you will value Cesc more than us. If you have any question about him I try to answer you. (sorry for my bad english, I'm catalan haha)

Thank you. Do you know why Barca let him go?

song idea - Lets talk about cesc baby, lets talk about john terry, lets talk about eden hazard, gary cahill, jon obi, lets talk abooout cesc

And the prize for the gayest ever football chant goes to

Thank you. Do you know why Barca let him go?

Well, first of all we are in a complicated situation, this year we have very institutional problems and now we need a new structure. Cesc in this 3 years has played in a position who is not the best for him and I think he is tired of the situation. And also we have a poor fans, so much old people go to Camp Nou and are very very severe with the players and specially with Cesc (I never understand why). 

 

But all of this is speculation, I really don't understand why we send him. :) I'm sure that he will doing an excellent job in BPL with Chelsea.

 

PD: Sorry for my english :P

I'm pretty happy about this. I believe he has something to prove in the league (e.g. winning it). I don't think he has a problem with Jose, everyone hates Jose when plays against him, that's how good the man is.

Top quality signing

And the prize for the gayest ever football chant goes to

agreed. terrible.

Fabregas isn't worthy of a song until he scores ten goals or the winner against Arsenal.

Filthy celeryphobe

According to the Telegraph, Vermaelan is following Sagna out of Arsenal up to Manchester, and will be Van Gaal's first signing for United.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10902101/Arsenal-captain-Thomas-Vermaelen-agrees-deal-to-join-Manchester-United-this-summer.html

 

Second Arsenal captain to move to a rival and the window isn't even open yet 

Tbh he wasn't getting games anyway so if he left they'd probably find a replacement quite easily. I actually think it would be a bad move for Man U as Vermalaen has been pretty shoddy for a few seasons now.

If this is happening then i think this is a crap signing by United. For 2 years now Vermaelan has been pretty awful.

Edited June 16, 201412 yr by Scott Harris