Rumours that he has been linked with Real Madrid. I really hope it's not true, we need him.

 

Bought up through the Barca youth team, can't see him wanting to move to Madrid personally. 

Bought up through the Barca youth team, can't see him wanting to move to Madrid personally. 

Made by Arsenal and yet he chose us. 

Dont think players these days care about that stuff.

Rumours are he has been offered to Madrid and Barca but Madrid are full of midfielders anyway.

Made by Arsenal and yet he chose us. 

Dont think players these days care about that stuff.

 

One thing swapping London clubs but Catalans tend to be pretty fiercely loyal to their home. 

Edited August 16, 20169 yr by ForeverCarefree

Pigs heads galore

One thing swapping London clubs but Catalans tend to be pretty fiercely loyal to their home. 

 

This is the same Barca that let him leave twice before. He can't be that loyal to them.

Conte loves workers. He wanted Nainggolan and didn't get him.  He wanted Kante, and favors Matic.  So it's clear the style he wants in midfield.  Oscar, while he doesn't necessarily fit that mold, is a much harder worker than Cesc.  He actually led us in tackles yesterday, and each one was immense.  Oscar is a bit tricker with the ball than Cesc as well and probably offers more in the way of scoring as well.

 

Cesc, for all that he is creatively, leaves massive holes in defence.  The only way I think he could fit in the side is with Matic and Kante providing massive cover in front of him.  When we get possession of the ball he can move forward and replace Kante who shifts back.  It's a dangerous game to play because if you get caught in the wrong spot, Cesc is playing cover for an already slow back four.  I like Cesc, and I'm not sure what Conte's plan is moving forward, but I can certainly understand his thinking. 

I'd be reluctant to let him go so quickly. I remember for how long we had a creative hole in our midfield and how quickly Fabregas filled it.

 

I do wonder whether we should start batting our eyelids at Koke; he might be more to Conte's tastes.

I'd be reluctant to let him go so quickly. I remember for how long we had a creative hole in our midfield and how quickly Fabregas filled it.

 

I do wonder whether we should start batting our eyelids at Koke; he might be more to Conte's tastes.

 

We didn't need that creative player in midfield when we won back to back titles 2005 and 2006. It was all about strength and pace with Maka Essien Robben Lampard Cole and Duff. 

 

And we have got Hazard now as well, so not like we are completely without flair players.

We may not have needed it for 2005 and 2006 but we certainly needed one for 2007, 2008 and 2009.

We may not have needed it for 2005 and 2006 but we certainly needed one for 2007, 2008 and 2009.

 

2008 we were one slip away from winning the Champions League.

 

2010 we won the Prem with a midfield of Essien Lampard Ballack Malouda Zhirkov. 3 titles in 6 years without any midfield creativity, just strength and speed.

Conte loves workers. He wanted Nainggolan and didn't get him.  He wanted Kante, and favors Matic.  So it's clear the style he wants in midfield.  Oscar, while he doesn't necessarily fit that mold, is a much harder worker than Cesc.  He actually led us in tackles yesterday, and each one was immense.  Oscar is a bit tricker with the ball than Cesc as well and probably offers more in the way of scoring as well.

 

Cesc, for all that he is creatively, leaves massive holes in defence.  The only way I think he could fit in the side is with Matic and Kante providing massive cover in front of him.  When we get possession of the ball he can move forward and replace Kante who shifts back.  It's a dangerous game to play because if you get caught in the wrong spot, Cesc is playing cover for an already slow back four.  I like Cesc, and I'm not sure what Conte's plan is moving forward, but I can certainly understand his thinking. 

 

I agree with your assessment and I also feel that Once we have Matic playing much better and our defense holding up better, I see Cesc being a regular. We need to get stable defensively first.

What we had in 05/06 was Duff & Robben ripping teams apart & Lamps in the middle. You get rid of Cesc & we will be left with only Hazard.

What we had in 05/06 was Duff & Robben ripping teams apart & Lamps in the middle. You get rid of Cesc & we will be left with only Hazard.

 

You say we won the league with fast wingers and Lampard doing the box to box with Essien in behind, so where does Fabregas fit into that midfield ? not even on the bench.

^ what I am saying is we had creative outlets from the flanks & in the middle. I am sorry but Hazard is the only one we have if you take out Cesc. We will be solid but create very little, and smart managers will figure out a way to nullify Hazard.

We didn't need that creative player in midfield when we won back to back titles 2005 and 2006. It was all about strength and pace with Maka Essien Robben Lampard Cole and Duff. 

 

And we have got Hazard now as well, so not like we are completely without flair players.

 

I don't agree that any of Joe Cole, Duff or Robben relied on pace and strength exclusively... not to mention a certain Icelander!

 

I also think there's a distinction between a 'flair' player and someone who provides central creativity predominantly via moving the ball intelligently and imaginatively. I would deem the former to be someone with great technical ability but whose inclusion likely means your side will be weaker off the ball, whereas the latter can simply be a player who adds to a team's passing quality without leading to defensive weakness: a Xabi Alonso, Modric, or Koke.

 

We suffered for several seasons from the lack of this sort of player in our squad; in fact the first time after the double season (i.e. peak Lampard) that we were a serious threat for the title was when we signed Fabregas. I am wary of creating the same problem all over again.

 

 

Seeing this pass frequency map did make me wonder whether Fabregas' omission was due to a desire to target the flanks against a team who were missing their first-choice left-back and who had a makeshift right-back, and thus perhaps a one-off:

 

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/10538962/cesc-fabregas-keen-to-stay-at-chelsea-sky-sources

Sky sources are sh*t.

I don't agree that any of Joe Cole, Duff or Robben relied on pace and strength exclusively... not to mention a certain Icelander!

 

I also think there's a distinction between a 'flair' player and someone who provides central creativity predominantly via moving the ball intelligently and imaginatively. I would deem the former to be someone with great technical ability but whose inclusion likely means your side will be weaker off the ball, whereas the latter can simply be a player who adds to a team's passing quality without leading to defensive weakness: a Xabi Alonso, Modric, or Koke.

 

We suffered for several seasons from the lack of this sort of player in our squad; in fact the first time after the double season (i.e. peak Lampard) that we were a serious threat for the title was when we signed Fabregas. I am wary of creating the same problem all over again.

 

 

Seeing this pass frequency map did make me wonder whether Fabregas' omission was due to a desire to target the flanks against a team who were missing their first-choice left-back and who had a makeshift right-back, and thus perhaps a one-off:

 

 

Ok not 'exclusively' pace and strength but predomanantly.

 

Joe Cole, Duff Robben and Eidur were all less creative than Willian Hazard and Oscar, in my opinion if the 2005 2006 team can manage without that luxury of a true creative midfielder like Fab, so can this team with Willian Hazard and Oscar.

 

I just want to see an in form goal scorer in front of them.

Robben and Duff was much more creative than William and Oscar. They had much more pace, skill and scored and created many goals.

In those 2 years Chelsea won the league they was superb. William and Oscar had nothing on them.

Robben and Duff was much more creative than William and Oscar. They had much more pace, skill and scored and created many goals.

In those 2 years Chelsea won the league they was superb. William and Oscar had nothing on them.

 

You just agreed with me , they created chances with their pace. And it's Willian not William.

You just agreed with me , they created chances with their pace. And it's Willian not William.

I was comparing Duff and Robben to WilliaN and Oscar who had much more creativity about them. Ridiculously more dangerous and better to watch

Lampard doesn't exactly lack creativity and that team worked a dream.

I was comparing Duff and Robben to WilliaN and Oscar who had much more creativity about them. Ridiculously more dangerous and better to watch

Lampard doesn't exactly lack creativity and that team worked a dream.

 

But that is not the debate here, the debate here is do we need the creative type ala Fab in midfield ? And do we have enough creativity in the team to leave him out ?

But that is not the debate here, the debate here is do we need the creative type ala Fab in midfield ? And do we have enough creativity in the team to leave him out ?

Well in 05 we had Robben/Duff and lampard/Eidur backing them up. Without Fab we have Hazard/Willian and Oscar. There's no way I think the current players are better than in 05 apart from Hazard so if he gets injured we will lack creativity badly.

I can't see why playing Fab with Matic and Kante won't work. 2 players and also Willian doing the leg work more than covers Fab. What Fab brings you going forward is more than worth it.

Seeing this pass frequency map did make me wonder whether Fabregas' omission was due to a desire to target the flanks against a team who were missing their first-choice left-back and who had a makeshift right-back, and thus perhaps a one-off:

 

good call on that one bud, but IMHO Masuaku did ok - Antonio & Ayew got chewed da phuck up & both were subbed out eventually - they say that Conte is a tactician & perhaps this was an example of this - most commentators were figuring CFC going down the middle & everyone was surprised that CFC used the flanks to initiate the attack - smart because both Ayew & Valencia had to defend & that sucked their legs when they had to go forward

Edited August 16, 20169 yr by robdog