He has been restricted more tactically in recent weeks and has been asked to drop deeper into midfield at times. It has affected both his form and his goal scoring run.
Cesc Fabregas
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Wenger makes little wax dolls of anybody he didn't want to leave Arsenal and sticks pins in them while dancing naked under his sleeping-bag coat.
He has spoken about this recently but his role at Barca is different and it will take him time to fully grow into the player Pep wants him to be.
He played as a striker for most of the season.
Agree with this completely, there's a lot of unfair criticism of Fabregas. Like Alexis he needs to up his game and take chances at a much better rate than he currently is, but which other Barca players are consistently getting in those positions? I don't like Iniesta out wide so much either but it gives them better control in those games. As much as Iniesta can be a difference maker in the middle he has never been the goal threat his talent suggests. Barca just do not have a consistent goal threat other than Messi at the moment and when he has to drop so deep into midfield as against Chelsea, they have serious problems. Fabregas plays between lines, his directness is needed. His role in the team isn't the problem, they just need him and others to be more clinical than they are currently. I don't think the comparison with Verón's position in our squad makes any sense.
Love the confidence, even Del Bosque was set straight
So many arsehole calls from Del boy: not playing a striker, playing both Busquets and Alonso, not starting Cesc.
Love the confidence, even Del Bosque was set straight
That takes real guts man. Demanding to go last and then scoring. I don't like Cesc, but that deserves respect.
I wish he'd missed 
Played like a proper no.9.
laid it up for Xavi's shot.
Did really well for first goal.
and constantly was a threat.
laid it up for Xavi's shot.
Did really well for first goal.
and constantly was a threat.
Classy touch with his tshirt at the end. Also played very well.
The first 20 minutes from Fabregas was incredible, some of the best football I've seen him play in a long time.
That takes real guts man. Demanding to go last and then scoring. I don't like Cesc, but that deserves respect.
Apparently unless Ronaldo does it...in which case it's simply arrogance and wanting to steal the glory just for himself...
Always polemic with that one.
Very good performance, good link up and looked real threatening as a striker.
But you can tell he isn't a striker; sometimes he got put through via a through ball and made some mistake getting the ball under control, i.e. hit his heel or something (happened to iniesta too).
Contrast this to Torres picking up the through ball and not making a hash of bringing it under control.
Most strikers wouldn't controlled the ball and his lack of practice at this showed 2-3 times, and the 2 times Torres got put through, he controlled it and got 1 goal and 1 assist.
That said, a lot of those through balls wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been playing.
But you can tell he isn't a striker; sometimes he got put through via a through ball and made some mistake getting the ball under control, i.e. hit his heel or something (happened to iniesta too).
Contrast this to Torres picking up the through ball and not making a hash of bringing it under control.
Most strikers wouldn't controlled the ball and his lack of practice at this showed 2-3 times, and the 2 times Torres got put through, he controlled it and got 1 goal and 1 assist.
That said, a lot of those through balls wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been playing.
Underrated. Because he had weak teammates at Arsenal and didn't win anything and because he has too strong teammates at Barcelona now and gets overshadowed. He's so much superior to someone like Schweinsteiger though, it's not even funny.
Or the better way to put it, is Only Wenger has ever used Fabregas' talents properly.
Wenger had it easier. With Fabregas being clearly his best player, building a team around Fabregas and his strenghts was the obvious thing to do. Not so easy for Guardiola and del Bosque however who have to accommodate Fabregas alongside Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Silva and Messi while keeping a certain balance. It's only natural that Fabregas will have to sacrifice his talents for the team's sake. Even Xavi and Iniesta are doing so, playing in unusual positions for Spain.
Cesc Fabregas. Destined to be a CF.
Perhaps you recall the 3-4-3 Pep first experimented with against Real Sociedad at the beginning of the season last year...The one where Alexis pulled his hammy and it ended up as a 2-2 draw...The first 30 minutes was the most imposing attack I can recall from that team...Of course, they didn't have Messi, Iniesta or Villa starting
Still don't know the best way to utilize Cesc
Still don't know the best way to utilize Cesc
Not entirely sure he's under-rated on these forums given the talk prior to his move to Barcelona focused on whether he was better than Iniesta and Xavi.
An amazing player. Very versatile too, he began his career as a Guardiola-esque deep-lying midfielder.
In United's midfield would be nice
Would be the missing link. Barcelona and Spain have mind-boggling midfield options, I doubt we'll see the likes again for a long long time.
True. He seems to be one of those all-round midfielders who can take almost any midfield role and do well in it. I was sceptical as to where he would fit in at Barcelona, but he's been a brilliant one for them in the end.
He's performed very well this season whether for Barca or Spain.He's been asked to play in unnatural positions and he's responded without complaining, without kicking a fuss and with a lot of effort.Cesc has matured as a player
He's basically what Fergie wanted from Park....................
I still feel like I don't know the player very well or know how to rate him...but he has a chemistry with Leo that I see flashes of that remind me he has something special in his game
He played alongside a holding midfielder in Gilberto while Guardiola was the holding midfielder, and he was always the one pushing on from midfield, was he not? I'd have said he was more Scholes than Guardiola. Still absolutely excellent at it, I don't think he's been more impressive at any point in his career than he was at 18/19 dictating the play.
When Xavi goes you'll be thanking your stars you have him.
Was going through some of his videos.
When will he go back to CM position, where he is at his best.
When will he go back to CM position, where he is at his best.
Does Xavi intend to retire from international football anytime soon ? It might just be the start of seeing Cesc as a true CM back again
I think Fabregas is at his best as an attacking midfielder. He can do the centre midfield role fine, but I think Xavi has greater defensive strengths that make him more comfortable there where as Fabregas has greater attacking strengths which likewise make him best further up the field. As he gets older though I can see him dropping in to that role superbly.
I think he's best in a CM role with the game ahead of him rather than play with his back to goal half the time.
Next to Gilberto, he was sensational.He was so young and so mature in his play at the same time.As an attacking he's a good player (he times his runs very well) but he's more natural as a CM.
Anyway, it's fantastic to have a player who is relatively young and who is so good and versatile at the same time.
Anyway, it's fantastic to have a player who is relatively young and who is so good and versatile at the same time.
Retiring before playing a WC in Brazil? Bitch, please. This is Xavi we're talking about who doesn't have a girlfriend because she's "distracting" him from football:
Xavi Hernandez said:
After the Euros Xavi already stated that he doesn't plan to retire yet and if he feels good, he'll participate in the next WC as well.
Retiring before playing a WC in Brazil? Bitch, please. This is Xavi we're talking about who doesn't have a girlfriend because she's "distracting" him from football:
After the Euros Xavi already stated that he doesn't plan to retire yet and if he feels good, he'll participate in the next WC as well.
If i were a pro-footballer i would have the same attitude as xavi. I would just have a ultra high-class escort when i wanted to feck and keep it discreet, classy, and no-strings/worries attached.
Just focussed on my football.
I just asked a question ...
Retiring before playing a WC in Brazil? Bitch, please. This is Xavi we're talking about who doesn't have a girlfriend because she's "distracting" him from football:
After the Euros Xavi already stated that he doesn't plan to retire yet and if he feels good, he'll participate in the next WC as well.
He's a gay man. Perfect excuse. Just look at his hair. Best gay footballer ever.
Not exactly a groundbreaking opinion here but anyway... I reckon he'll take over from Xavi and be a sensation in Xavis role.
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