Peps going to Bayern.....
Cesc Fabregas
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Would be interesting to see how he re-adapts to a central midfield role if he was to join us. If he were to leave, ourselves, City and possibly Madrid to replace Alonso would be prime candidates.. we'd have the RvP factor and the fact that we're an historic club, I can't see him being the mercenary type who'd go to City.
To be honest, I have always been a fan of Cesc and I think he will fit in well here next to Carrick.
RVP
Kagawa-------Rooney--------Nani
Fabregas--------Carrick
Evra------Rio-----Vidic-----Rafael
De Gea
Kagawa-------Rooney--------Nani
Fabregas--------Carrick
Evra------Rio-----Vidic-----Rafael
De Gea
I think you can rule out Madrid and everyone else in Spain. Will he want to move to Italy? Maybe. Bayern could be an option - him and Gustavo as backup to Bastian and Martinez maybe? If he wants first team football, then I think he has to move to either Italy or back to England.
Iniesta is better than him, and Xavi is also still better, though he's likely to play fewer and fewer matches as he ages, so when those two are fit and not being rested, they're playing instead. Cesc scored a lot of goals in his first season, but he hasn't always looked too sharp... he's a bit sloppy at times, and sluggish as well.
Hardly arrogance to think one of the best midfielders in the world wouldn't want to join a club where the chances of success in a near future are very slim.
He might love Arsenal, like RvP does, but every player has ambitions for themselves, and I am sure the prospect of being a star player in a team winning titles wights more heavily than playing for the club you love and not winning anything.
We're not arrogant, but you're definitely oblivious.
Could see him back at Arsenal but it would be a strong acceptance that he isn't one of the best players in the world as was cracked up to be.
I can't see him going to anyone in Spain either, Italy is not a league that top players want to move to.. big step down from Spain. Back to being a bench player in Bayern, can't see how that would appeal either... his next move has to be spot on, needs to be a first teamer and be the heartbeat for that side, no doubt that as a person technically, tactically he's benefitted alot from being at Barca - just a shame that he's between a rock and a hard place.. Xavi is rarely injured and Messi plays in the role they've carved out for him.
In our side, he'd be given the chance to dictate the play... City with some rejigging, possibly he'd play deeper but he'd have the likes of Toure and Silva sharing the load. He could replace Lampard at Chelsea however, if Jose comes in and they play a 4-2-3-1... he also has property in London. England is the favourite in my opinion if he is indeed to leave.
Fabregas-Ramires
Mata Oscar Hazard
Falcao
Mata Oscar Hazard
Falcao
I'd love to hear your opinion as to why he doesn't work in your system.
He'll sit still and wait for his turn.
My take is that he's competing directly with Xavi (as a deep-lying playmaker), Iniesta (as an attacking central midfielder) and Messi (as a false 9) for a first-team spot. Little wonder he's flitted in and out of the team. There's also the argument that his game has been anglicised so that he's ever so slightly less fluid at the neat-and-tidy give-and-go than those who have spent their entire careers at Barcelona. At the same time, I think there's a complementarity in there: his directness and ability to score from midfield is something Barcelona occasionally lack during the tougher matches.
I genuinely feel Cesc is 'too English' for Barcelona.
Barcelona like to move forward en masse, a wall of blaugrauna that advances as a triangle playing pack so they can overwhelm the opposition with weight of numbers and attacking options.
When you're a Fabregas, looking for the defence spliting pass to the man on the shoulder of the last defender, your game can play against that. Fabregas will bank on his ability to play the ball forward when Barcelona don't have weight of numbers on their side, he'll back himself to put it on a plate for a runner even if that runner is alone and outnumbered. Having played with Henry in his heyday and Van Persie as he was hitting his peak Cesc appears to feel that players of the quality of Alexis, Villa, Pedro and Messi etc. should be able to run onto those kind of passes and convert. Fabregas doesn't have the conservatism of Xavi, he plays a lot of passes that if they don't come off mean the team surrendering possession and Barcelona's style militates against surrendering possession.
Because Cesc makes 'risky' passes by Barcelona standards they have pushed him into advanced positions, so he can take 'risks' in areas of the pitch that aren't so dangerous to the unit, but he doesn't thrive as a forward. Fabregas is a midfielder. Simple as. Fabregas might score goals when played as Messi or Iniesta's understudy but he isn't that kind of player. Cesc is a centre midfielder and that's where he thrives provided he has the outlets for his vision and passing ability to make the best of these. Barcelona's rigid and unbending adherence to the tiki taka template isn't bringing the best out of him. Had Cesc been thinking with his head and not his heart when he left Arsenal he would've gone to Madrid where the long passing of people like Xabi Alonso plays a key part of their counter attacks. Barca ain't set up for Cesc.
He would be awesome in our midfield or City's. City then.
Agreed.
We should 'push the boat out' for him.
It'd be hilarious if we had Cesc and van Persie playing for us next season.
It'd be hilarious if we had Cesc and van Persie playing for us next season.
If Cesc joins you twats, I'll cry.
I would cry too but my tears would be tears of joy. The idea of Cesc next to Carrick in our centre midfield is enough to make a proper Jim Henson outta me.
Doubt it would happen. I dont think he wants to come back to us. I'm sure he'd rather prove himself at Barca. Besides, why sell when Xavi is going to retire soon?
What's up with Barca players? They like much older women? First Gerard Pique now Fabregas. And this woman is even older than Shakira!
He is only 33 ?
And has to have a frequent injection in his Achilles to neutralise a problem that's plagued him for ages. The transition between his exit and Cesc/Thiago's preference will come very soon.
He's a good sub but an expensive one, his pricetag is what you'd expect from a starter not bench fodder. Plus, his arrival came at what I always feared, the expense of Thiago's development
I prefer Thiago at this point, he understands the system and has the technical advantages to make the midfield his home for us - Cesc has to either sit deeper to take advantage of his great balls over the top which makes him a liability defensively or play as a forward and he neither has the pace nor the ability to press to be successful there. His third best attribute is his linkup with Messi but seeing that he becomes a liability when he's not linking with Leo, not sure where he can play with any consistency
I'm more sick of Arsenal poaching our players
Hleb was an alternate to Arshavin so not sure which bullet Barcelona dodged there, tbh, but both players ended up having lousy attitudes & work ethics as evidenced by what followed afterwards
Song has been disastrous at CB, not in midfield. Titi was part of the best season in club football, ever - he was a signing that came a year or two late but he served his purpose
Apart from what I've already covered, he's simply inferior to our midfielders in terms of technical quality - especially in tight spaces, which is where they most often operate
His best attribute is his passing & through balls, a good instinct for when to pull the trigger on releasing an attacking player into a scoring position...but he's a liability the rest of the time. I gave him a pass the 1st season because I figured he'd adjust and relearn the system but he's still out of position and caught in no man's land far too often
I really think he's best suited to a counter attacking side, particularly in an advanced position (False 9), because his dribbling will never allow him to standout in Barcelona's midfield. #07's take is pretty accurate for me too which underscores the other issue the team is having problems with, wide players who aren't looking to score and thus they aren't really outlets for a player like Cesc either.
Pep had the right idea, the 3-4-3 and for almost 45 minutes a couple of years ago, I saw his vision for this team with Cesc. But the team doesn't have the defenders to play the 3-4-3 although I do think it's the next iteration of this team.
He's a competitive player who has some great skills along with being a strong goalscorer but as I have said many times before, it's not easy to play in this Barcelona team - despite what many think. His shortcomings are palpable which explains why he has been absent in the big matches and why no one knows where to play him on the pitch with any consistency.
To be fair these women are insanely doable.
Barcelona aren't going to sell a catalonian player they pursued for years after just two seasons.
Well, if that happened, it would turn a decent midfield into a world class midfield almost instantly! Imagine that with our already awesome attack and defense
I very much doubt they're looking to sell after going through all that effort to get him back, after just 2 seasons. I think we'd have serious competition from City, Chelsea and Arsenal should he be available anyway, and that's not even looking outside England.
It would be funny as feck if he signed for us and he's pretty good at football as well.
I'd like to see us use a slice of our transfer budget to sign Fanregas, it would be a great pizza business for United.
To be fair I don't think you can complain about us poaching your players, lets not forget about Overmars and Petit, your lot started this
Strange how your lot pay top money for our players and not a single one has given you their best years. Do you not feel he was bought more because your club was flexing its muscle and bringing all Catalan talent back home so to speak or did Pep really want the player? I've heard it was a bit of both.
I'd agree with your assessment, when he played for us everyone put his ability down to his time at Barca but he joined us around aged 15 and I think the club moulded him into a Premier League player and he did great here. I'd agree with your assessment that playing in this current Barca team is not easy because the way you play is unique in comparison to most clubs.
From what you've heard in the press is this more just transfer nonsense or could him leaving be a strong possibility?
This forum... I was just in the Di Maria thread reading that most people wouldn't want him at United because he's a cnut, yet you rave at the thought of signing a player who chucked pizza at your manager? Fabregas is one of the biggest cnuts in world football. Di Maria is a saint compared to this prick.
Just a thought of Cesc joining us, makes my eyes water a bit with excitement. As a playmaker, he was even better than Wilshere (my other wet dream).
I was just in the Di Maria thread reading that most people wouldn't want him at United because he's a cnut, yet you rave at the thought of signing a player who chucked pizza at your manager? Fabregas is one of the biggest cnuts in world football. Di Maria is a saint compared to this prick.
That was like 9 years ago, though. Since then, he hasn't done any (noticeable) cnutish thing.
Poaching is a unique issue with underage talent but that's OT
Pep and the club have wanted him back for years. If you read or listen to interviews of club members over the years, Fabregas was often mentioned as the itch that wouldn't go away
I think like you pointed out, he was formed as a Barcelona cantera player and was then moulded into a Premiership player. It's strange to see him struggle against even the lower tier club midfields now in Spain which, again, I believe is down to being away too long. Often, he sticks out like a sore thumb and needs a minimum of 2 other midfielders playing deeper to help him influence a match. Whereas Thiago, Iniesta & Xavi all can influence this team without any of the others alongside them.
And you can see he's frustrated as well as unsure of what to do at times, arriving late or missing the linkup. 2 seasons in, I don't see how it improves really unless they do make the move to a 3-4-3
As for selling him, seems improbable but you never can be certain. I don't have a good feel for what Zubi & Rosell like to do in the transfer market much less how they view Fabregas. As others have mentioned, he's Catalan and a La Masia graduate - they receive more latitude. Of course, hard to gauge what the player wants himself
I would assume Cesc is frustrated. He returned 'home' but struggles for game time and doesn't fit in. He left being a massive player for Arsenal to being just one of the boys if that. I wouldn't be surprised if he left Barcelona but I'm not Cesc, he might be happy at Barcelona and maybe the club really want him there.
If Fabregas' is really as out place at Barca as people in this thread suggest then he should move IMO. He's simply too good a player to spend what should be his best years failing to fit in. It goes without saying that I'd love him at United. He'd quite comfortably be the best central midfielder in the league and could run the show in the middle for us for years.
The problem with regards to Barca for him seems to be one of style rather than ability. His ability is incredible.
The problem with regards to Barca for him seems to be one of style rather than ability. His ability is incredible.
So would I, I don't want the classless petty cnut anywhere near OT
I was just in the Di Maria thread reading that most people wouldn't want him at United because he's a cnut, yet you rave at the thought of signing a player who chucked pizza at your manager? Fabregas is one of the biggest cnuts in world football. Di Maria is a saint compared to this prick.
Fair point. He's a cnut, if he signs for us, he'll become our cnut though. Who was opposed to signing Di Maria?
He's very welcome to become our cnut as well. I've never liked Van Persie when he was at Arsenal. Now he's our player of the season.
Unless you are Suarez, you are most welcomeCan't see there being any truth in it. There's a handful of other players they'll surely look to offload before a 25yr old Catalan (Song, Villa, Masch, Sanchez?) if they need to raise money.
Fair point. He's a cnut, if he signs for us, he'll become our cnut though. Who was opposed to signing Di Maria?
I've never liked Van Persie when he was at Arsenal. Now he's our player of the season.
I love your reasoning, and fully support it, it would be a great addition to our midfield to sign this cnut.Quality page this one btw, some great insight in the last few posts.
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