Cesc Fàbregas

[JamDav1982]

Most accurate through balls in last 4 PL seasons: Cesc 64 in 52 games, Silva 46 in 103, Rooney 43 in 121, Lampard 40 in 119 [via @whoscored]

Doesn't even play in the Premier League anymore since 2011.
Still leads the throughball stats.

Song had the best stats on that in his last season as well.

 

[Cruijffista]

Why not Song?

You're thinking like me, he's an incredible box-to-box player that is quick on the ball. He can add some muscle to our midfield. It would be unwise of us to only use him as Busquets' back-up.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Agreed, especially considering how we already have Mascherano as another DM back-up. Hopefully we won't need him to play CB too much...

 

[Cruijffista]

Agreed, especially considering how we already have Mascherano as another DM back-up. Hopefully we won't need him to play CB too much...

Never again as a CB.

Back on Song, he doesn't lose that ball very easily either. At the very least we need to give him a serious look and let him rotate with Xavi @ CM.

 

[Irish_Cules]

I've big expectations for Cesc this season. Thiago leaving means he really has to step up his game and establish himself as a leader in the team. A lot of people have been frustrated with Cesc but at least he is showing loyalty to the club and seems determined to succeed.

 

[Shegzy]

I said this numerous times that would rather keep Cesc as he wanted to fight for his place.

Many seemed to think he should have been sold tho keep Thiago happy!

why wouldn't cesc stay when tito has assured him when xavi leaves he will take his position and just told thiago he is part of the future of the club which means he will be a sub for fabregas and iniesta when xavi leaves and will only become a regular when iniesta retires and thiago is not getting younger he is 22 maybe if he was 18 or 19 he would have stayed and is it wrong for him to have ambition if cesc was in his shoe and he in cesc's shoe,i am sure he would have stayed and cesc would have left and why diddn't cesc stayed to fight for his place when he went to arsenal and cesc was younger,cesc didn't stay because he had pep guardiola and xavi blocking his path as cesc and xavi are blocking thiago's path.

 

[JamDav1982]

why wouldn't cesc stay when tito has assured him when xavi leaves he will take his position and just told thiago he is part of the future of the club which means he will be a sub for fabregas and iniesta when xavi leaves and will only become a regular when iniesta retires and thiago is not getting younger he is 22 maybe if he was 18 or 19 he would have stayed and is it wrong for him to have ambition if cesc was in his shoe and he in cesc's shoe,i am sure he would have stayed and cesc would have left and why diddn't cesc stayed to fight for his place when he went to arsenal and cesc was younger,cesc didn't stay because he had pep guardiola and xavi blocking his path as cesc and xavi are blocking thiago's path.

Where has Tito ever guaranteed Cesc he will be the replacement for Xavi?

Pep Guardiola was not blocking Cescs path at Barcelona. Seriously at least look that up.

 

[Butaan4barca]

Never again as a CB.

Back on Song, he doesn't lose that ball very easily either. At the very least we need to give him a serious look and let him rotate with Xavi @ CM.

There is a difference between passing the ball and passing with good decision making. Song is agressive. But doesn't have the vision to sub xavi, he is a good backup for busquets.

 

[JamDav1982]

There is a difference between passing the ball and passing with good decision making. Song is agressive. But doesn't have the vision to sub xavi, he is a good backup for busquets.

Song set up more chances than anyone else in the EPL when he played further forward for Arsenal and was always pretty terrible as a DM there only really flourishing when given more freedom.

Of course he does not have the ability of Xavi but he is better further forward than he is at DM.

I would have preferred him to play against Bayern rather than Thiago if Xavi was not fit.

 

[Cruijffista]

Song set up more chances than anyone else in the EPL when he played further forward for Arsenal and was always pretty terrible as a DM there only really flourishing when given more freedom.

Of course he does not have the ability of Xavi but he is better further forward than he is at DM.

I would have preferred him to play against Bayern rather than Thiago if Xavi was not fit.

Tito should have played a double-pivot against us them. Throw a very Del Bosque-like lineup out there and make it a war of attrition. We still might have lost but guaranteed it would have been by a goal or two.

As for Song, I think he's been underutilized up to this point. He's much a better option than Sergi Roberto is.

 

[JamDav1982]

Tito should have played a double-pivot against us them. Throw a very Del Bosque-like lineup out there and make it a war of attrition. We still might have lost but guaranteed it would have been by a goal or two.

As for Song, I think he's been underutilized up to this point. He's much a better option than Sergi Roberto is.

Song will play more further forward than Sergi Roberto no doubt about that.

If Song learns better positioning and game intelligence then he will excel at Barca.

 

[Hamzah]

With song you need to realise that he is absolutely not a tempo kind of player and will not control the game in anyway. He can be good going forward and a surprise factor, he is like a Keita/yaya hybrid. I think it's a great tactical variation and good substitute option, but otherwise keep him as rotation for Sergio.

Remember when Keita did play he always had Xavi next to him otherwise our entire possession game would break down. Also remember song while he can go forward and is physical, he's the layer in the team who least understands the system, players are often telling him what to do and he doesn't flow within the system. The other boys will shout at him and hell still pass to the wrong player, speed up the game when it's should be slowed down etc. He also has relatively poor ball retention skills to the other midfielders and is mentally slow in the passing game.

In the attacking midfielder slots hed be like second half of the season cesc on steroids.

 

[beautifulgame]

No, Song should start tough games, especially CL away games.

 

[Hamzah]

Maybe if we used him in a double pivot, but I don't see us doing that. Xavi iniesta and Sergio are the best trio and should be played in the big matches.

 

[Richard.H]

Maybe if we used him in a double pivot, but I don't see us doing that. Xavi iniesta and Sergio are the best trio and should be played in the big matches.

A double pivot would solve a lot of Barca's defense problems.