Cesc Fàbregas

[hellsangel1]

Messi doesn't make those runs because there is no space when you have a team defending with 2 walls of 4 deep in their own half. The difference before used to be that our quick and incisive passing used to eventually break such teams down when Xavi provided distribution and runs and with the amazing connection between Iniesta and Messi in the final third. Those 2 (Iniesta and Messi) need to play closer together in the final third if we are to have any chance against teams of this calibre. Playing Iniesta out wide didn't serve much purpose and it's something Iniesta has complained about before as well.

 

[Yugi]

He went out, and Madrid continued to have their counter attack occasions and blowing through Barca midfielders like they weren't there. And if they weren't creating anything worth mentionning, then what's the distribution you're talking of?

well it´s obvious Madrid will touch a ball and create and opportunity, even in Pep era they did this, this is nothing new....by distribution I mean ho well they got through defensive blocks and were moving towards the goal...the other problem is when you cant make final ball because no ones there, but the phase before that improved after Cesc came off

 

[Superstar85]

He really isn't to blame today at all.

Messi offered no movement at all. Cant' launch a through ball if there is nobody making a run into that space. Other than that, he linked up well with Iniesta and Xavi, and he provided some good defensive work.

To some, It's like if he doesn't score or assist, then he'll be the reason why everything went wrong.

 

[Superstar85]

well it´s obvious Madrid will touch a ball and create and opportunity, even in Pep era they did this, this is nothing new....by distribution I mean ho well they got through defensive blocks and were moving towards the goal...the other problem is when you cant make final ball because no ones there, but the phase before that improved after Cesc came off

In Pep era, Madrid rarely had as much goal occasions as they've been having more recently (especially tonight).
About the distribution, the only time they got through the defensive block after he was subbed off was the occasion Neymar missed. Apart from that, it never looked like Barca will score from open play.

 

[JamDav1982]

In Pep era, Madrid rarely had as much goal occasions as they've been having more recently (especially tonight).
About the distribution, the only time they got through the defensive block after he was subbed off was the occasion Neymar missed. Apart from that, it never looked like Barca will score from open play.

The last two home games against Madrid in Peps era were much like these are now.

In fact one of them - i think it was the cup game - Madrid had more chances than any game I can remember since. They should have won about 4/5-1 by half time.

 

[Yugi]

In Pep era, Madrid rarely had as much goal occasions as they've been having more recently (especially tonight).
About the distribution, the only time they got through the defensive block after he was subbed off was the occasion Neymar missed. Apart from that, it never looked like Barca will score from open play.

yeah, thats pretty obvious, because we were bad in pressuring them and controling the midfield like we did before, but you went completely off topic, Madrid was dangerous before and is now, you cant just say that they created less chances 3 years ago, do you remember all those matches? Because there was quite much of them ....that´s the other thing, but without Cesc we were not letting them in those attack apart from when we started to risk at the end... if you think we werent outplaying their blocks better without Cesc, go watch the 2nd half once again

 

[Barcelonista10]

what an awesome player he is...his passes are some of the best in the world. Barca just doesn't;t suit him...especially since the iniesta-xavi duo is unbreakable regarding the starting eleven

 

[Superstar85]

yeah, thats pretty obvious, because we were bad in pressuring them and controling the midfield like we did before, but you went completely off topic, Madrid was dangerous before and is now, you cant just say that they created less chances 3 years ago, do you remember all those matches? Because there was quite much of them ....that´s the other thing, but without Cesc we were not letting them in those attack apart from when we started to risk at the end... if you think we werent outplaying their blocks better without Cesc, go watch the 2nd half once again

Madrid had about 4/5 counter occasions after Cesc was subed off, Modric alo hit the post and Bale had a goal that was dissallowed.
And yeah Offcourse Barca were outplaying them back then under Pep, and is still having as much possession now against them as back then. But you're ignoring the fact that that midfield trio OF Busquets/Xavi/Iniesta no longer has the legs and intensity to completely dominate other big teams anymore. We saw it against Psg, against Bayern and against the Brazilian NT at the confed cup.

 

[Jaykob]

When Cesc receives the ball his first instinct almost always still is to play a first time though ball, which is absolutely negative to the Barca game, he cant keep up with quick short passes, positions himself wrongly, can't dribble, is slow as hell, forces Iniesta away from his best position and occupies the space where Messi operates.

And he was indirectly responsible for the sale of Thiago, an absolute crime.

I don't see what he adds to Barca.

He is a defensive midfielder turned attacking midfielder due to the technical averageness of the premier league at that time.
I doubt Fabregas would have ever made it to the first team at Barca if he never had left.

 

[voodoomaster]

Terrible as usual. Needs to go.

 

[Yugi]

Madrid had about 4/5 counter occasions after Cesc was subed off, Modric alo hit the post and Bale had a goal that was dissallowed.
And yeah Offcourse Barca were outplaying them back then under Pep, and is still having as much possession now against them as back then. But you're ignoring the fact that that midfield trio OF Busquets/Xavi/Iniesta no longer has the legs and intensity to completely dominate other big teams anymore. We saw it against Psg, against Bayern and against the Brazilian NT at the confed cup.

most of those counters were after we conceded goal to 2:1 which was, ironicaly, incredible counter attack by one guy...you are right Xaviniesta/Busquets cant dominate anymore but I say that Cesc isnt the answer for our midfield

 

[Devils]

My thoughts of Cesc summed up into 1 gif.

 

[Superstar85]

most of those counters were after we conceded goal to 2:1 which was, ironicaly, incredible counter attack by one guy...you are right Xaviniesta/Busquets cant dominate anymore but I say that Cesc isnt the answer for our midfield

Actually those occasions were when the score was still 1-0 and also when it was 1-1. Madrid didn't have any other occasion after they scored the 2nd goal

Barca's real issue is that they need to start implimenting another style of play and move from Pep's system because it's ran it's course imo, and many are in denial about this imo.

When Cesc receives the ball his first instinct almost always still is to play a first time though ball, which is absolutely negative to the Barca game, he cant keep up with quick short passes, positions himself wrongly, can't dribble, is slow as hell, forces Iniesta away from his best position and occupies the space where Messi operates.

And he was indirectly responsible for the sale of Thiago, an absolute crime.

I don't see what he adds to Barca.

He is a defensive midfielder turned attacking midfielder due to the technical averageness of the premier league at that time.
I doubt Fabregas would have ever made it to the first team at Barca if he never had left.

He was never an attacking midfielder in the Epl

 

[JamDav1982]

He was never an attacking midfielder in the Epl

He was, certainly in his last couple of seasons.

 

[Galning]

Please don't triple post. Use the multi-quote feature instead.