Cesc Fàbregas
- Thread starter KhaledBarca
- Start date
Blaugrana Bull
HiiiPoWeR
He was the player we needed today, wasn't he?
BerkeleyBernie
Senior Member
Yup. Perfect use of Cesc. The pressure on Villarreal was relentless all game, and bringing on Cesc with fresh legs and time and space to work is a great call. Played more as an AM, which works well late in the game.
Pepe Silvia
Active member
Man of the match for me. Instantly opened up our play in the middle of the park, moved the ball well, and was decisive with his final ball. He was an ace tonight with his directness.
i_bleed_blaugrana
Senior Member
Was fantastic tonight. Showed his quality and despite replacing the one-dimensional Xavi, we overall maintained a high amount of the ball and control. His link-up play in the final third was excellent and I really hope this goes to show that he is more than capable of being what we need to evolve our game.
BerkeleyBernie
Senior Member
Cesc played well, best game in a long time, had time and space. But his passing was mostly the same connective passing that Xavi provides, very little "direct" (which is why he had a good game; he wasn't trying to be too ambitious). Mostly sideways and backwards, just like people complain about Xavi. I see only *1* successful forward pass. So much for being "an ace tonight with his directness."
What Cesc did differently than Xavi is move more into advanced positions to play more as an attacking midfielder than a CM. It's that positioning that lead to his assist. At that point in the game, needing a goal to win, it was a smart risk to play that advanced, and it paid off.
i_bleed_blaugrana
Senior Member
Cesc played well, best game in a long time, had time and space. But his passing was mostly the same connective passing that Xavi provides, very little "direct" (which is why he had a good game; he wasn't trying to be too ambitious). Mostly sideways and backwards, just like people complain about Xavi. I see only *1* successful forward pass. So much for being "an ace tonight with his directness."
What Cesc did differently than Xavi is move more into advanced positions to play more as an attacking midfielder than a CM. It's that positioning that lead to his assist. At that point in the game, needing a goal to win, it was a smart risk to play that advanced, and it paid off.
He had time and space because he played as a CM. Unlike Xavi though, what that graphic shows is how much he moves and works all over the pitch. He was constantly buzzing, pressing and controlling the tempo when the ball was near and ghosting into space when he was off the ball. His late and archaic runs overloading the attacking third caused a lot of problems because no one knew how to mark him.
Pepe Silvia
Active member
Well directness in terms of intent/vision, looking for the killer pass, not so much directness in terms of actual forward passes. Point still stands he was ace.Cesc played well, best game in a long time, had time and space. But his passing was mostly the same connective passing that Xavi provides, very little "direct" (which is why he had a good game; he wasn't trying to be too ambitious). Mostly sideways and backwards, just like people complain about Xavi. I see only *1* successful forward pass. So much for being "an ace tonight with his directness."
What Cesc did differently than Xavi is move more into advanced positions to play more as an attacking midfielder than a CM. It's that positioning that lead to his assist. At that point in the game, needing a goal to win, it was a smart risk to play that advanced, and it paid off.
Superstar85
New member
lol @ some people trying to act like Villareal players where tired from pressure when Cesc came in, what pressure??? lol
Barca basically started playing the moment Cesc (and Tello) were subbed in.
I also noticed that his ball control was way better and he didn't lose the ball even when he had Villareal players next to him and had to act fast. And what is the whole "he had space" talk??? It's not like Villareal players where waiting deep in their area, they were actually pressing whoever had the ball.
Barca basically started playing the moment Cesc (and Tello) were subbed in.
I also noticed that his ball control was way better and he didn't lose the ball even when he had Villareal players next to him and had to act fast. And what is the whole "he had space" talk??? It's not like Villareal players where waiting deep in their area, they were actually pressing whoever had the ball.
eye-switcher
Banned
Came in and dominated and turned the game around haha, what a gamewinner, assist king.
L
linetty
Guest
In Cesc we trust.
Home of Barca Fans
