Cesc Fàbregas

[oz187]

There is no Xavi role. Barca play one DM and two more attacking midfielders. Whatever combination of Xavi, Iniesta, Thiago and Cesc plays, the two midfielders will adjust and that will determine the roles that those individuals play.

 

[slvtn]

Do you guys think that Cesc could fill Xavi's role?

I can see either that or a false 9. As I often said before, Cesc can provide alternatives as his style is a little different and I can see him being more effective there as Iniesta on the wing. That would be a way to let these two play. Something like

-----Valdes-----
Alves - Piqué - Puyol - Alba
------Busi---------
---Xavi----Iniesta
---Messi --- Cesc --- Villa

 

[Karnivore]

Do you guys think that Cesc could fill Xavi's role?

Fabregas of Arsenal would be considerably more instrumental in the current Barcelona set up than Xavi. He won't retain possession half as well but he'll certainly move that midfield forward, and create numerous opportunities for the wingers and Messi.

Unfortunately, Barcelona have this irritating knack to completely wreck the good parts to these players games. Look at Mascherano at Liverpool compared to the way he's used now. Even Song's going down the same road and he looked a much better player for Arsenal in his final year at the club.

 

[Doobs]

Mascherano, if anything, Is better now then he was at Liverpool. So much more discipline.

 

[Karnivore]

Absoloute rubbish. What a ridiculous statement to make.

Mascherano was a superb defensive midfielder at Liverpool, formed a massively underrated midfield with Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard. With a better manager in charge than The Fat One, they could have had a reasonable successful side.

Now he's been made to play at centre-back where he is rash and gets caught out every single time. Great defensive mid to a pretty ordinary central defender. To even try and claim he's a better player is absoloute fekkin nonsence.

 

[Deco 20]

Mascherano did so well at Pool because diving in to tackles is the most important trait for any footballer in Britain. Whether or not he left gaps behind him didn't matter.

It doesn't work the same way in Barcelona/Spain, as proven before.

 

[Wouterinho]

Absoloute rubbish. What a ridiculous statement to make.

Mascherano was a superb defensive midfielder at Liverpool, formed a massively underrated midfield with Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard. With a better manager in charge than The Fat One, they could have had a reasonable successful side.

Now he's been made to play at centre-back where he is rash and gets caught out every single time. Great defensive mid to a pretty ordinary central defender. To even try and claim he's a better player is absoloute fekkin nonsence.

There's a difference between being a better player and performing better
I think he's learned a lot in Barcelona, he's just showing other skills at the moment. Also, playing as a central defender for Barcelona is harder than playing in midfield for Liverpool with Alonso and Gerrard imo

 

[Karnivore]

There's a difference between being a better player and performing better
I think he's learned a lot in Barcelona, he's just showing other skills at the moment. Also, playing as a central defender for Barcelona is harder than playing in midfield for Liverpool with Alonso and Gerrard imo

Playing for a side that have 75% possession almost every match? same Barcelona side that are shipping goals left right and centre?

He's not improved or learned anything at Barcelona. He's being badly mis-used. he's a considerbly better defensive midfielder than Busquets, more nit and grit, and for the last time, he is NOT a centre-half. just like Fabregas isn't a make-shift forward.

 

[Trickykid]

We need a few more goals for Tottenham tonight, so that the mighty Chelski slips to fourth place What a complete joke they are.



Oops, wrong thread? My bad!

 

[Wouterinho]

Playing for a side that have 75% possession almost every match? same Barcelona side that are shipping goals left right and centre?

He's not improved or learned anything at Barcelona. He's being badly mis-used. he's a considerbly better defensive midfielder than Busquets, more nit and grit, and for the last time, he is NOT a centre-half. just like Fabregas isn't a make-shift forward.

You're always defending with a lot of space behind you, often 2x2, 3x3 or 4x4 because so many players are going forward and you don't have as much support from midfield as most teams do. Passing-wise you're also playing with a higher risk, so mistakes are more likely.
And then you mentioned Busquets and it immediately became clear to me that you either don't watch enough Barcelona games, or you're tactical understanding just isn't good enough. Busquets has been immense for Barcelona, no other DM can do what he can do, that's also why the players or coaches who really understand the current Barcelona playing style praise him this highly.

 

[psychotsek]

I wish he proves me wrong but my humble opinion is that he simply isn't that good to force Don play on the wings or bench Villa.

 

[Indignado]

I wish he proves me wrong but my humble opinion is that he simply isn't that good to force Don play on the wings or bench Villa.

It's not that he's not good enough but that we're not good enough against great teams like Real if we play with Iniesta on the wing.

 

[tariqo]

What a curse he is on this team

 

[CatalinR10]

Good job from Cesc . Why doesn't he go sit in the 2'dn half on the bench so we could have a chance of winning this game ?

 

[ab739]

Cesc is such sh** and a non factor in the game. Why doesnt he do the team a favor and sits his ass down