Djab
New member
Well looking at where the daughter is looking she sure knows where her bread is buttered
The kid is looking at her dinner table
Cesc Fàbregas
- Thread starter KhaledBarca
- Start date
The kid is looking at her dinner table
CatalinR10
Senior Member
great game
I think it's safe to say Cesc is now Barca's best midfielder. Was it down to Tata's style, Iniesta's poor form, Xavi's whatever... I can't tell. But I do think he deserves all the praise. He's been through some tough times, bidding his time on the bench, fans booing and trying to fit back in. It's finally happening like it should.
Irish_Cules
New member
All of this is true but when it comes to the big matches for the rest of the season will he be a starter? Cesc has always played a significant number of matches but his big frustration lies in being left out for the big matches. It will be interesting to see if he takes either of Xavi or Iniesta's places against Atletico or Man City.
Irish_Cules
New member
I wouldn't go that far but ye Iniesta hasn't had a great season. He has improved as the season has gone on but still not at his best. Hopefully he has a great 2nd half to the season. I'd play Cesc-Iniesta ahead of Cesc-Xavi anyway.
Talk about hyperbole.
Vapor
New member
:beer2: Amen to that! He is finally showing why he was one of the best, most creative midfielders in the world during his time @ Arsenal. That quality is finally starting to come through and shine here as well, as many of us knew it eventually would. Great to see.
Indeed, these were my thoughts exactly. Will be interesting to see how Tata handles this situation. Personally, I think Cesc is ready. I feel Tata has a lot of faith in and respect for Cesc, and I think he very well might go out on a limb and try him out on some of these important matches. Would be awesome to see Cesc finally prove himself on that level and really start to cement his place in our team for the foreseeable future.
BerkeleyBernie
Senior Member
O M G
Right tool for the right job.
Song or Roberto on for Busi when he's not needed or needs a rest. For the other midfielders, bring on whoever's the best for that's game's opponent. In a game where the opponent presses, Xavi-Iniesta-Busquets is still your best. Cesc turnovers will have Barça running backwards all game.
Right tool for the right job.
Song or Roberto on for Busi when he's not needed or needs a rest. For the other midfielders, bring on whoever's the best for that's game's opponent. In a game where the opponent presses, Xavi-Iniesta-Busquets is still your best. Cesc turnovers will have Barça running backwards all game.
FCBarca
Mike the Knife
Definitely, I think most of us are a bit concerned about Iniesta's form this season
Cesc played well last night, no question, but it was also a match where we saw our midfield control the possession less than we're accustomed to seeing...I felt that there was a glaring absence of a midfield boss for our team last night despite Xavi, Iniesta & Cesc all being out there...Was the missing link Busquets then?
I think we're missing an attacking midfielder who can press and push forward
Ghosting
New member
Xavi's sidewards passing will have us not having shots on goal all game. And btw Cesc 0.9 turnovers per game, Iniesta 0.9 and Xavi 0.8. Compare that to Cescs 10 assists and Iniesta 2 and Xavis 1.
BerkeleyBernie
Senior Member
Stats stats stats...look at what actually happens, and think like a coach. Cesc is fine with the ball when not under pressure. His turnovers and interceptions spike in games when the opponent presses, and are probably steady as the rest in games when he has plenty of space and time.
And what you call "sideways passing" *is* Barça's defense (it's *not* the back line. "Sideways passing" is also a tired hugely oversimplified soundbyte about Xavi/Barça- key passes are, if anything , *more* important than assists- take Xavi's pass to Alba today to set up the assist for Alexis). There are games where Cesc's turnovers and interceptions are a liability to Barça's defense (which depends on defending the ball, not defending space). You don't ever want Barça running backwards all game because the ball has been given up too easily.
The point is to use the right players at the right time. Just pointing to stats and assuming the overall numbers can be predicted as fact against any future opponent is an oversimplification. Pedro is Barça's top goal scorer, yet no one is insisting he should start every game- because the stats don't provide the full picture.
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Ghosting
New member
My point is Cesc occasionally has turnovers because he is trying to attack and is trying to look for killer balls, he can easily keep the ball just as well as Xavi or Iniesta if we are leading and he looks to play it simple. Xavi's first thought is to keep the ball, that pass to Alba was because Alba was the only person not marked. If someone next to Xavi was unmarked he would have passed to him.
As for keeping the ball as a form of defense that is fine when we are leading but you can't start a game as if we are 1-0 up, playing the ball slowly just allows for the opposition to get all their defenders back and then we complain they are parking the bus. All our forwards are better at a fast paced, direct, run at your man style of play so we should play to suit their style. There is no point having Neymar and Alexis on the wings if you are just gonna tell them to hold the ball and then pass it backwards.
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