Matic or Fabregas?

Alonso was wasteful at times yesterday...and this might be an area of improvement...but we were playing a top side...& he did hit one of the passes of the day to Haz for goal 3

Fab...difficult to come in and shine in a game like that given his lack of play minutes of late

would still like to see Zouma get time soon too

Comment Deleted by Site Moderator

comment by NPE Classic (U20804)
posted 48 minutes ago
comment by SWTN Biggish (U7916)
posted 14 hours, 22 minutes ago
Going forward I think we need someone better than both Matic and Fabregas.

My suspicion is that to win the the league this season (I still can't believe we are serious contenders after losing to Arsenal) is that Fabregas will need to make a contribution.

Despite his obvious flaws, he is key for doing something special agst those really stubborn middle of the table teams that can be hard to breakdown. His passes were key today, we need him in our squad for this season at least.
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obvious flaws???

He is easily our best technical player.
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That does not negate his flaws though, and actually what is your definition of technical, because i would imagine that is a wide reaching term that applies and differs in realtion to every individual position on the pitch

comment by The Devil's Advocate's Advocate - I ... (U6522)
posted 12 hours, 53 minutes ago
I didn't see the game so can't speak about his performance, but I was absolutely sh!tting bricks when I saw Fabregas in the team. He doesn't have the essential criteria to play CM in any variation of a 3-4-3 system, and I can only hazard a guess that Kante had to drop back constantly today to make up for his lack of speed and strength?

Matic at CM over Fabregas, shouldn't even be a discussion. What Fabregas could theoretically do for us is be the DM in a 3-5-2 system, i.e. be for us what Pirlo was for Juventus in such a formation. If our future is a 3 at the back system, that would be Fabregas's only long term involvement in it. Otherwise, he's a victim of circumstance and should be sold as early as January I'm afraid.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Fabregas. When we were calling for a complete overhaul this time last year, Cesc was one of about 4 players I'd have personally kept in such a scenario. Players with his combination of vision, technique, experience and leadership we haven't exactly been blessed us in the last 10 years (many players with two or three, but not all four). He just simply doesn't fit.
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It is interesting though because whilst I agree that Fabregas does not fit into a 3-4-3 system, when during games when we are pushed back into a 5-4-1 formation as we were for much of the game yesterday and agst Spurs in the first half,, then actually Fabregas becomes our only player capable of launching a counter because he is the only player with the passing ability to put it on a plate for our lone striker.

Perplexing isn't it?

He has the capability to do it Biggish but the problem is he too often gets dominated by better teams with better midfielders and the game just passes him by.

Comment Deleted by Site Moderator

comment by NPE Classic (U20804)
posted 2 hours, 40 minutes ago
Fabregas has achieved incredible things and is an incredible talent.

I accept he has a "flat-track bully" characteristic, but saying a creative CM lacks pace is like saying a striker has a poor slide tackle.
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Oh come on NPE,

You need pace, stamina and strength to play CM in a 3-4-3 set up where you are protecting the back 3 and you need to track the runners.

One thing that nobody has mentioned yet - Fabregas is a bit of a d!ck. Not surprised that he was the one to get in a sneaky slap to Fernandinho's face yesterday. Whereas Conte has brought great discipline to players with previous bad reputations (like Costa), Fabregas still acts like a bit of a loose cannon.
This season Chelsea under Conte have been a breath of fresh air. And it annoys me when someone wearing a Chelsea shirt behaves that way and shows us in a poor light. He needs to grow up.
Plus Matic would be my choice anyway with Fabregas a sub. But I do think Conte is looking for a new player to play alongside Kante, with attributes of both Matic and Fabregas. Ultimately I think both of them will be on the bench.

comment by NPE Classic (U20804)
posted 5 hours, 4 minutes ago
comment by SWTN Biggish (U7916)
posted 14 hours, 22 minutes ago
Going forward I think we need someone better than both Matic and Fabregas.

My suspicion is that to win the the league this season (I still can't believe we are serious contenders after losing to Arsenal) is that Fabregas will need to make a contribution.

Despite his obvious flaws, he is key for doing something special agst those really stubborn middle of the table teams that can be hard to breakdown. His passes were key today, we need him in our squad for this season at least.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

obvious flaws???

He is easily our best technical player.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He also goes missing...

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by NPE Classic (U20804)
posted 5 hours, 4 minutes ago
comment by SWTN Biggish (U7916)
posted 14 hours, 22 minutes ago
Going forward I think we need someone better than both Matic and Fabregas.

My suspicion is that to win the the league this season (I still can't believe we are serious contenders after losing to Arsenal) is that Fabregas will need to make a contribution.

Despite his obvious flaws, he is key for doing something special agst those really stubborn middle of the table teams that can be hard to breakdown. His passes were key today, we need him in our squad for this season at least.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

obvious flaws???

He is easily our best technical player.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He also goes missing...
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Often..............