Cesc Fàbregas

[ceefoo]

Clearly some of you didn't get the irony of my "stats" post.

I too think it is a flawed argument and doesn't take into account the control a midfielder imposes in games.

Hell! If we went by stats alone then Frank Lampard would be the greatest midfielder of all time. But how many unbiased fans would have Lampard over Iniesta? I'm guessing none ... (Okay maybe 1 percent, allowing for the fanboys ).

These stats (eg. Goals & Assists) do not take into account the influence a player (esp. Centre Midfielder) has on the team as a whole and dominance of the ball. It does not tell us the key passes (the one prior to the assist, that slices open a defence or takes two players completely out the game).

Or even how many times a player loses the ball cheaply with a sloppy pass or poor touch. Or makes an unforced error leaving the defence totally vulnerable. Or controls the rhythm and tempo of the game by given momentum to their team and denying it from their opponent.

Stats are an indicator, that's all, and should be treated as such.

 

[Cule4life]

I disagree.

IMO

1) Fabregas
2) Iniesta
3) Schweinsteiger
4) Xavi
5) One of Alonso/Pirlo/Toure/Silva/Ozil/Cazorla

 

[Galning]

I missed that post. Holy crabcakes!

 

[Youngie]

Clearly some of you didn't get the irony of my "stats" post.

I too think it is a flawed argument and doesn't take into account the control a midfielder imposes in games.

Xavi has 100+ assists in his career. These are part of "a flawed argument"?

 

[Youngie]

Stats are a horrible way to view things, an example is Cesc has upped his stats in two games this season against two of the poorest teams in the league which make his return over the season look better than what it actually is.

The same can be said for Messi. Correct?

 

[ceefoo]

Xavi has 100+ assists in his career. These are part of "a flawed argument"?

I think you have misunderstood the point I was making!?!

I am saying that it is a flaw to judge one CM with another CM based solely on stats (Goals & Assists) alone. And I never criticised Xavi. In fact quite the opposite.

 

[ZenI]

The last 3 pages in this thread

 

[Youngie]

I think you have misunderstood the point I was making!?!

I am saying that it is a flaw to judge one CM with another CM based solely on stats (Goals & Assists) alone. And I never criticised Xavi.

Never said you did. But saying "doesn't take into account the control a midfielder imposes in games." makes me think you're referring to stats alone.

 

[ceefoo]

The last 3 pages in this thread

Nothing wrong with a little passionate discussion/argument.

 

[ceefoo]

Never said you did. But saying "doesn't take into account the control a midfielder imposes in games." makes me think you're referring to stats alone.

What I meant was the "Control" a CM has is only usually measured by his pass accuracy. But we know this can be skewed eg. a Defensive Midfielder can finish a match with a 100 percent pass accuracy and never make a forward pass the entire match. The stats would indicate that he had a blinder, but in reality he didn't do anything outstanding.

 

[Galning]

The same can be said for Messi. Correct?

please don't tell me you're saying Messi only scores against weak opposition.

 

[Indignado]

please don't tell me you're saying Messi only scores against weak opposition.

He does. He only scored 1 goal in the last Clàsico.

 

[Kerrybai]

Cesc did assist Iniesta on the wc final, though. But he still has a long way to reach Iniesta, if he does it one day.

You are right, I was wrong to use the word 'never', I meant to say 'not as often,' which IMO is correct. Of course Cesc is only 25 so that could change.

 

[darthvader7888]

He does. He only scored 1 goal in the last Clàsico.

How about the 2 goals he scored against Milan? Or the one he scored against PSG? Or the goal he set up in the second leg?

 

[spark]

Dont fall into the Keteoh trap people.