Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas has struggled for first team football at Chelsea this season
Chelsea and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas has endured a strange couple of years. In season 2014/15 the midfielder was a key player as Chelsea won the Premier League title under Jose Mourinho.
Then last season saw a downturn in Mourinho and Chelsea’s fortunes, as the Blues finished tenth in the table.
This season under Antonio Conte, Fabregas has cut a frustrated figure as he has spent much of the campaign on the Blues bench.
His lack of playing time has led to reports of a move to Italian giants AC Milan and more recently Roma.
Sat on the Chelsea bench
The last season and a half must have been frustrating for the Spaniard. The 29-year-old has made just six Premier League appearances this season, only two of which have been starts. For a player of Fabregas’ profile, it must be a strange situation to find himself in at the current stage of his career.
Chelsea have been superb in recent months, with Nemanja Matic and N’Golo Kante playing in the centre of midfield. Blues boss Antonio Conte was never likely to change his team while they have been producing such good results.
Fabregas has had little chance to shine in the top-flight. However, on his last top-flight start, he produced a tremendous assist for Diego Costa to score the Blues equaliser at title-rivals Manchester City. The Blues went on to win the crucial game 3-1 and Fabregas set the ball rolling.
Fabregas then created the winner for his international team Costa last time out in a 1-0 win over West Brom at Stamford Bridge.
Has been a master creator
During his career, Fabregas has gone through many changes. He has played as a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, and an attacking midfielder, even as a false number nine in his career.
However, something that he has become synonymous with has been his record for producing assists. In his last two seasons at Arsenal, he produced 13 and 11 assists respectively in the Premier League. He then produced eight, 11 and 13 assists in his three seasons in La Liga at Barcelona.
The midfielder’s most effective campaign was in his debut campaign at Chelsea, when he produced 18 assists and three goals in the Premier League. That tally was just two short of Thierry Henry’s record of 20 Premier League assists.
Even last season Fabregas produced seven assists and five goals in the top-flight, despite his team enduring a difficult campaign.
In his limited Premier League appearances this season he has produced two assists already. No doubt if he had played more games he would have produced a far more productive campaign. The Spaniard’s lack of appearances has restricted his opportunities to create.
Still, has a chance to be a big influence at Chelsea
Although Fabregas has not been a first-team regular this season, Blues boss Conte described the midfielder as an “important player”. His two Premier League assists prove that he can still be a big influence at Chelsea if of course, he stays beyond the January transfer window.
Chelsea are currently the favourites for the Premier League title at odds of 10/11. The Blues current starting eleven is currently doing a very good job. However, there are times that the Blues boss Conte will need to change things around.
There will also be chances for Fabregas to impress if the likes of Nemanja Matic and N’Golo Kante get injured or suspended. The team may even lose form, who knows Fabregas may well get back in the team on a regular basis.
Whether that sort of involvement will be enough for the Spaniard to stay at Stamford Bridge remains to be seen.
Should Cesc Fabregas leave Chelsea in January?
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