Where would Fabregas fit?

So with Barcelona looking likely to sign Fabregas, it's made me wonder where on earth they intend to fit their £30m+ signing.

They play with three central midfielders at present, a system that Guardiola seems wedded to and is unlikely to change. The spaces are occupied by the mercurial Xavi and Iniesta, with Busquets sweeping up behind them. So...who drops out of the most successful club side of a generation?

I don't think Fabregas would be as effective as Busquets in DM, so I think that is unlikely. Iniesta is probably the best in the world in his position...so that's unlikely. And Xavi is a Barcelona legend, and still at the top of his game in his 30's.

Barcelona are certainly chasing hard so they must have a plan -- Iniesta to move to LW perhaps? But then they also made chase for Alexis Sanchez who would have operated on the wing...

Basically I'm confused as to why they are buying. At least why they are buying this summer -- in a year or two when Xavi is older and perhaps looking to retirement it would seem the perfect time. Regardless it looks set for this year.

So where would you see him fitting in?

Another issue is that I see Xavi being like Paul Scholes and having a very prolonged career. I would honestly say he still has another 3 or 4 years left in his career.

As for where Cesc would fit, I really don't know. I think you mentioned most of the possibilities in your original post. Iniesta could have easily moved out to the left flank but if they sign Alexis Sanchez that idea won;t even get off the ground. They do seem hell bent on selling Villa so there could be a spot opening up on the right flank.

Fabregas won't get into the current Barca squad unless they sell someone.

Squad. Game. Barcelona played 62 games last season. There's enough room for Fabregas. Top level football has long gone past the days of best 11.

i dont rate busquest gets a very easy ride in that barca team, fabergas is a better player than him if slightly different type but he would have to sit abit more than he currently does for arsenal. i see xavi as the deep playmaker in that team anyway. having watched the under 21's i dont seethe need for fabregas to go to barca, thiago looks ready made for the set up at barcelona and looks a great prospect.

compelling and rich wrote:i dont rate busquest gets a very easy ride in that barca team, fabergas is a better player than him if slightly different type but he would have to sit abit more than he currently does for arsenal. i see xavi as the deep playmaker in that team anyway. having watched the under 21's i dont seethe need for fabregas to go to barca, thiago looks ready made for the set up at barcelona and looks a great prospect.

Basically every move starts with Busquets. He is the one, along with Pique who draws opposition players in and leaves the gaps for Xavi to slot into and receive possession. He keeps it simple but is a very good player. A plonker, but a very good footballer all the same.

If I was in Arsenal's position at the moment I;d ask for 30million and Thiago. He is going to be just as good as Fabregas, he was brillaint at the u21's.

Thiago is meant to be subject to a bid from Utd according to one of the papers.

I certainly wouldn't be upset if we beat him, he is a fantastically creative player and it would be what we were looking for.

Any idea of a fee mate?

Here's the story on Thiago:

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Manchester-United-bid-for-Thiago-Alacantara-of-Barcelona-article752948.html

i read that in the gossip coloumn as well, although normally take anything in the papers with a pinch of salt, think it was in the mirror.

the exact kind of signing i think we need, raw talent that we can mould

It's a different creative midfielder every day that is being linked.

The rumours of Mata to Arsenal would be a massive coup for them too, he's quality.

The most plausible option would be for Iniesta to shift to the wing, knocking Pedro from the side, and Fabregas alongside Xavi in midfield.

Either way, it's still a pointless buy from Barcelona as they have Xavi & Iniesta who are 2 of only 3 players better than Fabregas anyway.

I almost get the impression they are buying him just to stop Real Madrid coming in as was rumoured...pre-emptive striking almost.

Either way, he is young enough to be a long term acquisition, so I suppose he will eventually carve himself a natural position in the team!

liverbnz wrote:Squad. Game. Barcelona played 62 games last season. There's enough room for Fabregas. Top level football has long gone past the days of best 11.

Is it really a good idea to spend £30 million plus on a squad player? Their WHOLE transfer budget. Barcelona are not as rich as Man City or Chelsea, they are cutting back in all areas and have a £35 million transfer budget this year, it seems completely excessive to spend huge amounts of money on a player who, if Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets all stay fit, which they do most of the time, he won't even get into the side. Not to mention that centre midfield is probably the position Barca have best cover in with Keita, Affelay, Thiago and probably a whole load of other youth products waiting in the wings.

The only thing I can think of, which has been rumored is that if Fabregas was to join, Villa would actually leave and Iniesta on the left wing, Pedro on the right wing with Messi down the middle.

Villa is certainly the more replaceable option, at least in the way they play, Leak.

I wonder whether that would stifle Iniesta though? I mean the guy has probably been the premier performer in CM for some time (alongside Xavi!) and bumping him seems to make him a victim of his own versatility!

They could always change system......however unlikely that may seem.

Even if they change their system, what system would encorporate FOUR central midfielders without suffering from just going straight through the middle, and somebody would always still have to be dropped.

invincibleILeak (CL-6WF) wrote:

liverbnz wrote:Squad. Game. Barcelona played 62 games last season. There's enough room for Fabregas. Top level football has long gone past the days of best 11.

Is it really a good idea to spend £30 million plus on a squad player? Their WHOLE transfer budget. Barcelona are not as rich as Man City or Chelsea, they are cutting back in all areas and have a £35 million transfer budget this year, it seems completely excessive to spend huge amounts of money on a player who, if Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets all stay fit, which they do most of the time, he won't even get into the side. Not to mention that centre midfield is probably the position Barca have best cover in with Keita, Affelay, Thiago and probably a whole load of other youth products waiting in the wings.

The only thing I can think of, which has been rumored is that if Fabregas was to join, Villa would actually leave and Iniesta on the left wing, Pedro on the right wing with Messi down the middle.

Well is it there whole transfer budget? I know they keep saying it is, but quite frankly I would also have the default position of 'lie' for anything anyone in football reveals to the press. It most likely a bargaining method. Aren't they pursuing Sanchez as well?

Yes, I do think they'll pay 30m for a squad player - everyone is essentially a squad player these days, bar maybe one or two. They paid 20m for Mascherano last summer and he didn't really seem to fit into the side, yet he got 30+ games. I'd imagine one or two may leave. Keita and Villa maybe, or possibly a loan move for Thiago.

invincibleILeak (CL-6WF) wrote:Even if they change their system, what system would encorporate FOUR central midfielders without suffering from just going straight through the middle, and somebody would always still have to be dropped.

I would play a diamond with them, and the two forwards of Messi and Pedro would be more than capable of pulling out wide if required. Not to mention that their full backs are very attack minded and could offer the width while Busquets shields the centre halves.

Not that they should change their system -- but an astute coach like Guardiola would make it work somehow.

"Pep Guardiola is already planning to take inspiration from Johann Cruyff to accommodate Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas. It is understood the Barca boss may switch to a 3-4-3 formation - the tactics Dutch master Cruyff used at Barca when Guardiola was his captain - so the 24-year-old can be used at the top of a four-man midfield diamond."

So there you go...that's where Fabregas would fit according to the Daily Express (and thanks to the BBC gossip column I found this on).

Brave move changing such a successful system if this is true...

Don't believe that they will change the system. Dani Alves is an important part of their attacks as he offers genuine width that allows Barca to stretch the play. 3-4-3 would be much easier nulified than their present setup.

guessing would go something like this

valdes
busquets or abidal - puyol-pique
xavi
alves iniesta
cesc
messi pedro or sanchez
villa

i don't think it would work tbh

Neither do I. I just think it'd be too much down the middle with no width at all to the team.

I'd see it more like:

----------Valdes-----------

Puyol----Pique----Abidal

-------Busquets-----------

Xavi ---------------Iniesta

-------Fabregas-----------

Pedro---Messi----Sanchez/Villa

Can't find a place for Alves, as good a player as he is. I certainly wouldn't see them dropping Busquets from the role he fills as of now anyway.