Well, Conte appears to have problems finding the best fit for Fabregas in the team. Nobody doubts his ability to find that wonderful pass every now and then that will split a defence wide open. It's what he adds to the team over 90 minutes, for 38 PL games plus those in other competitions that worries managers.
The thing with other playmakers you can mention is that they generally add more in terms of their all round game. Kroos and Modric for Real Madrid, Silva and De Bruyne for Man City, even Ozil and Cazorla at Arsenal.
Don't forget, Fabregas, in his time at Barcelona, was often accused of giving away possession all too often. When he joined them, Barcelona had a midfield three of Busquets, Xavi, and Iniesta, a trio at the top of their game. He was supposed to be the natural successor to Xavi but it never worked out. He's a great player, nobody with his number of caps for Spain could be anything else. But he's just not an easy "fit" into any team on a continued, week to week basis.

I think we all agree Cesc has something to offer the team but I question what he is showing Conte in training for him not to be given more time?

It easy to say Cesc play because of what he brings to the team and what we are lacking during games but if he is not performing during the week at training then its understandable that he is not being picked to start games.

A very interesting insight from Eden Hazard. He's a nice lad, and honest as well.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest...teammates.html

That's a good point, but as most people know in football, playing actual football matches and training are completely different things. Conte should have worked out by now that while Oscar, Pedro and others I'm sure look fantastic in training, they're not looking fantastic on match day are they?

That doesn't mean they're bad players, or rubbish, but there are clearly better solutions to ensure comfortable wins which the squad is capable of producing.

Fabregas is a bit of an enigma. He arguably played the best football of his life with Wenger at Arsenal. He was then employed as a straightforward no 10, and given a free role with no defensive duties whatsoever. The perceived wisdom now is that he can't play that role, it beats me why ?
The idea of a deep lying playmaker is strange in the EPL, it seemed even crazier to put him alongside Matic as part of the pivot in a 4-2-3-1. True, it did (surprisingly) work for half a season in 2014/15, but it relied on us totally dominating games and Matic playing out of his skin. As soon as we went off the boil our weakness in DM was exposed.
We should be better placed to use him now with the arrival of Kante, but it probably becomes a choice between Fabregas and Oscar. If only each of them had a few of the strengths of the other, we'd probably find the perfect player between them.

Begovic, Azpilicueta, Cahill (c), David Luiz, Alonso, Moses, Fabregas, Matic, Pedro, Loftus-Cheek, Batshuayi

Courtois, Aina, Chalobah, Kante, Willian, Hazard, Diego Costa


Zieler, Simpson, Morgan (c), Wasilewski, Chilwell, Gray, King, Drinkwater, Schlupp, Okazaki, Musa

Hamer, Benalouane, Amartey, Kapustka, Mahrez, Vardy, Ulloa

Fair to say it's a bit of a shambles so far.

Do we even have a defence, its hopeless. Game probably gone already.

Vital goal from Cahill. I hope we see some subs before the 80th minute.

Not much you can say about that first half. We're lucky to be back in the game after some appalling defending. How do we manage to make some decent, average Leicester players look like world beaters. They haven't even got Vardy and Mahrez for us to worry about.

Great goal from Azpi!

Wow!

.

Has anyone got a clue where RLC is supposed to be playing and what his role is ?

Nope. No idea at all.


Costa should've scored there.

Why aren't Hazard and Kante on yet?

Extra-time it is then.

30 minutes for Costa to pick up a booking and miss the Arsenal match.

Great goal from Fab.

Fab scores again!

Good comeback, but it took Costa and Hazard to come on to change it round. Our first half stunk of a team that wasn't clicking and hadn't played much together. That is the problem when you make wholesale changes to your team.

Fabregas. Where is the lad who said he was just a luxury player? From now on, I'll refer to him as lad nut. Cesc was outstanding, and his quick, forward, intelligent touches were just what the team needed. His goals just underlined his claim to a regular starting place.

Alonso looked excellent at LB, although Batshuayi looked uncomfortable in the lone striker role. Support striker yes, lone striker, not at the moment.

Luiz's forward balls were very good as well, although at times, dwelling on the ball cost us again. Pedro? All the predictions at the start of the season stand. Moses played very well on the whole.

Just hope that the manager doesn't go back to Ivanovic, Oscar and others against Arsenal.

Great comeback and shows to me that we always need Costa, Hazard and Cesc in the team. Defence though is a real worry.

RLC looks lost. Needs to be getting games in the Championship.

Yep, Fabregas showed what he can do when he played in a more advanced position. Should definitely be getting the nod over Oscar.

Another game that makes me question if Conte is proactive enough with making subs. Think we could have avoided extra-time with earlier changes. Still at least we got the win in the end.

Agree about RLC. Out of his depth at this level and needs to go somewhere else to play regularly. Chalobah looked ok when he came on.

Yes, good come back. But it was the same old story really, we didn't start playing until the second half. Even then, with eleven men it looked as if they would cause us problems.
Costa coming on and pushing Fabregas further forward certainly changed things. Maybe that's the answer when playing Fabregas, use him in a more traditional no 10 role ?
Moses had a very good game, so I'm expecting Tiip Top on any time soon to say..I told you so. That's fair enough, I don't mind being proved wrong if it means the team are winning.
Not sure what to make of Alonso. He didn't do a lot wrong I suppose, but he didn't look like a £20m+ full back either. But I guess it's early days and he's got to get the feel of the EPL again.

I'm just glad we're out and can focus on the league and claiming our rightful spot in the table ...........