After complaining for much of last season about the fact that he didn’t have the players that he wanted, Jose Mourinho will have no excuses this time around. The Portuguese manager has bought well so far this summer and looks to have all the players that he needs to claim his third Premier League crown and make the Blues the third different club to lift the Premier League in the last three years.
The acquisition of Diego Costa means that Mourinho finally has the striker that he was claiming he doesn’t have. The Spaniard, who enjoyed a great goal scoring run last year will be keen to impress in England and show that Mourinho was right in bringing him to Stamford. The acquisition of Fillipe Luis means that Mourinho has a left back and also finally frees up Cesar Azplicueta. But it is was his addition of Fabregas that raised all the eyebrows.
Even after claiming all season long that he didn’t have a top quality striker, the first player he went out and signed was a central midfielder. That too someone who didn’t look like he wasn’t going to fit into the Mourinho way. Someone, who although adds creativity to central midfield and addresses a concern in the middle of the park, isn’t really a like-for-like replacement for the Frank Lampard.
Many questioned Mourinho’s acquisition of the Spaniard and said that he would force Mourinho to play a different system, or play the Spaniard out of position, in a role he doesn’t want to play. Many questioned whether he does fit into Mourinho’s master plan or not? Some even questioned his usefulness to the side that is already rich in creativity.
Although it is difficult to draw sweeping conclusions from just a single game, the game against Burnley showed just why Mourinho bought him. The ease with which he picked out Andre Schurrle for the second goal was simply magical and the Spaniard had a part to play in all three goals. All of this and the Spaniard wasn’t even forced to play in an unnatural position and Mourinho didn’t have to tinker his formation all that much. His performance against Burnley showed just what he brings to the table and showed just why Mourinho was so keen on bringing him to Stamford Bridge.
Against Burnley Fabregas played alongside Nemanja Matic as one of the two central midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Barring injuries that is likely to be where he plays for much of his time at Chelsea. Coming through the ranks at Arsenal, Fabregas was seen as a central midfielder who had the vision and creativity to pick out his team-mates in the attacking third and also score goals from time to time. He excelled in this role at Arsenal but was rarely given a chance to do the same at Barcelona.
Even though he had a quite game against Liechester, he still looked dangerous when given space and tick. Premier league defences will have horrid times dealing with his lock picking passing skills.
At Chelsea, playing alongside a defensive player in Matic means that Fabregas can continue to play in a position that he prefers and without having to hamper his style too much. While there is no doubt about his offensive capabilities, defensively he is a lot better than what people give him credit for. The Spaniard has shown that he is adept at not just picking out teammates but also opposing attacks as well and is very good at reading the game.
If there is one thing Chelsea lacked last season it was a threat from the centre of the park. As good as Hazard was, he tended to drift off and it meant that at times, the Blues found it difficult to break teams open. The addition of Fabregas gives them the creativity they lacked last season in central midfield and also provides them with plenty of options going forward, given the Spaniard’s versatility.
All in all, Chelsea looked to have signed a player who will not only flourish but will also help the team create and score a lot more than they did last time around. And it would be no surprise if Fabregas finishes as one of the club’s best players for he is just that good. In the end, it looks like the capture of Fabregas is yet another Mourinho master stroke, and one which might just tilt the title tide in their favour.