Fabregas "The Best Football of My Life"

"When Chelsea first expressed an interest in signing Cesc Fabregas, the club were provided with various statistics loaded in the Spanish midfielder’s favour.

They showed that Fabregas played more assists, key passes and through-balls per 90 minutes than Toni Kroos, Yaya Touré, David Silva and Isco. Rated against Chelsea’s midfielders, Fabregas beat Eden Hazard, Oscar and Ramires in the same areas.

There was, however, a heavy caveat. The statistics were only measured during the games he played in his favoured central-midfield role over his final two seasons at Arsenal and intermittently at Barcelona.

The message to Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, was clear. Play Fabregas in his best position, not as a 'false No 9’ or wide, and you will have one of the best midfielders in Europe. That is exactly what has transpired.

Starting next to Nemanja Matic in the middle of the park and being allowed to interchange with Oscar, Fabregas has already assisted 13 goals for Chelsea: 10 in the Premier League and three in the Champions League.

Against West Bromwich Albion, the 27-year-old midfielder recorded the most touches (174), the most final-third passes (72), and the most successful passes in the final third (64) by any player in a Premier League game this season.

Signed for £27 million from Barcelona, Fabregas was £15 million cheaper than Mesut Özil, less expensive than Ander Herrera and £2 million more than Adam Lallana.

Arsène Wenger, Louis van Gaal and Brendan Rodgers missed the transfer market’s easiest trick.

“I feel that right now I am playing some of the best football of my career," Fabregas said. “I am in my best position, 100 per cent. I feel more in control of the game, I touch the ball all the time, I feel happy, I go and get the ball from here, from there, I can go forward, Oscar drops deep. I feel free, I feel confident, I feel in control and that’s what I like the most in football.

“Sometimes, in the last three or four years in the national team and Barcelona, I was playing like a No 9. I mean, I have to do it for the team and I enjoy, and it’s all good. But, here, where I am playing today, it’s where I enjoy my football the most."

On the relationship between Fabregas and Oscar, Mourinho said: “They are playing with a lot of freedom, but to play with a lot of freedom we need more discipline and to read the game very, very well. So, when Oscar opens on the side, the other players have to adapt. When Fabregas goes there, the others have to adapt. Every day, with every experience, they do that."

Chelsea are winning high praise for the more attractive football Fabregas has helped Mourinho to introduce at Stamford Bridge. But the Spaniard knows all too well from his Arsenal days that it is ultimately no good putting style over substance.

“Potentially, this team can be very, very good but we have to win trophies," Fabregas said. “I always said it, no one remembers if there was a great, great team and you don’t win. We have to win and that will say a lot from us. People will judge it how they want to judge it. The most important thing is to keep it going and at the end of the season we can talk.

“I didn’t come here to just play well and that’s it. I came here to win trophies and if I could play well and enjoy myself, the better."