Although Chelsea hold a potentially decisive six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table with a game in hand, the Blues have not been in their best form over recent weeks.
Elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain put paid to the club’s hopes of a momentous treble this season, while an underwhelming 1-1 draw against Southampton last weekend failed to act as a reprieve.
Since surprisingly being knocked out of the FA Cup by Bradford in January, Jose Mourinho’s side have not been at their best. Chelsea have stumbled through fixtures and relied on a number of key players to avoid defeats.
One of the most worrying facets of recent substandard form has been the limited influence that Cesc Fabregas has had over affairs. The Spanish midfielder moved to Stamford Bridge in the summer and hit the ground running in his second stint in the Premier League.
The former Barcelona playmaker’s central midfield pairing with Nemanja Matic was arguably the standout feature of a Chelsea side that looked head and shoulders above anyone else in English football during the first six months of the campaign.
Fabregas’ ability to orchestrate the Blues’ possession game made a star-studded team even more dangerous, while the ex-Arsenal hero provided balance in the centre of the park for Mourinho’s men. A total of an astounding 15 assists this season in the league shows Fabregas’ influence and vision, with the closest rivals way back on eight assists.
However, on closer inspection, Fabregas’ delivery has faded away in recent times, with his last assist coming back in mid-January. Over the last month in particular, the Spaniard has looked fatigued, jaded and nowhere near as dangerous as what he showed in the campaign’s early days.
WANT MORE? >> Chelsea transfer news | Latest transfer news
The combativeness and energy offered by Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama in Southampton’s deserved draw in West London last Sunday completely nullified Fabregas’ role in the Chelsea side.
It appears that Premier League opposition have become wise to the Spain international’s overarching role in the Blues’ team, with a train of thought that if Fabregas can be stopped, Chelsea are limited as a result. Diego Costa, who was the player that most benefited from Fabregas’ creativity in the early days of the campaign, ended a two-month goal drought on Sunday – the Brazilian-born striker is clearly not as potent without the midfielder’s supply chain.
Although Fabregas is happy to go toe-to-toe with opposite numbers in the Premier League, there is a chance that the more physical nature of English football is taking its toll on the star man. His trademark passes and movement or well-timed runs into the opposition penalty box have not been present in recent games, with the Spaniard becoming bogged down in the midfield quagmire.
If Mourinho wants to get the best out of his star playmaker and start to increase his role over proceedings once more, a tactical change would be well advised.
Putting someone like Ramires, John Obi Mikel or Kurt Zouma in the centre of midfield alongside Matic and playing Fabregas in the number ten role behind Costa appears like a sensible option.
Not only will this allow the Spaniard to focus predominantly on attacking responsibilities, but it will mean that the former Barcelona star will be able to influence the game in the final third – something he was doing last year but not recently. Although Chelsea are littered with top-class players, Fabregas has become the creative fulcrum to unleash the combined threat.
While he has not been at his best of late the Blues have really suffered, with opposition clearly becoming aware of the acute threat the playmaker offers and hatching a plan to stifle Chelsea as a result.
[ad_pod id='ffc-video' align='center']
[ad_pod id='ricco' align='center']