Benzema vs. Fabregas

Fabregas has scored 7 goals and given 9 assists in 14 starts in La Liga.

Benzema has scored 8 goals and given 5 assists in 15 starts in La Liga.

Fabregas is a midfielder who wants to be a striker. Benzema is a striker who wants to be a midfielder. So who is the better false forward out of the 2?

Some statistical analysis:

Benzema has more of a presence, better forwards instinct, better dribbling and better finishing than Fabregas.

Fabregas is much better in a deeper role due to his passing ability. He doesn't have all the attributes needed to be a false 9.

good thread to bump at the end of the season

Predicting Fab getting more goals than Benzema because he will statpad badly in the copa (poor benz cant even do that lol)

Yohan Modric wrote:Benzema has better dribbling

My OPTA bible says:

Successful dribblings whole season:

Benzema: 3
Fabregas: 12

Yohan Modric wrote:Benzema has more of a presence

Okay, he is more chubby. Let's talk about futbol, pls.

Fabregas, because he has four categories in which he is very strong at and Benzema has none

Why are me comparing a CF CDM to a CAM

El Shaarawy wrote:Fabregas, because he has four categories in which he is very strong at and Benzema has none

Hahaha, was just about to say that.

Talk about arbitrary 'statistics.'

Cesc was very average and inconsistent until Messi got injured... what a coincidence. Wonder if CR7 has a similar effect on Madrid players   

...because he plays in Messi position now??
xD I'm sure if Ronaldo got injured Bale would play better.. or Di Maria as they would be in their natural position, both starting off as LW

sportsczy wrote:Cesc was very average and inconsistent until Messi got injured...  what a coincidence.  Wonder if CR7 has a similar effect on Madrid players   

This is definitely not correct. Cesc is still inconsistent but has never been average, he's just sometimes awesome and sometimes shit, sometimes even within the same game. Whether Messi is playing or not usually doesn't affect that.

oh please BC. I watch most Barca games just to see the level of our rival. Cesc has been nothing short of meh his first two years at Barca. He's only been good this year and it can't just be a coincidence that it's happened due to Messi being mostly hurt.

Many Barca fans wanted him gone last year in fact, which led to all the rumors of departure to Man U or Arsenal.

Hasnt been good this year either, dont stop just to be kind at the last 2 Sports.

He's been better though Dani. I thought he was mostly inept the last 2 years. Think he's better now, although nowhere near his Arsenal level. Like Benzema, his role is not what it should be... he's doing whatever the team asks of him while ignoring what he's truly good at. His role isn't even consistent. Not barca's fault; but he's getting wasted.

A bit better than first 2, yeah I agree, but still not at the required level. Sure he isnt put in his best situation on the field (the center of the team's universe) but sadly for him, even his strongest assets (goal scoring and passing) are wildly inconsistent from game to game/match to match. If he could do both of those well, it would make up for the other issues he has but with the inconsistency, he infuriates me. Its true, he isnt a false 9, nor is he a CM anymore and thats the only two positions close to where he wants to be but those be the breaks of playing for Barca im afraid.

For me, its actually to the point where Alexis is clearly the superior signing pound for pound. Maybe thats thread worthy  


And on Benzema quickly. While I have problems with some of the things he does on the pitch, sometimes the most bizarre things. He plays with a guy who will refuse passing to him for a simple 1 v 1, whereas Cesc might be the player who Messi most frequently passes to in the final third when both play.

Fabregas, whilst Benzema is an awful professional who needs his hand held every time he has his period.

sportsczy wrote:oh please BC.  I watch most Barca games just to see the level of our rival.  Cesc has been nothing short of meh his first two years at Barca.  He's only been good this year and it can't just be a coincidence that it's happened due to Messi being mostly hurt.

Many Barca fans wanted him gone last year in fact, which led to all the rumors of departure to Man U or Arsenal.  

I don't really agree with him being average... he was never average. I never once though 'we could have gotten 20 other footballers and they've been performing just as well' because he has that unique combination of being one of the best final ball passers in the world (definitely better than Benz) and a turnover machine that doesn't have the tactical discipline of a squirrel. Also he has not stopped being inconsistent since Messi got injured. With Martino we play slightly more direct football so it's a bit more towards his strengths and less towards his weaknesses (ball retention) but that has nothing to do with Messi.

For the trillionth time can we stop this argument about benz not getting the ball from our wingers?

He's not better than Benzema lol.  They don't even play the same position naturally, so i don't really get the comparison to begin with.  It's like asking if Xavi is better or Costa lol...  of course, Barca makes Cesc play whatever it is he plays and same with Benz and Madrid.  If each played their natural positions and were used even remotely within their normal roles... to me, they're the same.  Both are elite level at their natural positions.  But you'll never see it while one is at Barca and the other at Madrid.

And yeah Dani...  CR7 is a complete arsehole and he proves it every time he's on the pitch.  Just for fun, i'd like Suarez to come to Madrid and watch the drama unfold   Ibra would be better, but that's not going to happen. Ibra would put his foot in CR7's teeth if CR7 tried to pull half the stuff he does now and that would be worth watching

@BC.  I have no desire to discuss this with you so just let it go.  I don't agree with a single thing you're saying and you don't agree with me.  No point in going further.

@xcx.   

Benzema is shit for France too, when he doesn't play with cristiano

I'll just add some thoughts that people haven't noticed.

We started the season playing a 4222. Alonso was out and our midfield was the worse i have seen at Madrid ever. No defense. No control. No service to the forwards. Khedira wasn't playing much in favor of Illaramendi and Isco. Benz was forced to play a pure 9 and he got nothing... no service at all. Only guy that was playing well was Di Maria and that's because he's a chaotic player so it was perfect for him individually... although he did nothing to help his teammates.

It was so atrocious that Carlo was forced to go to a 433 with Alonso back, Modric and Khedira. Bale was back too. Then Benz was dropped in a 9,75 lol where he was the transitional player between the midfield and CR7/Bale. This is where he played great and scored in 5 straight games and went for 8 goals and 4 assists in 9 games.

When Khedira went down, Carlo switched again. Now we're playing a 4222 again with Isco. Once again, Benz is pretty much floating because he's not used at all.

So what's the problem? CR7 crashed the box all the time and rarely stays on his wing... so Benz has to vacate there. Isco is a 10, not a CM. So there's no room for Benz behind CR7 either. He often ends up drifting wide.

In the last game, Benz (and Isco) were open for simple one-on-one's to the keeper 5 times. Yet our "leader" took wild shots every time. On any other team, Benz has 2 goals in that game and Isco 1 or 2.

So there you have it.... tactical indecision and constant changes by Carlo and CR7 trying to sell his underwear line while on the pitch... those are the problems.

Despite that, Benz still has 10 goals and 8 assists and i think he'll end up 20/20 again if he stays at Madrid. But that won't matter.

@Dani. I can't even watch Madrid games live anymore with CR7 on it. He's everything i feel is wrong in a football player lol. I've never seen a player like him before... it's awful.

Valkyrja wrote:Benzema is shit for France too, when he doesn't play with cristiano

Benz had a knee injury from Nov/Dec that he got operated on in June (bursitis); that really slowed him down and he's not fast to begin with. As he said himself, he couldn't make 2-3 runs in a row. First run was ok; but he often had too much pain to stop and make another run after the first one failed. Big reason why Madrid kept him on this year... they knew he played hurt.

This year though, he's scored 3 goals in 4 NT games including the tie evening goal against Ukraine. Been really good. Very active on attack and defense.

I don't even think benz has been that bad. people are overreacting as usual because they expect him to do the impossible. In fact he created lots of chances in the last two games. Sure he's not at his sharpest again, but after the winter break he will get back there.

And honestly i don't see the hate with CR. Every player has different attributes, you and i know that sport, since we've actually played at a higher level

If anything CR plays great with benzema and i love watching them both play

I know giggs... but i can just imagine the new arsehole Jean Fernandez and his staff would have given someone (he was my coach at AS Cannes before he got promoted to the A squad there) if they kept ignoring open teammates and didn't play defense. It's just not done.

Your teammates start to hate you or just tune out if the coach doesn't do something. Mou would have done something, as much as i hate him. Carlo... i don't think he has the balls.

Well i disagree on one part.. yeah ronaldo doesnt play good defense, but he finds an open man more often then not these days..
And lets not forget his scoring impact.. thats enough alone to keep him on.