Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas has drawn widespread praise for his passing ability this season, but he is also peppering Premier League opponents with crosses.
Cesc Fabregas leads the passing charts at Chelsea. No surprise there.
The Spaniard was brought to Stamford Bridge to add a creative spark in the middle of the park, with Jose Mourinho prepared to offer him the playmaking freedom denied him at previous employers Barcelona.
He has revelled in that role and has been a standout performer for the Blues in their surge to the top of the Premier League standings.
It is, however, intriguing to discover that he is also Chelsea’s leading provider of crosses this season.
| Total Cross | Accurate Cross | Total Pass | Accurate Pass | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cesc Fàbregas | 93 | 30 | 1,303 | 1,151 | 15 | 1,327 |
| Willian | 36 | 9 | 477 | 407 | 15 | 902 |
| Branislav Ivanovic | 34 | 3 | 657 | 531 | 16 | 1,439 |
| Eden Hazard | 27 | 6 | 845 | 754 | 16 | 1,398 |
| André Schürrle | 25 | 4 | 189 | 150 | 11 | 362 |
| Oscar | 20 | 3 | 770 | 653 | 14 | 1,127 |
| César Azpilicueta | 18 | 2 | 583 | 502 | 13 | 1,097 |
| Filipe Luis | 11 | 2 | 220 | 188 | 7 | 349 |
| Diego Costa | 10 | 2 | 335 | 266 | 13 | 1,096 |
| Nemanja Matic | 10 | 1 | 1,015 | 897 | 15 | 1,350 |
| Loïc Remy | 10 | 1 | 90 | 73 | 8 | 344 |
Admittedly a large portion of those deliveries have come from a dead-ball, with Fabregas the go-to man for corners.
A third of his efforts have come away from the corner flag, though, with only Willian and Branislav Ivanovic – two men at home on the flanks – able to better his numbers.
| Total Cross Nocorner | Accurate Cross Nocorner | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cesc Fàbregas | 30 | 8 | 15 | 1,327 |
| Freekick Cross | Accurate Freekick Cross | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cesc Fàbregas | 17 | 4 | 15 | 1,327 |
It is worth noting from the numbers above that Fabregas picks out a teammate with almost a third of his crosses.
That is an impressive return, given that he sends over approximately six a game.
Another conclusion to be drawn from these stats is how well Mourinho has done in piecing together a squad which can hurt opponents in any number of ways, with it not always the most obvious route that Chelsea will take when attempting to pick defensive locks.
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