Cesc Fabregas has claimed that analyzing soccer statistics at a surface level can be deceptive. The former midfielder was arguably one of the top midfielders of his generation. Although he recently retired from the pitch in 2023, the Spanish playmaker starred for Arsenal and Barcelona from 2003 to 2014. Fabregas then moved on to play for Chelsea, Monaco, and finally Como later in his career.
Speaking with former Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand on , Fabregas was initially asked how he approaches coaching midfielders. The former star asserted that being able to pass the ball forward on a regular basis is key. “You must have good technique in order to get the ball in tight positions,” stated Fabregas.
“Understanding the game and technique are very important. But individually, for example, I’m obsessed with playing [the ball] forward. The best quality a midfielder can have is to play the ball forward.”
Fabregas has shined as an analyst during Euro 2024
Fabregas then continued on by being cautious of basic statistics without looking any further. “There are all these stats nowadays, ‘100% passing, 90% passing,’ but show me the clips of the passes,” continued the Spaniard. “Are they passing to the center back and close midfielder or are they passes that break lines and making things happen? For me, this is definitely something.”
Cesc Fabregas steered Como into Serie A last season
The former midfielder’s claims are certainly valid. Statistics can be used as a great tool in helping to understand a player’s game. However, most of these numbers need to be looked at thoroughly. Passing figures, as Fabregas suggested, are a perfect example of this. The position and quality of the passes mean just as much as the overall success rate of a player’s distribution.
Since transitioning to the sidelines, Fabregas has regularly provided quality analysis to different platforms….
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/cesc-fabregas-explains-why-statistics-in-soccer-are-misleading/
Author : Chris Moore
Publish date : 2024-06-29 15:28:28
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