BTW guys, watching Malaga vs Barca 2nd leg and Iniesta just put an amazing mid-rage pass right on Pique's chest to score the second goal. Just to give you an idea of what I'm watching......
I don't need stats to confirm that, but that is what they do. Yes, among other things. I think you are being rather deluded saying Iniesta is as good in finishing, but that's you prerogative.
He must be better passer than Fabregas then? Nothing that Fabregas hasn't done multiple times. Btw, it was a nice pass.
Yeah If I have to learn and that's definitely not from you ... a "decisive player" who barely scored a few goals a season LOL Cut the CRAP with your clueless label for a "DECISIVE" - suggest go to wiki and GOOGLE to learn what it MEANS?
Your posts suggest that you actually need the stats, because all your opinions and arguments are based on them. Deluded? That's not saying much from someone who judges finishing ability of players based on goals/shots ratio. You may be a stat-freak but you certainly don't know how to read them...or so it seems. Iniesta's pass to Pique certainly wasn't his first of this kind. He has done such marvelous passes many times before, perhaps you just haven't seen them because you've been too busy looking at stat sheets. Good to know you saw that one and liked it. What?! Now that is fecking funny and unfair. Why was Cesc MOTM? He had a good assists for Iniesta's goal, but Alves played better and gave two better assists for the first and last goal for Barca (Pedro, Messi). I would've accepted Dani as MOTM instead of Cesc. But in reality Iniesta was much better than both in that game. He gave the best assist of the game for Pique's goal, which was a go-ahead goal for 2-1 and he scored another go-ahead goal for 3-2 that basically killed Malaga. His goal was mostly his work with the dribbling, movement off the ball and top finishing. Plus, Iniesta made better plays throughout the whole match. Did you watch the game? What do you think? Now some time ago I remember you being dismissive of wiki in discussions, but now you are advocating it? Decisive is not only someone who scores volume goals, but also someone whose goals are of huge importance and magnitude to the outcome even if they are few goals. Tell me how many game-winning goals has Fabregas scored for Barca and Spain? Ok, we can include assists too. We can already give credit to Cesc for his assist to Iniesta vs Holland. On the other hand, remember that Iniesta has two decisive assists in two CL finals.
No they aren't, they are based on subjectivity like every other opinion, but they are backed by indicating objectivity, unlike yours. Now you are just repeating the same nonsense, I know how to analyze them, you obviously don't.
I didn't see the game I just thought it was funny that I simultaneously had this window open and the goal.com window open and saw that he was rated the top of the match after I read your comment. But goal.com consistently gives the wrong person the MOTM award so I wouldn't be surprised if you were right. I did see the pass that fabregas gave to iniesta though, very messi-esque the way he drew in the defense and let iniesta free.
in this case of a simple Ennglish term Wiki can be a great help for you (LOL) Now Iniesta got 2 winners for Spain WC10 (also assisted by Cecs) Cecs scored 1 tied goal (vs Italy Euro12) and assist 1 winner (Silva ) at Euro12 final. At Euro 08, he scored the "decisive" PK to win for Spain advanced to semi For Spain: .. despite off being a SUB (not starter as Iniesta) Cecs 2 goals + 2 ass in winning goals > Iniesta 2 wining goals. At Clubs: It was ignorant to ask Cecs ability just at Barca, as he scored many winning goals for Arsenal and his career was NOT begun with Barca, He scored at least 2 x times the win goals Iniesta could have done at club! Hence 1 + 2 = Cecs was MUCH MORE decisive player than Iniesta could be (note Iniesta would retire sooner than Cecs)
Stats can be decieving, and you are clueless since you seem to be obsessed with them and think they are the LAW.
At LEAST I have a "Stats CLUE" than some of you WITHOUT ANY CLUES A good lesson about this is, some MIXED up between - Most "influential player" (i.e. Zidane for France or Di Setfano for Real) - Most "important player" (i.e. Pele for Santos, Maradona for Napoli) - Most "Decisive player" (i.e. Messi for Barca, CR7 for Real)
Yes, Fabregas' assist was a very nice play, no doubt. And it is funny that goal.com would declare him MOTM, but also unfair as Alves and Iniesta did more and better in that game. Interestingly, around the time Iniesta scored his goal (btw that was Messi-esque finishing from him), Cesc had 2-3 opportunities in the box where he couldn't score as his finishing and decision let him down. Anyway, I know it was just one game and that doesn't settle anything.
So Iniesta just has 2 winning goals for Spain at WC10 and nothing else, eh? Better check again, pal. The fact that Iniesta is always the starter while Cesc is not says it all. Ok show me how many decisive winning goals Cesc had for Arsenal and if any of them are bigger than Iniesta's for Barca, particularly the one against Chelsea in CL 2009 semi-final. You do realize that Iniesta is always going to be known for the two massive goals in his career - the one against Chelsea and the one that won the World Cup for Spain vs Holland - right? LOL, you are funny. You can make good living as a comedian..... Messi and Ronaldo are not the most "important players" for their respective clubs? What are the differences between "influential", "important" and "decisive"? Can you be one without the other(s)? Time to go to English school James......
I believe you, I am in Los Angeles and watching the games on BeIn sport, Hudson kept saying how last match was "all Alves". Anywho, today's match was pure brilliance from Messi. Not as many penetrating dribbles, but he was super efficient with his passes, almost everyone of them led to a goalscoring opportunity. He crossed with his right, chipped and switched the play with his left. Really good stuff, I loved it. High maturity.
The fact that Iniesta starts has to do with the system that Barca and Spanish team uses. Like i've already said several times, Iniesta's better at contolling possession. Guardiola had to make Cesc a starter when he arrived at Barca cause he knows his worth, even Del Bosque knows that Cesc can be dangerous from anywhere and used him as a false 9 at the euros even though they hadn't tried it before.
Can't believe this thread exist. It's not even worth discussing Cesc vs. Iniesta. Iniesta is ahead of him by miles.
Iniesta is the entire package as a footballer. Second to only Messi in ball control and dribbling, can play in the midfield and control the game, can cut the defense open with amazing through and chip balls, and when needed can score important goals. When Iniesta is on the pitch he has the ability to change a game, Cesc is not at that level. There's a reason Cesc is still not an automatic starter for Spain or Barcelona. If he was good enough to play midfield he would displace xavi, iniesta, alonso, or busquets, but no they start ahead of him. If he was good enough to play in attack he'd displace silva, iniesta, torres, villa, or negredo . You realize Del Bosque started negredo ahead of Cesc in a the semis of the Euros. A single elimination match. Cesc's impact was so inconsistent, that Del Bosque started Torres in some matches. In a single elimination match Iniesta will start everytime. You can't say that for certain about Cesc. There's a reason Iniesta has been top 3 ballon dor twice, and Cesc has probably never cracked the top 5.