GLARING OMISSION ON WORLD PLAYER LIST
Fabregas deserves place ahead of Ballack
WHEN the World Player of the Year nominees were announced recently, there appeared to be at least one glaring omission.
Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas may have trouble getting into the Spain starting line-up regularly - who wouldn't with Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Xabi Alonso for competiton? - but he is surely more deserving of a place on the 23-man shortlist for the prestigious prize than Michael Ballack.
Saturday's North London derby afforded the Gunners midfielder another opportunity to once again illustrate his marvellous talents as he scored a sublime solo goal that said everything about his qualities.
That made it six strikes for the season for Fabregas and it is impossible to ignore his claims to being one of the top performers in the Premier League.
His display against Blackburn last month in a 6-2 win was simply the best individual performance in the top flight so far this term as he pulled the strings throughout and orchestrated a demolition of Sam Allardyce's Rovers.
Little wonder Barcelona are so keen to bring him back to his homeland and the rumours surrounding his future refuse to go away.
So ask yourself who would you rather have in your team? Fabregas or Ballack?
No disrespect to the German, who has been more consistent this season for Chelsea, but the Spaniard is far more likely to dominate and influence a game.
Ballack has looked a fading force at Stamford Bridge at times and somebody enjoying the fruits of one of the game's most lucrative Bosman free transfers.
He has contributed three goals since the big kick-off in August, only two less than all of the last campaign in all competitions for club and country.
In fact, while hitting the back of the net is not everything for a midfielder, he mustered only ONE Premier League goal in 2008/2009 - in the 4-3 win over Bolton in April.
Surely not the sort of form that should see you being nominated for the accolade of best footballer on the planet.
For the record, Fabregas only bagged three goals last season but he was missing for almost four months, of course, through injury.
That absence is the only plausible explanation for ignoring his claims, but there is often a case of reputation playing a part in awards such as these.
The votes are cast by national team coaches and captains so they are the ones to blame in this instance but when Ryan Giggs can win the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2009 for his work last season, it suggests such polls are not always the most reliable indicators.
Giggs has been a tremendous servant and deserves recognition but he was not the best player in the Premier League. In fact, his form has been better this time around.
It is often a case of the usual suspects when compiling a guest list for the gala event just before Christmas.
From the 2008 list, only Emmanuel Adebayor, Sergio Aguero, Andriy Arshavin, Deco, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Fabregas himself were omitted a year later.
The Emirates idol has grown as a player since then so his exclusion is all the more shocking.
It means there's a sobering thought ahead of the World Cup when you consider Spain already have SIX names on the shortlist. But it really should be seven.
This article has 18 comments
Cesc truely deserves to be on the list. He's a kid with class who has shown great talents in the modern football and above all true leadership qualities which is absolutely lacking in most of professional players like Adebayor, Drogba, Ballack etc. that has earned him the capt's arm band @ Arsenal and a place in Spain's National team in all competitions. I think his omission was clearly biased and discrimantory which unquestionably a slap on the face on FIFA's slogan "FIFA Fair play" and "Say NO to discrimination". Cesc 4 life!!
By Ben Namo (Solomon Islands). Posted November 16 2009 at 12:44 AM.
Fabregas deserves to be on the list. He's shown his ability this season.
By JAX. Posted November 13 2009 at 2:44 PM.
Cesc has pretty much been in every Spain starting line-up since the start of the Confed cup, bar one or two games. Why on earth he's not on that list is beyond me, but what is more staggering is that Ballack is on it?! Incredible stupidity.
By Alan. Posted November 8 2009 at 1:11 PM.
What is that, that i should say that others have not said, nothing simply the lad should have been in the list period.
By Denis. Posted November 4 2009 at 8:13 PM.
funny that we play the most beautiful,real genuine football & every coach says the same about us after every game & the orchestrator of it all is non other than Fab 4 (Cesc Fabregas) surely the lad deserves to be there
By Romeo. Posted November 3 2009 at 12:44 PM.
Well as for me,fabregas do worth d list ahead of ballack but the truth is he wont win it so we dont we give dis man a chance to show his worth this season and the world cup.am sure next season arsenal will provide not only fabregas but other players in the team.
By Yusuf fatai. Posted November 2 2009 at 9:48 AM.
The player of the year and european player of the year have always had a little disconnection with reality. Hardly any hard facts are being used to complement opinion. Henry never won it, Vieira never even came close. Kaka won it when Ronaldo was on fire. Players with Nike contracts and on-screen exposure are more easily nominated than others. Low profile great players like Scholes whom in his day was as good as Alonso never got close.
It is a celebrity beauty pageant. Players like Kaka, Messi, Gerrard, Terry, Ballack and Ballack will get nominated as long as they are still playing, regardless of what season they've had. They are celebrities.
By Joel. Posted November 2 2009 at 9:26 AM.
The people who decorates our game like Fabregas should be recognised. Its just not possible for him not to be in the top ten footballers.
By kats Henrie. Posted November 2 2009 at 8:48 AM.
this is crazy. i fail to understand how fab misses in that list, not because i support arsenal, but simple..he is fantastic, greater that ballack.
By bil. Posted November 2 2009 at 7:48 AM.
It is a misnomer to include ballack in that list and omiting a star like fabrgeas. Ballack is a has been in soccer, his glory days are gone. Chelsea will pay a big price when these old guys are off the stage. There is no solid youth policy, even though they dont believe in that, but it will cost them dearly in the long run.
Fabregas on current form, is better than most of the names i saw there, but that is the way the politics of the game play out in Europe. His time will surely come to be the best player in the world.
By Nzekwe Asugha. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:26 PM.
Mario, you are a clown. Lampard fully deserves to be nominated, thoughnot win it.
By Chelsea Boy. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:07 PM.
it's the money that speaks and manure and chavski have it in abundance.
the powers that be are scared to upset the golden geese.
if the powers didn't tow the line they'd be out of the trough.
giggs getting that award last year is making football about as predictable as wrestling.
didn't fergie tell them he should have it?
By aisha. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:19 PM.
i agree with the author. cesc is way better than ballack and should be in the list. ah well. he wouldnt have won it either way so i dont care. i just want him to win it based on world class performances this season.
By mario. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:17 PM.
no i agree with article fabregas is one the best footballers in the world i rate him much higher then gerrard and i dont think ballack or lampard should be in there cesc is the captian of arsenal thats how good he is
By max. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:15 PM.
Ballack hasn`t done anything Fabregas really should be in he list.
By Matt. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:21 PM.
Fabregas aside, what is Ballack doing on that list. I cant remember him having anything resembling a stand out season.
By GunnerX. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:01 PM.
lets not forget ballacks outburst at the ref vs barcelona,hardly the behaviour of someone competing for the title of worlds best. also to be fair to selection commitee cesc missed a good chunk of last season
By vinnyjones. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:12 PM.
You are an idiot
By Peete. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:41 PM.