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5 Chelsea players Antonio Conte should axe in January

By Rucker Haringey

COBHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Antonio Conte of Chelsea during a training session at Chelsea Training Ground on September 23, 2016 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
COBHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Antonio Conte of Chelsea during a training session at Chelsea Training Ground on September 23, 2016 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 24: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea is dejected after Arsenal score during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 24: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea is dejected after Arsenal score during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

2. Cesc Fabregas

Don’t be distracted by Fabregas’ involvement for Chelsea as of late. He still is a poor fit for the way Antonio Conte wants the club to play. He is not, I repeat not, a reasonable facsimile of Andrea Pirlo in the middle of the park.

In other words, he doesn’t have enough offensive talent to make up for his lack of athleticism in the midfield. To do so, you have to be a Pirlo level passer. Fabregas is excellent on the ball, but he isn’t on that level.

Fortunately for the Spaniard, they’ll be quite a bit of transfer interest in him if Chelsea makes it known he’s available. Reasonably intelligent clubs will talk themselves into believing that he still has enough quality on the ball to overcome his defensive weaknesses. It isn’t true, but it’s a nice fairy tale that some club will tell themselves.

Unlike most, I don’t think Conte has any sort of personal problem with Fabregas. I simply think he sees him for the player he is. Fabregas is an athletically limited midfielder who has above average skills on the ball. That doesn’t cut it for a Premier League side with top four aspirations.

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