DM is that fact about Fabregas' assists+goals being more than Xavi and Iniesta right? Sounds pretty crazy even for you
Actually I think its INiesta and Xavi together 4 assists 1 goal, with Xavi only having 2 assists though I forget the breakdown exactly.
Fabregas got 4 assists and one goal himself, but the other two played in more games and started almost all the ones they played, Fabregas had far fewer minutes on the pitch. But importantly most of the rest of the teams assists/goals were scored/made in the minutes Fabregas was on the pitch and Fabregas was often the key pass in a move that ended up in a goal.
He was by FAR the most effective player and theres a reason the Germans decided to double man mark Fabregas out of the final, which is coincidentally why Fabregas was less good and Xavi was so good in the final, they knew who the biggest threat was and marked him out of the game.
ALso keep this in mind, that season, Xavi and Iniesta both have their most prolific seasons ever in terms of assists and goals, Xavi had 36 assists or something mental(well the year after but roughly the same year). This season Fabregas had a far more prolific season in terms of both assists and goals per game, so compared to Xavi/Iniesta this is Fabregas's best season ever.
He IS better than both of them and Spain ARE a different team when he comes on.
In their final game before the world cup I believe Iniesta got 2 assists and got injured, Fabregas came on second half and got an assist and a goal. I personally am not saying drop one of them for Fabregas, but Fabregas is miles ahead of Cap de Villa, Busquets, Alonso, Silva and Navas, I honestly can't even remotely believe he wasn't brought on.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/17566/andrés-iniesta?cc=5739&ver=global
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/12907/xavi?cc=5739&ver=global
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/38886/cesc-fábregas?cc=5739&ver=global
click on the stats button UNDER the picture, not the spain stats.
Sorry, Xavi 5 starts, played almost every second 1 goal, 1 assist,
Iniesta 6 games played most minutes 2 assists
Fabregas 2 starts, 4 sub appearances(10-20mins into second half mostly) 1 goal, 4 assists.
Though I don't know the exact stats(ruddy hard to find) I know from memory that the majority of the goals scored by Spain were with Fabregas on the pitch and they scored very little without him playing. He was EASILY player of the tourney, if Germany hadn't marked him out of the game allowing Xavi space in the final he'd have won player of the tourney, very deservedly.
You can also see that Xavi and Iniesta form wise are WAY off where they were 2 years ago while Fabregas had his best season ever even though he broke his leg and had other injuries aswell. 2 seasons ago he managed 4 goals, on his Euro 2008 form, this season he score 23 goals.
This season Xavi, for a much much better team, got 6 goals and 19 assists in 16 more games than Fabregas, who got 23 goals 19 assists in 451 games. Iniesta has 1 goal and 7 assists in 46 games.
Fabregas has them both beaten, EASILY on form which is massively improved from 2 years ago where he was already better than both. Xavi and INiesta are WAY off their form of 2 years ago, Fabregas not playing is a complete joke.
FOr those that want to know, David Villa scored 4, Torres scored 2, 1 assist, Silva 1 goal 1 assist. Fabregas/Villa were the two best players in the team.
