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ESPN staff 9y

Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas: Thierry Henry assist record 'not an obsession'

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has told the Daily Telegraph he values assists as much as a striker values goals but says he is not obsessed with breaking former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry's record.

Henry holds the Premier League record for assists with 20 in the 2002-03 season, but Fabregas appears on course to surpass the Frenchman, having already set up 15 goals in the league this season.

"Of course, I would like to beat Thierry's record, but it's not an obsession," Fabregas said. "Sometimes you go five games without any assists and all of a sudden in one game you have three. It's always been a part of my game. I think every year I have good numbers in assists. I have a soft spot for assists and killer passes since I am very, very young. I like it."

He added: "You sense situations. I'm just thinking always for the next move, what will happen. I always try to look around before the ball comes to me, but I don't know specifically how I do it. It just comes naturally. Sometimes it goes good, sometimes it doesn't go good, but I try, I keep trying and I'm persistent in some final balls.

"You have to have the eye for it. You can see a pass and decide not to play it. Me, I see 10 passes and I will try eight, so I am very persistent. I know this will make me lose more balls than normal because I could play two-metre passes but, instead, I prefer to try for the 30 metre passes.

"I know like this I will always lose more balls, but at the same time I will create many opportunities for my teammates."

Fabregas said his favourite assist in Chelsea colours came when setting up Diego Costa to score in October's 2-0 win over Arsenal, and added that his pass to set up Andres Iniesta's winner the 2010 World Cup final "will always stay with me."

He also reflects fondly on his cross for David Silva's opener in Spain's 4-0 win over Italy in the Euro 2012 final and his superb chip for Dani Guiza in the 3-0 win over Russia in the Euro 2008 semifinal.

He said: "I remember assists like a goalscorer remembers goals. I have a soft spot for them. The pass I was disappointed that it wasn't a goal was the other day against Swansea.

"I hit a volley to leave Diego [Costa] one on one with the goalkeeper and he didn't score, and I killed him afterwards because it could have been one of my best ever."

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