Well it appears that Arsene has passed on the opportunity to re-sign the prodigal son. His most likely destination being the bus depot (That’s Chelsea where they park buses-oh forget it then)
Here is what I had to say last week
“The great Cesc Fàbregas debate rages on, fueled by idiots like me who tweet about it and write blogs about it.
Will he leave Barcelona ?
Do we want him ?
Do we need him ?
Is there a buyout clause-how much is it ?
Does Arsene want him ?
Would he disrupt the team spirit ?
Should we go for him just to stop someone else getting him ?
Would he “kill” Jack , Aaron, AOC or anyone else ?
Is he injury prone ?
Is he slow ?
And on and on and on go the questions.
Just like the Arense in/out debate, there is a full spectum of opinions. The fan base is divided .
Least we forget , this is a player that forced his way out of the club.
Arsene did not want to sell him and he had a long contract. The team had been built around him.
Arsene had trusted him to lead us forward in a very difficult time. He was key to the future of the team and the club. We were forced to sell him at less than the perceived market value. It was him who did the forcing.
At the time it was a crushing blow to everyone at the club.
He knew his importance . He knew the love the fans and staff felt for him, yet he forced his way out.
I don’t care a jot that he wanted to go home, win things and play with his mates. He let everyone who loves the club down. He chose to do that. Him, and him alone.
I care even less that he is savvy enough to bang on about his love for Arsenal, for me its just rhetoric. Its like a man who leaves his loyal and loving wife and goes back to his first love. Its poor form and he let us down.
He let me down, ! I was gutted .
Did he go on strike? I don’t know ! No one outside the club does. But I do know that Nasri played and he didn’t. Yet two days after he left he was playing with his first love, running around like a spring lamb.
Am I bitter? You bet your life I am !
However.
He is a fabulous player. He would be a huge asset to us now.
He could cover for Ozil and Ramsey(or alternate ,if you would rather) .
He would make us more dangerous going forward, score and assist as a given.
I believe that before he left he was the best player in the league, he was that good. He would be up there again I have no doubt.
Still, until the questions asked at the top are answered , its a redundant debate.
For the record though, if buying him did not adversely effect the purchase of players in positions that we have a greater need , I would be happy to see him back at the club.
My hypocrisy knows no bounds.”
It looks like Arsene has answered some of those questions and the conclusions he has drawn dont suit a huge swath of the fan base.
Many want the little Catalan cherub back , and cant see any excuse for the club not returning their sweetheart to their loving embrace.
For eight years almost all of us ,man, woman and child adored him. And why not ? He played his heart out with every different set of players that passed through the club.
Sometimes he had players around him that could help him mount a decent challenge on cups and titles. sometimes he had do drag lesser players behind him. But he always gave his best.
He loved us and we loved him.
Then he decided he wanted to go home. Let me repeat that , he wanted to go home
When he wasn’t simply bid farewell and good luck he made it happen. He forced his way out.
Under normal circumstances that would have been enough for most of us to feel sufficiently betrayed to lose our love for him. But three summers ago were anything but normal circumstances.
Three summers ago we were in full divided camp mode.
People wanted to blame Arsene , Ivan, Stan and the board for anything they could.
Who could blame our little Spanish darling for wanting out of a club like ours ? They said !
In other words he reaped the benefit of the prevailing mood.
Instead of blaming him for leaving us in the lurch, he became justification to attack Arsene and the club.
In my view, he made his escape relatively unscathed.
Finally (well for today at least) If he ships up at a hated rival, I wont blame him for that. I don’t care what he has said about loving Arsenal and hating others. I don’t think he can be accuse of hypocrisy. If we have had the chance to sign him, and we have passed, he is free to peruse his career anywhere that is best for him. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but hey-ho.
Good luck too him (bar twice a year).
Positively Arsenal 
Lets hope not Layksite.
But stranger things have happened.
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There’s always Tottenham
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Interesting take on events Layksite. I too hope he does not end up at Chelsea.
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well..while i was scratching my arse this morning i had this thought…… imo…if cesc comes back..then i would happily put jack a/o ozil a/o arteta on the bench…flamini cesc aaron …theo santi giroud….wonderful. ..and if we want to play ultra wengerball extra 3000 we play cesc jack aaron the trio in mid …. and ozil santi theo upfront….games will end 6-4 or 7-5 but thats ok….its all about entertainment.
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I wonder how much wages have to do with all of this? Read somewhere that he was after £200,000 a week, which is probably a bit more than what most of ours are on, but perhaps fairly standard at Chelsea and City. I don’t have the figures or the knowledge (but hoping some of you will) but I’m guessing that the intoduction of a new player on x inevitably leads to exisitng players wanting their money to rise accordingly. If so, then it is only telling half the story for anyone to say “he’s only going to cost £30m”.
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if he goes to chelsea, it means he wanted to spite wenger more than anyone. i’m sure cesc cant be short of offers from big clubs anywhere around the world. he can strenghten any team including madrid. that is why it is illogical for him to choose chelsea. except for the reason above.
and if he does, he will also regret it. as love can easily turn to hate so can hate make someone blind to reality. love is blind; hate is blind.
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and as far as im concerend…if we are making it cesc vs ozil…then cesc all the way…cesc is the better player i think and more combative …the other one is a bit of a diva that irritates me some times…
plus cesc will kick back when kicked….will spit on cunts like ballack….and will go in the tackle..and will score the penalty when the pressure is weighed in tonnes ..tempo master and the only one capable in world football to take over after pirlo…imo
cesc had two seasons with shocking numbers for a youngster playing in midfield
07-08 / 13 goals and 23 assists
09-10 / 19 goals and 17 assists
but dont get him now….get him in august …last day …shockwaves all over europe… fear the Arsenal
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foreverheady, it cant be money for cesc. remember he took a paycut to go to barca. and even if its about money, there are many clubs who can pay more than chelsea these days.
even if he is to return, i will not want us to pay more than barca pay him. but he is not a money grabber by any means.
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hunter, cesc can play with ozil if we go 442. get pogba/kedira to partner ramsey. or even flamini ramsey. then ozil and fabregas behind giroud and walcott.
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Hunter13
“well..while i was scratching my arse this morning i had this thought”
You are a cad!
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hehe northbank….. obscene dirty filthy and immoral…. all-in!
layksite i may be wrong but in my head the 442 must have wingers or ml and mr…in your last i read it as a 4222…or a 442 with no width…or im still drunk and cant read properly….how about 442 diamond?
……….flam…….
..cesc……aaron
………ozil……….
this though will require cafu and carlos as wingbacks..lol…..or sagna and a.(rseh)cole
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I suspect everyone is just about Cesced out then
Tomorrow England v Honduras which, if the Ecuador game is a fair indicator should result in a trip to the hospital for Jack and a raft of red cards for both sides.
Germany Armenia tonight I see – I hope Mesut has a bit of luck tonight as he has not really done himself justice in recent games for the national side and his confidence needs a boost.
On the transfer porn front the Armenians will be fielding Dortmund’s Mkhitaryan who, apart from having one of the more unpronounceable names in word football, might just fit the bill as an attacking midfielder/just behind Giroo kind of striker
Good player – I shall watch him
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Northbank
The only side I’m on is the one that tries to support the club, the manager and the players. This does not mean that when Gibbs misses a chance minutes before the end of the cup final to win the game that I was not asking if the youth coaches should have worked more on that right foot of his. I might have. Truth is having grown up playing a different sport I have no idea if going with with his left on that shot was the wrong call.
But I think it’s fair to say that I have little time for bollocks written about AFC. Let’s be fair, there’s quite a lot of it. The other day I saw the sad spectacle of a committed old groaner in the local Sainsbury’s trying to convince the cashier that AW was only successful because he had inherited GG’s back four. Out of charity we reeled off the names of the ’04 defence and Gilberto, wished him happy celebrations for the cup final, and shook our heads in disbelief: football fans have always enjoyed talking rubbish, we enjoy listening to them, of course we do. But how did it come to this? I’ll tell you: from Arsenal fans repeating bullshit propaganda such as: “Wenger doesn’t coach the defence” “Wenger doesn’t/won’t buy players etc…”
When you commented here the other week you mentioned Bould improving the defence. Maybe. But that is rubbish. Because you are taking away credit from those who have made the difference: the players. Most obviously Arteta, for reasons I don’t need to explain here, and Per for completing the holy triumvirate of three top top CBs at the club (now that Tommy V has regained some form*) which we have seen previously in successful Arsenal and AW teams, I don’t need to mention the names. Ramsey flourishing in CM next to Arteta, oil in the engine so to speak.
Bear in mind if I was a punter I’d have punted long long ago on Bouldy for next Arsenal manager. Whilst Groaners elsewhere (you know where) were groaning at his appointment I was turning C.Weah inspired somersaults. Of course, those groaning at his appointment went on to credit him with any changes they saw. ‘Confirmation bias’.
*on his return to full fitness Vermaelan had an unfortunate slip. Not several like Vertonghan this season who didn’t have any serious injury excuses. Let’s not forget Vertonghan’s pant pulling antics (incredibly not called as a penalty…incredible…) which was funnier then his slips. Yet the Belgium manager will go with Vertonghan’s at CB and Vermaelan at LB? Strange. I don’t really know, but I think it would be obvious that you’d swap the two over, especially given their form this past year.
As for Arteta. Occasionally he won’t play that early ball into the channels. Monreal, Gervais or someone else may get frustrated. But he picks his moments. Releasing Sagna to set up one of the goals in the cup games against Liverpool, his performance in the league game at home against Liverpool was also amazing. “Arsenal have no leaders” they idiots repeat as if they are zombies. Arteta almost went for the full Gilberto in the final, safety first after going two down! And he’s been a big factor in this team getting through this rebuilding process after the F-Word F’d off.
–
Why don’t people (in general, not Northbank) appreciate what they have, it’s a strange spectacle we are seeing: some Arsenal fans pining for a player who fucked off.
Surely the observation that a half fit Chamberlain was, again, England’s best player is of more interest. Chamberlain, when he was signed I remember the Groaners groaning: not another teenager!
I guess these days people are more interested in the transfers, the money, then the actual football.
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It will be interesting to see if the World Cup will drag some fans away from their obsessive compulsive obsession the transfer window Fins
In a lot of cases probably not
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Fins
I’m glad you were able to get that off your chest! *smiley*
anicholl5
The WC will drag me away from my obsessive lusting in the T……. W……… but apart from the final, all the games I will be watching will probably be those where Arsenal players are involved…….. and in the others, I’ll be watching the possible transfer targets who have been link to the Gunners. LOL
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some Arsenal fans pining for a player who fucked off.
granted…but IF he is coming back to the epl he should only come to us. noone else.
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Hunter, Cesc is not as good as Ozil, because Ozil is a better athlete..
Finsbury, you da man.
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that is why i wanted theo in the line up. ozil and cesc can always interchange while the full backs can give us the width. theo has to be mobile as well to create space and receive passes from cesc and ozil. mind you, i ddnt say the only formation, but that they actually play together.
i like your diamond too. i can as well put khedira in place of flamini in your diamond.
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Great rant Fins. Pound to a penny that when Arteta eventually leaves it will be a case of “strange how those we miss the most are those we take for granted.” I am with NB with regard to the World Cup but also have to take into account my boy’s preferences, who has selected Brazil and Spain as his teams to support (it would have been Poland had they been in the competition, as there is only one player in the world for him) and my daughter who being an Ozilphile is resolutely sticking with Germany. They won’t have England at any price: when I try to suggest things like “it’s your patriotoc duty to support your country” they roll their eyes and ask why they should be interested in any team that involves wayne pooney. If it wasn’t for Jack I’d agree with them – and on that theme, how exciting was Ox the other evening, and why, with that pace and skill, wouldn’t he in time become more of a striker than a midfielder.
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It’s June. Arsene Vulture has taken to the skies of Europe (via Brazil) again. I can’t imagine that he will be landing again till towards the end of August*. The Malaga remains the year before, Levy’s carcass last summer. Plenty of hot air will be used by those dirgibles that attempt to track the soaring old bird. I wouldn’t bother. The sun is out. It’s Friday afternoon. Arsenal won the cup! I’m ignoring Chambo’s injury here. Ignorance is bliss.
*As confirmed again this week the Ozil transfer took months to negotiate. Levy had to be humiliated, in public, at his own sado-masochistic instistance. Demented full blown WOBs still choose to believe that the Ozil deal was negotiated in five minutes, then again they made no secret of their admiration for Levy.
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“Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger being helped by Zinedine Zidane…”
Hehe. The reason why the above quote taken today from newsnow is funny is that it probably applies to this time last year! Tottenham may have had their special relationship (don’t laugh!) with Real Madrid, whilst Arsene could just Facetime Zizou.
I’m so glad Arsenal won the FA Cup because it allows me to indulge the unbelievable hilarity that was last summer’s Transfer Window. Possibly the funniest transfer saga of all time, I could not have invented a more perfect tale ending with Levy stranded in the Arsenal directors box watching his expensive signings beaten by an unchanged Arsenal eleven whilst he waits to make his big announcment (That he’d sold Bale and Arsenal had signed Ozil!). No Ozil at the time, but all those Arsenal players knew he was on the way, and they wanted the win. Levy really thgought it was his moment, I cant emphasise that enough. The end of the previous season, after the infamous spiral of decline comments and result, Tottenham High Road was decorated with “to dare is to do” Tottenham supporting banners. They came down before the end of the season!
That transfer saga was not to be under-appreciated unless you had allowed yourself to be deceived by Groaning propaganda.
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FH
Possible variations in Arsenal line ups in three years time?
Back Five:
CM: Ramsey/ A.N.Other(?) – Ramsey/Wilshere/The Ox – that awesome cameo against Brazil from CM and other efforts may be rewarded with a place in the squad this summer even though he is unlikely to be fit, which will be a nice gesture from Hodgson. Loyalty. We like that here on PA.
AM: Ozil/Wilshere/Nitrous-Oxlade/ I suppose at this moment Ramsey could play anywhere…but I’d keep him in CM. I see Wilshere being able to play in CM or in AM. I think England need him more at AM then Arsenal.
Right: Walcott/Ozil/Chamberlain/Campbell/Gnabbers/Wilshere(Marseille game)/Akpom!
Left: Oxlade/Ozil/Walcott(has played there, but for ninty minutes?)/Gnabbers(?)/Campblell(?)
CF ‘lumps’: Giroud/Sanogo
CF ‘other’: Walcott/Chambo/Campbell/Ozil/Gnabry/Akpom!
Assuming Joel Campbell returns and not including any new signings or promotions. Expect for Akpom of course. I think he might make it (I have no idea, but he’s quick!).
Arsene’s CM fetish was never as extreme as young Pep’s, but we can see that there is and has been something exciting going on. However it is also clear that in Adebayor, Bendy and finally in Giroud there was always an intention to have some variation. Unfortunately we lost the ability to vary this past season with all the players who can play as more direct attackers out. Be interesting to see how a finally fit Podolski gets on for Germany at the WC, heard he had a good cameo the other day.
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Mustn’t forget how well the current squad adapted to circumstances before Christmas. The intellgence shown by Ramsey and Ozil, their runs, well, it was all quite good.
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@ layksite June 6, 2014 at 10:46 am
He took a paycut to join Barca because he was desperate to go, not because he doesn’t care about money. I’m not suggesting he’s a total mercenary, but, hey.
@ finsbury June 6, 2014 at 4:32 pm
heh heh – that was such a sweet victory in so many ways!
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His net wages went up when he left for Barca.
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Here’s a Chelsea blogger trying to make sense of a possible Cesc transfer. Fucking hilarious. They are wondering whether Cesc will be able to defend.
http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/6/6/5785442/cesc-fabregas-tactical-analysis
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For some reason I am up, so I want to add my thought to this great post and comments, I suppose if we are going to discuss it. Let’s av it!
Someone reminded me the other day of Cesc’s body language as he sat and looked very disinterested at the Emirates Cup alongside Vela. There is no doubt about it, he did force his way out and in the same fashion of Hleb (who he aided and abetted years before).
I stopped wearing my rose tinted glasses about Cesc after a certain 2-3 derby loss year’s ago, I was at that game and to this day I try not to talk about too much as I start to get angry. Hardly anyone complained about Cesc directly, but I think he was substandard in that game and didn’t play or captain the team well, he was a big part of the reason we lost.
By the time the clumsy Messi assist came along to break the deadlock from Cesc(after every player had put their body on the line defending), whilst he was still playing for us and his lack of real remorse made me think we might need to part ways with him. Any other player would of been hounded out the club but Cesc was again given a lot of leeway and forgiveness.
Last year when he was quietly being shopped around by Barca, the over the top clamour for Cesc ‘to come home’, had me shaking my head. Anelka and Hleb also constantly said nice things about the club so that they could garner press attention and see if the door for a return could be opened, Cesc was not the first and won’t be the last (Song will be looking for work soon elsewhere too). When I tried to highlight that Cesc had been struggling and wasn’t playing particularly well for Barca, last year. I caused no end of arguments because Barca had won the title, whereas I maintain Maureen lost the title. I don’t think bringing a player back, who is low on esteem and has issues would be good for the current squad, who have a tight knot, positive hungry spirit. Barca as many knew, did not need Cesc and spent a lot of time trying to accommodate him. I don’t want us to be in the same position and have the added job of rebuilding his esteem, it’s far too costly.
Years ago, Cesc made it clear to us that Arsenal was not his home, even though the fans, club and the manager did everything they could to make him feel other wise.
Apparently DNA trumps, investment, development, respect, love and a captaincy.
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And one final thought before I wander off, would playing Maureen boring football, end Cesc’s international career?
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Of his usurper, Mr Taktouk sneered and claimed: ‘He is 25 and a fool. She went after him and she would leave him as soon as his money and fame run out. He is no David Beckham.’
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pedantic george
June 6, 2014 at 2:00 pm
i agree ozil is faster and more agile but cesc has more stamina. the control and tempo as well as authority he had on games aged 19-20-21 i have never seen it before…especially in a stage like the epl or the champions league. he thinks fast, executes fast and very accurately whatever he has in his mind. the fact he has to keep in his mind the movement of the rest of the team and know where/when to play the long, when the short one-two and when to raise/slow makes him to me more important. the heartbeat and organiser. ozil can be fantastic in his attacking forays with great elegance in his movement. however he can only play with his left, his right is only for stability purposes. cesc is more two-footed. it depends whose position and role you value most in the squad. both in the same team ? orgasm.
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have to say, my only reference of both are their arsenal years. i have not seen cesc at barca and what he does nor did i ever follow ozil before he came to us.
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Cor that Marco Reus – injured yet again – serious yet again – dodged a bullet there (banned winkey thing)
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Layksite, possible, but unlikely scenario. The buy-back was a sensible insertion and had things turned sour when our need was greater, who knows? But as Gooner Gal and Fun Gunner point out, Cesc may just be a day late and a dollar short. He probably assumed he would automatically be taken back to AFC, but as a former captain and star player, his presence may disrupt the current team spirit as Seebs alluded to in his excellent post the other day. As good a player as he is, perhaps Arsene is letting his head rule his heart in recognition that his style no longer fits how we want to play. Given that his girlfriend and daughter are in London, a move to Chelski has some logic as they are the only other London team in the CL. Plus if you are going to have to swallow your pride and take slim pickings, you might as well go where you are going to get a good chunk of pocket change for it.
I recognise that my initial reaction in wanting him back was a sentimental one based on the memory of the good, fear of the damage he could do to us while playing for one of our rivals, whilst forgetting the potential downside of the return of the prodigal son. AW is the right man to make the best decision for the club leaving aside emotions and I will always trust him to do that. Oh, and if the supposed selling price is correct, thanks for screwing us over once again Barca, by ensuring that we do not get 50% of any profit from a sale exceeding what we originally sold him for, which is also allegedly part of the clause.
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I am surprised to see you accusing Barcelona screwing us over “again” Pass
We have sold player after player to the Catalans and received £millions back
Overmars Petit Hleb Cesc Song Thierry
At the time I was sorry to see them go but I am hard pushed to identify one who was a success at the Camp Nou – as last years and the current efforts to unload Cesc underline
Barca should run a mile if they hear Arsene is on the phone
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anicoll5 – I meant that they took him on the cheap at a time when he was an important player for us. As much as we have recovered now, I’m sure we would not say no to a cut of any profit available if we can’t make use of the player. Or maybe the price reflects the fact that he has stagnated and not kicked on the way he was expected to based on his early promise at Arsenal?
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I hope Cesc enjoys being teammates with John Terry. Hahahahaha
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I wanted him back for obvious reasons, but I don’t feel sorry for the way in which Barcelona have ditched him. It’s in their DNA to be massive pricks to anyone who doesn’t fit into their little clique.
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Very true Pass – I remain puzzle why ManYoo are n
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WTf ?
… ManYoo are not still in the equation – he would be a perfect signing for them
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Manure’s problem is no CL football and not being in London.
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Passenal
I couldn’t imagine Cescs missus living in the wilds of Cheshire? But then again, like Sagnas missus, who cares when you’re getting an extra £50k a week.
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@ Passenal I agree with you wholly (and Fungunner), Cesc was on the fringe of being a global superstar and was worth at least about £50-60m when he went to Barca, look at the Bale deal – we got shafted. He left Arsenal 1 or 2 years too soon and is a season or two too late now on return.
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Cesc missed a penalty tonight…. if he’d been called Jonny Wilkinson he would have been a hero. I wonder how much his price dropped, from 35m down to 20m perhaps.
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Reading back what I wrote previously, it does come across strongly as a case against the guy. I am not saying I would boo him or be angry if he came back to Arsenal. My main issue is this, above any individual player, manager or board member – I support Arsenal FC and to that end I want us to do well, even better than last year.
So if we only have a certain amount in the transfer money pot, I don’t want the biggest chunk going on Cesc for sentimental reasons. I want an additional GK, RB, CB and striker. Midfield is well stocked and to be honest I am more excited to find out if Serge Gnabry (who i’ve always tipped to breakthrough) can develop even further and if Gideon Zelalem can make the step up to the first team.
It feels like Arsenal are ready to move to the next level and this Cesc ‘poor life choices’ stuff feels like a red herring.
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@ Northbank – Lukaku got sent to Everton for such a heinous crime…
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Who else thinks England and the word ‘washout’ is ominous for the WC?
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Goona Gal
And now Cesc may get sent to Coventry, If you are making an analogy for England being a washout, Belgium are my outside bet to get to the final, did you see the hail stones during that game… like fucking tennis balls.
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@ Northbank…I’ve drawn Belgium in one of my sweepstakes, got £200 on the line.
…I wonder how far Coventry is from London….could be a compromise for the old bird..
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LOL Goona Gal
If I was Cesc I wouldn’t live in Coventry……… I’d rather live in Blackburn, and that would be bad enough.
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You would hate Blackburn, its the arm-pit of England.
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