Hello all, hope you are all keeping well and safe. It’s a difficult time for everyone and football seems such an irrelevance, but life goes on, boredom sets in and we tend to retreat to safe ground. So here I am , writing an irrelevant blog about a long irrelevant player. Irony knows no bounds.
Yesterday I noticed that Arseblog had released a podcast featuring Cesc Fabregas, our former El Captain. Now under normal circumstances ,I doubt I would have bothered to listen, but these are not normal circumstances, and I dug in.
I have to be honest, and say I though it was a very good and interesting podcast. Arseblog asked all the questions he should have and Fabregas answered them all, there were the odd occasions that Arseblog attempted to get Cesc to be critical of Arsene, a bait Cesc, to his credit, refused to take, but in general, it was a fine podcast.
So the question I ask myself is did my opinion of Cesc change? The answer is yes, it did. However, not because I learned anything new. In fact everything he said about his leaving just confirmed what I had believed to be true at the time.
To be clear, Fabregas forced his way out, and let the club, his teammates the fans and Arsene down. He was selfish and ungrateful, he was a snake!
However, what did change is how I now feel about it.
He was our captain and best player, but he was just 24 years old. He had shouldered a great deal in the final 2 or 3 years and being just 24 that is a lot to ask of anyone. I believe he thought we were not in a position, especially financially, to win the big trophies, whether he stayed or not. I genuinely believe that had he though he could have made the difference, he would have stayed. I 100% believe he loved the club and Arsene, but Barca was calling. It’s easy for any of us to say we would have remained loyal, but unless you could walk in his shoes, with his head on, I’m not so sure.
The pain I felt, and the pain most fans felt, was so extreme because the boy meant so much to the club and us. He meant so much to us because he had given us so much, and there is nothing worse than a scorned lover. Well I was a lover, I was scorned and I became bitter and hateful towards him. He got the brunt of me being unable to cope with his loss.
What he gave from the age of 16, and for 8 years was special. He was a joy to watch and a credit to himself and his profession. All that he gave, all that he was, should not be forgotten because we think he should have considered us rather than himself.
There is a debate going on twitter as to who was best at their peak, Cesc or Ozil? And it’s a close one, that’s how good he was.
I am grateful to Arseblog and Cesc for that podcast. Not because I learned anything about Cesc, but because I learned my feelings towards him were about the way I dealt with, and processed, his leaving and not actually with him leaving.
Was he a Snake? Yes, he was. But for 8 years he was a prince, our prince. Now I’m happy to remember those glorious 8 years and accept he made a selfish choice at just 24 years old.
Positively Arsenal 
I will always remember how bummed out I was to see Cesc in Blue.
However he will always be Arsenal for me.
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It hurt then and still hurts.i love him and dislike him
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They definitely should of taken his flag down over the ARSENAL bridge. The problem is did he just make a mistake as a young man with the huge pressure of his home club calling him or did he compound that by coming back and playing for chelski. I think I could of forgiven for going after a period of time but putting on the blue shirt was unforgivable.
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Snake, and he was never as good as Özil.
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his leaving hurt almost as much as when Brady left
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The way he left was an abomination.Letting other barca players put on the blaugrana shirt on him without even thinking it might be hurtful to the arsenal fans was inconsiderate to say the least but I do understand him leaving us for a better club at the time.I just wasn’t happy with the way he did it that’s all.
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He could and, in my opinion, should have come back, but the club did not want him.
For my part, I think the club was wrong.
He must have realised that he made a mistake in leaving because Barca did not end up as being the promised land for him.
Yes, he won trophies, but he was always a bit-part player there and was let go as soon as they could get rid of him.
Had returned, most of the fans, including myself, would have forgiven him and our team would have benefitted.
However, it is water under the bridge.
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I’m not sure if the club didn’t want him but more about his wages coming from Barca and his agent knowing what chelski and other clubs were offering I doubt we got a look in.
Alot of players have gone over the years but it’s the way they left that matters. cesc will be considered a snake whereas Kolo is still a hero, stapleton always a Judas but Brady always the king.
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I feel that CF was open and frank about his desire to go back to Barca.
If you are looking for someone to despise, then RVP is your man.
CF never bad-mouthed the team or AW, just expressed a wish to go back home.
RVP did both.
I am not saying that CF is blameless, but he did not use or abuse his position or show the lack of gratitude that RVP did.
RVP got his winner’s medal but lost his good name.
CF’s good name was somewhat tarnished, but he still remains a player that many, if not most, remember fondly.
I do not think that many remember RVP in that way.
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Saint or snake, the complex nature of humanity means many are both.
Loved him as a player, did not like the way he left, but there are always other sides to the story, His home team came calling, a very manipulative club used to their own way, as we found out more than once, their demands for their own way went right to the top of the game. Barca provided the promise of trophies, perhaps more trophies than under a Riley inhibited, relatively austerity driven Arsenal in an era where the whole establishment were looking after the likes of Utd and Chelsea.
Read an article recently where Cesc more than hints at frustration we couldn’t close the Alonso deal, perhaps issues like that did play a part, who knows.
I also wonder if Wenger ever totally forgave him, we passed on a first option for a reasonable value buy back, though there may be a host of reasons why we passed on that.
But when someone or something so rare and beautiful brings such joy for a fleeting passage of time, perhaps best to remember for what they gave as opposed to what they took away, and just look forward to the next , and the one after
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The more cesc speak the more he proves he’s a snake. Saying nastri and rvp were the only players at his level is a disgraceful thing to say and slight on rosicky. A player I think was even better than cesc. He just needs to stop talking about arsenal. He’s never going to get that hero status he is looking for and he’s not getting any statue either. He left and his other two partners left as well but what happened later? 3 facups in. 4 years. Sagna and clichy left and bossed them at city yet they were not at his level. Nastri was rotten away on the same city bench. If cesc was that great, why didn’t he make it at Barcelona, oh! He was asked to play on the wing which he couldn’t do because his skills were limited to central midfield. Something that rosicky did for many years allowing him to play where he could only function. Something Ramsey did as well despite being a world class central midfielder.
Cesc pls leave us alone especially now that there is something bigger the world is grappling with.
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Anyone who scores a goal like he did against Spurs is ok in my book, whatever came later. An amazing goal, despite several spuds trying to break his legs. And talking of broken legs, there was that penalty. A special player
That was a superb team, it needed Fergies cheating, media silence and Riley embarrassing his profession to stop us in those days
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Everything he said was a lie. What actually has Robin done at arsenal when cesc was with us, he really hasn’t done much plus he was right behind adebayor and Eduardo. So that’s a lie there. Nastri just arrived and was a young player just enjoying playing for arsenal. That’s another lie.
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Cesc did not do well. he must have discussed at length with AW before the team was built around him so should have stayed… it was not too much to expect at all
the way him and RVP left means I remain unhappy with them till date
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Many loved and brilliant players have elected to leave, Brady, Stapleton, I think Viv Anderson, Thierry, and some have been lost through negligence, Ramsey for starters it would seem. Wasn’t happy losing Giroud either. In the near future, we could lose an excellent striker.
But when Cesc left, Ramsey and Wiltshire arrived, although Riley’s imposed but never written rules for the PGMOL did both players in terms of injuries. But ultimately, we got the wonderful Ozil, the only other Arsenal player I saw in the flesh with his talent was a Dutch God.
RVP left, we got Poldi and Giroud, neither as talented as the Dutchman, but loved watching both.
Footballers, no matter how loyal, or how much loyalty they claim, are always subject to temptation, as Tottenham supporters will find out soon enough. But I am sure Kane loves his club and the manager of the time, as did/does Cesc, Thierry, maybe even RVP, it’s just that sometimes, something more shiny comes along. But Sometimes, such players come along to us as well.
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Layksite. Well said.
The point is that players leaving the club for bigger clubs will never be called loyal. For instance Gerrard will remain a Liverpool legend for retiring there inspite reported interest from other clubs. Cesc Nasri RVP for me will never be remembered as Arsenal greats as they did not respected their father Wenger and the club itself. Infact my personal opinion on these 3 is that they were a bad omen to the club as they could not win a single trophy for the club.
However I would rate Rosicky and Sagna over them that they stayed at the club and won there FA cup trophy in 2013/14.
Rosicky was more fortunate to won another won the next year.
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Gerard s an interesting case, widely reported he was about to sign for Chelsea, reported to have visited Roman A’s yacht during the 2004 European championships. He also put in a transfer request in 2005. Loyalty is cited, as are more colourful theories as to why he stayed at Liverpool.
Carragher was also very loyal, but has his faults.
I would say the ultimate in loyalty, or one of them ,was Le Tissier, he was courted by many but stayed at Southampton, though some uncharitable types might say he was in a comfort zone and lacking ambition.
I don’t think the likes of Cesc , RVP etc can be blamed for us not winning massed trophies during his time, Chelsea bought trophies, Fergie bulldozed and blatantly cheated his way to them, Liverpool got bloody lucky , the English football establishment went out to do all they could for such teams, hence Yes man Mike Riley was put in charge of refs in 2008, no Arsenal manager or player could win against that, especially when our finest players were being cut down in their prime, literally.
The likes of Big Sam and Pulis , and the odious Phil Brown reduces to lying about Cesc, all LMA stalwarts, were as much part of Fergie apparatus as Riley and Scudamore, it is no coincidence teams managed by these two, and Fergie ex players inflicted some of the worst damage on our players. I am sure some of our best players knew exactly what was going on, they saw what was being done to Reyes and Nasri, and got out, cannot say I blame them.
I maintain the club should have done more about what was going on, I don’t know what as I am not a lawyer. And not blaming Wenger, he was silenced, he just fought on and did his best , but will throw some blame at our CEO at the time, without knowing the full facts of course, that’s another argument for another day.
Wenger may well be their footballing father, but people fly the nest, that is human nature in many cases. It doesn’t mean they disrespected Wenger. They may have left for a number of reasons, a new challenge, a home city, trophies, money, or simply to preserve their limbs and lengthen their career.
That said, the likes of Jack and Ramsey who stayed through this will have my undying respect and admiration
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Cesc was not as good a CM as Cazorla let alone Ozil.
We all know why as we all saw it.
He might have had a chance of having a better career then Cazorla but that opportunity was lost with the hack not called as a foul after which he could never complete a full season. I bet the lack of protection in the PL for Arsenal players not just Cesc was not a topic of this celebrity lauding interview by someone who can’t admit what we can all see on the pitch about the lack of protection but then again is that asking for too much sane and simple comment on the football from someone who repeatedly said that “Ozil and Ramsey can’t play together” after having watched them win three cups in four years.
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Hope all the PA crew are OK. Nice to hear from Andynic.
Hope all you’re vulnerable loved ones are in a good place.
Hope any of your loved ones working on the frontline anywhere in the world today are OK. They are the real heroes not callow spoilt young men basking in their own reflections who don’t know the meaning of that simple word Loyalty.
Unlike Ozil, Cazorla and most pointedly of late: Koscielny who became possibly my favourite arsenal player of all time after he finished Emery’s career with his exposure of the frauds (plural) at the club including the one or two still left. What a hero! What a warrior. And he played alongside Nasri, RVP and Cesc but apparently Cesc didn’t rate him? Meh.
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TBF it was a joint effort from all the senior Footballers left at the club or in the process of running away from the car crash that was to expose the Frauds.
Koscielny
Ozil
Ramsey
No real
Etc.
All of them enshrined in Arsenal history now and forever more no matter what our opinions, for reasoning that others apparently cannot understand. (Three cups in four years is a bit of a clue…!)
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< Monreal
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In terms of helping send Emery on his way, I would add Xhaka to that list of wonderful players and servants to this club.
Xhakas statement after the Watford game…or playing with fear.. wasnt the cowardice suggested by the media, it was a strong , respected character and captain making the most damning indictment of what was going on at the club. Then, Emery or whoever’s lack of backing of this seemingly popular captain for his human reaction to a series of events must have been the last straw for a bunch of players, I am sure many of whom were already left reeling at the treatment of the likes of Ramsey and Ozil.
But ultimately, as out of depth as he was, Emery was just a transient figure caught in the middle of bigger problems elsewhere, some of which remain.
Just so glad we have Arteta , clearly a strong character, certainly not a Raul yes man, a man who knows what an Arsenal team should be, and clearly knows how to work with and communicate with the players. I just hope that forces within the club don’t allow egos to run rampant and feel disposed to take Arteta on , that will not end well.
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Some advice for everyone
https://photos.app.goo.gl/z2CsS36vrAUs9Kut9
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The joy I felt watching that boy easily wipes out everything else…he is an Arsenal legend, symbolic of the Wenger era…I love him
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Which boy Georgie?
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Thanks Mandy, Xhaka was out the door as well until Arteta changed his mind.
Arteta.
Arteta was the le masia graduate who truly changed and left his mark at The Arsenal.
Not an opinion, just simply an acknowledgement of his record at the club.
The similarity with Cesc is that he might have done even more with the Gunners if his time with us hadn’t been cut short by a hack/stomp.
I’d like to hear an interview with Mikel Arteta on what it takes to win a league when the officials don’t ‘like’ you: Half the world’s petrochemical revenues? A points deduction for shouting at a Man Utd player etc.?
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it was good to see Sagna hit back at Cesc’s comments
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I said it Eddie, sagna for all his time with us was world class apart from the half a season when he came back from that injury. That can’t be said of cesc. He had lots of spells when he was only in the team because he was the captain. Unlike ozil, he shows passion which the pundits and the fans want to see but in actual sense, he was covering less distance than mesut and putting less work into the team. That is what sagna is saying. Sagna for many season the best right back in the league but he was not in cesc level but nastri was. That tells you cesc’s level.
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Level of snakes, rats and betrayers
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I find that I am indifferent to him now. I don’t care enough to be bitter anymore, which is the opposite of how I felt at the time!
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I hope folks are coping as best they can with current developments. They are clarifying for me; relevant to what we discuss here, that match action is what makes football special and important.
As for Cesc, I know I made some decisions at 24 that I would make differently now. Or that I would handle differently. So how can I hold a different 24 year-old, one pulled by multiple influences as well as public scrutiny, to a different standard?
It was encouraging to hear that he is reflective, to a point. If he had acknowledged, for example, that he as captain bore some responsibility for teammates who reacted frivolously to losses, that would have gone a long way.
It would also have been interesting to hear his thoughts on the officiating, risks, implications for him & the club (2008 especially), as others have pointed out.
Still, it was a decent distraction during chores and confinement.
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Just as a matter of interest did anyone listen to the advice I posted earlier
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Cesc….oh grumpy one…
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Good advice Ian, that I am following to the letter, I just can’t like at the moment!
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So the ECL and other European tournaments delayed, cannot see them happening this year? But who knows
Maybe Gives City a handy excuse to take advantage of the situation , capitulate to the authorities demands, but only to a degree, and claim this season as year one of their two year ban, or am I being cynical
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https://player.arsenal.com/video/analysis-key-changes-mikel-arteta-has-made
Clarke on the impact Arteta has made as a coach.
Which will hopefully go on in the future to match his impact and success as a player at the club. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the F Word’s football, I just enjoyed and appreciated Mikel more.
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Arteta on transfers: I’m planning two or three different scenarios that we can face. Depending on one of those three, we will be able to do more, less or nothing
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lots of nonsense being talked on the web today about how Arsenal players should take a pay cut for the good of the club, to pay the non playing staff or part time staff, or just to help get the clubs wage bill to a more manageable level.
Some want KSE to also funnel finances into the club,
oddly I’ve yet to see one of these fans suggest AFC not spend a penny on transfer this summer, or even sell off many of our better players to safeguard the financial future of the club, or pay the non playing staff etc etc.
also its very weird that so many of those who want the players or the owner to stump up the cash are totally opposed to clubs going down the government scheme of furloughing, surely its not all virtue signalling from these guys, can it
I wonder how many of them are willing to take a pay cut to help their employers overcome the hit the corona virus will have done to their business, I’d suggest not a damn one of them would willingly agree to a pay cut
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here in Ireland the biggest sporting body, the GAA has today suggested that after talks with Government health officials, that there may be no major sporting events in Ireland for the rest of this year. That the reality is that until either a treatment is developed or an antivirus is available then all that having sporting events or even festivals or music concerts etc, would do is cause a major outbreak of Covid 19 again.
Time the EPL and FA woke up to the reality of the situation
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https://www.arsenal.com/news/club-statement
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Have a feeling that in what might well be an era of football austerity to come, someone like Wenger upstairs might be a very good thing. Doubt if Stan would be one to disagree on that either.
Not saying I think it will happen , just sounds a good idea
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Hi All,
I hope you are all keeping well and staying safe!
I was challenged to the following on Facebook and figured what the heck, maybe someone here could use the distraction and want to play. If this is not ok, no worries i won’t post day 2!
Day 1
I’ve been given a task to choose a football ‘dream team’ consisting of players from my era, and I will only be including Arsenal players. One player per day for eleven consecutive days. It will be an unorthodox (for Arsenal) 3-4-1-2 formation. No explanations, no reasons, just a player for each position. ⚽️Gk Jens Lehmann
So if ok and some want to participate then good. I’ve only been following the mighty gunners since 2001 so i know many of you will have a far larger time frame to choose from. My picks are a blend of favourites and what I thought were most talented…cheers!
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Day 2
I’ve been given a task to choose a football ‘dream team’ consisting of players from my era, and I will only be including Arsenal players. One player per day for eleven consecutive days. It will be an unorthodox (for Arsenal) 3-4-1-2 formation. No explanations, no reasons, just a player for each position.
⚽️Gk Jens Lehmann
CB Sol Campbell
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I heard today via Twitter that George was not well. I just want to say that it was George who was responsible for introducing me to the online Arsenal world – and that this site has given me more than I can really quantify.
Keep fighting buddy – and l give you all my thanks and as much love as is socially appropriate given that you are a happily married man etc.
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AFC BAM
Flag of Cyprus
@ArsenalHomerton
Just received an update from @Juliogooner1
about George. He’s currently in Blackburn Royal Infirmity. He’s very ill with only 15% heart function. Let’s all pray for him. Very sad and upsetting.
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So sorry to hear that. Positive vibes sent out to George and his family, really hope he pulls through this
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Sorry to hear that worrying news about George. Let’s hope he pulls through
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Oh no, so sorry to hear this, hope he gets through it
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Just heard about George. Worrying. Thoughts with him and family.
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Get well soon George 🙏 all power to you. Can someone please keep us updated as often as possible.
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