I always found myself in the minority when Cesc Fabregas or Van Persie left, angry they were gone but never angry at them.
They were two great players who deserved medals, it would have been a tragedy if neither had won the Premiership.
Both gave it their all at the Emirates but reached a point when it was obvious there was zero ambition from our owners to be anything else but a top 4 side.
Fabregas never made a secret of his love for Barcelona; it was always a case of when and not if he would return to where he grew up. Yet when he left the Nou Camp the second time it was our choice not to take him back.
Mr Wenger has since admitted we had a buy-back clause that we chose not to take up even when the midfielder made it clear that was his first choice.
Not for the first or last time, saving money was more of a priority then making the squad as strong as possible.
Blaming him for joining Chelsea when we rejected him? I don’t see that logic at all. That was my outlook before his interview this week on the Arsecast podcast where if his intention was to fix a few fences with gooners it worked?
While I never doubted that our former captain always gave 100 percent, it sounds like he went above and beyond to convince his employers to buy Xavi Alonso.
It seems in 2008 his Spanish teammate and close friend wanted the transfer to happen and used his countryman as a go between.
That’s the type of signing which could have turned a young side from challengers into winners. Real Madrid gave Liverpool 30 million. 30 million to dramatically improve your midfield. It’s the kind of capture which might have made him think twice about Spain. Instead, the moment you hear the owners say no, you ask your agent to hurry up and get in touch with Barca.
Cesc Fabregas debuted for us at 16 and became the leader of a side who just needed that added experience to get over the line.
The narrative has always been he pushed for a transfer years before he got his way. In reality he was doing everything he could to make Arsenal as good as they could be, going as far as trying to tap up his friend. He’s shown class in waiting this long to give evidence which confirms what we knew, Stan Kroenke didn’t show the ambition to convince him to stay. Which is kind of what Van Persie said in his ”little boy” statement.
I really don’t see how either can be painted as the bad guy? Can you?
Dan Smith
He shouldn’t have talked. Just charmed old Queens – and throwing slices of pizza at famous football managers. In other words, his two best qualities. I’ve always liked Cesc. Still do. One outstanding talent. If Mikel Arteta had a Cesc Fàbergas in his squad, he would be happy. No saint, no snake. Just a h*ll of a ballplayer.
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Cesc did nothing wrong – with the loser mentality the squad had and still has (or else we would not have thrown games away like Olymp. and Chelsea at Baku), he did what was in best interest for his career, so did Ox, RVP, Nasri, win when you can win, not to remain in a club where there is no impetus to win. And Arsene relied on Ozil, so he did not want a healthy competition for match day line ups, so he cared not to re-sign him. Cesc would have repayed Arsene due to his loyalty, while Ozil just cares a damn for the coach. Just ask Arsene, Unai, Freddie. Sad for Arteta, he keeps playing him.
Loser mentality? Since Cesc left, we were in 6 finals if memory serves me right and won 3. The arsenal team that won 3 and 3 CS in 4 seasons wasn’t as talented as the Cesc played in.
Loose Cannon, reading your quote “Arsene relied on Ozil, so he did not want a healthy competition for match day line ups, so he cared not to re-sign him” I shake my head in absolute disbelief.
To think that you actually believe that, is beyond comprehension.
Why wouldn’t Wenger want competition in every position?
Cesc is re-writing history a tad, forgetting that he went on “strike” to get the move, showing no loyalty in order to get the move.
AW tried to keep him at the club, as Cesc himself says, but was forced into letting him go…then Cesc expected to welcomed back with open arms….after the club had just been forced to pay over £40,000,000 for a replacement.
Cesc has done nothing wrong, just giving his side of the story and leaving out some of the finer details that do not paint him in the light he wants, but nevertheless, a true talent.
I would love to ask him what club he sees as his favourite, chelsea, Barcelona or The Arsenal now? I certainly believe it’s our fan base that recognize him as a class act the most.
He gave his all while at the club and, if he stayed, would have become a legend – he decided to fulfill his homeland dream (which I respect and understand fully).
The next best thing to a legend then, but so far ahead of the “little boy” in his actions and love for the club, comparing them is an insult to Cesc and the fans.
Will always have my vote, although it must be said that when he returned to The Emirates with chelsea, he received a rather hostile reception from some sections of the crowd – something I suggest Adams, Bergkamp, Henry etc would never experience.
My problem with him is how he bought his tranfer.
Excellent and sensible article Dan with fine human views. I do not actually agree that you are in a minority, though, who support Cesc. There are undoubtedly a number of hothead fans among ALLclubs and we have a fair share on here. I much dislike unfairness, because it also means unthinking, which to my mind is always a big NO NO. You and others have sensibly asked the obvious question, what on Earth was Cesc suppose to have done after Arsene rejected the clear chance to return him here. Retire or give up his career prehaps? Become a season ticket holder at Arsenal OR and sensibly , realistically and fairly, ply his trade with whichever other top level club, unlike Wenger, fully recognised his still world class ability?
For every mercenary like CASHLEY, ADEBAYOR and others, there are a number of foreign players who after having been in our PREM for a few years , quite naturally and understandably, to fair minded fans, feel the human urge to go back to their native country. Yet SOME, would have Cesc ostracised for being a human, it seems!
At this bleak time we are being daily reminded more and more about how decent humans behave. Should not ALL of us who have been unfair, NOW try to behave like real humans always should and stop blaming others, even those who have left our club, from acting like the fellow humans that they AND all of us actually are!
As in every other walk of life, there are a few selfish and mercenary players but when the chips are down we can see how fundamentally decent the vast majority are. Why not make sue that WE are all, personally, fundamentally decent and fair minded too!