Written by Mean Lean
on
Tuesday, 28 June 2011 20:41
Oh you've caught me on a bad day today, I am feeling worse for wear as I am writing this. Kept awake by a ruthless combination of a chest infection and insane heat. I haven't slept a wink and I am not happy about it. My sleeping pattern is all messed up now, hence the late post.
Cesc Fabregas is the talk of the day as the BBC revealed yesterday that a senior Arsenal official had said that Arsenal were willing to let Cesc Fabregas leave the club for the right money. The only news in that is that an Arsenal source had said. The rest is absolutely nothing new whatsoever. We have all watched the film, we know the storyline. Cesc Fabregas is contracted to Arsenal, he has a number of years on his contract but he would like to sign for Barcelona. Barcelona want him but are not keen on his valuation. As far as I am aware, zilch has changed.
Last year our stance regarding Cesc was different to this year, at least publicly. We sent out an official statement on the club website telling the world and his dog that Cesc Fabregas is staying at Arsenal and whoever is interested can basically piss off. I do not remember Arsenal doing that before but this time round the situation appears different, but it will only be different if Barcelona can wave something in front of Arsenal that we are interested in. Which would be a fat load of cash or perhaps Messi.
I guess the question would be, why talk to the BBC about this? Perhaps Arsenal would like to get the ball rolling, perhaps Arsene wants his squad sorted out as soon as possible. Perhaps he cannot make the signings he needs until Cesc has been sold. I do not know.
What I do know is that I want our captain to stay at Arsenal for next season but I have the feeling that it could well be wishful thinking as Barcelona are in the process of selling off some of their squad players. If they put up the cash then I think we will move onto a new chapter.
Players come and go and the saying that no player is bigger than the club is true but it doesn't stop the club from missing the quality of certain players. The club is obviously bigger than the likes of Bergkamp, Henry and Vieira but at the same time the club would be better off with either of those players in their prime in the squad. Wouldn't you say?
I am dreading the time when/if I read the 'Arsenal and Barcelona agree fee for Cesc' headline, that would be a sad moment but I think I should try and mentally prepare myself for that because it certainly isn't impossible.
No one wants to think about it, we all know it will happen someday but we may have to face it and think about how to prepare for life after Cesc. I don't want to upset you with it but it is the cycle of life.
The reason for my apprehension is that our current system is built around our skipper. He is the one who pulls the strings, the player who can spot the runner and play that decisive pass. I love Aaron Ramsey, I love Jack Wilshere I also love Abou Diaby, all have their own unique qualities but none of them can do what Cesc does, I am not sure if they will ever be able to do exactly what Cesc does. Those three mentioned are central midfielders where as Cesc Fabregas has always been a playmaker.
One thing that will hurt the most if Cesc does leave this summer will be the fact that we would not have had the chance to see Cesc and Van Persie play a full season together, or at least close to a full season. Maybe they were fit as youngsters but not as senior players. Regardless of set piece problems or experience or anything else that we are told we do not have, if those two had been fit over a full campaign then we would have won trophies. It may not be fact but it is Mean Lean fact for today.
If Cesc is sold then I wonder if Wenger will tweak the system once again to accommodate for the change of personnel rather than shifting someone else in that role to do what the best player in that position has previously done for many years. I do not think that Samir Nasri is that type of player, his tally of one Premier League assist provides evidence that he is not a provider for others, at least not yet. While Arshavin does provide a high number of assists and a great burst from that area, does he have either the stamina or the ability dominate a game from that area of the pitch? I am not so sure.
We have seen tweaks and changes over the years as different players come and go. Petit and Vieira were two strong powerful midfielders that allowed the wide men to licence to support the front men but in 2011 the game is often about possession vs bus parkers. I do not see how playing two defensive midfielders week in, week out would help us pick up regular points against negative sides.
Sticking all our eggs in an Aaron Ramsey style basket would be a massive risk in my opinion and I think our upcoming season is too important to put so much pressure on his shoulders, especially after such a bad injury. He is not far away from becoming a permanent fixture in the side and I am sure he would have been if it hadn't have been for Shawcross but if Cesc leaves then we need to replace him with a difference maker of real quality.
All very depressing stuff really and I kind of hope that I am worrying for nothing. I felt pretty cool about it all last season but that feeling is different this time round.
Anyway, I have had my late night moan. I shall grab a hot cuppa lemsip, get back into bed and feel rather sorry for myself.
Back tomorrow.
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