Fabregas goes to Barca for £35million

[Power n Glory]

My tuppence worth.

AFC has not covered itself in glory over this saga. Its destabilised us for 2 years - and IMO the club is guilty of sending out mixed messages. Its says that the player isn't for sale, then changes this to the player is for sale, but only at our valuation, then sells below the valuation anyway. Basically, everyone out there knows that we will cave in eventually.

In particular AW is guilty of playing this wrong. First the armband - like his previous 3 captains - is used in a misguided attempt to instill some loyalty. But he has basically cheapened the captaincy, and this IMHO has affected the general regard in which our club is held by its own players. Second, by his refusal to accept that the writing is on the wall. I feel strongly that he convinced Fabregas to give us one more season to win something, last year. But instead of planning properly for his depature he thought that he could convince him to stay again - and totally misread the situation.

But for all that, we should not forget the biggest factors in this saga. The first is our failure to win anything for 6 years, finishing 4th more often than not. The sad truth is that this alone will see our best and most ambitious players wanting to leave - and the club's room for manoevre in transfer/contract negotiations is massively reduced in these circumstances.

The second is the player himself. Because it is first and foremost Fabregas himself who has allowed Barcelona's tactics of grinding us down to be so successful. He has done it more intelligently than some other players have in the past, but in essence, he has effectively been on strike all Summer and made it crystal clear that his bridges are burnt. He has given us more service than Nasri, so comes out of this with a little more credit than him, but the bottom line is Fabregas has allowed Barcelona to fuck us over - and that is what he will be remembered for, in my eyes. So I won't be wishing him the best - I am completely indifferent to what happens to him now, and would simply like to forget that he was ever an Arsenal player.

We've done this to ourselves. We've had all summer to show some ambition and get signings in, start a new training regime, new tactics and it's all business as usual. Wenger is a selfish bastard.

When Henry was thinking about joining Barca, Wenger convinced him to stay and I'm certain he promised Henry that change was on the way. The following summer, after signing a new contract, it was the same old. That pissed Henry off and was part of reason why he flew off the handle about us signing new experienced players like SWP. That was the final nail in the coffin for Henry's Arsenal career.

We broke the bank for Henry and we did the same for Cesc. They're not asking for massive wages, armbands and bribery. They won't the silverware and glory of being champions. Wenger tries to suffocate this ambition with bribery, sweet talk and lies. That father figure shit is manipulative and he uses it to his advantage. Wenger would have been quite happy for Henry to babysit while he's out securing his own legacy.

[Darth Vela]

start a new training regime, new tactics

Has Szczesny been bullshitting us then? Never trust a Pole.

As for all the manipulation and lies, I think you're overplaying the fact that he's very persuasive, rather than outright lying, in fact I seem to remember Henry saying that he asked Wenger whether they'd be able to compete in the next few years, Wenger told him the truth and let him go off to Barca.

[Power n Glory]

Has Szczesny been bullshitting us then? Never trust a Pole.

As for all the manipulation and lies, I think you're overplaying the fact that he's very persuasive, rather than outright lying, in fact I seem to remember Henry saying that he asked Wenger whether they'd be able to compete in the next few years, Wenger told him the truth and let him go off to Barca.

Wenger said we spent 90% of our training time focussing on ball on the ground work, technical stuff and movement or something like that. Sounds like the usual guff. Wouldn’t it make more sense to focus more time on your weak areas? 10% isn’t enough. If I just failed my driving exam because I can’t parallel park, wouldn’t it be wise to spend more time mastering that manoeuvre since I know that’s where I fall short? Why spend 90% of the lesson on the road if you’re super comfortable and confident in that area?

I could be wrong of course and they may actually be in training practicing these things. But whatever he’s teaching them wasn’t working in Pre Season against teams that aren’t that good or as tough as the guys we’ll face in the Prem. Negligence or incompetence? It just doesn’t look good and I hope we suddenly spring to life on Saturday and they’ve been saving it all for the Prem.

[Özim]

Wenger said we spent 90% of our training time focussing on ball on the ground work, technical stuff and movement or something like that. Sounds like the usual guff. Wouldn’t it make more sense to focus more time on your weak areas? 10% isn’t enough

You forget we're 2% away from domination though.

[Darth Vela]

Isn't working? I actually thought we looked quite organised and well drilled on set-pieces, certainly whenever Squillaci wasn't on the pitch anyway, I guess that's pretty subjective until we see how it does in the long-term Premiership assault we usuall suffer though. That's our achilles heel and we've worked on it, along with a concentration on bringing in more pacy, direct and stronger players I'd say that there's changes being made, they may not be enough and if the new CB is a bit shit then we'll still have problems but it's something. I know those 90% comments seem pretty bad but it was mostly in reference to our German training camp and I doubt it is an entirely accurate stat to start with, Sczczesny said they've been working on set-pieces and I've seen an improvement in them so whatever the ratio, it's working alright imo.

If we bring Squillaci on at HT every game in the Premiership then these pre-season games probably will be great indicators of where we're going but our first choice defensive unit has looked pretty solid.

[Master Splinter]

Hope this cunt is booed the fuck out of town when/if he comes back with Barcunts. And any message he leaves for the fans spouting BS should be spat on. He is truly scum of the lowest order

Slimy little bitch, he is.

And uber cunt, of course.

[Marc Overmars]

Unfortunately for Cesc he is always going to be the guy that was the face of the club throughout the most frustrating period in Wenger's tenure.

[Cripps_orig]

He will now be known as the poster boy of failure.

or Cunt for short

[Master Splinter]

JSAO put it best in the Transfer thread:

....great player and on his day a joy but at other times a laboursome deadweight that dammed the flow of play.

Or cunt for short.

[GunnerFan4Life]

El Mundo Deportivo suggesting that Juan Mata will finally complete his move to Arsenal once Cesc Fabregas leaves for Barcelona

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