Quote Originally Posted by 21_GOONER_SALUTE View Post
Wow, though I've enjoyed being invisible for a while, this Wheelchair bashing needs to be put in the right perspective, especially when you lot bring up the inevitable Cesc comparisons.

For those currently too traumatised to remember, Cesc played his first 150 games in Arsenal with the likes of all/one of Henry. Vieira, Edu, Gilberto, Freddie, Sol being on the lineup 95% of the time. He learnt at the best period ever to learn at Arsenal (for an attacking player anyway), when we as fans were still caught up in our shinny new stadium, Henry's awesomeness and our histroy making Invincibles. There was NO PRESSURE. In fact his only real competitor for playing time for the experience he needed was Denilson, FACTS.

He NEVER CARRIED OUR TEAM till he'd played a 100+ uninterrupted games (no long term injury or loan periods) and that was the 2007 season when Henry waned and got injured. A simple look at Wiki will confirm this in his stats. 13 goals in a 150 games. Then Henry leaves and the rest is history.

Please before you lot crucify the best natural thing to happen to Arsenal in a generation, take a f**kin breather and you'll see you are just venting misplaced Wanger
Cesc and Jack are just different types of players. Cesc had some fantastic players around him but I’d say he learned a great deal at Barca on how to control a midfield with his passing. He just has better vision, positioning and passing skills. He’ll look for pockets of space in the midfield call for the ball and he already knows whose making run, whose open to receive the pass before he’s even touched the ball. He just thinks quicker and sees the more earlier. Plus he’s able to execute the perfect pass when he sees it. Jack just isn’t that sort of player. He’s not a deep laying midfielder and more of an attacking midfield player with his dribbling skills. He just needs to learn how to shoot.

But we really miss a player that has the ability to keep things ticking in the middle. I have no idea why Rosicky isn’t starting more games because he’s the sort of player that can do it. Arteta has been a huge disappointment because I would have thought he’d be the type I’m talking about. Before Cesc started adding goals to his game he was the young Xabi Alonso/Xavi/Pirlo. That’s what we really need at the moment. That anchor to keep the passes fluid and quick. We suffered the same problems last year and Rosicky made a huge difference later in the season. A huge reason why we were able to get the CL spot last year.