If they stayed....(Nasri & Fabregas)?

[KSE Comedy Club]

I dont really give a shit either way tbh.

If they stay nothing will change, we'll play the same way - tippy tappy bollox - and the season will follow the same pattern as every other one for the last few years.

If they go they wont be adequately replaced with real quality, in effect we may even do worse than the last few years.

Either way, wenger should be pouring his effort or 'fight' into buying some new players. That would certainly make these two guys think about what the really want to do.
They want to see the club match their ambition, bring in a couple of PL CB's, a winger and a good striker - show the team that the club want to be back among the top tier because despite what wenger thinks, we arent there anymore.

[Joker]

I'd prefer it if they both left tbh, because if neither transfer goes through, I think we'll be left with two unhappy players, and while it's possible both will be professional and try their best for Arsenal, the more likely scenario is that both Cesc and Nasri continue to perform like they did in the second half of last season, with added moodiness. We can't afford to keep players like that, which is why I hope we flog both of them this summer and get a couple of top quality, motivated attacking midfielders in.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

what would people feel if wenger said to nasri, sign a new contract with your wages increased for one season, then we will sell you. he gets his money, we get his fee

Id have respect for AW again that way he could make sure that we get maxium for Nasri. id would not mind if he did that this season but he still got sold tbh.

As for them staying if they behaved professional for us and Cesc told Pique to STFU if get behind them even more

[Toronto Gooner]

A very interesting post, TG.

I agree. I think that we can safely say that both situations are principally agent driven. I do think that there might be a kernel of truth somewhere re cesc's 'homesickness'. But he was ambivalent about his 'dream' when he came to Arsenal, and has undoubtedly benefitted from that decision. I think the 'emotional' issue is far more likely to be an understandable desire to be in the team touted as the best ever - that would exist whether that team was Real Madrid; Bayern Munich or Porto.

But my theory is that the PR/agency aspect for Fabregas is dressing this desire up as a desire to return to his hometown - because that sounds less disloyal. Can we blame the player? Well I don't share your antipathy. The saga has been protracted, yes. But is this down to Fabregas - or is it down to a Barcelona management who have made it thus by simply failing to make an offer we can't refuse? I'd say the latter. And I'd say that the saving grace for Fabregas is that at least he has given us many years of loyal service. That is not a total excuse - after all he owes much to the club. But set against the modern standard set by the likes of Rooney; Tevez; Robinho - for me Cesc is not the worst of offenders.

IMO Nasri is a different matter. I agree with your analysis of what is driving his behaviour - and on the one hand its understandable that he sees this as his shot at the big time. As Adebayor; Flamini and Hleb did before him. But what I don't like about Nasri is that it is more calculated and opportunist even than his predecessors. He refused to negotiate a contract extension last Summer - when he had not exactly set the world alight - and is looking to hold the club to ransom this Summer - on the back of just 4 months' performances that justify the kind of money he wants. At least Adebayor gave us a more or less a season. Nasri's move suggests strongly that he only ever came to us as a stepping stone, or to raise his profile - and to exploit the very first occasion on which he showed some form. So for me he is at the cutting edge of the modern football mercenary movement - yet unlike his fellow ground breaker, Rooney, he doesn't even have the 'decency' to give the club anything before baring his teeth. He is the difference between a woman that you meet in a bar, buy champagne all night and then take home for great sex, and a 3 minute lap dance.

Which is why, if he stays, fans might feel 'relieved' that we have held on to him - but he will never IMO be regarded with any fondness by the fans. And I don't think he gives a damn, either.

I have to reciprocate: Good post and points. I have to say that I might have come across with more antipathy than intended. I do agree that Fabregas does have a desire to return to Barcelona because it is his home and the club is the best in the world. I just wish he had been more up front about things and that he had publicly told his "friends" at Barcelona to keep quiet.

In reality, I am agnostic to both of them and apathetic to the situation.

[Niall_Quinn]

How would you feel?

I'd be very happy and relieved because in order for them to stay it would imply something has to happen soon that gives a clear indication we are serious about competing next year. Right now, as the weeks wind down, we seem far more concerned about weakening the team in return for cash that is either going to be spunked on dross like Downing or maybe even retained by an anti-football board that has been killing us year on year since 2005.

[Niall_Quinn]

Do you think we should believe the press though?

No. We should believe Wenger's actions though. So far nobody of note (and I include Gervinho) has been signed. We desperately needed signings and none have arrived. We also needed to get rid of some of the deadwood, yet they are all gearing up for the pre-season tour. Nothing is changing at the club when we needed change. There's still time but Wenger's words aren't encouraging. The only positive I can take from what's going on at the moment is Wenger will surely be sacked next year if he once again refuses to fix the problems.

[Master Splinter]

I'd be very happy and relieved because in order for them to stay it would imply something has to happen soon that gives a clear indication we are serious about competing next year.

Or Nasri has been given a huge pay rise and Barcelona have once again shown that they're not that bothered about Fabregas by bidding no more than 65p and a pack of Seabrook crisps for him?

[Niall_Quinn]

Or Nasri has been given a huge pay rise and Barcelona have once again shown that they're not that bothered about Fabregas by bidding no more than 65p and a pack of Seabrook crisps for him?

Possibly, but keeping two of our key players rather than losing them has got to be a good thing. If they want to bitch and whine or under-perform then drop them, fine them, start treating them like employees who are paid to do a job rather than favoured children who can do no wrong. They'll get the message soon enough. Their greed could be turned against them and utilised.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

TBH Id say goodbye to Cesc easier than Nasri
when the stories started to appear I thought that Nas could step into Cesc role and provide the creative spark
those thoughts soured when I started hearing the reasoning behind Nasri wanting out or his demands to stay........that of course was me taking the papers on their word, which in hindsight is a dangerous thing to do

my worry is that they stay and are moody doing so, I hear the call to bench/fine such actions but that may be easier said than done.....if we havent got the quality to replace them with

so part of me wishes to cash in and build again but another part of me worries about the time we have left and the inactivity we have shown in the transfer market so far

taking Nas to Asia is right, he is still our player and it makes me think that of the two he is the most likely to stay.......Cesc not going and I havent heard any reason (please enlighten me) shows me that some of the talk of an immediate transfer could be true

if one or both go of course we satnd to lose but I have to have belief that there is a plan for this happening as Wenger (no matter what people call him) cannot seriously think we stand a chance of standing our ground without quality replacements

[IBK]

I have to reciprocate: Good post and points. I have to say that I might have come across with more antipathy than intended. I do agree that Fabregas does have a desire to return to Barcelona because it is his home and the club is the best in the world. I just wish he had been more up front about things and that he had publicly told his "friends" at Barcelona to keep quiet.

In reality, I am agnostic to both of them and apathetic to the situation.