Not many players leave Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal and thrive.
Look at Alex Hleb.
The ‘new George Best’ sold his soul for a Mr Whippy with extra sprinkles and quickly went from Barcelona to the heady heights of Birmingham FC.
Now, still owned by Barca but not wanted by anyone, he floats in the footballing ether, dribbling in mazy circles to nowhere and declining clear shooting opportunities to his heart’s content.
Matthieu Flamini, after finally having a good season at Arsenal, showed all the loyalty of a two bob hooker and decamped for Milan. One of his main gripes was that he had been forced to play so many games at Arsenal as a left back.
No such problem with the Rossoneri. They played him at right back instead.
Thierry Henry won some gongs when he joined Barcelona, but he was literally a peripheral figure (pushed back out to the wings, from where Arsene had rescued him all those years earlier). A classy, brilliant player, but no-one can doubt that we got the best of him and sold him when his decline had started.
Now he’s some kind of showman in the Americas, wearing a Stetson and juggling footballs on the back of a rodeo bull while toting a Colt 45 or somesuch.
Patrick Vieira? Like Henry he was too good to vanish into obscurity. However, when he moved to Italy he had the bittersweet experience of winning numerous medals – but only as a bit part player. When he stumbled across the ATM that never stops churning out ten pound notes (otherwise known as Man City), who can blame him for retiring to its warm dressing rooms and well varnished benches?
Ljungberg, Pires, Adebayor, Reyes, Petit, Overmars… I could go on, but the point is: Arsene knows when it’s time to let a player go. In most cases it is when he has judged that their performances have crested the zenith. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad, just that they will never quite reach their peak again and will, in fact, decline.
Even those he has been forced to sell reluctantly, like Flamini and Anelka, have never subsequently had the central, starring roles they had at Arsenal.
So what about Cesc?
Have we seen the best of El Capitan? When he leaves us will it be for a few tortured years of bench-sitting at Barcelona, plagued by ever-worsening hamstrings and haunted by the curious longevity of the Xavi-Iniesta partnership, still winning the Primera Liga well into their thirities?
Will we Arsenal fans nod sagely to each other and repeat the mantra that players just never do as well when they leave us?
DON’T BE STUPID.
Cesc Fabregas is one of the best four or five players in the world. I would put Messi and Ronaldo ahead of him, but after that…? The man is a genius. Of course he is going to have a marvelous career at Barcelona. If he is not a regular first team starter by January London will eat his red-and-white socks*.
And yet, you say, your headline referred to him rueing the day he leaves Arsenal. If he goes on to win Spanish title after Copa del Ray after Champions League what will there be to regret? What tears will little Francesc possibly shed?
Let me tell you.
Cesc will rue the day he leaves because when this Arsenal team, whose talisman he has been for so long, finally starts to win the big prizes without him it will pierce his heart with the brilliant sharpness of one of his incredible passes through the Totteringham defence.
If Arsenal win the league this year – and I am one of those who believes it is a real possibility – then Cesc will be disconsolate. It will be a failure for him that will live with him throughout his career and his life.
He will have given eight years of his life to a project – and not just any project, but a glorious, ambitious, eyes-on-the-stars kind of project – and then walked away just before it reached its crowning glory. It would be as if Neil Armstrong got to the Moon’s orbit and said: “You know what, I’m fine, I’ll just stay here in Apollo 11 and look out the window…”
Never mind whether he has a championship medal in Spain, a Champions League title and has been chosen as Miss Catalunia 2013, there will be a hole in Cesc’s soul that will never be filled.
He will rejoice for his erstwhile teammates, but deep down he will know that he should have been with them. And for that, I will grieve with him.
RockyLives
*That’s OK isn’t it London?
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Morning all
Rocky – you’ve had me in tears. I too believe that Cesc will be disconsolate when we lift trophy after trophy in the coming years.
I wonder how much of a draw Barcelona would be to him if they weren’t such a super team at the moment? Would he be wanting away if we’d recently won the premiership?
interesting post….but dont share your optimism on winning the league
Nice piece bloke. He will shed tears IF we win something…IF in uppercase.
Wow dude..good piece
Great piece really agree it will hurt him when we start winning sad day for Arsenal when he does join that team !!!!
Super stuff Rocky very cleverly done. I too feel it in my water that this will be an Arsenal year, so certain am I that that I have made arrangements for Mr William Hill to move into Rasp’s Mansion in Highbury Grove in the unlikely event that I am wrong.
Cesc is and always will be a well loved son of the Arsenal. Whatever the political pressures of his homeland, part of him will remain in North London among the friends and fans he has served so well. Good luck young man go in peace to your new adventure. Come and see us when you can and watch the seeds you have helped to plant flourish and bloom in there full glory in the years ahead.
Your posts are getting even better and better, great read! Agree about Cesc regretting leaving Arsenal when we pick up trophies, but perhaps this team could do with individuals stepping up after his departure.
i dont care anymore about cesc.whether or not he makes it at fc ******** he should go now..it would be a disgrace to see him next season lead yhe team out of the tunnnel..ib by any chance he is still our player next season,of which am praying he wont be,he should be stripped off the captaincy and give it to a more deserving player like van persie or vermaelen..lets not be fooled that he has been acting good and mature in this saga..we all know what he tried to do last summer..he is our captain for christ’s sake..he should serve the interests of arsenal and let the issue be handled by the right persons from barca and arsenal..there is no difference between him and a player that has handed a transfer request.
Prat,
You are well named, it seems. You are referring to Rocky, one of the best Post writers on any blog.
Learn some respect — and some English Language skills might help before talking about ‘pen and paper’!
Morning RA, I’ve taken ‘Prat’s’ comment off, he doesn’t even deserve our derision.
Morning RA why do they do it, have just had to remove the foulest language from an otherwise perfectly valid opinion piece by Kenyan Gooner.
OOps Rasp I can explain about your house. 🙂
Rocky,
What a little genius you are. A brilliant Post, especially given the short time scale you were working to. 🙂
But, (I do love my buts, in a manner of speaking – red or otherwise! 🙂 ) there is one name — and I hate to admit this — of someone who has gone on to be better after leaving Arsenal — both as a swordsman and as a player —- Ashley Cole. Yeuk-yeuk!
Morning Rasper and Dandan, 🙂 I know I should ignore the occasional imbecilic comment, when there is so much good comment on here, but the events in Norway have set me off to a bad start today, and my tolerance levels are even lower than usual. 😦
By the time Arsenal start winning anything Fabregas would probably of retired. Im fed up of this ‘players never do better when tehy leave Arsenal’ Well, lets face it, we havent done anything in the last six years to prove why they should have stayed have we? No, we’ve just remained at teh stage where we close, but so far away.
If Fabregas and Nasri go then do yo honestly believe we’ll be able to atract top players to the club to replace them? Or do you believe Wenger would even replace them? How many times has he said ‘this summer will be busy’ and buys two players that either turn out to be average or leave ina couple of seasons because they get too big for their boots.
I think the post is well written and I see where it’s coming from. I disagree though. Cesc is more like Yuri Gagarin leaving Nasa just before they get to the moon but getting there with the Soviet Union. I think we’ve (Arsenal and Arsene) have really helped him in his career but the scum from catalonia will reap the benefits. I’m starting to think Nasri is going. If they both go I really don’t see us winning the league. Maybe a cup but not the league.
You were 100% right RA. But yes I heard that awfull news from Norway @ 3 O Clock this morning and have been unable to sleep since.
Who’s going to the Tavern next Sunday? I’ve got a ticket for the game so I’ll be there.
Great weather, close to friends and family, pick of Spanish babes, improved contract.
Regrets? He’ll get over it.
I don’t think Cesc should leave because I think that if you are a captain and your team fail to reach potential the you can’t call yourself a good captain. He should stay and lead the team to a trophy, finish the project. He is the heartbeat of the team.
Sorry to hijack.
Anybody else see AWs ridiculous comment about “we must find one defender, but it is very difficult”?.
Actually Arsene it isn’t you have had two months. Cahill has a 17m release clause, pay it. He is quality, best mates with Jack and he would jump at the chance. If you don’t like that then how about Vertonghen, Samba or Jagielka or maybe Dann at 7m.
I tell you what Arsene if you are faced with Squillacci again next season then have an audition at members day among the fans, I’m fairly sure among the 10000, you will find a better centre back.
Vermarlen and Koscielny are both very good and Wenger deserves much credit for finding them both. Djourou is a decent squad man but you always need three top line centre back to win something.
GM,
Peaches and I and anyone else we can muster!
Great piece. Everyone knows in the modern game that loyalty towards clubs has gone out of the window. I think Cesc has been an exception to this and after 8 years at our club he really does want to win WITH US, the sad thing is that he will probably only realise how much when he sees the Arsenal players picking up their medals at the end of this coming season which I do think will happen as I’m sure we will AT LAST buy one of the 3 centre backs we are supposedly trying to buy. That has been in my opinion the only thing lacking for sooo long. 1 other thing I would like to ask is why most gooners are so annoyed that we might let Nasri go on a free. If we keep him this season and we win, then he still leaves, it would tell us all we need to know about him. All the talk about the money being thrown away bugs me because we all know that it wouldnt be put straight back into the club anyway, Wenger is always being slaughtered for not spending on players but if you gave me option of keeping Nasri and Cesc till their contracts run out and let them go on frees id take it straight away. We all want to be the best team in the world, its simple, the best team in the world would not sell its best players.
Cesc has gone-lets be clear- he broke his neck to leave – he is history. His head was only partially there last season- but his leaving gives us a real problem-we only win 42% of games when he is not playing- compared to 62% when he is.
Gooners need to stop dreaming about Wilshere and Ramsey- they are not yet in his class.
What is more important is who we buy as a replacement- and I think it should be more than one player-no one player Arsenal could buy could replace Cesc.
I’ll see you there than Rasp!
WHAT A PIECE! ROCKY, YOU COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT BETTER. GOSH! I’M SO WISHING AND PRAYING THAT EVERY SCENARIO PLAYS OUT TO THE LETTER, THAT IS, IF HE DOES LEAVE!
Jamie,
I have a certain sympathy with your views, regarding the comments attributed to Arsene.
I wonder if something is lost in the way AW expresses himself? Although perhaps not as I suggest below.
Already I have read perfectly reasonable comments saying that as we have transferred Clichy we need to replace 2 defenders, not buy just one. [AW had also, earlier, said he does not intend to replace Clichy in the market].
Others, like yourself, say it is nonsense for AW to say he is looking very hard to find a defender when (we) know there are several out there who might improve the squad. (Samba, Cahill etc).
The answer, I believe, lies in another comment allegedly made by AW in which he said that other clubs were reluctant to sell at the moment, but that this might change as we get into August.
What he has not said, but is implicit in that statement, is that other clubs are holding out for transfer fees that are unrealistically over valued.
All the clubs are playing transfer window poker — and it’s a case of who blinks first before the window closes. Pay over the odds and get your man now, or wait until nearer the deadline day and get him at a more realistic price.
Patience is the watch word, and don’t believe everything you hear — my money is still on Professor Wenger! 🙂
Dandan, that Norway crime puts everything, even football, into perspective, sadly! 😦
yesssssssss.
Great
We wont win untill Wenger goes
RA – Fair enough.
You are probably right the Everton and Blackburn are holding out for higher fees on thier players.
He has had plenty of time though, this set peices problem has been going on since Campbell left the first time.
I just dont think Cahill is overpriced at 17m. I’ll stick my neck out on that.
Hi Jamie,
I agree. Cahill is worth every penny of 17m and more if you compare his price to that paid for the likes of Carol and Downing.
I can’t wait 2 see cesc leave. He’s not indispensible.
I disagree cesc will go on to barca and become a even better player and win trophies..
Hi all
If anyone fancies writing a small match report on the Cologne game for tomorrows post let me know please ………
Cesc has a deep affection for Arsenal but his heart and his love is for Barcelona. I think he will always have a tinge of sadness, regardless of whether we win something or not. However, I very much doubt he will ever regret going home.
This assumption that any player leaving Arsenal will live to regret it is ludicrous and arrogant. The only ones who have expressed misgivings are the ones where it has gone tits up for them. And lets be honest, a Wigan player would regret leaving if his situation turned out worse at a new club.
If Cesc had left last year, as he wished, he’d be a La Liga and European champion now. Or maybe we’d have won the CL, with no Fabregas there to make a stupid back heel. If that happened, we may have hung in on the title race. Possible regrets on both sides.
It is time for Cesc to go, the sooner the better. Without him in the team, we play at a faster pace and at times, look really good. With good investment of new players from the revenue clawed in from the Cesc and Nasri sales, as well as Clichy, Bendtner, Almunia and whatever kitty we had anyway, we could be a real force.
i will be crushed when cesc leaves but I have no doubt he is worth at least 45-50m and will continue to be an excellent footballer..can’t blame him for wanting to leave a team that does not win anything, his vision for the game is unbelievable. i can only imagine what effect he’ll have on a team with proper finishers. i rate cesc far batter than xavi…i don’t think he would be leaving Arsenal if we were winning trophies…
Great post Rocky as others above have said already but worth repeating for your efforts!!!!
Personally, although I recognize Cesc as a great player (in his prime), I’m not sure he can achieve that with Arsenal. His lack of pace, leadership (when he’s struggling) & his propensity for injury due to the hacking he receives in the EPL mean he probably will not reach his best here.
We needed Alonso who could have done the job that we needed Cesc for at that time but missed the opportunity due to penny-pinching. Now we need strong captain & some fear/bottle in the middle to bring out the talent our team possesses.
Cesc seems to have ‘bottled it’ & is looking for the easier option to success while Nasri wants to play in his position but judging by last season has not the bottle himself when the chips are down.
We need strong players who others can fear in OUR spin, not a bunch of grown up kids. Men can give the kids something to aspire to which was why Viera & Adams are greats. Hopefully Vermaelen will be such a leader this term!
Brilliant as usual Rocky, I agree with your post and I thnk that is how wenger has persuaded him to stay until now, by convincing him that too be a real captain you need to show commitment to the cause and stay until it is acheived, Cesc probably will be persuaded to stay for another year, and if he does then Nasri can go. I too have a feeling in my water about next season, we just need to add a few “bleed Arsenal players” and we could be celebrating something really special.
Condolences to all the people of norway it makes all this football transfer talk a little bit trivial in the greater scheme of things
If Cesc goes.. lets wish him the best! He has been a real role model and a real good guy. The guy has been loyal. If he feels he wants to return and play for his childhood hero, i think that is almost every sportmans dreams.
As Arse supporters, we should show how classy we are and wish him well if he goes with understanding and if he stays all the better for us.
i hear so many Arse supporters (supposedly) crying foul and wanting heads to roll!! I think we are classier than that!
Peaches – I’ll do i match report for the Cologne game if nobody else has put themselves forward yet.
Lovely piece Mr Rocky, as ever.
But I disagree!
From Cesc’s point of view, this is probably the right time to go to Barca: Xavi will be 32 soon and Cesc therefore has the chance to build a partnership with Iniesta soon.
As for players who’ve left the club, there is one shining example of one who left and (in the end) developed very well. Mr Cashley Cole. Once freed from the shackles of being coached by Mourinho, Cole has developed and become possibly the best leftback around, bar none. Still a dick though.
And others, like Vieira, have had very good post-Arsenal careers, and one has to admit that William Gallas looked a lot happier and more effective having moved down the road.
Re the exchange between Jamie and Red Arse on the summer’s dealings, I have to say, I’m with Jamie: why are we still messing around with players now back in training? The signing of at least a CB can and should have been dealt with before now. RA is probably right, that it’s to do with overvaluation by selling clubs, but so what? We need a CB in and we should have been willing to pay a premium to reflect that need and get everything bedded down. That would have helped with the preparation for the coming season, and would have answered some of the psychological issues that are no doubt feeding the impatience of the likes of Nasri.
This is all so unnecessary. After years of being poor as church mice, we now have money. We should have used it to deal with the problems we have so that we can push on and show that we can do what we should have done last season, win the league.
For all of that annoyance though, I love Rocky’s post and dandan’s comment at 10.08; that sort of optimism is infectious!
Super post, Rocky.
London eating his red and white socks, haha.
I’m a little indifferent as to what happens to players when they leave the club. Once they’re gone, they don’t really appear on my radar anymore.
26, I’m not sure Cashley has developed that much since he left. He was virtually the best left back in the world when he was with us. As you say, he certainly hasn’t developed as a person but only gone downhill as far as I’m concerned.
Looking forward to seeing Gervinho this afternoon.
Cmon you Gunners.
time to go for El Capitano; Whatever happens, he should go this summer. Its not good for the morale of young players that they have a captain who is sort of requesting a transfer ! RVP for captaincy ..
Arsenal player quality looking good today.
he says as it tells me my bandwidth is not good enough
Legend already
who scored the first one?
Gervinho both!! Looks v good, doesn’t feck about, just takes his chances
GM, who scored either one?? (I gave up my ATV/Arse Player subscription a while ago.)
Cheers evonne. Great start for the bloke with the Mekon hairstyle. Long may that continue.
DID YOU SEE IT??? DID YOU SEE IT??
After Jenkins’ own goal WHO WAS THE FIRST TO PUT HIS ARM AROUND HIM???!!! SA-MIR. Yes, Samir Nasri. What does it tell me 🙂 🙂
Carl Jenkinson of course
Hello 26!!! Long time not seen!!
Yep, good start for African with Brazilian name and Mekon hairdo. Good start for Ryo too, and Jack and Aaron. Chamakh very quiet.
Nasri on the bench, but after own goal went on the pitch and walked young Carl, clearly consoling the lad. So, happy days
26 – the new Arsenal player is actually very good and as a member I don’t have to pay. But today’s game is on ESPN
Thanks again evonne.
I’m also fairly optimistic that Nas will stay: I think he’s using his last year as leverage to get the best contract and, with the club being so tame about strengthening the squad, in order to wait and see how well we start the season. I predict he’ll sign a new contract in November.
Jenkinson scored a bizarre own goal. He played very well and I hope that fluke does not unsettle him.
Lots of changes in the 2nd half.
Sagna, Djourou, Frimpong, Vela, Arshavin, Nasri, RVP, Rosicky, Squillaci, Gibbs, Fabianski (I think). Called as I have seen them on the screen
And I predicted last season that he will get the armband. I want him to stay, obviously, but not as a skipper. Vermalean and RVP are much more suitable for the role
26,
Get ESPN! 🙂
They are doing the opening away game of the season for AFC and the Emirates Cup too ….. I think.
GK is Mannone apparently. Still haven’t seen him on screen. 🙂
Squillaci – If you are out of your depth in a friendlies against Cologne and teams oin an asian tour then you have no place being an Arsenal player.
Thanks for the tip evonne, I hadn’t twigged that. Now I can watch the footy and the cricket/the Tour simultaneously……
RA, have got the other ESPN channel on for the Tour……!
Fabianski has just come on for Mannone.
Is it me or is that new guy, really Lt Cmdr Warf. he is bound to be captain soon 🙂
Just eseen the own goal. That would have been amazing at the other end.
1) I enjoyed the first half. 🙂
2) I did not enjoy a lacklustre 2nd half. 😦
That’s frustrating to find out: it was on ESPN, which I have, but didn’t know.
Youtube: good goals from out new Brazilian striker.
London,
You’re a season ticket holder, aren’t you?
Just use your membership number and password for Arsenal Player.
I wonder if AW listens to the match re-run with Stewart Robson’s commentary. His comments about the defence are spot-on.
Gervinho looks like he’s had a Brazilian on his forehead, but he is Ivorian.
So, it was on ESPN and I didn’t know 😦
Evonne – fine friend 😉
OK,
So Arsenal iPlayer is free for Season Ticket and Red Membership holders. Just login and away you go.
The Emirates Cup and the Eusebio Cup are also on ESPN.
The first away game of the season at Newcastle is also on ESPN.
Glad to be of service. 🙂
Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her flat. What a sad sad thing to happen, she could have had such a wonderful life. What a voice 😦
Personally Peaches I would have that smackhead of a boyfriend of hers shot, she had no chance with that low life in tow.
By the way, I don’t think Arsenal player is free to members ie season ticket holders.
London – I’m sure its free to all members. Try logging in using your membership number – you might need to create a password the first time or you may already have a password ………..
Anyway ESPN would have been a result if I’d only known 😦 😦 😦
I’ve just double checked just in case I’m being a knowall and haven’t got my facts right and it says on the site that it’s available to Red Silver and Gold members
Did all that and they lead you to a place where the only way to view anything is to take up a monthly subscription.
I usually look at the fixtures on Arsenal.com because they always show which channel the game is on if it is being televised but they craftily never mentioned ESPN’s coverage today probably intentionally to get people to pay to see it on Arsenal player.
It might be available but I am not conviced that it is free.
London – did you use the login on the right or the left? You need to use the one on the right
They’ve been making a whole song and dance about the fact that they’ve given it to us free now – it was funny because for the first game the stream was really rubbish 😀
Hello All
Thanks for the kind and interesting comments.
I’m pretty sure that Cesc is going to go (although I really hope we have a price below which we won’t go).
With Nasri I’m just totally confused.
Didn’t see the game today but watched the goals (and that amazing OG) on Arsenalist,com (by the way Rasp, far be it from me to advise you on how to run the site, but I do think Arsenalist should be added to our Blogroll because it’s always a great resource for watching goals, incidents and highlights that you’ve missed. And he’s based in Toronto).
Nice to see Gerv grab a couple but I’m looking forward to Jamie’s match report tomorrow.
On the right? Damn them.
How are they going to cheer us up if Fabregas goes………..announce that Nasri has decided to sign a new contract…..this was worked out ages ago………..and if Cesc and Nasri stay then no probs we will be too happy to care.
London,
Those of us who are none of those things (members of whatever colour) have to pay £1 for a day pass, which I did for the Green Beans game in China.
The HD stream was very good for that —– rubbish commentary tho’. 🙂
Rocky
Just out of interest, is there a bar in Toronto that always shows the Arsenal games? Young Street is long enough there must be one on there somewhere?
Rocky – I’ve added Arsenalist – he’s in Toronto!!!!!!!
A few bars actually London. There’s one called Scallywags at Yonge and Eglinton that I’ve been to a few times – there’s always a good turn-out of Gooners there.
Do you know Toronto?
Thanks Peaches
I don’t know him, but his site is always the place I go to if I’ve missed the goals/incidents as he always gets them up really quickly.
I was born there so I do have a small affinity with the place but don’t let that confuse you I am very English.
Woo that was impressive that Arsenalist chap has the highlights before Arsenal.com
There is a great interview with Arsene in The Telegraph of all places. The journalist actually asked interesting questions, and this being Arsene, he got interesting answers.
Check it out:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/8652696/Arsenal-manager-Arsene-Wenger-QandA-Cesc-Fabregas-and-Samir-Nasri-both-love-this-club.html
Great post Rocky. It simply is not the right time to go for him.
Great first half against FC Koln today. Wilshere was phenomenal and Gervinho is an instant star. TV and Koz looked fantastic together. Something to build on.
London, I find it hard to believe you went on LG to verify information you were given on here!!!!!
Fantastic read Rocky missed the game due to family do…..will sit and watch later.
Oh and on Arsenal Player:
Go to http://player.arsenal.com
Click Log In at the top, it then brings up a screen where you can select “I am a member” from where you can then enter membership number and password (for online bookings etc) and you’re in.
But i’m not getting any video using Safari on iMac…..crap!
Rockylives:
Scallywags is actually at Yonge and St Clair a few kilometers south of Eglinton.
The best football pub in the area is The Mad Hatter on Eglinton, in Mississauga. I set it up myself, in 1992……….
Today’s tweet from Cesc sums him up, and also the confusion :
“Good game and the team looks really fresh and ready. I hope @henderson_91 has nothing serious and can keep progressing and making his mark.”
People so sure he is on his way yet he is still watching the team play pre seasons.
By the way anyone see Liverpools pre season friendly result?
The Mighty Reds reborn under King Kenny – 0
Hull – 3
😀
Cheers for the link California Gooner.
GiE: great result, everyone thinks liverpool will be on the up this season due to their transfers, but have they really bought anyone that will improve their squad?! A poor mans wilshere and an overrated player whose only skill is crossing the ball…i think not.
The cesc situation is tough for me, as an arsenal fan i always take it personal if a player leaves (unless its a situation like Henry). Mainly because i think if i had the opportunity to play for the mighty gunners i would never want to leave. So with that bias i would not give cesc my well wishes, and i definently not call him a legend. Leaving the club when he is about to hit is prime, and after all wegner has done for him is a letdown!
The spanish grand prix didn’t show his respect for arsenal either.
Oz I understand your feelings about playing for the team you support. I also understand Cescs feeling about doing the same for the team he supports.
That’s not to say I think he should leave or want him to leave. Someone said earlier if he left last season he’d have a CL medal and a La Liga one, but just like Michael Owens PL medal from last season surely it would have been hollow as Cesc would not have been involved as much.
Chas
I asked on Le Grove before I got the info here. I read your message above about Arsenal player being free to season ticket holders but I couldn’t get it to work. Still can’t.
I have been trying to come up with a nick name for our Brazilian? The best I can do is Ricky.
Morning GiE and London,
Back from holiday in Portugal and so good to be on a connection. Just watched highlights against Cologne. Superb debut from Gervinho.
We were not far from Porto, and was subjected to endless highlights in one bar we used. There is much talk of Hulk and Falcao, but their Argentine midfielder Fernando is something else. Boy would I like a dead ball specialist if Cesc does go.
Morning Micky
Can you find us an example on Youtube?
London, just for you 🙂
London,
Just started the googling, and discovered rumour has it he will be Chelsea’s new signing!!! There is the Porto connection so quite believable.
this one is better
oh well, if he joined Arsenal Peaches would have 3 chocolate legs 🙂
Hi Evonne. Thanks for that.
.
London,
Don’t get confused. There are two Fernando’s. The Brasilian is more DM, the Chelsea bound one is the Argentine attacking midfielder. Evonne has it right. Fernando Belluschi.
Phew, I got it right for a change…back to my ironing
Morning all a little challenge to start the day.
Alzheimer’s Test for Modern Seniors
How fast can you guess these words
1. F_ _K
2. PU_S_
3. S_X
4. P_N_S
5. BOO_S
6. _ _NDOM
——————————————————————————
Answers:
1. FORK
2. PULSE
3. SIX
4. PANTS
5. BOOKS
6. RANDOM
You got all 6 wrong….didn’t you?
Don’t worry. You don’t have Alzheimer’s. You are just a pervert.
It will be interesting to see how good Villas-Boaz really is as a manager. He had some unbelievable players at Porto. Hulk is superb. Plays front left or right.
dandan 🙂 and morning.
Wow, now that is what I call a midfield goal theat.
dandan 🙂 sign me up
Morning Micky – hope you had loads of fun in Portugal. When’s the next Lobster harvest?
Dandan !!! The real Alzheimer test is easier than that. I had it done a couple of weeks ago and only had 2 wrong answers 🙂
London,
I watched an awful lot of Porto stuff, and he is sensational. So much more than a one minute wonder youtube specialist. Great work rate, creative, good in the tackle and great dead ball. We have lacked a dead ball threat since Henry (nearly said Noddy Talbot!).
They have two of those? Two Fernandos, equally as good? One who scores goals for fun and the other a DM? Two of them? That is just plain greedy.
Talbot: I would have understood Micky.
Peaches,
Technically it is next week on the new/full moon. However, things took an unhappy turn just before I left and my new pots went out to sea. I have a wetsuit and flipper job to do first!
London,
You remember those heady days as well!!!
Paper run.
New Post ………………..
Feels like football’s back 🙂
Oh my God, I can’t believe what i’m reading here. Someone has posted that…
“Cesc will be disconsolate when we lift trophy after trophy in the coming years”.
Are you sure?
Do you think he’ll care as he’s lifting trophy after trophy whilst Arsenal struggle to stay in the top 4?
Also, going back to the article. Most of the players that Arsene knew to let go were coming to the end of their careers. As for Anelka, Hleb, Flamini, Vieira and Henry – you can say what you want about their careers post-Arsenal, but they all went on to win league medals and/or Champions League medals when Arsenal stopped winning them.
Wake up ffs – Arsenal are a cracking club, but the man who made you what you are is now starting to be the cause of your demise.
You haven’t a hope of winning the PL or the ECL this season, but I hope you prove me wrong.
Goodluck.
I comment each time I especially enjoy a post on a site or I have something to valuable to contribute to
the discussion. Usually it is triggered by the
fire displayed in the article I looked at. And on this article Cesc Will
Rue The Day He Left Arsenal | Arsenal Arsenal. I was actually
excited enough to drop a thought 🙂 I actually do
have 2 questions for you if it’s allright. Could it be only me or does it appear like a few of these remarks come across like left by brain dead visitors?
😛 And, if you are writing at other social sites, I would like to keep
up with everything new you have to post.
Would you list the complete urls of all your social sites like your linkedin profile,
Facebook page or twitter feed?