Cesc to return?

[Gunnerz4life]

Its not very relevant whether he played a major part in it or not, a player of his calibre deserved a CL trophy which we could never provide him. Also I think Cashley has won as many trophies playing for the Chavs as he did for us, but more importantly he has won trophies in the last 7 years .

The players for whom this argument is actually relevant are the ones who have left us after they have past their prime like Paddy or the ones likeke Hleb and Flamini who were by and large average players who couldnt make the cut at a bigger club.

And would you put Overmars and Petit in that group

Overmars yes will be an exception, we had Petit's best years, he was touching 30 by the time he left us.

[goonersid]

Lets be fair sid, even if cesc wins nothing this season his move is still the right one - he left a team behind with one proven top quality player and has gone to a team with several top quality players and a manager that is totally on top of his game as opposed to one who is living on past glories and who seems to feel that he is untouchable and beyond reproach If I was cesc I would have gone by a hot air balloon to spain to get away from the administration and cash hoarding AFC

My point is Augie, are Barca about to be replaced by Real as top dogs in Spain? If so Cesc will find himself in a very hostile atmosphere, as simply winning a trophy in Spain is not good enough, you have to be number one. As for several top players, I think some of them are on the wain, and Barca's "new blood" look nothing special.
My question is somewhat hypothetical, but the signs are most certainly there that the tide is turning and if Real victory in the clge final would see Guardiola under pressure, that is the nature of the Spanisn game.

[SteveO 35]

Lets be fair sid, even if cesc wins nothing this season his move is still the right one - he left a team behind with one proven top quality player and has gone to a team with several top quality players and a manager that is totally on top of his game as opposed to one who is living on past glories and who seems to feel that he is untouchable and beyond reproach If I was cesc I would have gone by a hot air balloon to spain to get away from the administration and cash hoarding AFC

My point is Augie, are Barca about to be replaced by Real as top dogs in Spain? If so Cesc will find himself in a very hostile atmosphere, as simply winning a trophy in Spain is not good enough, you have to be number one. As for several top players, I think some of them are on the wain, and Barca's "new blood" look nothing special.
My question is somewhat hypothetical, but the signs are most certainly there that the tide is turning and if Real victory in the clge final would see Guardiola under pressure, that is the nature of the Spanisn game.

And playing for the second ranked club in Spain who will still have a chance of winning the CL every season regardless, is less of an attraction than being the 4th-6th best club in England who have sweet fuck all chance of winning the CL, and can't even win a domestic trophy regardless of the stature of the opposition

Honestly Sid, I thought you of all people would have some sort of perspective on it

Has Red Member been password sharing with you ?

[kite]

Lets be fair sid, even if cesc wins nothing this season his move is still the right one - he left a team behind with one proven top quality player and has gone to a team with several top quality players and a manager that is totally on top of his game as opposed to one who is living on past glories and who seems to feel that he is untouchable and beyond reproach If I was cesc I would have gone by a hot air balloon to spain to get away from the administration and cash hoarding AFC

My point is Augie, are Barca about to be replaced by Real as top dogs in Spain? If so Cesc will find himself in a very hostile atmosphere, as simply winning a trophy in Spain is not good enough, you have to be number one. As for several top players, I think some of them are on the wain, and Barca's "new blood" look nothing special.
My question is somewhat hypothetical, but the signs are most certainly there that the tide is turning and if Real victory in the clge final would see Guardiola under pressure, that is the nature of the Spanisn game.

I don't think Real ist above Barcelona but they are on the same level now and Real Madrid has a bit more depth in the team (and especially the defense) what was the main factor this season imo.

[I Hate Hleb]

..

Has Red Member been password sharing with you ?

Is that a euphemism for something else? And if so, can you imagine what horrible concoction would be spawn out of such a strange 'relationship'?

[arseofacrow]

..

Has Red Member been password sharing with you ?

Is that a euphemism for something else? And if so, can you imagine what horrible concoction would be spawn out of such a strange 'relationship'?

Alex Song

[goonersid]

And playing for the second ranked club in Spain who will still have a chance of winning the CL every season regardless, is less of an attraction than being the 4th-6th best club in England who have sweet fuck all chance of winning the CL, and can't even win a domestic trophy regardless of the stature of the opposition

Honestly Sid, I thought you of all people would have some sort of perspective on it

Has Red Member been password sharing with you ?

You are missing my point Steve, the thing is, if Real go on to win the clge, or even if Bayern win it, then even a Copa del rey win for Barca will be seen as failure by their fans. For barca, being second to Real just isn't accptable, and whilst it may still amount to more than any success Arsenal may have, the reality is, the Nou Camp will be a far more hostile place for Cesc to be, under those circumstances. And Cesc may just feel that he was more thought of at Arsenal. And should Guardiola move on then there could be turbulent times ahead for the whores.

[GranadaJoe]

Cesc went to his hometown club, one of the biggest in the world, which he had first joined age 10, to reunite and play with friends he had grown up with, in one of the most exciting cities in the world. In his first season he has won the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Supercup and the FIFA World Club Cup and his team are still in the CL. I doubt he's crying into his beer at the moment.

The Barca fans that I know overhere have started to question Guardiola's tactics but aren't overly critical of the players. They would quite like it if Guardiola picked the odd defender to play in defence and/or bought a defender or two, but'in general' they're still basking in an extended period of dominance over the enemy. A failure to reassert themselves next season would lead to some discontent but I don't think they are on the slide. A couple of defenders and a slight change in tactics will see them on top again.

[SteveO 35]

And playing for the second ranked club in Spain who will still have a chance of winning the CL every season regardless, is less of an attraction than being the 4th-6th best club in England who have sweet fuck all chance of winning the CL, and can't even win a domestic trophy regardless of the stature of the opposition

Honestly Sid, I thought you of all people would have some sort of perspective on it

Has Red Member been password sharing with you ?

You are missing my point Steve, the thing is, if Real go on to win the clge, or even if Bayern win it, then even a Copa del rey win for Barca will be seen as failure by their fans. For barca, being second to Real just isn't accptable, and whilst it may still amount to more than any success Arsenal may have, the reality is, the Nou Camp will be a far more hostile place for Cesc to be, under those circumstances. And Cesc may just feel that he was more thought of at Arsenal. And should Guardiola move on then there could be turbulent times ahead for the whores.

I take the point to an extent - Barca fans won't tolerate 2nd for long (and there are posters on here, AKBs and sections of the media who think Arsenal fans are spoilt !! Oh to be a Barca fan with CL finals, and La Liga titles galore missing out for one season !)
Its a bit premature to suggest that this is terminal decline and Real are on the ever upwards curve though. Real change managers frequently and Mourinho is likely to leave at the end of the season. Below Barca its like the SPL, with debt ridden clubs like Valencia and a bunch of provincial clubs that can't even come close to a top 2 finish, so Fabregas is virtually guaranteed to compete for honours every year.....unlike at our place.
Of course if he just wanted a quiet life free from supporter pressure (and I mean real pressure not the odd groan) then of course he should have stayed, picked up £100k per week and be first name on the team sheet every game

[Supagoon]

you're already writing an obituary for barcelona.

I think there is still life in them yet . So they dont get to win the league 4 times in a row. Considering where we are right now, and our long/short term prospects i still reckon he is happy he made the move.

[Yankee_Gooner_Dandee]

you guys REALLY think they arent going to get past Chelsea in the CL? Come on now. You know better.

[Red Member]

yankee

I think most of us would agree that Barcelona will qualify tomorrow night.
dont take the bait.

[flash gunner]

yankee

I think most of us would agree that Barcelona will qualify tomorrow night.
dont take the bait.

[littlefire]

Sorry can't have that. Our pitch has got to be the greenest anywhere; they even have some kind of musical-water-feature-lap-of-appreciation-ballet at half time to celebrate this fact.

[the moog]

write off the russians at your peril. i think they will go through