Buy back Cesc Fabregas, or let Man Utd buy him?

[LDB]

Wrong question.

We're a different side then we were when Fabregas was here. The question to ask is "Would we be better with Fabregas now?"

YES.

[northbank123]

I think I need to clarify. Yes this side is downright appauling but it knows it. They aren't pretending to be Barca anymore.

What is that clarifying?

Barca finished 3rd in La Liga in 2008 and were well beaten in the CL semis by a team that we were better than for 70% of the season - don't really think we were pretending to be them.

I can't remember us playing that 'tippy tappy' football to the extent you're on about and imo this current side is guiltier of playing dour, ineffective football far more than any previous team. We were a much better team and played much better football in 2008. I'm not going to give this team credit for the fact that the last 5 seasons have extinguished any hope we have of winning anything.

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

In 08 in particular we used to have 1k sideways passes against a team defending 1/3 of their half. I just think we are a lot more humbler now collectively. We haven't got Nasri or Hleb slowing the play down to a halt. Yes technically we are dreadful but we're compensating by using more tactical sense.

To summarise and diferentiate

We're a better ccolletive unit or team
Were a weeeaker squad, without Fan.

[northbank123]

I don't think we are really a better collective unit or team. Put in some better defensive displays but unfortunately not in the big games. This 'mental strength' that is so often cited by our manager is missing when we play ourselves out of contention against the likes of City, Chelsea and United by being tactically rigid and predictable.

That team in 2008 ultimately were bottlers, as every team we've had since moving has been. When push came to shove we couldn't buy a win against some turd sides. But don't forget that they dug in in some pretty important games - off the top of my head the last minute equaliser against United, the 1-0 home win against Chelsea and the 2-1 win against Spurs when we played like shit and were staring down the barrel.

Problem with both teams (and indeed every recent Arsenal team) is that they show desire and consistency in patches but never for anything like a whole season.

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

I don't think we are really a better collective unit or team. Put in some better defensive displays but unfortunately not in the big games. This 'mental strength' that is so often cited by our manager is missing when we play ourselves out of contention against the likes of City, Chelsea and United by being tactically rigid and predictable.

That team in 2008 ultimately were bottlers, as every team we've had since moving has been. When push came to shove we couldn't buy a win against some turd sides. But don't forget that they dug in in some pretty important games - off the top of my head the last minute equaliser against United, the 1-0 home win against Chelsea and the 2-1 win against Spurs when we played like shit and were staring down the barrel.

Problem with both teams (and indeed every recent Arsenal team) is that they show desire and consistency in patches but never for anything like a whole season.

That's what I man tho. We're terrible against the big sides cus we lack quality. The team collectively tho has compensated for this shocking decline by being more realistic.

[northbank123]

I don't think we are really a better collective unit or team. Put in some better defensive displays but unfortunately not in the big games. This 'mental strength' that is so often cited by our manager is missing when we play ourselves out of contention against the likes of City, Chelsea and United by being tactically rigid and predictable.

That team in 2008 ultimately were bottlers, as every team we've had since moving has been. When push came to shove we couldn't buy a win against some turd sides. But don't forget that they dug in in some pretty important games - off the top of my head the last minute equaliser against United, the 1-0 home win against Chelsea and the 2-1 win against Spurs when we played like shit and were staring down the barrel.

Problem with both teams (and indeed every recent Arsenal team) is that they show desire and consistency in patches but never for anything like a whole season.

That's what I man tho. We're terrible against the big sides cus we lack quality. The team collectively tho has compensated for this shocking decline by being more realistic.

United are miles better than us, although it's fucking embarrassing that everybody knows we're an absolute banker to get hammered at Old Trafford every season. But Chelsea and Citeh have both been poor this year, and we've got a good chance of finishing above the former for the second year running - take their two wins against us out of it and we'd be well clear of them. There's no excuse for the way we played in either game against Chelsea or Citeh at home (and add Spurs away to that list too). It's not (just) a quality issue, we freeze in big games and play well within ourselves.

[Yankee_Gooner_Dandee]

Not even close.....


Fabregas is the best player we have had in like 8 years. Yes, I believe he is better than RVP. We are MUCH worse without him.

I believe a midfield of Wilshire + Fabregas + a new DM would be absolutely world class. You'd have Artetea, Cazorla, Rosicky as bench players who could fill any of the 3 central roles and Cazorla and Rosicky can fill the wide roles if they absolutely have to. Honestly, if we picked up Fabregas, a class striker and a class defensive midfielder, I think we would have a very good team capable of winning the league.

[Arsenal Till I Die]

I believe a midfield of Wilshire + Fabregas + a new DM would be absolutely world class. You'd have Artetea, Cazorla, Rosicky as bench players who could fill any of the 3 central roles and Cazorla and Rosicky can fill the wide roles if they absolutely have to.

Cazorla on the bench?

Either stick Cazorla in an attacking midfield role behind the strikers or stick Jack in the DM role but why drop a fantastic creative player?

Personally, I'd play Cazorla in the AM role behind the striker with Cesc, Jack & a new DM.

[franksav63]

I wonder whether he would return if we had a new manager at the helm... just putting it out there!

[donaldo]

Just a reminder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr1JALrpxBg

[g88ner]

Just a reminder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr1JALrpxBg

Great player!

Would welcome him back with open arms

[StuartL]

Just a reminder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr1JALrpxBg

Great player!

Would welcome him back with open arms

Indeed, no tippy tappy shit from Cesc, drive at the heart of the opposition, take them on, quality through balls, if you lose the ball you fight to win it back - goals, assists, tackles, passion what more could you possibly want from a player ?

The last 2 seasons he was kicked to fuck by the opposition as they couldn't get near him on the pitch.

[augie]

Just a reminder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr1JALrpxBg

A mixture of pure joy that I had the chance to see this guy represent our club with outstanding performances but of course sadness that he is no longer carrying these deadbeats on his back

On a side issue, did anyone else notice just how many of those great chances created by Cesc were actually missed by our strikers ?

[northbank123]

Just a reminder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr1JALrpxBg

A mixture of pure joy that I had the chance to see this guy represent our club with outstanding performances but of course sadness that he is no longer carrying these deadbeats on his back

On a side issue, did anyone else notice just how many of those great chances created by Cesc were actually missed by our strikers ?

Forgot just how immense his passing was. Sad to think we've played 100+ games since he left, in some ways remembering watching him play for us is like a distant memory. Although that Juventus game was one of my favourite ever.

Mind, doesn't matter how good your passing range is when you've got a useless lump like Giroud up top

[1989]

We're not a better team without him. No chance.