Cesc Fabregas was a shock absentee from Arsenal’s starting lineup against Manchester United today, but in the end the team arguably looked better without him.
The team is inevitably built around the Spaniard, as the captain and the best player, but like with Thierry Henry in his final season at Arsenal, it’s starting to look like a strategy that might not be worthwhile to the rest of the team.
Song, Ramsey and Wilshere looked solid and balanced against United today, with Ramsey netting a fine winner. If he’s more successful than Eduardo at bouncing back from a horrible injury, we’ll have a fine player on our hands, and as today showed, a fine midfield. Would we really miss the injury-prone Fabregas that much?
Wenger said earlier in the week that the captaincy was too much of a burden for Cesc, and then left him out of the squad in the last minute. Something’s clearly not right there.
There might not exactly be a long queue of players at the club ready to take the armband if Cesc does leave, but Szczesny’s commanding presence and maturity in goal gives him the look of a captain for the future. Sadly, next season might be a too near future, and we don’t want to put that kind of pressure on the shoulders of another of the club’s finest youngsters.
Thomas Vermaelen would be the most fitting candidate I suppose, despite missing almost all of this season. Still, with a better goalkeeper behind him I think he will shine in defence when he returns.
Anyway, for now let’s enjoy the fact that despite being without Fabregas, and up against an in-form United team helped as ever by their referees, we somehow won the game! A draw between Chelsea and United at Old Trafford next weekend and we might have something to think about again. Here’s hoping.
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