Speaking just for myself and not Arsenal supporters in general, if the rumours are true that Cesc Fabregas wants to come back to the Gunners, I have a couple of choice words for him and they’re not too kind. The way Fabregas left the team was one of the most annoying and distasteful situations in recent memory for me. It was nothing more than several weeks of blatant lies, dishonesty, and deceit. This is why people are taking his recent comments about wanting to stay at Barcelona with a grain of salt even though he’s signed until 2015.
Fabregas more or less forced his way out of the Emirates because he thought the grass was greener over in Barcelona. Actually, I think he just thought the cash was greener over there, but rumours have it that he actually took a pay cut when he got to Spain. But it seems that poor Cesc isn’t exactly a favourite of new manager Vilanova, who took over after Pep Guardiola left the club after last season. Barcelona can get along just fine without him and this doesn’t sit too well with poor Fabregas. There’s no doubt that this guy is a world-class football player, but to me, that’s where his class begins and ends.
The 25-year-old midfielder/forward was signed by the Gunners back in 2003 as a 16-year-old and was a fine player, scoring 35 goals and setting up 82 more in 212 league games and scoring 57 goals and assisting on 103 in 303 games overall. He became the youngest ever first-team player for the club in 2003/04 as well as the youngest goal scorer.
When he arrived in Barcelona he made an instant impact with 15 goals in 48 games last year and he also set up another 20. However, things slowly started to unravel for him around January of this year and he’s scored just one goal in his last 19 games. He finds himself on the bench more often than not as Ineista and Xavi are perfectly capable of running the midfield and feeding Lionel Messi.
Arsenal also seems to be settled in the midfield with a pair of Fabregas’ fellow countrymen in Mikel Arteta and Santi Carzola. In addition, Abou Diaby is also starting to turn the corner and fulfil some of his original promise. And let’s not forget Aaron Ramsey and the injured Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere. You can also add Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s name in there if you want.
Of course, with a lot of time to think while sitting on the bench, Fabregas is perhaps now regretting his move back to Spain. While he was one of the engines that propelled Arsenal’s attack he’s become nothing more than a spare part at the Nou Camp, at least for the time being. Sure, he might have a room full of silverware with Barcelona, but players are finding that actually contributing on the pitch is what the sport is all about… not how many trophies your club can accumulate while you watch from the bench.
After reading numerous online comments on Fabregas from Arsenal supporters it looks like there are those who feel Fabregas is getting everything he deserves and others who are feeling sorry for him. However, it looks like the fact that he left doesn’t bother most fans; it was the way that he left the club. Many of them feel he could simply pull the same stunt again sometime down the road if he was to re-join the Gunners.
Fabregas still has a future with Barcelona if he can man up and stop sulking when he doesn’t get on the pitch. If he is sold to Arsenal or any other team you can bet Barcelona will be asking a high price for him. However, there are rumours that Arsenal has an agreement with the Spanish club that they’d get first crack at Fabregas if he’s sold and at a reduced price. Arsenal also supposedly gets 50 per cent of any sell-on fee Barcelona gets if he’s moved.
Of course, Fabregas probably realizes that if he’s not playing regularly for his club then his chances of being an automatic selection for Spain are going to get slimmer as time goes on. But it’s about time prima donna footballers stop dictating exactly who they’re going to play for. When you become a professional athlete you should realize you could end up playing for clubs that aren’t as glamorous as others, but that’s part of the game. There are thousands of kids who would give their right arms to play for any pro team in any country since football’s simply the game they love.
The way Fabregas left the Emirates had many fans fuming because the club caved in to him, and the way he’s handling his current situation isn’t much better. The phrase “spoiled brat” came up numerous times on Arsenal-related sites today and for me it’s easy to understand why. He’s made his bed and he can now lie in it. While he was a great player for Arsenal, Fabregas is a part of the team’s history and I don’t feel he should be a part of the future. What about you?
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