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Sorry Arsenal, Chelsea's Cesc Will Finally Be Playing To His Strengths
After a torrid time unfairly treated in Spain, finally Cesc is back where he belongs (in the right part of London, too...)
Sorry Arsenal, At Chelsea Cesc Will Finally Be Playing To His Strengths
It would be hard to imagine anything that could be special enough upstage the opening game of the World Cup. Save for Jose Mourinho, who as it happens, is a little bit special himself.
Chelsea and their boss decided that they could keep their good news to themselves no longer and announced to the world that former Arsenal turned Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas would be joining the club – for around £30 million if anyone actually cares about that part.
Cue a total and utter meltdown from Arsenal fans and a fair bit of gloating from their wealthier, more recently successful blue neighbours.
Showing Liverpool fans that their protests about Fernando Torres and indeed Steven Gerrard were nothing, the Emirates Stadium faithful not only took to burning their shirts but also managed to compare the move to a fate worse than death and get the obligatory #WengerOut trending on twitter.
This is an Arsene Wenger who turned down the chance to resign the player and instead let him trundle down to meet Chelsea representatives, agree a move and put on a Chelsea shirt – incidentally a Chelsea shirt that in his own words, if he wears, Arsenal fans would have ‘permission to kill me.’ Well Cesc, you better hope your former legion of fans (who have unfollowed him on Twitter after abusing him of course) don’t decide to grant you one final wish.
In the 27 year old’s defence, he made it clear Arsenal were still in his heart, but Chelsea were the ones who swooped for him and offered £200,000 per week at that. They also offer him the chance to complete his ‘unfinished business’ in the Premier League which presumably is code for winning it – and we all know that wouldn’t have happened at Arsenal.
Arsenal fans may lament the fact that anywhere but Chelsea would have been preferable – but they clearly failed to think that through.
Would they really want to see Cesc and Robin van Persie celebrating a goal together at the Emirates – wearing Manchester United shirts? Probably not. Really Chelsea did them a favour - they’re nice like that. They even released Ashley Cole, another former ‘Arsenal fan favourite’ turned ‘money grabbing c***’ just so Cesc can’t pat the Chelsea badge in unison with him.
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The actual footballing consequences of the move have been somewhat overlooked because of the emotion surrounding the situation – which Chelsea themselves have not helped, publishing a statement written by Cesc upon news of his move being announced, but ‘forgetting’ to put in the paragraph where he talks about Arsenal. Oops.
However if you consider this purely as a technical move, Chelsea now have someone they think will fit in perfectly with their plans for next season – and even potentially replace Frank Lampard and his goals from the middle of the park.
After seeing a total lack of goals kill them last season, the Blues have sold a player Mourinho did not want for £50 million and gone out and spent £30 million on one he did. Previous clashes whilst both were in Spain aside of course. That was pantomime. This is business and Cesc represents a very good piece of it for Mourinho.
Some rather bitter Arsenal fans – and Barcelona ones – have even claimed Cesc was a flop at the Catalan club and indeed not needed by the Gunners. Well that’s not strictly true is it?
He may have been criminally underused as a player and overused as a scapegoat on more than one occasion during his spell in La Liga, but in the last three years, Fabregas has managed to be involved in more goals than any other midfielder in the Spanish league - assisting 32 times and scoring 28 goals – that totals involvement in 60 goals in case you weren’t counting and that is not too shabby considering Fabregas more often than not failed to play 90 minutes and on occasion, was out of position.
Former Barcelona coach Tata Martino wanted to utilise Cesc and Alexis Sanchez more – and play in a far more direct style – but was overruled by the board and players, with the ever-present Xavi and Iniesta still running the show at the Camp Nou.
Ironically for all his love of Barcelona and their tiki-taka, Cesc has always been more suited to the style of play on offer in the Premier League and will relish the chance to return to it and play to his strengths - and all of that will come as a massive plus for Chelsea and Mourinho.
Oscar, Willian, Hazard, Cesc, Schurrle, Torres (only kidding) and forward elect Costa will make the attacking part of Chelsea’s line up next season. Mourinho thinks there will be goals and plenty of them. After all, how else is he going to give Cesc the opportunity to bond with the Chelsea fans and kiss that badge?
Follow Rebecca on Twitter, @RebeccaKnight01
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COMMENTS
You should really be writing for radio comedy.
Sorry Chelsea, Arsenal don't care.
you can suck a fat D, Arsenal made that man the footballer he is today, he was surplus to requirements at barca and obviously wenger thought the same, I wish him well but don't come rub it in our faces.... I didn't even read the article i jut came here to post this s#*t !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Funny how we (supporters) think that suddenly we know all the reasons for transfers, especially ones that are bound to annoy previous fans of the player. I wish Cesc well for the future and I think he will need it going to such a club. I also have 100% faith in the knowledge and genius of Arsene......if he turned down Cesc there is a reason. Probably the same reason Barcelona decided he was not good enough as the national team even when being outclassed by Holland. The fact that Arsene (who is God) made a £28 mil profit on the sale to Barca and now makes another £5.6 mil from the trophy buyers, says it all to me. Also another important fact is we have superior players like the OX, Ozil, Rosicky, Ramsey, Corzola, Diaby and Walcott available I. If a club is stupid enough to pay anyone £200k per week well it says it all about that club don't you think? The Chelski Buyers club have a manager that is a buffoon who showed his lack of class many times last year when winning nothing......Only that club can take a world class player Torres and turn him into a dud of £50 mill. So....I hope that explains how 99% of Gunners feel about Cesc dumbing down and hopefully 'the buyers' will now buy Song! Another Arsene buy for £1mill and sold for £18 mill. That's how he financed the stadium build and not through a very dubious Ruski sugar daddy....how embarrassing that must be? My advice is to not gloat until you have the proof to do so!
I've got to say it...you seem the sort of girl that really gets off on rubbing rival fans noses in it don't you? Typical Chelsea...for all the money an out of towner has brought in....absolutely classless, who base success purely on the last 9 years. A load of annoying 'Jonny come latelys' who were nowhere before .I thought Citeh had taken your mantle as the most arrogant twats in football, but you've bounced right back to the top. We'll see if the special one can do it this year, he couldn't last year though......and without sounding like sour grapes...take the almighty budget he's allowed to spend on any player he likes and he isn't that special. I remember your club in the days of Ken Bates and Matthew Harding....you won bugger all. Now you just gloat.....in your Burberry baseball caps.....what a load of tossers you really are.
typical of the Portuguese bus driver, loses the league by a couple of points and has to throw probably another 100 million away just to try and finish above Liverpool and city. your a fxxxxxg joke mr mourinho.
SABOTAGE
