Sky Sports didn’t have anything, and it was the only news source that I read. It was for that reason that Cesc’s departure to Chelsea came as such a massive shock to me.
Cesc has gone to Chelsea. Chelsea. I can scarcely believe it, I refuse to believe it. It feels like a nightmare. It’s ten times worse than the van Persie issue. And what’s even more striking is that Cesc wasn’t an Arsenal player to lose, yet it feels like we have sold him to our direct rival.
Perhaps what makes it worse is his quotes.
“Chelsea is the best choice. They have an amazing squad of players and an incredible manager. I am fully committed to this team and I can’t wait to start playing.”
The presence of Chelsea as the third-party is what makes this particularly painful. Aside from comfortably overtaking us in squad and stature, they’ve replaced their forgone legend with a player who, arguably, should have been our legend.
It stings, and it stings bad. It’s like someone extracted your heart from your mouth, heated it in a microwave to 360°, and then served it to my dead body on a bowl of rice. And then have John Terry compose the epitaph. I’m not even joking.
We had our chance; the buy-back and first-refusal clauses could have prevented the transfer, Yet Wenger didn’t push the button. Instead he chose to focus on his own squad – a squad that has been devoid of investment since Kim Kallstrom.
Fabregas cannot be absolved of blame, though. It’s not like his hand was forced – had he stuck it out, he could have found a more homely club or struck oil at Barcelona. Instead, he chose to join Jose Mourinho and John Terry on the dark side of London. Cesc Fabregas, nurtured at Highbury, parented by Arsene Wenger, playing for Abramovich. How did that not make him cringe?
Cesc is a traitor. In a way, he’s the worst of them all. His constant assurances unfounded, his promises to return to the club that gave him everything (apparently), all plastic and shamelessly emotionless. I had said that Fabregas wouldn’t dare wreck his PR Image by joining Chelsea, but I wasn’t certain of it. Fucking hell, I was wrong.
Wenger should have bought him. Fabregas confirmed that Wenger rejected him, thus indirectly strengthening his rival Mourinho. The only way I’ll forgive Wenger is if he uses his funds well. A quality right-back, a reliable DM, backup goalkeeper and centre back and Balotelli up front, and Cesc would be soon forgotten.
But I don’t trust Wenger to do the right thing. In fact, I don’t trust anyone anymore. Even so, Fabregas’ departure taught me a valuable lesson. Loyalty and trust mean nothing in football – maybe even in this cold, dog-eat-dog world. When the chips are down, everyone thinks of themselves. Moralistic laws are shown the door.
And that is why I’m not at all convinced that players like Wilshere and Jenkinson are to stay here for life. Money and trophies have officially obliterated footballistic morals, and Arsene needs to deliver them.
We have a bunch of exciting players that anyone would want to see at Arsenal for the following five years. The British core, Ozil, Szczesny, Gnabry… this is our future foundation. We should lucre them with trophies and money – not hope every player turns a Tony Adams and signs contracts with their eyes closed.
The Fabregas damage is profound, but it isn’t irreparable. Buy some quality players, win the Community Shield and all of a sudden, you have a buzzing atmosphere with a team raring to have a crack at the Premier League title. We’d be laughing at this day.
We have seen loyal players turn their backs on us for fatter paychecks and accolades. We’ve failed enough to know the tonic for success. For once, let’s get out there and achieve it. Or three years from now, you might find this blog calling Mesut Ozil a traitor.
Over to you, Arsene.
P.S. Just as I round this up, Arsenal report that Sagna has joined City. I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE!!
-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]
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