5 Reasons Why…Fàbregas must resist Barca’s call

By: Rob | April 3rd, 2009

   

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So the rumour mill has cranked into action again, and pulled out that one that we’ve heard so many times before, Arsenal’s very own Catalan Kid is heading back to Catalonia to Barcelona in a move that seems so achingly perfect – he’s going home, his good friend Alex Hleb is there already, he wants to prove himself in Spain etc, that how could it not be true.

But to me, it seems like a bad idea. And, as you’ve asked nicely, I’m going to tell you why. Here are the five reasons why Cesc Fàbregas must not join Barcelona. Yet.

1) He wouldn’t even be guaranteed a first team slot.
One of the reasons for Cesc’s move, is supposedly the fact that he would have a better shot at the Spanish NT if he was in Spain. Problem is, the two players ahead of him for his country are Xavi and Iniesta, a pair with an astonishing partnership in the centre of midfield. There is no certainty that any player, however talented is going to break up that partnership. Ask Hleb. Besides, that team is playing so well this season, its difficult to see anyone breaking into that team.

2) He has the chance to become a legend at Arsenal.
If he stays patient, and trusts Arsene Wenger, there’s a good chance that Cesc can become a real legend at Arsenal, and win alot of trophies. I know Wenger has had alot of criticism this season, but he clearly is building a side for the future, and with a bit of experience in there, Arsenal could be contenders next year.

3) Barca let him go once…
At aged 16, Arsenal were interested in the prodigal talent of young Cesc. Barcelona obviously weren’t impressed enough with him to keep him then, would it really be that special to go back?

4) The Chance Will Come Again
I don’t think this is a once-in-a-lifetime dream move that it was for Hleb who obviously jumped at the chance last season. The rumours about Barca wanting Cesc have been around for ages, and are likely to carry on. If there is any truth in them, I don’t think another few season’s in north London is going to affect them, to be honest.

5) I like watching him play.
Entirely from a selfish-neutral perspective, Cesc is great to watch. He might be a cocky sod, but he is the heartbeat of an Arsenal team that has largely been fantastic to watch the last couple of seasons. His passing of the ball is exemplary, and he can hit the ball pretty sweetly too. It’d be a shame if I wasn’t watching him week-in-week-out anymore.

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Category: 5 Reasons Why, Arsenal

   

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Comments  

• Julian |  April 3rd, 2009 at 9:32 am

  
  
  

  Agree with all except the last point. You can’t watch Barca every week with the plethora of sites out there that stream games?

  

• Rob |  April 3rd, 2009 at 10:00 am

  
  
  

  Oh I can watch Barca every week, and I do watch them a fair bit, but naturally being in the UK my focus is on the Prem.

  

• Jose |  April 3rd, 2009 at 10:21 am

  
  
  

  As a Barca fan, dare I say that I wouldn’t mind his staying at Arsenal for a few more seasons. He’s got a chance to really make a career there, and for his own development, it would be better not to be competing for playtime with Barca’s superstars.

  Also, I think it helps Spain (the MNT) to have some non-Liga talent available. Part of what makes them so deadly is their ability to integrate a Premiership (Cesc and Liverpool, mostly) and La Liga approach to their play. It makes them a more versatile side.

  

• Anthony |  April 3rd, 2009 at 11:08 am

  
  
  

  It’s Fàbregas, not Fábregas.. Just saying.

  

• Marlon |  April 3rd, 2009 at 11:44 am

  
  
  

  Anthony are you aware you wrote the same thing twice?

  

• Rob |  April 3rd, 2009 at 12:15 pm

  
  
  

  How do you do the other accent above the a?

  

• MoMONEY |  April 3rd, 2009 at 12:46 pm

  
  
  

  Couldn’t agree more. He should only go to Barca when Xavi is nearing his end to replace him in the starting lineup…

  

• colin |  April 7th, 2009 at 4:34 am

  
  
  

  He may not go today or tomorrow, but he will eventually. I think thats a given…

  

• Alexinho |  April 7th, 2009 at 10:22 pm

  
  
  

  No, he wouldn’t get into the first team, as long as Xavi is fit enough to play most weeks. That’s why it won’t happen this summer or next. But it will eventually happen (the chance will indeed come again), and it will be something of a shame, because he is Arsenal’s engine and the team will be totally different without him.

  Barca did let him go once, but they let go of a lot of their youth teamers (to launch very successful careers), and it’s quite rare to hear of any one of them returning in the way the Fabregas saga has been percolating for more than a year now.

  

• eкℓανуa |  April 8th, 2009 at 5:42 am

  
  
  

  He should come in about 3 seasons…

  

• Hector |  April 8th, 2009 at 8:52 pm

  
  
  

  As a Barca fan, I want Cesc to stay for a while longer at Arsenal. Barca will not buy him right now (if he really were for sale that is). No club will pay 30-50 million just to add depth. We play a 3 man midfield with a defensive mid and with Xavi and Iniesta, there would be no place in the starting eleven for Cesc barring an injury or rotations.

  It IS widely believed on this camp that Cesc is destined to eventually inherit Xavi’s throne once our playmaker retires. That center-mid playmaker role in a Barca 4-3-3 is called the 4 in Barca terms, and the original was our current coach Pep Guardiola (who also wore the 4 jersey). Its the position Xavi now occupies (despite wearing the 6 jersey) and its the one Cesc plays and also the reason he chose the 4 jersey at Arsenal.

  Another reason, Barca is reluctant to buy him back is the precedent it would set over the EPL player poaching.

  Try to follow me here for a second. Barca DID want him. He was upset because he hadn’t been advanced to Juvenil A along with his buddies Messi and Pique (legend has it that their youth teams never lost a game EVER). The other reason is the same reason, EPL teams poach so many young players.

  I know a lot of EPL guys say “well, why are you crying, if you really wanted him, you would have kept him”. Not the case when at 16, EPL teams can offer you a professional contract with salary and all whereas in the rest of the world, teams can’t do that until the players are 18. So, the EPL team tells papa Fabregas, “Ill give your son a professional contract in the millions”. Barca says “well, I can keep educating and training him and offer him a chance to compete and once he’s 18 we’ll sign him right up but I can’t offer a contract”. So, Barca trains, educates, and houses him for years but gets nothing in return because of different laws. Seems like an unfair advantage, don’t you think?

  Either way, Cesc’s former agent did the same trick with Fran Merida, tempting him to run away to Arsenal for free resulting in a lawsuit against Arsenal that Barca won but is now on appeal. If Barca buys back Cesc for a huge sum it would send the message to its Cantera players that its okay to betray the club and run away to England for money because they will pay millions to get them back if they are good. That’s something that Barca is very reluctant to do. They did it with Pique but that transfer was microscopic compared to a Cesc deal. Until UEFA passes a law correcting the age imbalance, Cesc will most likely stay at Arsenal.

  Hope that made some sort of sense. Cheers.

  

• adimente |  April 12th, 2009 at 10:18 pm

  
  
  

  Hum… As if Barca had never poached a player themselves. It’s the same thing. I’m not defending Epl’s teams for their unfair avantage, but you cannot put the blame on them to give chances to youngsters to become what they’ve always wanted to be. It’s only natural to do so.

  About the number 4 jersey, Fabregas took it not because of Guardiola, but rather because he mimicked Patrick Viera, his one and truly mentor.