Adios! El Capitan and Opening Weekend Thoughts...

afternoon all.

never thought I'd say this but Cesc Fabregas no longer is on the books of Arsenal Football Club...

After the most protracted transfer safa in modern times, Cesc Fabregas' transfer back to his beloved Barcelona took place officially this morning. I have to admit that have experienced the whole set of emotions this afternoon, now that it has finally come to an end. I have to admit to some fairly rash statements on Facebook I made only today after seeing him kiss the Barca crest. I was enraged. But on reflection that is his first love. Not Arsenal. Also the fact he says he seems to have been almost silenced by the Football Club, not to talk to anyone this summer, I find pretty sickening at a time all the fans wanted to know what was going on, the Arsenal Board would not give any information or any sort of statement which highlights to me the lack of respect Msrs Hill-Wood, Kronke and Wenger have for the fans.

I digress...

 



Yes, the club nurtured him into the world class talent he is now (above turning out for his first senior appearance for Arsenal in 2003, against Rotherham in the FA Cup) and yes Barcelona turned their back on him at the age of 16, whilst signing young Messis and Xavis up to long term contracts. But he is born their. A spaniard in London may be happy a happy one, but sooner or later his homing instincts will take over. And ultimately, after Barcelona's near 3 year courtship of him and Arsenals current hazy direction, he has finally given in to his heart and returned home.


Its gonna strange seeing Cescy in the Blaugrauna shirt.....Still, the world revolves....Good Luck.

I guess...

here's a tribute to him in video. his best moments....he was so good at releasing Henry. So.Very.Good

ahem...(wipes away tear)


So the opening weekend of the new campaign was nothing if not boring. two goalless draws, included. But there were some moments of drama, not least Gervinho's sending off on his debut after a fracas with the kind spirited Joey Barton. I dont know what it is about this guy but he's never far from controversy. Im not gonna go into this except to say, Gervinho was correctly sent off, Song should have been, but most importantly Barton should have been, for continued aggressive behaviour.

And Arsenal need AT LEAST 1 or 2 creative players to provide that spark to get thing going behind the strikers...

so anyway....

Gary Cahill's price tag has now gone up by a further few million after a composed dominant performance against a beleaguered QPR side at Loftus Road, on their Premier League return after 15 years. Cahill scored the opening goal, a peach of a curler from just outside the box; this guy is the real deal. He can defend resolutely, pass, and also score and not just with his head. It must be his year to break into the England set-up and if Capello cant see it he needs his head read...Wenger too...

One of the players that also turned my head was Cahill's teammate, Croatian Ivan Klasnic. he's been with the trotters for 2 and a half years, essentially as an oft used sub, as back up to Johan Elmander and Kevin Davies but moreso during Daniel Sturridge's loan spell from Chelsea in the second half of last season.

Klasnic scored 5 goals in pre-season, which was the highest tally of anyone of the Premier League Clubs  with now Elmander is at Galatasaray and Sturridge back with Chelsea (albeit for now) Klasnic has the perfect opportunity to make a name for himself and cement his place in the starting line up, next to Davies. Plus he seems to link up effortlessly with new arrival Chris Eagles. From just his opening game he has registered a goal and an assist, and he may well make his way into my Fantasy Premier League team, with Gervinho suspended.

He COULD just, be a revelation...

Finally, I seem to owe Ashley Young an apology. I had previously posted that I felt he would struggle in a Utd Shirt, but conversely, he seems to thrive in it. With him and Nani on seperate wings, whilst United deal with the injury of Antonio Valencia he picked up on Copa America duty, United seem to have a good delivery set up. Young completely eclipsed Nani against West Brom, at least on this outing. Even Rooney. It looks as though SAF will deploy him on the left wing, where he will be able to cut inside and out of defences and then supply curling looping crosses into waiting teammates in the box.

I can see him having a ball. Sadly... 

The PSG Renaissance...

The last time French club, Paris Saint Germain won anything meaningful was the (now defunct) Cup Winners' Cup in 1996. Followed the next season by being runners up. Long before your Abramovich's, Sheikhs and multi billionnaires, PSG had dominated french football for the best part of a decade. That '96 squad included such luminaries as a cherubic Nicolas Anelka, Bernard Lama and Bruno N'Gotty, to name a few. The early nineties was a hugely successful time for PSG getting to the Champions League Semi-Finals, only for to be beaten by AC Milan. PSG won the three successive french league titles, as well as others either side of those, also. 

Since then however, the french outfit's fortunes have dwindled and the club have endured a barren spell spanning over 15 years and 8 different managers. Arsenal board note.... 

On the 31st of May of this year, however Qatari Business Authority bought a 70% controlling stake in the club. QIA, as its known, is estimated to own in excess of $60 billion of assets. It holds 15.1% of shares within the London Stock Exchange. In 2010, QIA bought Harrods and Walt Disney and Miramax Films.

not a bad portfolio.....

since then, QIA have begun investing heavily in the club, in a bid to return the club to its glory days. The first action was to install the outgoing Inter coach and former player at PSG, Leonardo, as Director of Football, in July. Since his arrival PSG have ramped up the big money buying of players;

  

 

to begin with PSG coach Antoine Kombouare (also a former son of the french club) recruited Lorient's highly rated, french international striker Kevin Gameiro (above left) for 11 million euros. Then in the course of four days between July 25th and 28th, the club signed Roma winger Jeremy Menez for 8m euros and Blaise Matuidi from St Etienne for 7.5m euros (both photographed above right). Matuidi seen as the ideal replacement for the retiring Claude Makelele. Then 4 days later signing veteran midfielder Mohamed Sissoko from Juventus for around 8m euros. (above)

All summer QIA had been looking to unveil a big name signing and after weeks of speculation and in a major coup, trumping Chelsea, Javier Pastore (above with director of football, Leonardo) was unveiled officially on August 8th as a Paris Saint Germain player, leaving Italian club Palermo for a reported 38.5million euros. 

“I am very happy to be here, Paris is a magnificent city, and PSG are an important club. When I left Argentina to come and play in Europe, I had no problem adapting, so I don’t see why it should be a problem now. My new teammates seem very nice, and that should help me integrate.”

“Leonardo convinced me to come here. The club have so much ambition and that helped too. The squad is of a very high level, and the team is young. There are so many reasons why I wanted to come here.” 

Big price tag, yes, but this guy is young, has bags of talent, pace and is seen as the man to take PSG back to the big time. Pastore has already asserted himself into the Argentinian set-up often competing with Angel di Maria for a place in the starting 11.

And PSG may not be done there. Linked with Berbatov, Alvaro Perreira of Porto, and Gilardino, there could still be a frenzy of activity, in the same vein as there was at Eastlands (ahem, sorry the ETIHAD STADIUM, pft) at the end of August 2009)

sadly PSG didnt start their campaign in spectacular form, losing 0-1 to newly promoted Lorient.

well, Paris wasn't built in a day........ 

  

Cesc The Coy..

So the end of July has rolled around and we are still no closer to the end of longest saga since the Who Shot JR? storyline in Dallas......


All jokes aside, the situation is getting desperate; for Barcelona, Arsenal, but particularly Fabregas. Even of people Arsene Wenger is getting increasingly agitated and exasperated, citing concerns over focus just two weeks away from season kick off at St. James' Park in 13 short days;

"I'm just worried that the player has to be completely focused and committed to our club. At the moment he's coming back from an injury and we have to sort out that situation.

"He is the captain of our club and we have to make sure he is really focused on being with us."   

with speculation surrounding the Arsenal captain, not once has Cesc spoke out publicly or come out and stated the way things are. sensible enough, ok, not to get involved with media speculation as frequently he gets misquoted, but the way things have occured is almost clandestine. Not Cesc speaking, but instead quotes come from Pique, Messi, Puyol and repeat offender, Xavi. Thats not to say he's been getting him to do his talking; make his soundbites, but for them to come out, and for him to then add further fuel to the fire by not making a statement, it just doesn't sit right.


But thats not what is angering me. In so much as its Barcelona's general decorum. President Sandro Rosell is a disgrace. He has stated that Fabregas' market value has gone down since last year; this for a player they are trying to get to come to their club. They will not pay more than £34m was the statement. Arsenal want £40m. Barcelona know they will not pay that as they repeatedly try to drive the price down to no avail. Its almost reaching an impasse. Check, if you will.


Also if I was Cesc Fabregas, I'd be looking at this situation, trying to unsettle him at Arsenal, because he wants to go home.

Let there be no doubt about that...

And yet they arent exactly trying to bust a gut in trying to sign him. They were more concerned about securing Alexis Sanchez. If I were Cesc, I would be nothing short of 'pissed-off' or muy annoye if you will.

On Saturday, much to my surprise, Cesc was in attendance at the Emirates Cup, sitting above with Tomas Rosicky and Carlos Vela. (and some bespectacled, bearded chap, who is that? : /) Good that he was showing face. But then at half time, he shot off down the tunnel, accompanied by a burley minder, out the stadium and into a silver Audi before being whisked of back to his
mansion (I assume).

I was not impressed. He claimed to have respect for the club.

thank god he didnt attend yesterday; he might have booed us off....