Cesc Fabregas has endeared himself to most Arsenal supporters with an increasingly impressive set of performances since breaking into the first team. He endeared himself even further yesterday with the following comments from the Daily Mail,
“We have to win something because we are Arsenal and our obligation and our target every year is to win something”
The word I like in there: obligation.
How many seasoned pros use language like that? Some of that no doubt is the translation that he makes mentally between his native tongue and English but it warms the cockles of your heart to see a nineteen year old recognise that there is more to pulling on an Arsenal shirt than running around chasing a bag of cowskin filled with air. I think it is the recognition that Arsene has set the club to actually challenge on a regular basis with the quality of his squad, something that has not been present in the clubs history on a consistent basis. In the same interview, Fabregas attributes the clubs recent run of good form to a ‘clear the air’ team meeting after the defeat at Sheffield United. According to the Spaniard,
“We had a talk in the dressing room and said something had to change in our mentality and we need to be stronger in every part of the game”
Well, whatever it was, it has worked thus far in 2007 and no-one can complain about that. As for Fabregas, he is an example to be held up to all players in terms of winning mentality and what can be achieved with the correct application and a modicum of skill. Oh, and he’s a credit to his mum and dad.
The rest of the news was the players basking in the reflected glory of the win on Sunday but done in a sensible manner with most adding “Yes, it was good but we need to carry on the hard work on a consistent basis” or words to that effect. It seems that Arsene’s tactic at half-time on Sunday was to play for the whole of the 90+ minutes, according to Mathieu Flamini at least,
“He told us ‘they are no longer the same team after 70 minutes’. He asked us to remain strong and concentrated because United were going to let go physically in the last 20 minutes. And once again the manager was right”
Well, that’s what the Frenchman told The Sun Says today anyway.
Robin van Persie’s injury is either as bad or not as bad as it was first feared, depending on which news outlet you read. With his metatarsal broken, apparently the earliest he will be back is the end of February and according to some reports that is an optimistic outlook with a month or so later being another favourite. Expect the “RvP out for rest of season” stories to start soon, maybe even today. His absence has solved perhaps one problem for AW, namely that of a front pairing, with the favourite being Adebayor and Henry with Baptista popping his head into the first team every now and then to give one or other a rest or add some variety to the play. On the subject of forwards, Niclas Anelka has admitted that he would like to return to Arsenal, according to The Daily Mirror, which I have no doubt is mischief-making on the part of the journo involved. At the age of 27, his star has wandered too far to be considered by AW, whom Anelka recognises as a great coach. His departure still represents the best business that Arsene has done: a £22m profit that funded the purchase of TH14. I feel some sympathy with him for he realises perhaps that it is case of what might have been considering that none of his moves since leaving have allowed him to reach the heights that he should have done.
Other transfer rumours that surfaced yesterday were that it was going to be a bunfight between Arsenal and Chelsea for the signature of Jonathan Woodgate at the end of the season. Whilst I have no doubt that Woodgate is the type of defender that AW would like, i.e. capable of playing the ball out of defence on the deck, I cannot see how he would fit into the team, assuming that William Gallas regains his fitness. To sign another Centre Half would block the path of either Senderos or Djourou, something that does not fit in with the mantra of “Give youth a chance” that AW has followed over recent seasons and been rewarded with quite well, don’t you think? Talking of which, Gareth Bale is apparently the subject of an informal bid of around £10m according to press reports. Manchester United continue to be the media favourites for him but they encourage the view that AW and Tottenham are interested. Personally I am not so sure that Arsenal are interested. Clichy is improving with every game and when called upon, Armand Traore has shown signs that he can be as good as, if not better, than Clichy. In any case, surely Chelsea will be mentioned in here somewhere for after the weekend, it looks to me like they need a new left back?
