By Walter Broeckx
Daydreams….
Usually Untold is not the place to find the daily big transfer rumours that are posted around the internet. And when we do it we usually get it wrong completely. That might be one reason to stay clear of it as much as possible. Even though it would invite clicks and readers. But as we are Untold we try to get you reading our articles by writing other things.
However there is a rumour doing the rounds that even would get me a bit excited. And maybe I have contributed to it, if it eventually happens. But more about my contribution later.
But for now let us just dream a bit and let us get carried away in a rather Untold way. Just to make up for the fact we have been up and down more than we would have liked in the last couple of days/weeks.
After having chased him for four years or so the people in Barcelona have discovered that even though he has the right DNA they suddenly don’t like Cesc Fabregas anymore. Not enough to keep him there. Because when he plays, there are two other players that have to play out of position and other tactical stuff that I don’t really know much about.
And so the supporters are starting to turn against him and I have even heard that on polls of who to sell first the name of Fabregas is the most mentioned. So after all he did to join his childhood club they now are rejecting him and want him out. If this is the truth then this is a fine example of the well known fact that the grass isn’t always greener in Barcelona than in London. The grass in North London is the greenest. FACT.
Now I must admit that from the first time I saw Cesc play I fell in love with him. Even now whenever I see a glimpse of Barcelona football and Cesc is on…I admit I hope he does well. I want Barcelona to lose but I want Cesc to do well. He was the only player that I ever bought a shirt with his name on. A stupid thing I will never do again. Never say never of course….
But it is this strange bond I feel with him that makes me forgive the crimes he committed in the past. As a good father I forgive my children when they do the wrong things and make mistakes. So far it has worked with my own children because hey haven’t really made big mistakes in their lives. And so I could forgive Cesc everything the moment he would sign a new deal with Arsenal.
I know it is far fetched but let us just for the fun of it try to imagine that our team stays the same and that Cesc comes back to his second home in London. Can you imagine the midfield/attacking options we would have? Cesc and Özil the two players who can give assists as if it is nothing in the same team! And both can move in to a more forward position where they also can score goals. Özil doesn’t score enough you say? Wait till next year. I feel it in my bones he will score.
So Cesc and Özil. And then around him we have Ramsey with his assists and goal scoring pedigree. I must admit that by now I have to stop for a while because I have to change my pants. And my keyboard is wet from salivating all over it. World class striker needed you said? My god, even I at my age would score 30+ goals with them around me. (Ok I admit I got carried away a bit with that last statement)
If you then add our top scorer of last season Theo Walcott with his devastating pace to the action….can you see it? Can you feel it? If you don’t mind I will finish off this article sitting on the toilets as my wife will start getting worried if I wet any more pants and she probably would want me to go to a doctor to have me checked.
And then I have even forgot to mention a clinical finisher like Podolski with his lethal left foot.
Is there any room left for Santi Cazorla then? There should be. Or for Jack Wilshere? There should be. The latter might be turned around in to a defensive midfielder a bit more. He surely has the bite to do this and I think that with getting older he might finish up in that role. And it might save his ankles a bit as he will be less targeted over there.
How many goals and assists would Giroud be able to score and provide with those players around him? And as both Özil and Cesc are around 25-26 years old they are on the top of their game. Lucky I am still on the toilet for the moment.
We have heard enough rumours about Arsenal having a first option on Cesc if he ever would leave Barcelona. And I think Wenger has once hinted that he would take him back in a heartbeat. So as a Cesc-admirer from the first minute I confess that even the thought of him coming back brings me in an unseen state of happiness.
Probably it will never happen. But then again. Never say never.
Oh I almost forgot. My own contribution. The last time I spent my summer holidays in Catalonia was the summer before Cesc. I then vowed that if they got him back I would never go back to Catalonia as long as he was there. I stayed faithful to my promise. Even this year I will not go there but will only go to the south of France. As long as Cesc is there you will not get my money. And with the big crisis in Spain and Catalonia they maybe are thinking: hey let us sell Cesc back to Arsenal and then maybe Walter will come back and spend his money over here.
And maybe even Tony has something to do with this. As he has been there during the last season if I still remember it correct. [Blimey Walter, what a memory – yes I went to see the architecture – Tony] Maybe he has been doing the first talks on behalf of Arsenal with Barcelona? [But sorry = nope]
So there you have it. My dream transfer of this summer. But as I have had many dreams that never came true, I fear this one will also stay what it usually is: a dream. A nice dream I must say. But not one to dream about at night. As my wife will not find it amusing to have to change the sheets at night. Neither would I to be honest. So let me keep it as a day dream. A nice day dream.
Still, you never know…
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal
if money were no problem and it was a dream summer. i would like:
Cesc
Draxler
Costa
Aubameyang
Hi Walter I can see what you are saying, but I can’t forgive his last season and would rather see Ox and Ramsey with Ozil.
Also rather spend the cash on keeping Sagna, especially if your countryman is off as he has never given less than 100%, and turned games with sheer force of will and determination.
Also in a world of global warming would it be ethical for Mrs Walter to be running the tumble dryer 24/7? Think of the children!
Even though I understood the draw of Barcalona for Cesc, I too have a bit of an issue with how things unravelled in his last season.
Even though a lot of the antics, and the things said where not of Cescs making, I always felt he never did, or said, enough to stop it happening, and more or less allowed Arsene and Arsenal to be made a laughing stock during the entire Summer.
The shirt? The ‘kidnapping’? Really?
Nope, I’m sorry, but it all left a bad taste for me.
Cesc is the only player that I would take back happily. I think we all knew he was going to Barcelona at some point if they deemed him good enough. Jambug, he didn’t do enough like you say but he wasn’t outright traitorous etc.
wouldn’t want to see cesc in an arsenal attire.. we should get a world class striker nd right back,and we are good to go
If Cesc really comes back, he can play the central midfield role like a duck in the water. Just put Ozil, Ramsey, Cazorla and Fabregas in midfield to be protected by Flamini or perhaps someone better in Arsene’s mind, then we have the luckiest bastard of a striker in first eleven. Backup by the tough Diaby and Wilshere with Podolski, Walcott and Ox flying in the wings if needed. Then, we dont even have to improve our defense since we would have 90% possession all the time. If he comes, if Arsene wants him back and if Barca sells.
Would love Cesc back, just hope not at the price of say Ozil going the other way. one of our big hitters would get less game time though.
Think Cesc would be amazing back in the team. The reports are we have first option, if true, it would not look good if we let him go to Utd.
Anyone else see the nasri comments from yesterday? He said he wanted to stay with us, but left because we kept delaying on his new deal. Someone, please tell me this was not true or that he was being excessively greedy or something?
I do not particularly want Cesc back! His last season and all the antics… as far as I am concerned he did enough and behaved in a way that separates him from the likes of Van Persie and co but he still abandoned us and the whole shirt fiasco was so unbelievably rude to the supporters.
I would only have him back because I couldn’t bare to see him at United or any other English club! Either way, not sure we need him, although he would improve any team (apart from barca apparently) … would rather he just stays there.
Cesc was a wonderful player, but I agree with the comments above regarding his final year with us, it did leave a bad taste.
Ramsey was practically Cesc’s understudy and should Cesc return I am not sure if that would be a good thing for Ramsey, now that Ramsey has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the league – would the return of Cesc have a detrimental effect on Ramsey?
We also seem to have a much better team spirit than in Cesc’s final days – when Cesc’s moods did not help the team. It would be detrimental to have our present team spirit compromised.
I think Ramsey has evidently matured and is his own person. He’s not swayed by any others skill, rep or personality. Therefore if cesc came back it would be irrelevant….beneficial?
With regards to spirit I don’t think we had leaders. He was captain which I didn’t think he deserved. We have plenty of leaders on the pitch now.
With Cesc, Arsene would play a rotating highly mobile front 5, especially as one of those would be able to slot in to make it two defensive MFs when needed.
The mind boggles…………….bring it on.
The main thing we need this summer are two top class, pacy strikers who get 20-25 league goals a season each.
The main thing we need this summer are no more YAAAPs from the likes of Will and Rupert Cook.
Or people who make up ridiculous acronyms.
Jax, the difference is that those people are posting with inflammatory purpose. That acronym was supposed to be just funny.
@jax
So what would you call them?
I am lumped in as an ‘AKB’, which is fine by me, because that’s what I believe.
It is an acronym that is used to describe a good many of us on here with the basic belief that indeed Arsene does know best. I don’t see the problem.
‘AAA’ or ‘YAAAP’ are acronyms that are similarly used to describe the group of people/posters who believe that just about everything Arsenal, and Wenger in particular does, is wrong.
Yes they are generalisations but they make life much simpler.
It’s not ‘ridiculous’, insulting, childish, or anything else, it’s just what people do to describe groups of people of a similar Character or mind set.
It saves lots of typing and unless you are being ‘ridiculous’ yourself you know exactly what these acronyms mean within the context of this site.
Walter, as much as I used to like Cesc and dream about his return to the right shirt, more I think about him, I think that he had been even poorer captain than Rusty van Prick was and even bigger let-down than Nasri.
Cesc had had a long-term contract before he left for Barcelona. Arsenal had had a very competitive season (I usually say that the team from 2010-11 was better than the one from 2007-08) before the summer when Fabregas decided to rat his way out of London. Our team was decimated with injuries and suspensions (we had Koscielny, Song, Gervinho and Wilshere…all out for that home match against Liverpool while Arteta was still scoring winning penalties in 92nd minute for Everton and Mertesacker was yet to be converted from GFD to BFG). In that circumstances, Samir Nasri taught Fabregas a lesson or two about loyalty and professional approach by wearing an Arsenal shirt for the very last time against Liverpool and giving his best on the pitch. Where was our bloody captain? Oh, he was “injured” and busy with DNA-tests like he was in a bloody CSI-episode.
Of course, unlike Nasri who proved to be an ass by using a poor (but at least sincere) comments about Arsenal, Fabregas kept on “supporting” Arsenal on Twitter, using “we” for Arsenal even though he was already a Barcelona player (you can’t have your DNA and, er, eat it, Cesc!). I’d have appreciated more if he had been a general that goes with his decimated troops in the battle.
And, don’t let me start about his crappy skipper-qualities even when he had been on the pitch. Our campaign in 2010-11 suffered a huge meltdown in matches we had been two or even more goals up (two NLDs and Newcastle) where we had won just two out of nine points (remember, we were only three points off the second place).
Barcelona don’t want Cesc? It’s fine by me. He wants to return to Arsenal? OK, I can live with that except he would have to work his ass back to the team and adjust to the team instead of vice versa (where would he play anyway? Özil is a better player than Fabregas, Ramsey has more qualities for modern football too and Wilshere is future “Mr Arsenal”…not to forget Wenger will use Oxlade-Chamberlain in a central midfield role too). And, he would be the last person to wear an armband – Mertesacker, Arteta, Sagna, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Flamini, Walcott, Wilshere, Szczesny, Cazorla, Gibbs, Giroud, Oxlade-Chamberlain…all of them deserve to wear an armband in front of chief Four White Feathers.
It’d be great to have him back. He certainly seems more appreciated in London. Could a loan move be more likely perhaps?
Don’t think we’d be as overly reliant on him as before & it’d be good to see him playing alongside his former team mates again as well as the newer ones!
I had a mini meltdown here when I first heard of Flamini coming back. I was unhappy with the way he left us for AC Milan in 2008, especially with the parting comment that he was leaving for a “big club”. I guess I was more hurt by his inference that my beloved Arsenal is a smaller club than AC MIlan. Of course in 2008, he was right but I was offended nonetheless. I was calmed down by factual rebuttals from friends on here and as with everything else concerning Arsenal, I accept Arsene Wenger’s jugdement.
The point of the anecdote above is that we all have one issue or the other concerning players who have left us with Eduardo being the most understood and tolerated and RvP being the most rabidly despised. It’s been 2 years and I am still mad at the traitor.
My feelings towards Cesc is pretty close to Walter’s. I agree about the head dropping when things didn’t go his way on the pitch and other negative body language he displayed in his final season with us. But as with Flamini, I am willing to forgive and forget as long as AW thinks that he can bring something positive to the team. I am, however, not going to clamour for Fabregas or any other player for that matter to be signed. As ever, I am leaving that task to the competent professionals employed by the club to do it. I will be rooting for whoever we sign while wishing whoever departs good luck with their careers elsewhere.
I abhor transfer speculation (or transfer porn as somebody on Positively Arsenal called it) and I hope that Walter and Tony limit articles on the topic. At least till pre-season when transfer porn becomes the norm on football sites.
Oh! Oh! Been some humour bypasses here today.
I think we must sign Connor Wickham from Sunderland. He just scored again in the relegation battle against Cardiff. That guy can’t stop scoring, unlike that big lump of uselessness that we have in Olivier Giroud.
Please don’t blame me, I am just playing the game along with everyone.
Jax,
Are you talking in codes. I keep struggling to understand what you are trying to say. This is no dig at you. I only wish you’d be more explicit.
Wenger doesn’t take players back unless he feels they’ll have lots to offer the team, and so far he’s been proven correct with Theirry, Sol and Flamini. So no reason to expect Cesc will be any different.
Off topic, but why is Atkinson doing a do or die Chelsea match??? Looks like the pgmob are bent on taking this to the wire, just for the ratings I suspect.
We have enough central midfielders as it is, someone would have to make way for Fabregas if he returned: Cazorla? Wilshere? We have more pressing needs, and I don’t think we should get carried away with sentimentality.
Besides, Xavi is getting old and Fabregas is his successor. And there’s still the uncertainty of the transfer ban, so…I can’t see it happening.
@Bootoomee
Re Jax. I was wondering the same thing. With the corrosive one having seriously sullied his reputation it is difficult to see how he could join the ranks of the unsullied.
I have a feeling it may be an obscure reference to the Game of Thrones – the corrosive one previously expressed an affinity for it – but Jax’s comment still seems illogical.
‘Transfer Porn’ I love that !
As I said above, I was disappointed with Cesc in the run-up to his departure but I can forgive. Forget on the other hand?
For me, the problems are, do we need him? Would it be at the expense of other, more important, signings?
No doubt he is quality but is he better than our current first choice midfield? A matter of opinion I suppose. But similar to Boo, if Wenger thinks so then that’s good enough for me.
Another issue for me is, as much as we may not need him, I would hate to see him in a United, City, Chelsea or God forbid, Spurs shirt.
Maybe we could just do an ‘oiler’ and buy him simply to stop him joining anybody else !
bjtgooner,
Of course. Like you, I am never ambiguous about where I stand. My only wish is that all commenters express their opinion clearly. I do neither passive-aggressive nor talk in codes. I use sarcasm but I always make it absurdly clear.
Pro footballers are fickle lot and on the whole are just exercising their rights to maximise their earnings. I’ve got no problems with that and would do the same, but I’m old fashioned enough to want to honour a contract (especially one that included a £1 million loyalty bonus), and wouldn’t agitate to move when another club started fluttering its eyelashes at me. No way would I want him to play as my team mate again, and would he be welcomed back by the likes of Walcott & Ramsey anyway.
When I seen the title of this thread, I thought I was in trouble for bringing this up yesterday in the striker thread. And you guys had 5 hours to build up comments before I even seen it.
I don’t know how Fabregas would fit in, but it was my impression that Arsenal always had an eye out in that direction. Which can be good or bad. The problem with keeping the eye out, is that it can freeze you out of other deals, knowing you need to keep some cash in the kitty.
—
With respect to former players, I would like to send congratulations to Mannone for a fine year at Sunderland. He wasn’t over worked today, but he has had a good year.
Cesc back? Yes, a no-brainer. He can be there with Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla, Jack, and the Ox. Believe me, we need more midfielders, with all the unavoidable injuries, and the fact that Arteta and Flamini are not spring chickens (if they were, they would play for the mighty Sp*ds) and also the other fact that we may play close to 65 games if we are really competitive, a certainty with a very high quality deep squad.
Adding in replacements for Bendtner (?Drmic) and Park (?Griezmann) even though neither played much, and replacing significant departures (?Fabianski and ?Sagna as well as ?others) by bringing in quality position players would great.
At this stage, I have the feeling that Draxler and Bender are over-priced.
And I am in the AKB how to SSFM group.
Arsene Knows Best how to Spend Some F***ing Money for the acronym impaired.
Just read Gord’s post.
I wished, with Fabianski leaving, that we had a buy-back option for Don Vito.
@Jax
You say:
“Pro footballers are fickle lot and on the whole are just exercising their rights to maximise their earnings. I’ve got no problems with that and would do the same…”
If this is the case why then say this:
“but I’m old fashioned enough to want to honour a contract (especially one that included a £1 million loyalty bonus), and wouldn’t agitate to move when another club started fluttering its eyelashes at me”
So what is? You either do or you don’t have a problem with it?
Also you say:
“No way would I want him to play as my team mate again, and would he be welcomed back by the likes of Walcott & Ramsey anyway”.
Why would you not play with him as he has only done what you said you would do?
Why would Walcott and Ramsey not play with him as they are merely ‘fickle’ Pro footballers and by definition would do the same themselves?
As has been said earlier, you talk in riddles.
Jambug
Don’t know why I should defend what I say, but here goes.
No I do not have a problem with fickle footballers, good luck to them, but think they should honour a contract. Which is why I wouldn’t want to play in a team with him (especially after the way it all went down). No riddles there. And God knows where that one came from.
I have nothing against Cesc but I can’t see that we need him.
jambug,
There you go using logic again. Big bully!
Maybe Fabregas should come and replace Arteta as the deep lying playmaker. He is definitely a better player defensively than old Arty. He is more discipline and intellegent than most of our players. He is a supreme talent on the ball and will not concede possession even under massive pressure. I will never forget his gameplay beside Gilberto when he started to play in the first team. He knows how to battle dirty teams too. In my opinion, he left in good terms and he still supports Arsene and Arsenal. The final decision is with Arsene and I just hope he doesnt come back to EPL with a team other than Arsenal.
With what i have seen for the last two season i don’t think we can even ask our selves where a man like Fab$gas can play!!! We need him if le prof says so because all of you have seen how injuries have hindered us from winning this premiership this season.
We need some experience and some young blood and the rest will be history.
Tony and the rest of untold team thanks for the work you have done for bringing up untold again.
If you can see in the archives i told you that untold is stepping on many toes and the YAKUZA’S of this world do not want to be distracted at all. The battle is still on but as GUNNERS we need to be ready every other day to fight and win. Keep the fire burning.
So, of the 3 teams in the top 4 this season, only Arsenal managed to get a point against Chelsea.
Interesting.
It is now advantage Man City, on goals difference.
I still want Liverpool to win the league but unlike Man City, their fate is not in their hands.
Can Man City win the league twice on goals difference?
Interesting.
I am ambivalent about the return of Cesc. I, like many here, didn’t like how his transfer drama played out. He wanted to have his cake and to eat it, too. He wanted to go but remain on good terms with the team. As a skipper he was average and our team, by playing through him was actually quite slow/poor on the counterattack. He is without doubt a talented footballer and always says the right thing about Arsenal but with Ramsey and Ozil we have players that can occupy his role. My first question is whether we need his skill set. We need another striker and in the midfield, arguably we need a bigger more aggressive box to box midfielder more. My second question is whether this mythical ‘right of first refusal’ means anything. Because if it means a right to match an offer, I can’t see us matching a ManU offer,for example. And, if he does decide to go to ManU all his ‘love’ for Arsenal will mean nothing.
0-1 to Man City
@Jax
I’m not asking you to ‘defend’ yourself. I’m asking you to ‘explain’ yourself because I feel you contradict yourself within the same post.
If you cant see that then we are both wasting our breath.
jambug
looks like we’re wasting our breath then
Of the three teams in the top four Arsenal are the only ones to concede 6 goals in one game against Chelsea.
Interesting.
Of the three teams in the top four Arsenal are the only ones to concede 6 goals in one game against Chelsea.
Interesting.
Jax, oh dear you’ve confused Jambug. I think you owe him an apology.
As for Cesc I don’t think we need him.
“Of the three teams in the top four”
Twit!
Don’t bother saying that again!!
So, of the 3 teams in the top 4 this season, only Arsenal managed to get a point against Chelsea.
Interesting.
@bjtgooner as was said by your mate bootoome and now you’re calling him a twit. Thought I’d have a little joke at his expense.
Rupert Cook: He loves Arsenal, just hates everything about the club.
I decided to rewrite this since we are repeating ourselves now.
@corrosive cook.
I will give Bootoomee a pardon on that one, as you repeated it and modified the ending to try to be clever you are the twit!!
Rupert Cook,
So you are the moron who copied off of his mate and repeated his errors verbatim.
You are clearly incapable of any original thought. Sad that you suck at copying too.
bjtgooner,
I actually meant of “all the OTHER three teams in the top 4”.
You would think that the genius who keeps telling us how much his others suck would not repeat the mistake but alas!
I’m open as to whether Cesc should be brought back, but as someone says, if AW thinks he wants him back, good enough for me, he should also bring Song(or get a song like player) back me thinks, then all we would need is another striker and solid RB if Bac goes. Still think that losing Bac is bad, because he can play in more than one position, and he should be given the 3 yrs he wants, or 2 yrs with a little higher wage, but Arsenal have laid their terms on the table and that seems to be that, it’s up to Bac. Hope he does not go to any PL team.
\\
Micheal Ram made the best suggestion that Cesc would replace Arteta, who is getting older, and besides, Zelalem would learn from him too. I hope(d) Diaby(a Song like player) could be a big force next season, but he has another injury(hope a small one), and Arsenal needs to progress now. Losing Song to me was a bigger loss than VanPursey. We need a little more steel like Song had in midfield.
//
Whatever happens, Arsenal are moving forward, not as fast as many of us may wish, but we are moving forward.
Come on gunners.
@Bootoomee
I realized what you meant, but the BBCC (boring boring corrosive cook) tried to be a bit too clever – not for the first time.
He really does suck – even as a troll.
What is this with the acronyms? WABOC. Work that one out.
We would have half as much fun on here if it wasn’t for Mr Cook! Take that however you want.
Yes Quincy. he keeps us on our toes.
Walter……you are having too many wet dreams for my liking….at your age it can be dangerous!
I believe we have moved on from Cesc and that he would find the bench too difficult to accept. Wenger knows his team and would only bring Cesc back IF he had clear and specific plans for him. He would also be wary that this could upset some players who were distressed at his leaving. That said, Cesc is a great addition to any team, especially us.
However ,as many have correctly pointed out here, we have more pressing needs in the striker and defensive midfielder positions, as well as defensively. Wenger has his priorities and I am sure they are far more realistic and salient than our idle speculations are.
@Bootoomee
‘Can Man City win the league twice on goals difference?’
On the basis that Arsenals invincible season doesn’t really count (the law according to Talksport) as we drew too many games and lost a couple of matches in the cups, so using similar criteria Man City’s goal difference League titles shouldn’t really count either.
Mick,
True, except you never hear anyone say that in the media. Their hatred for us and our manager shows it face at every opportunity.
I have now changed my mind about wanting Liverpool to win it (not that my wish matters anyway). Mandy Dood’s point about the backlash on our team and our manager changed my mind. Their is enough Liverpool worshipping already. Their winning the league will make it unbearably loud.