http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/columnists/r...89520-20624066/

I know we shouldnt take much notice or waste our time with morons but did anyone else see this.

Unbelievable!

I have it on good authority that many people in Spain are actually now realising just how good Cesc is!

Derek McGovern is a tosser. And he supports Liverpool too.

:good:

He is "ludicrously overrated" but "In Spain they can't understand why the Arsenal youngster is so feted." Hmmm... who the feck writes this shit?

He will start, IMO but the 7/4 odds are quite good.

Should be looking closer to home with Torres, can't hit a barn door.

If Cesc doesn't start on Sunday it's nothing to do with Cescs' ability, it is due to Aragones tactical plans... Because Aragones likes to favour the un-natural mixture of quick, attacking football mixed with a CDM who can cover the back four with just as much priority as the attackers...

Cesc will play IMO behind Torres and will work with Iniesta/Xavi/Silva to supply the attacks and Senna will cover the back four...

I kind of got lost in the translation there but you get the idea... Cesc will play because Villa is unavailable and Guisa(sp?) is the only other real attacking option...

Who wrote these kind of shits? Feted in Spain? Ludicrously overrated?

But I won't start Cesc in the first XI tomorrow. Tactically, you need to numb Germany's play and stop them from going smooth in attack. Then, at a suitable time, probably half time, you inject Cesc's magic into the game, that is how it clicks! If you start Cesc in the first beginning, the German will send two players man marking Cesc in the midfield or foul him whenever he gets the ball.

Now THAT'S what I was trying to say :doh:

Torres? Now remind me, is he the bloke that scored almost as many in his first EPL as Adebeofftoitalynow managed in his third ?(As I don't have my electro-magnifer on hand I can't remind myself how many goals he managed in his first two seasons.?

He meant on the International level ;)

I get the Mirror every day and this prick's column is always full of shite. I think he deliberately speaks shit.

He's a blinkered Liverpool fan who won't hear a bad word said about Rafa (like most of em)

He is over rated.

I know I've been guilty of this in the past, but why do we have to bring Ade (who is, in a lot of people's opinion, not just mine, over rated) into the equation as soon as Torres name is mentioned?

Yes, Torres has had a good season in the EPL, where the gulf in talent between the top four and the rest is clear to see (11 points separating 4th and 5th, 27pts separating 4th and 10th, 40pts between 4th and 17th), but he has looked hopeless at the top international level during this competition.

Cesc, on the other hand, has shown that he can replicate his club level form for his country.

I call it the 'TIB defensive reaction' :good:

That article stinks.

People in Spain don't rate him? Good, then they can leave him in England, with Arsenal. :fingers:

:goodpost:

That's about as realistic as your FM08 predictions :coffee:

Which were?

In our 'private' game bucko.

Keep stepping into my shoes and one day I'll let you know kiddo. ;)

:unsure:

:scarf:

Go to bed :good:

M'ok...:getcoat:

Don't worry, I'll read you a story :good:

Huh? :blink: :blink:

I dunno, it's late and I'm just making bs up in the spirit of the sunday papers :good:

Everyday must be Sunday for you eh? ;)

Back when things were going well going well for Roma, yes. :(

:lol:

You'll win it, don't worry :good:

That must be a joke, what a stupid thing to say.

Why, I will win it yeah?! :angry:

No, the article is stupid....

Yes I know, I was....y'know...

Oh forget it.

:getcoat:

Hmm, it's a tough one, mate. I've recently argued this point with our resident Manchester United fan (you know the one from North London?)

Anyways, I think that Fabregas is as influential to our side as Ronaldo is to Manchester United. Cesc can create a goal and even score now and again. His heaight disadvantage render his defensive capabilities as null and void but, otherwise, he's an excellent all round player.

The fact that he's had his own TV show (the less said about that the better) and Sky Sports always tend to show him whenever there's anything Arsenal makes him seem almost larger than life. He's given this world class status when, frankly, he isn't a world-class player. However, his attitude is fantastic and his footballing prowess is often overlooked.

Overall, I think he's a brilliant player. He's got his head screwed on right. Whatever the papers want to write about him, good or bad, is irrelevant so long as Fab ignores it and continues to play his own game. We'd certainly miss him far more than Flamini, Hleb and Adebayor.

His approach to the game and life in general seems to be world class and his abilities on the field occasionally reach that standard too but as he's young he is not consistent enough yet, which is of course not his fault. Some of the adulation put his way is OTT but I'm sure he realises where and what he needs to improve and give him another 1/2 sesasons he will be playing at the world class level every week.

If anything, he's underrated.

He's better than Dalgliesh, Keegan, Rush, Barnes and Mascherano, who are the best players the world has ever seen. In that order.

:tibbles:

When you say consistency, what exactly do you mean?

I know Cesc had a bad few games in February/March, but other than that, he was doing what we know best. When I say "bad" games, I mean passes going astray, no influence on the game, running around like a headless chicken.

The reason I raised your consistency point was maybe because you're expecting goals off him all season-long (please correct me if I'm wrong). However, I just don't think that Cesc will ever become a Steven Gerrard or a Michael Ballack type of midfielder. The word "potential" is banded about where Fabregas is concerned, and I think he's more or less realised his potential now.

I don't mean goals all season round, or even the ability to play 50 games a season at an amazing standard of play. I disagree that he went missing for a few games, I'd say it was quite a lot more than that but from my point of view that is to be expected.

Of course he will always miss chances/passes, even the best players do that during the course of a game but he hasn't reached a stage where he consistently stamps his authority on a game and runs it. He does it quite a lot but there is more to come there.

Most of our play goes through Cesc and it was noticeable that when he went through a period of 2/3 months when his form dipped, the team's form went down with him. That'll change though as I mentioned before. He'll never be a box to box in the mould of the players you mentioned but his authority on the pitch still has a few notches to increase before I would call him world class.

Fair enough, mate.

I think we agree for the most part, anyway!