CESC FABREGAS has written off Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League or Champions League and claims he left for Barcelona in the summer as he wants to win major trophies and does not “see that kind of future for Arsenal”.
The north London club have managed only one league victory this season, against Swansea last weekend, and were humiliated in the 8-2 defeat at Manchester United in their previous match, at the end of August.
Arsene Wenger lost Samir Nasri to Manchester City before the defeat at Old Trafford but then sought to strengthen his squad by signing Mikel Arteta from Everton and Per Mertesacker from Werder Bremen, as well as loaning Yossi Benayoun from Chelsea.
However, Fabregas, Arsenal’s captain until his departure, said: “I want to be at a club that is able to win the big titles year after year and I don’t see that kind of future for Arsenal. I fear that they won’t be able to push the other big clubs in England away.”
Fabregas added: “If you look at the team this season I can’t see them finishing in front of teams like Manchester United or City, or Chelsea. There’s just too big a difference between the squads. I respect that Arsenal don’t have the same financial opportunities as the others, but it was part of my decision to leave that I find it hard to see Arsenal winning the Premier League or Champions League in the near future.”
Wenger continually complains about “financial doping” and earlier this week admitted a financially elite “cartel led by Barcelona and Real Madrid” were leaving Arsenal behind. While he may privately accept Fabregas’s view the Frenchman still publicly insists his philosophy of running a financially solvent club can win trophies. Following a shaky start Wenger, speaking before Fabregas, admitted that only by winning will the club silence their critics.
After last weekend’s 1-0 win over Swansea City at the Emirates and Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund in the opening Champions League group game Arsenal have begun to steady the ship.
Asked if repeated victory was the way to clear the scepticism surrounding his side he agreed. “We must win. We live in an environment that questions us when we don’t win,” he said.
Wenger claimed Dortmund, the German champions, gave one of the better performances of all sides who began their Champions League campaign, making Arsenal’s draw an even better result.
He said: “They are physically one of the best teams and their discipline and effort to win the ball back are the best I’ve seen this week in Europe.”
He also praised the displays of Mertesacker, Benayoun and Arteta, who all started in Dortmund. “If you look at the class of their attitude we were right, at their intelligence level we were right and at their quality we were right,” he said.
Tomorrow Wenger takes his side to Blackburn Rovers with Aaron Ramsey having only an outside chance of playing due to an ankle problem. Wenger said:
“Ramsey will practise tomorrow, he has a little chance to be available. Vermaelen is progressing very well and will be available after the next international break.”
GuardianService
