Q.: Did you feel held to ransom by Wenger?
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Stupid people!

Wenger is a hero.

Lady, you've gotta understand that the way the media reported the cesc transfer saga in Spain and in England was completely different. Over here (Spain) it was always Barça's side of the story, except for the usual jibes from the pro-Madrid media. The idea they sold after Cesc angles for a move after the 09-10 season was that Wenger had refused to let him go but privately agreed to open the door at the end of 2010-11 if Cesc still wanted the move. All Wenger's umming and erring this year was sold as if he was going back on his word.

Wenger is a gentleman and was true to his word about letting cesc leave.

However, it's left us short changed and in return we've been subjected to a fresh jibe from barca.

If this all is the truth then I dont understand why Wenger wait with a replacement until the transfer deadline is beyond me. Or should I assume Wenger doesnt look after a replacement and felt with Rambo and Wilshere we could go on. If so? Its is naive.

@gunnerthru (U6675) - Maybe the board didn't want to release any money for him to buy a replacement!

I think buying Arteta was a stop gap for Cesc's departure until Ramset and Jack become good enough to replicate Cesc. Also Artets brings exp.

Interesting interview tho.

Well this doesn't surprise me at all as Wenger said himself he could not keep Cesc when he was no longer committed to us.

What bothers me though is how Wenger lied to the fans about him not expecting Cesc to leave even after a deal had been agreed between both clubs.

What bothers me even more was Wenger's refusal to strengthen in January. We were in 4 competitions and needed both a DM and a CB. I was a fool at the time for backing the decision but then again I did not know what Wenger did about Song and Vermaelen at the time.

I know for a fact if we did not collapse in the way we did Cesc would have stayed. He was a winner playing in a team of losers and clearly lost faith.

so wenger lied.

"i expect NO ONE TO LEAVE"

"THEY ARE BOTH STAYING"

And behind the fans back he was acting like a second agent to fabregas and making sure he goes on the cheap.

Can this idiot S.TFU about Arsenal already!!

It also annoys me that Wenger had to convince the board to sell for a bargain. He put Cesc's needs before those of the club which is just unacceptable!

Wumpatrol- Mental strength is one of the tools in my Arsenal. (U5046)
and Batmanu both spot on!!!!

Wenger is known as someone who puts the interest of Arsenal before anything else. So its obvious something changed in this case. So Wenger betrayed us in saying that he expected Cesc to stay.

It also annoys me that Wenger had to convince the board to sell for a bargain. He put Cesc's needs before those of the club which is just unacceptable!

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It annoys me too, but it annoys me even more that the Arsene/board didn't want to buy replacements straight away. We sold Cesc cheap and we didn't get any adequate replacements in time to gel with the team.

Arsene is too nice with these players, he seems to not get it that they have lost respect for him (since not winning anything)! Cesc and all!!!

What possible scenarios could he have faced?

Forcing Cesc to stay against his will could have had hugely negative consequences:

What impact would Cesc being demotivated and publicly resigning the captaincy have had?

Or how about freezing Cesc out of the team, losing out on transfer income and having no suitable replacement?

On the other hand, Wenger would have gone against Arsenal's interests if he'd publicly acknowledged that they'd agree the sale, as that would've given Barça an even better negotiating position. It's hardly as if he could phone up every Arsenal fan to tell them the truth and ask them to keep schtum about it.

He was definitely slow and lacked decision in the transfer market, but that aside, the Cesc affair was a hugely difficult situation to handle and any one decision would have drawn criticism from one quarter or another.

itsonly a game - surely another option would have been to say that Fabregas is worth at least £45 million, on the open market, so that is the price - you can easily make that up in shirt sales, we need that much to buy a replacement for our CAPTAIN and talisman.
Now Barca are crowing about the bargain that they have got, and have been playing Fabregas A LOT to show off their new acquisition and MONEY SPINNER.

stepanios - yes, which given Barça's apparent refusal to budge, would have inherently meant Arsenal's flat out refusal to sell and acceptance of the potential negative impacts I spoke of.

Just this once, I think the Barça board have out-thought and out-foxed Arsenal - and I'm hardly surprised at the chest-thumping going on after the youngsters Barça have lost to Arsenal and the millions they've poured into Arsenal's coffers down the years in exchange for Petit, Overmars, Hleb and a declining Henry ... Barça directors must feel chuffed that for once they've got one over you lot!

I'm not so sure Barcelona would have stuck to their price limit - it was, and is, such a coup for the president, such a loss if he had failed, that I believe they would have coughed up if we had stuck out for more.
I agree we have had good deals in the past, but gicen Fabregas' role in our team, I think we should have stuck out for more. I believe Fabregas when he said how torn he was, and how professional he is, and would have supported to move for a higher price, knowing full well how easily it would be recouped.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

stepanos, I agree that Barça would have eventually coughed up more money and that they took Arsenal to the cleaners on the deal and that they would eventually have coughed up more. My point is that there were significant risks involved for Arsenal and that it wasn't an easy decision to make.

I reckon Barça had thought out the whole thing carefully - starting with those statements they made about their limited transfer budget, the later statements about Sánchez being their prime target...

It's widely know that the current Barça directors are out to cut costs, but the media reports of their financial trouble have been massively exaggerated and with their absolutely huge assets, they could easily have found financial backing to pay twice the amount they did for Cesc.

To give you an idea, earlier in Rosell's tenure, they froze a €400M project to redevelop the lands adjacent to the Camp Nou - that's how desperate they are for cash!