Taking a trip back through memory lane...
Which leaves you most sentimental about the players they were when they played for us? And which player at their peak would you bring back?
My head tells it should be Fabregas since he gave us his best years for a longer time. Stayed through some of the most terrible teams we had, produced some amazing moments with great vision along with being the Assist king. And Santi was injured through alot of the time he spent with us. Only bad mark was him leaving us for Barce for the pittance, but i wouldve still taken him back.
But then you have Santi who was undeniably talented without having as much vision as Fabregas did. Let's not pretend he was mister reliable either as he was prone to bad games, although he was alot more consistent when he finally settled into the deep playmaker. Nevertheless, for some reason I still miss Santi more.
At their peaks, Fabregas required a team built round him but Santi just fit in wherever and I think that would suit us more now too. Although as individual players think Fabregas trumps Santi.
Santi or Fabregas
posted on 19/3/19
Cazorla was my sentimental favorite player since Pires. In that sense, I liked him more than Cesc for sure. But comparing what they brought to the team, Cesc was comfortably superior. I don't think it's particularly close to be honest. Between 2006 and 2011, I wouldn't have swapped Cesc for any playmaker in the world. He was a fantastic player with unrivaled vision for the final ball, who wrecked his career when he went to Barcelona.
posted on 19/3/19
comment by Sheriff John Brown - Wenger Till I Die (U7482)
posted 6 minutes ago
Cazorla was my sentimental favorite player since Pires. In that sense, I liked him more than Cesc for sure. But comparing what they brought to the team, Cesc was comfortably superior. I don't think it's particularly close to be honest. Between 2006 and 2011, I wouldn't have swapped Cesc for any playmaker in the world. He was a fantastic player with unrivaled vision for the final ball, who wrecked his career when he went to Barcelona.
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a shame for him and us
posted on 19/3/19
comment by Samir - In Unai We Trust (U2630)
posted 3 hours, 52 minutes ago
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 9 minutes ago
comment by Samir - In Unai We Trust (U2630)
posted 1 minute ago
I don't know how you can think Santi had more of an impact for us.
Fabregas was at Arsenal for 8 years and got 57 goals + 105 assists. That is unreal for a central midfielder who hadn't even entered his prime for us.
Santi also had the benefit of playing with better players (apart from up front) than Fabregas did IMO.
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Playing with Flamini, Hleb, Rosicky, Gilberto, RVP, Adebayour. Not a bad set of players
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He also had to play with Denilson, Bendtner, Eboue, Clichy, Almunia, Silvestre, Lansbury, Djourou, Senderos, Chamakh, Song, Traore, Eastmond, Vela. All of which are dross. And he still stood out.
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To be honest, being the linchpin of the team was perfect for Cesc, so he tended to thrive more in a system where it was built around him. Surrounded by world class talent for Barca or the Spanish national team, I found he was unable to impose his game in the same manner and just became another brick in the wall.
posted on 19/3/19
Santi is currently still Villarreal best player even after his horror injury
We never knew whether he would be fit again but considering how well he is doing at Villarreal, he could have done an excellent job for us.
Imagine Santi in MF feeding the likes of Auba and Laca
posted on 19/3/19
When Santi was at Arsenal pre injury he was rated as one of the best midfielders in the league and was extremely highly rated by by opposing fans.
Far more than someone like Ozil. He could play the number 10 role, on the flanks and as we had seen, the deep lying Mf role which he was excellent at
posted on 19/3/19
comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 37 minutes ago
When Santi was at Arsenal pre injury he was rated as one of the best midfielders in the league and was extremely highly rated by by opposing fans.
Far more than someone like Ozil. He could play the number 10 role, on the flanks and as we had seen, the deep lying Mf role which he was excellent at
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But he was never top 3 in the world like Cesc was. As much as I love Cazorla, Fabregas was comfortably the better player. Especially so when the system is built around him.
posted on 19/3/19
comment by Bats (U18355)
posted 57 minutes ago
comment by Sheriff John Brown - Wenger Till I Die (U7482)
posted 6 minutes ago
Cazorla was my sentimental favorite player since Pires. In that sense, I liked him more than Cesc for sure. But comparing what they brought to the team, Cesc was comfortably superior. I don't think it's particularly close to be honest. Between 2006 and 2011, I wouldn't have swapped Cesc for any playmaker in the world. He was a fantastic player with unrivaled vision for the final ball, who wrecked his career when he went to Barcelona.
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a shame for him and us
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Let's be honest he deserved the trophies he's won since he left, which he most likely would never have won with us. While he lost the ability to be called the best and deemed a flop at least he was duly rewarded for his talent.
posted on 19/3/19
Fabregas was a much better player for Arsenal than Cazorla.
posted on 19/3/19
comment by Lacazade and Coca Kola (U10303)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Bats (U18355)
posted 57 minutes ago
comment by Sheriff John Brown - Wenger Till I Die (U7482)
posted 6 minutes ago
Cazorla was my sentimental favorite player since Pires. In that sense, I liked him more than Cesc for sure. But comparing what they brought to the team, Cesc was comfortably superior. I don't think it's particularly close to be honest. Between 2006 and 2011, I wouldn't have swapped Cesc for any playmaker in the world. He was a fantastic player with unrivaled vision for the final ball, who wrecked his career when he went to Barcelona.
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a shame for him and us
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Let's be honest he deserved the trophies he's won since he left, which he most likely would never have won with us. While he lost the ability to be called the best and deemed a flop at least he was duly rewarded for his talent.
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This.
posted on 19/3/19
I did like Santi a lot even if I never felt he was the best player/midfielder in the league. At times yes, he could go head to head with the best and come out on top such as a couple of games against City where he outplayed Silva. But over a season I always thought likes of Silva and Modric (I know he’d left for Spurs by the time Santi came but as an example across Europe). Santi also done a madness in FA Cup 2014.
But Fabregas was so good I genuinely believed he was better Lampard and Gerrard, and those two were at their peak when Fabregas was really turning it on. In fact they would often have discussions on tv about it. Wouldn’t have swapped him for any other player in the world at that time except for a handful. Definitely not any midfielder. Fabregas also was the guy to lead us, all hopes were pinned on him. His vision is still the best I’ve seen, I think only Messi has played passes that has made my jaw drop like Fabregas used to. But ultimately when you look back at that era, Fabregas will be remembered as being the biggest reason for us not winning because he was the face of the team and the club.
History will look better for Santi in his time with us, and rightfully so looking at the trophies he’s won. But as some have said earlier, Fabregas’s style of play really got me loving football and since around that time I’ve not really been too bothered on who my favourite player at Arsenal is (FYI Rvp going to utd totally killed my desire to have a favourite since they all kept leaving )