Wasn't bothered at the time, he wasn't really the style of player we needed.
Had a good season, but don't think Chelsea get the best out of him in the role he plays.
His assists record was good first half of season, but Chelsea are strong on corners. Plus assists is a strange indicator, a simple two yard pass to Hazard who then beat a couple of players before curling in a beaut counted as an assist to Cesc

Think Chelsea are rightfully happy to have him, but it isn't a massive loss for us not to get him.

From a Chelsea perspective, i've been pretty happy with his first season contribution. It tailed off a bit but that, to be fair, coincided with our form going and us going more defensive as a consequence. Hopefully that experience will have made him a more rounded player.

1 year ago today, Brazil 2014 kicked off

This summer is shít

8 hours ago Copa America kicked off. This summer is great

wow that was a year ago.

I was never that bothered. Our team is very strong in his position. I was more pîssed off that we never got a DM, or a CB!

Any signing that is an improvement on Ramires is a welcome signing.

comment by Mr Chelsea ✪ (U3579)
posted 3 minutes ago
Any signing that is an improvement on Ramires is a welcome signing.
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Does he still exist?

Yes. Jose called him "My Ramires" a few months back He aint going anywhere.

Would surprise me if Chelsea didn't buy a 'runner' or box to box midfielder this summer and play Cesc further forward next season.

Cesc and Costa gave us the exact things we needed to win the title, Goals and a creative player.

You already had creative players, you needed the defensive players to go along side them.

You could of got Cesc but why do that and have Carzola or Ozil fighting with him for a place on the pitch.

You should not be bothered you didnt sign him, but should be bothered that Wenger didnt buy in the areas you was all calling out for him to improve.

I'm.glad we didn't sign him not because we have santi and ozil, but because of Ramsey. Still maintain he's our best midfielder, the real mvp. Don't think Cesc would've been used as a number 10 so Ozil would be in the team regardless. Cesc would play in the role next to the dm, which would "kill" Ramsey and Wilshere. Weve moved on and I'm.happy this way

Well not signing him gave Chelsea the title, we could have done with Cesc during the first 6 months of the season.

comment by BO$$™ (U6401)
posted 6 minutes ago
Well not signing him gave Chelsea the title, we could have done with Cesc during the first 6 months of the season.
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They would have won without him.
We wouldn't have won it with him.

Not sure on your point, tbh.

I don't know about using the word "care". They are all overpaid employees of the entity I actually care about, Arsenal FC.

It's more a pragmatic thing for me, he's not the player he was, would have loved to bring him in but the second he signed for Chelsea that was the end of thinking about him really.

Would we have won the title if we'd bought him in, and not Welbeck? Not sure about that, but we'd have get a lot closer for definite.

As for Cazorla having a better season, just utter rubbish that. Love these Arsenal fans that claim we have all these players so superior to our rivals ones yet consistently finish below them. Bizarre logic, must really not rate Wenger

To be honest it was a mistake not bringing Cesc back and in my opinion it was proven during the season.

Santi Cazorla did not have a good season when he was played mostly in the attacking third. Its only when Arsene decided to drop him deeper, because of injury problems, against City that he found a niche that helped the team. Mostly because Ozil was finally allowed to play the no.10 role.

Cesc not only played deeper for most of Chelsea games but also still had a high level assists. He added fluidity to their midfield. The reason why Barca sold him was because they believed he was a 6 month player and did not have the stamina for the whole season. And that was also proved shown by how stilted Chelsea became after Jan. But he won Chelsea the title in those first 6 months so obviously it was wrong not to bring him back!

Cesc is an outstanding player and far better than Cazorla. He may have been broken by Barca, he may have been broken becoming the 11th defender in the Chelsea team, who knows? Regardless he now has a premier league title in his first season that we couldn't give him in many seasons.

Wenger's reason not to re-sign him could only have been personal, he knows Cesc would walk straight into our team as the best midfielder. Pretty disappointing from Wenger, in all truth.

Of course at the time it seemed a big mistake. I'm not bothered anymore but there were spell through out the season where it looked like a mistake.
But really though I think he gave the best years to years, so can't complain too much I guess.

I wrote this after Chelsea signed him

"Truth is Chelsea have got themselves two unreal bargains in Fabregas and D. Costa (and some how sold Luiz for £50m ).

For a club with essentially bottomless pockets and a recent history of often paying over the top they've already pulled off a trio of summer deals to match any in History (and all before the World Cup... well close enough anyway ).

To the bitter and misinformed people poo poo-ing Fabregas' current ability and sighting Barca's willingness to let him go, let me tell you now - he is up there with the very best and possibility the best CM/CAM around. Just like with Ibrahimovic, when a player doesn't fit the system at Barca they're shown the door sharpish and for whatever half decent sum is chucked their way.

D. Costa isn't quite on the World Class level just yet IMO but he's easily up there with the top 3 even-remotely-available strikers around and there's a case for saying he's the best (on this seasons form anyway).

On to Arsenal. Chelsea fans, feel free to skip this part

We are crying out for signings and a striker has to be top priority, not any old striker but a real Worldie as Merson would put it. D. Costa as I've said, is there or there abouts, he may well and more than likely would have chosen Chelsea over us but FFS why didn't we move heaven & earth in an attempt to sign him (a buyout btw does not take much negotiation)!? Pace, movement, power, finishing and a fire inside him that all great teams need (albeit one that boils over the top a bit too much for my liking).

Fabregas would have made us better, no doubt. He also ISN'T the player we need most, in fact we need a CF,LW, DM, RB, CB and GK a lot more (some as squad players, some as first team) but my word we could still regret not having our old Spaniard back on board, he's THAT good.

Arsene has so far made two very bold decisions by ignoring Costa and Fabregas. It will take at least 2 incredible signings and a few very decent ones but with the right moves it will have been a great decision. However, reality is he has it all to do and for longer than I care to remember he has a terrible record in the market - he's had well over a year with huge cash reserves and unlike any manager in the World a hell of a lot more years to identify and buy the players missing from his team.

Over to you Arsene (again)..."
--------

I stick by it. Our problem wasn't not buying Cesc our problem was another failed summer where we once again left the squad obviously incomplete and of course had another average season.

Chelsea on the other hand went on to win the league at a canter because they did what we keep failing to do and that's address their weaknesses.

"comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 25 minutes ago
comment by BO$$™ (U6401)
posted 6 minutes ago
Well not signing him gave Chelsea the title, we could have done with Cesc during the first 6 months of the season.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They would have won without him.
We wouldn't have won it with him.

Not sure on your point, tbh."


Don't know how you can see this with any confidence tbh

We just don't know, far too many variables. Take away Cesc's 18 PL assists and replace him with someone else for a similar price and it would have been a massive difference.

I actually agree with you in theory, but we'll never know

One year on, though. Am I the only one who really doesn't care? In my opinion, Arsene got it spot on not bringing him back. Yes he has 21 assists or something like that in all competitions but to me he just doesn't look the player that almost carried us by himself at times. Barca have definitely broke him and it doesn't look like Mourinho is able to fix him.
______________

You may know that for me Cesc not moving back to Arsenal was heartbreaking that time. I rant enough about Wenger, I have to admit that.

I share your sentiments now, Bats. It doesnt bother me anymore. I really rate Cesc but you're right in saying he is not the same player anymore. All in all he had a very average season by his standards.

I moved on....

Wouldn't have the traitor back for free. Thought Wenger's judgement was right at the time and have seen nothing in the past year to change my mind.
Top article bats. Five stars from me.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

If we'd have bought Cesc I don't think it's too much of a stretch to assume that we probably wouldn't have bought Sanchez.

So, you know, there's that.

"If we'd have bought Cesc I don't think it's too much of a stretch to assume that we probably wouldn't have bought Sanchez."

I would rather have spent £30m on Cesc than the £29m we spunked on Chambers and Debuchy, tbh while keeping Jenkinson and doing more to retain Sagna.