Premier League matches like Arsenal's defeat to Chelsea last Sunday are very frustrating for players like Cesc Fabregas. Sometimes you see Arsenal play the type of football that only Barcelona can match them for but the truth is Arsenal's record in big games has been poor in recent years, particularly against the other members of the Big Four, and ultimately that's why they've not won any silverware over the last few seasons.
There's good news and bad news for Gunners fans. The good news is that I'd use my free football bet to bet that Fabregas will stay for at least another couple of seasons, improving as a player under a manager he has a mutual like and respect for. The trophy cabinet may have lacked new additions over the last few years but they've come close on a number of times.
Saying that coming close isn't good enough for a player of Fabregas' ability and he knows players are judged not only on what they achieve as individuals but what they win throughout their career. Ryan Giggs may have spent the whole of his career at Old Trafford but can you blame him for wanting to stay put when he's won as much as he has?
The little Spaniard will want to win club football's biggest prizes like the Champions League and I feel that in two or three years' time he'll move to a club where he feels he has a better chance of doing that. No prizes for guessing which club that's likely to be. He's a Catalan boy and a Barcelona fan and he will see himself as Xavi's natural successor as much as Barcelona have him pencilled in for that very job. When you're as good as he is, you get huge wages wherever you go, so he can choose his club purely for footballing reasons, which is why Barcelona is the obvious choice.
In two or three years time he will have almost 10 years of Premier League experience under his belt so hopefully the Emirates' faithful won't feel he's being disloyal or ungrateful to the club who made him the player he is. If they do, the astronomical transfer fee they receive will soften the blow!
In the short term he will continue to be Arsenal's key player and even though I'm extremely confident of a top-three finish for them, I can't see that they will be able to keep pace with Man Utd and Chelsea. Lay them at Betfair for a top-two finish with confidence at 4.3.
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