On Cesc Fábregas' legacy

Such is the fervent desire to bring trophies back to Arsenal that the thought of losing the club's best player doesn't seem so daunting to some fans. That's because it's thought his departure may somehow empower the collective and bring forth previously untapped potential from inside the team. Indeed, the thought is not as quixotic as it first sounds: When Theirry Henry left, it liberated those players who had felt intimidated by his presence and his need to ensure everything go through him. If Cesc Fábregas leaves this season, the team in strong likelihood, will veer towards a holistic route where there is no such dominant individual as the Spaniard is currently. A glimpse of that potential was shown in the 1-0 win over Manchester United in April, where both Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere alternated the playmaker role. The pair did it again, this time in the recent 4-0 friendly win over Malaysia XI although it was Ramsey who performed the "Cesc Fábregas" role.

That he has a position - a responsibility even - named after him speaks volumes of the standing of Cesc Fábregas at the club. When Arsenal moved to the Emirates and subsequently when their most iconic player, Thierry Henry, left in 2007, it was meant to mark the beginning of the end. But as Iain Macintosh writes for Sports Illustrated, it was "merely a new beginning, a chance for a young squad to stand up and prove themselves." For a moment, it looked as thought that was the only reason for Arsenal's existence; that Arséne Wenger wanted to vindicate the rationality of the youth policy. And it nearly worked straight away as Wenger's Whipper-snappers made a blistering start to life with Henry but ultimately, and what became the story of the next three seasons, injuries and a lack of maturity meant they faltered at the final hurdle.

Cesc Fábregas was prematurely and somewhat reluctantly, elevated to the role of the leader: not officially at first but as an embodiment of the youth policy. He was the talisman of the new generation; the most gifted of all the players and the one who reinforced the validity of Arsenal's game. The Gunners were spontaneous, quick and skilful and no-one represented that more than him. His ability to find gaps was unparalleled, already thought of as one of the best in the world and as Henry once said of an eighteen year-old Fábregas: "If you let Fabregas play he can kill a team."

Initially he started as a box-to-box playmaker, donning Patrick Vieira's number 4 shirt but also rather tellingly, that was Pep Guardiola's old number. But the 4-4-2 system he was placed in was found out to be too exhausting, requiring two men, or if possible, one man with astronomical fitness levels to fulfil the position alongside him. Fábregas found a midfield partner in Mathieu Flamini - and a friend too - as they created an understanding that balanced all the vagaries and inaccuracies that comes with youth. However, as much as Flamini found it physically taxing, he did too mentally and he quickly departed leaving Wenger having to find a balancing act. Fábregas had to remain the focal point because in that season (2007/08) he showed how important he is to the side as he made a staggering 17 assists. It was made all the crucial that the team was built around him as Arsenal previously found it difficult to break down teams who would naturally go up against them with a defensive attitude. The set-up Wenger eventually deployed is what we have now: two central midfielders behind Fabregas to allow him to pick off teams with a complete artistic license. As ever, though, there's an offshoot too, to this overwhelming dependence on him to create and that's that it's becoming almost unhealthy for a team to rely on one individual as the Arsenal side does currently on Cesc Fábregas.

In 2010/11, Fábregas made 22 starts and Arsenal won 64% of their matches but that figure plummets to 34% when doesn't feature. To put this into the context of last season, Fabregas missed 13 games and Arsenal lost 4 of them – such form is not title-winning and is unlikely to inspire him much confidence in the team. He also made 11 assists - one every other game - but their are other ways his goal creating prowess can be depicted. He made 38 through balls in the Premier League and averaged a scoring chance from open play every 18.6 minutes - more regularly than any player in top 5 leagues. His total of 466 goalscoring chances in England in the last five years is also more than any other player.

Indeed, that's perhaps one of the reasons why Fábregas has been elevated to such a prominent role. Arsenal haven't won anything for six years and Fábregas playing well stands as their best chance of winning a trophy. Wenger is reluctant to let him go - and as is the case for Nasri - as they've created a dynamic, an understanding that would be hard for a new signing to replicate. That's very important for an expansive side such as Arsenal because what gives them their advantage is their attack. Attack is their defence and keeping possession is not just about the chances they create but the chances their opponents don't. Fábregas understands this more than most although at the same instance, he has a natural inclination to play those eye of the needle through-balls. He should have been the calming influence when twice Arsenal had a lead against Tottenham but twice they squandered it and in the match at the Emirates, Fábregas squandered the best chances. It's almost symptomatic of the desperations that Arsenal have to add to their trophies and the distrust of themselves in winning positions that they have to make sure it's doubly secure before they can relax.

Fábregas' legacy is tainted by the trophy count. Zero. And that in many people's eyes means his contribution to Arsenal's history is effectively nothing. He should go down as one of the legends. Indeed he is one of Arsenal's greatest individuals; the statistics and archive footages will testify to his outstanding ability but the mounting dust in the trophy cabinet everyday covers up his achievements. People often forget that he won the best of the lot: the World Cup in South Africa and he, not unexpectedly, counts that as his greatest moment of his career. His legacy even. But even then, the nature of his involvement irks him somewhat. One Spanish publication said Cesc Fábregas mastered the "art of waiting." Not his ability to come on and make the incisive passes that Spain so dearly needed. Of course, that's perfectly understandable given the holistic nature of international football but his status back home remains just as a very talented player but not quite better than those that started ahead of him in the final and those that he left behind at 16. Ironically, he was unwilling to master the "art of waiting" back then but when he returned to Barcelona with Arsenal in last years Champions League he was non-existent. At the Emirates, he was overshadowed by Jack Wilshere, a player unintentionally implied as non-distinguishable from any on of the midfielders of Barcelona's B team.

Cesc Fabregas won't want his legacy at as Arsenal to be a player who represented the team's wasted potential and that's why, despite the personal desires to return home, he is torn at leaving the club. This was the team and manager who trusted him at 16 when his home-town club didn't. Wenger earmarked him as a potential captain; a player worthy of gracing Vieira's Number 4. The trouble is, Pep Guardiola also promised it to Fábregas when he was 14 years-old, handing him his famous shirt after his parents had divorced. On it, he wrote: "One day, you will be the number four of Barcelona." Arsenal will be hoping that it's not before Fábregas makes his legacy felt at their club before he inevitably makes a hero of himself at Barcelona.

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