Despite evidence to the contrary
at White Hart Lane on Saturday, Cesc Fabregas is not a finished
man on the football pitch according to Arsène Wenger.
At the weekend, the 19-year-old Spanish midfielder engineered an
Arsenal comeback on the ground of their fiercest rivals for the
second time this season. The first had been that incredible
two-goal rally in the Carling Cup. This one was perhaps even more
remarkable because Fabregas had been laid low with a virus earlier
in the week and barely trained. Wenger decided to leave him on the
bench at the start of the game and was unsure whether to use him at
all until after the warm-up.
I did not want to take a gamble with him because he had played 45
games this season, said Wenger. He had not practiced. But after
the injury [to Ljungberg] I did not have much choice. After the
warm-up I told him to tell me how he feels in case we needed him.
He said he felt well.
Fabregas certainly played like someone in rude health, providing
assists for both Arsenal goals. It was his 150th game for the Club.
In just three years since signing from Barcelona he has become one
of the central cogs in the Wengers side and, according to the
manager, there is still room for improvement.
"Defensively he can get much better," said the Frenchman.
"Physically there is still an injection of power to come between 20
and 22. When that comes in, you become a finished man."
