Cesc Fabregas has admitted even he was surprised by his sudden
rise into the Arsenal first-team at such a young age.
Still only 19, Fabregas' Premiership debut came at the start of the
2004/05 season as he was thrust in by Arsene Wenger to challenge
Gilberto and Patrick Vieira for a place in The Gunners'
midfield.
Having arrived at Arsenal from Barcelona in 2003, the Spanish
midfielder was shocked to find himself playing regularly in the
Premiership little more than a year later.
"I certainly wasn't thinking about it (making the first-team),"
Fabregas told The Times. "I knew they were great players, but I
also never really thought of the first team at that point.
"I mean, I was there to play for the youth team, I never imagined I
would have to worry about the first team's midfield, let alone
those two.
"I was 16 years old, normally players get a chance when they turn
22 or thereabouts. I thought it would be the same for me. I
certainly did not imagine that, in less than a year, I'd be playing
regularly alongside them."
Fabregas has since gone on and replaced Vieira as the leader in
Arsenal's midfield after the Frenchman's departure for Juventus in
2005.
The youngster was out to prove he was the new midfield enforcer
when they came face-to-face in the UEFA Champions League the
following season.
"The truth is that someone, I won't say who, told me to go in hard
and show Vieira that I was not going to be intimidated by him,"
Fabregas said.
"He was and remains one of my heroes, but, on the pitch, it was
going to be all business."
Fabregas believes he has been able to adapt to the physical nature
of the English game and has bulked out a great deal.
He added: "Gilberto says that he always has to come and defend me,
but he's a big liar. The truth is that I've learnt to take care of
myself.
"A season or two ago I was perhaps a bit more lightweight and maybe
some opponents took some liberties with me.
"Now I think I'm tougher and I need to be, because given the way we
play now and the way our opponents play, I have a lot less space
than before. Usually there's a guy on me from the very first
minute, so I had to stiffen up."