Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas criticises Arsene Wenger's reliance on youth

Cesc Fabregas has expressed his doubts on Arsene Wenger's youth policy, suggesting it has jeopardised Arsenal's chances of Premier League success.

Fabregas believes Arsenal's team is too young and lacks crucial experience.

Alexander Hleb, Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto Silva have all been sold on, while Czech Republic international Tomas Rosicky has a long-term knee injury.

That means Arsenal's current first-choice midfield is usually Fabregas, Denilson, Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott - the average age being just 20.

Fabregas is the older statesman of the quartet - having joined Arsenal from Barcelona when he was only 16 - and is starting to feel the burden of responsibility.

He said: "Our squad is a bit short on numbers and we are very young. It's hard to imagine a midfield where I am the oldest member.

"We find it very hard to win matches, as we don't possess enough experience.

"I scored 13 goals last season but then I had plenty of allies. Rosicky was around, Flamini covered every blade of grass and Hleb was like a brother to me out there.

"The team played with a lot of skilful touches, we were as solid as a brick wall and our opponents would not get a look in.

"Now none of those players and in the side and I feel like a rare being. We are more defensive-minded and sturdy as a team but we don't play so much skilful stuff."

Arsenal have already lost to Hull and Fulham this season and only a late Fabregas goal saved them from a third Premier League defeat of the campaign, against Sunderland in their last match.

The Spain international is recognised as the lynchpin of the Arsenal team, but there are fears he may return to Barca soon.

Fabregas has admitted to struggling at times with life in England, and said: "The hardest part of playing here was having to leave my family behind when I was so young.

"I had to endure all my problems by myself and my adolescene passed me by."

To add necessary experience to the Arsenal midfield, Wenger is targeting Barcelona's Yaya Toure, brother of Kolo, in the January transfer window.

Juventus are also reportedly interested, and Toure said: "Wenger and Kolo called in the summer to convince about this chance, but at that moment I was happy at Barcelona."

Toure's agent, Dimitri Selluk, said: "Yaya does not have a problem with Barcelona, but his only desire is to play regularly and therefore he wants to see if he is in their plans."

Spanish are not racist, claims Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas has hit back at the Football Association for asking to move England's friendly against Spain on the grounds of racism.

The game was scheduled to be played on Feb 11 at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, but the FA cited racism problems four years ago at the same stadium as grounds enough to move the match to a different venue.

Fifa fined the Spanish federation 100,000 Swiss francs (£45,000) after England's Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas were racially abused on England's last visit in 2004.

But the 21-year-old Arsenal midfielder does not think England as a whole sees the Spanish as racists.

"I don't know if racism is the word," said Fabregas, who has won 35 caps for Spain. "I had not yet broken into the Spanish team for that game four years ago, but a good friend and teammate of mine, Cole, played with England and he felt hurt.

"The players may have returned to England annoyed, but I do not think we have got to the point where Spaniards are viewed as racists. I don't think we are – it is a bit extreme.

"It is necessary to reduce the importance of this charge because in football the fans are always going to support the team and be behind us."

Fabio Capello and Rio Ferdinand have already said they would be happy to play England's friendly at the Bernabeu.

England defender Ferdinand, who is preparing for their World Cup qualifier against Belarus tonight, said: "Going back to Madrid is not a problem.

"Wherever the FA ask us to play isn't a problem. The players won't mind that. Everyone knows what happened last time.

"If we did go back there, it would be nice to imagine that the same kind of stuff that happened to the black players last time doesn't happen again. You remember different games for different reasons. That one was remembered for the wrong reasons, which isn't nice.

"The Bernabeu holds a lot of great memories for different players and fans across the world, but those were bad memories for us from that one international."(telegraph)

Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey as good as Cesc Fabregas, says Wales coach

Aaron Ramsey has been backed to become as influential at both club and international level as Arsenal team-mate Cesc Fabregas – even though he has yet to play for his country at senior level.

Ramsey joined Arsenal from Cardiff in the summer for £5 million and, on Friday, will be the youngest player in Wales’ Under-21 side for the Uefa Championship play-off first leg against England at Cardiff City’s Ninian Park.

Brian Flynn, a key member of the successful Leeds side of the late 1970s, is in charge of Wales’ teams from Under-17 to Under-21 level and has witnessed Ramsey’s progress from an early level.

“I’ve known him since he was 14 and he can be whatever he wants,” said Flynn. “I see him as a top six Premier League player and a top international player in Europe.

“At this stage I would say he’s as good as Fabregas was as a 17-year-old. He’s moved to London - it’s a big move for a young man – and he and can establish himself in the Premier League.

“And he’s Welsh and he speaks Welsh. He ticks all the boxes. He’s also a good rugby player and a good long distance runner as well.”

Indeed, Ramsey was approached, while playing junior rugby union for Caerphilly RFC, by St Helens, but decided to stay with football and, in the summer, despite interest from Everton and Manchester United, he signed for Arsenal – after manager Arsene Wenger flew the youngster and his family to Switzerland – when Arsenal were on a pre-season tour – for talks.

Ramsey made his debut in the 2-0 Champions League qualifying win over FC Twente, in August, and, a month later, set up two goals in the 6-0 Carling Cup demolition of Sheffield United.

“I am fairly certain that he’s in good hands, with Arsene Wenger,” added Flynn.

“Arsene has a track record of producing huge talents. He’s at a fantastic club and growing up with a very good group of players his age.”

A victory over England at Ninian Park would set the Welsh youngsters up for a nervous return leg so John Toshack has delayed the natural progression of elevating Ramsey to senior level. The senior team play a World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein, at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, but Ramsey will be needed at Villa Park.

Flynn added: “He’s close, he’s very close to senior international football and, with others, he can be a major influence for us. He’s always got time on the ball, he’s got a combination of a lot of things for a midfield player, fantastic energy.

“I’m not being negative but the only thing I’ve not seen from him, from the Under-17 age group, is a natural goalscoring ability.

“He can shoot but I haven’t seen him arrive in the box and get goals inside the penalty box. We encourage him to do that, it’s the one thing I haven’t seen him do so there’s a chink in the armour – or is there? But there’s plenty of time to get that right; he’s still only 17.” (telegraph)

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas hints at Barcelona return if club fail to improve

Cesc Fabregas has always admitted that it would be a dream to return to Barcelona, but that may happen sooner rather than later unless Arsenal can start winning silverware again.

“I would like to try to win more titles here, although next season we’ll see,” the Spaniard said. “It would be a dream to return to Barcelona one day.”

Fabregas, 21, who is in Spain preparing for their trip to Estonia on Saturday, was particularly seduced by the Catalan club’s 6-1 thrashing of Atletico Madrid last weekend.

The former Barcelona youth player said: “It is wonderful to see so many players from the youth system in the team, so well adapted to the philosophy of the club.”

Fabregas did stress that it was not his intention to turn his back on the Emirates just yet though. “I decided to give my all for Arsenal and I’m not the kind of person to just give up on things just like that.”

His fellow midfielder at the Emirates, Theo Walcott, is benefiting from a new “furious” streak, according to Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.

The 19-year-old scored a stunning hat-trick for Fabio Capello’s England in their World Cup qualifier in Croatia last month and has been included for the clashes with Kazakhstan at Wembley and next week’s away game in Belarus.

“Theo was too nice maybe in the last two years, but this season you can see that when he gets tackled he gets furious, and that shows you he has changed,” Almunia said.

“When he used to take a tackle he did not reply with anything, he did not say anything to the referee or the opposing player. He would get tackled and stay on the floor, and he would never say anything. Now I like him more on the field.

“I just spoke with him once. I told him he had to be a bit more aggressive, because if people can kill you they will do so.”

The 31-year-old Spaniard feels Walcott can continue to make great strides under Wenger’s expert guidance. Almunia added: “I can only say that Theo is beautiful playing football. To me he is like a machine, it’s unbelievable.

“I enjoy it a lot when I see Theo playing in training, and also because he is a very nice guy. He is by far the most exciting young English player I have ever seen.

“He has a lot of discipline; he is a very complete player. Theo is growing up and I think it’s going to be great for England.”

Walcott's England team-mate John Terry has also noticed the changes in the Arsenal youngster but is calling on calm ahead of their World Cup double header.

"The lads all said that Theo came out of his shell a bit on the last trip with England," Terry said.

"But let's not put too much pressure on him. He is an exciting talent and a really good player for the future and for this campaign.

"But we must not start saying it is all down to him and that he is the only way forward. We have the likes of Theo, Wayne Rooney and Joe Cole.

"Let's tell them all to play their normal game like they are back in the playground."(telegraph)