Arsene Wenger hails maturing Cesc Fabregas

By Richard Morgan

Last Updated: 12:24pm GMT 11/02/2008

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Ahead of tonight's meeting with Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that Cesc Fabregas is a more mature player than at this point 12 months ago, when the two sides met in a stormy FA Cup fifth-round tie.

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Last February, Mark Hughes's side held the North Londoners to a goalless draw at the Emirates, before beating them 1-0 in the replay at Ewood Park, with Fabregas and the Rovers manager enjoying a frank exchange of views on the touch-line at the full-time whistle.


	Growing pains: Fabregas has matured, says Wenger

The Barcelona-born midfield player had accused Hughes, who once played for the Catalan giants, of playing a negative brand of football that was unbecoming of his Barca past in a post-mtach incident that courted much negative publicity at the time.

However, his manager feels that any such repetitions from the player, who has scored a remarkable 12 goals from midfield already this season, are now highly unlikely.

"Cesc is committed and you always like your players to have a winning attitude," the Frenchman said.

"Sometimes it can go a little bit over the top but Cesc has behaved remarkable well this season - I cannot remember one incident.

"There was maybe a stage, for about six months, where he went a bit the wrong way but he corrected that very well, without any special management from me. He is so intelligent that he realised that is not the way he wanted to go. If I feel that the players aren't managing to do it themselves then I will help them to do it. But in his case, there was no need. He apologised (to Hughes) and from then on there have been no problems with him.

"Maybe the outrage in the media prompted that but talented, great professionals always have a fair assessment of their performances and their behaviour. They go home and they ask themselves: 'What did I do right today and what did I do wrong today?'

"The team as a whole has a personality and a mental toughness from the beginning of the season. We were confronted with major problems and have shown resilience on every occasion."

Both of Arsenal's two main rivals for the Premier League dropped points yesterday, with second-placed Manchester United surprisingly losing to Manchester City at Old Trafford, while third-in-the-table Chelsea were held to a goalless draw at home by Liverpool.

All of which means that if Wenger's side can overcome a Blackburn team currently lying in ninth, then they will move five points ahead of United and eight clear of Chelsea with 12 games to go in the title race.

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Comments

What with Arsenal playing quite well recently and United's inability to score goals, what price on Arsenal winning the League? The funny thing is, all you ever hear is how good Manchester United are, in particular Cristiano Ronaldo. Take him away from United and they are impotent. Maybe if Arsenal get the right result in the right manner today, we might hear something about their title credentials being taken seriously. Although I have a natural bias being an Arsenal fan, I feel such things have to be said. I'd also like all those who said Arsenal would be lucky to spring fourth place hang their heads in shame.
Posted by Tom Walker on February 11, 2008 1:57 PM
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If we can't take full advantage tonight, we won't win the league. And maybe we won't deserve to either.
Posted by Giles on February 11, 2008 1:40 PM
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