Cesc Out Four Months; Arsenal’s Title Run Over.

By: chris | December 23rd, 2008

Well, in a year where things couldn’t get much worse than they already are, things got way worse for Arsenal last evening, as it’s being reported Senor Cesc will be out for three to four months with torn ligaments, the safer bet being the latter. So if the Arsenal run for the Prem title wasn’t already over, one of the hot topic’s in Premier League chat over the last month or so, it certainly is now.

This first broke in The Sun, of all places, and the “news” came from a “pal” of Cesc’s. Real reliable info, that. After hearing this cat was saying three months I figured Cesc would be sprinting out onto the pitch for some Boxing Day goodness on Friday. Who knew?

This is what said pal had to say:

“He has been told he will not be available until the end of March, which means he will miss the next round of the Champions League and a number of crucial Premier League matches.”

And this was Wenger’s interpretation:

“The news is not good,” said Wenger. “He has a partial rupture and is out for three to four months, we count four. We know that he will be working hard to come back earlier but I count four months.

“The only thing that is for sure is that we will miss him. I have no complaints about the challenge [by Xabi Alonso]. It was fair, honest, so no problem. There was no intention to hurt. It was purely accidental.

Clearly Wenger has been sedated – as well he should be – because Arsene’s never seen an opposition’s challenge he didn’t abhor from the bowels of his soul.

The only fortunate part is that the biggest remaining fixtures – those against ManU and Chelsea – will take place in the last three weeks of the season, when Cesc will most likely be back. Then again, considering Arsenal’s track record this season, maybe the big teams are the least of Arsene’s worries.

What will be interesting is the transfer market. Arsene says he “may” have to buy a midfielder, and you’d have to think they will because it was a consideration PCI (pre-Cesc’s injury). Problem is Wenger doesn’t exactly like spending cash and Arsenal won’t be negotiating from a position of leverage here.

But whatever happens in January, it almost certainly won’t be enough to resurrect Arsenal’s title hopes. Cesc is merely too good, and lord knows what this injury will do to the morale in an already fragile dressing room.

(More on this topic on Arsenal Offside)