Benched: Is This What You Really Want, Cesc Fabregas?

Well, all 32 teams have now stepped out at South Africa 2010. One question, though, just where is the football exactly?

It's all been a bit anti-climactic if you ask me, and I mean, you cannot really judge things so early on. But you also cannot buy that it is the players getting accustomed to anything and everything from the vuvuzelas to the ball to I don't know what.

I also don't quite buy into the "everyone is scared of losing their first match" theory, as in the World Cups bygone that I have followed; a dour bore early on was certainly the exception to the rule (I was too young for Italia '90, so I can't help you there, I'm afraid).

But, there you have it; all the first sets of matches are out of the way and there are no excuses as we look forward to the critical second phase of the first round.

Speaking of which, whatever happened to much fancied, fantasy footballing, Harlem Globetrotting España, I wonder? Well, that 1-0 defeat against an organised Swiss side has put the cat right amongst the pigeons, hasn't it? Still early days, of course, and you would still bet on them making it out of Group H, but I am pretty sure that there were more than a few wry smiles at Spain's plight amongst Gooners as Howard Webb blew the final whistle in Durban.

Well, I was celebrating anyway, and as I mentioned before, I will have no qualms watching the cocky likes of Puyol, Pique, and of course, Xavi Hernandez being brought down a significant peg or two, bottling themselves out of eventual World Cup contention. Long may it continue!

Anyway, all the unadulterated pleasure aside, that shock reverse goes someway to proving about my doubts about the Spaniards' weak mentality, where they simply just didn't have it in them to peg Switzerland back, however many shots they had.

I was also fascinated, as I'm sure many of you out there were, to see that Spanish lineup as kickoff approached, and as expected, Cesc Fàbregas was on the bench.

Now, I am not questioning Vicente Del Bosque's decision-making; indeed, there is a squad jam-packed with talent at his disposal, and I am pretty confident that my tactical knowledge does not quite compare to his. But you would've thought that there was a role for the Arsenal captain as Spain were in dire need of something different as the minutes ticked away, and with the manager's gamble on Andres Iniesta having failed midway through the second half.

Instead, Spain inevitably opted for Fernando Torres, as well as attempting to inject a little bit of width bringing on Pedro and Jesus Navas, two young players whom I certainly enjoy watching, but whom ultimately did not have the desired effect. Which all begs the question, where exactly does Fàbregas fit into all of this? Here he is, a 23 year-old midfield maestro, with 20 goals and 15 assists to his name this season, and whose club rely on immensely for a bit of individual magic when the going gets tough.

His current club, that is.

For there you have the biggest indication yet, Cesc, that you are not actually needed over in Catalonia. I know that is churlish to suggest this on the evidence of one match, and one match for the national side. Indeed, you would think that Fàbregas has a good chance of being thrown on in the Spanish's make-or-break clash with Honduras next week anyway. But a few scattered names aside, including little Navas from Sevilla , and you realise that Spanish side is a Real-Barca medley, with the midfield and forward lines unquestionably dominated by Barcelona players.

Newsflash: Barcelona do not actually need you Cesc, not now, and however good you are, you will probably struggle to get regular playing time. This is what Peter Hill-Wood has said before, and however unwell this may have gone down, is not far from the truth at all.

Not because Fàbregas isn't good enough, and anyone who would intimate that is chatting utter nonsense. Cesc's individual contribution to last season in every aspect of the game surpasses that of any of his Spain teammates, including his long-frustrated crush, Xavi Hernandez, for example.

However, here is an established side in Barcelona , whose hierarchical approach and whose cultural mentality will prohibit him from displacing two legendary figures in their era of dominance. And so, with the unbreakable Xavi-Iniesta partnership supplemented by a defensive cog in the form of Sergio Busquets, with Seydou Keita a more than capable cover, there will be no sufficient room for Fàbregas' heroics on a week in, week out basis, and Fàbregas will have surely thought about that, as he sat playing with his bib and watching his colleagues fire blanks at the Swiss.

Not to mention that here at Arsenal, Fàbregas is the main man who is perfectly capable of engineering a hugely successful dynasty around him, being the heart and soul of this team. Over at Barca he will be just another very good player, just one of the lads. A fantastic player like Cesc Fabregas should not be robbed of his influence and expressiveness so early on.

All facts not lost on the likes of Yaya Touré, currently pushing hard for an exit from the Camp Nou. Nor indeed was it lost on Alex Hleb, who, having been tricked into the factitious lure of Barcelona , has since been the loudest voice of regret, as he ended up exactly where he started. He has publicly advised that Cesc stay put, and as a close mate, I'm sure will have spoken to him in private.

And as a clever young man, one can assume that Fàbregas will have taken all such idioms into consideration, rather than allowing himself to use his outing on the Spain bench as a dress rehearsal for his 2010-2011 campaign.

Oh, one more thing: Barcelona surely don't even want you that much, Cesc, as their "bids" seem to fall someway short of how good you really are. Or, maybe they've just gone skint; well that's a shame! So, there you have it.

And for goodness' sake will you properly get started, World Cup?!