Arsenal News: Cesc Fabregas Defends Embattled Former Manager Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger could use a lot of things. Most of what was ailing the Gunners was remedied at the deadline. All that is left is a few results early in the season and a star player to come to his defense.

Cesc Fabregas has the latter handled. 

Wenger has been the face of all Arsenal ailments for months. If a player wanted out of the club, it was Wenger's fault. If players were slow to come in, it was Wenger's doing. 

The blame game was not relegated to Emirates. Camp Nou got into the act, as Barcelona fans decried Wenger as a grizzly beast that was holding famed midfielder Cesc Fabregas hostage. 

The former Gunners skipper is doing his old manager a service by touting Wenger as a kind and benevolent man. Fabregas spoke with reporters recently, and the subject of Wenger came up. Fabregas relayed that Wenger was the opposite of hostage taker:

"

That is the wrong picture of him, had it not been for him, I would not now be a Barca player. Without him I would not have made my debut by 16, played in the final of the Champions League at 18 and been team captain by 20.

Without him I would not be a Barca player now, he convinced the owners of Arsenal, who would not sell under any circumstances, to lower the price.

"

Many Arsenal fans would read this and once again fill with hatred and frustration. That should quell once they come to the realization that Fabregas' departure was in the best interest of both club and player. 

Fabregas was a member of Barcelona long ago. His heart was very much at Camp Nou while he played for Arsenal, and we all knew it.

There was no way a captain could serve to masters. His departure was the lesser of two evils, as his stay would have eventually fragmented the club. 

Wenger is a great many things, but a villain, he is not. The savvy manager knew that addition by subtraction can sometimes be tied to losing your best player. Another season with Fabregas would have been far more melodramatic and far more disastrous.