By Chris Harvey Last updated: 2nd December 2008
Fabregas: Given Bentley support
When appointing Cesc, Arsene Wenger said he didn't believe in captains who screamed and waved their hands in the air; he said he believed more in a player who can dictate the play with clever passes and lead by example.
David Bentley
Quotes of the week
Cesc Fabregas has been backed to be a success as Arsenal skipper by north London rival David Bentley.
Spurs midfielder Bentley believes the Spaniard will prove a fine leader even though he is not as vocal as former Arsenal captains Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira.
After seeing Fabregas inspire the Gunners to a 2-1 victory at Chelsea this weekend - a win which has re-ignited their title hopes - Bentley told Zoo magazine: "He is not exactly in the old-school English mould of a captain, but I reckon he's a top choice all the same.
"When appointing Cesc, Arsene Wenger said he didn't believe in captains who screamed and waved their hands in the air; he said he believed more in a player who can dictate the play with clever passes and lead by example.
"That might sound odd from a manager who has had incredible success with chest-beaters such as Tony Adams and Patrick Viera - but I think that he's right.
He added: "Those guys were vocal, sure, but they also had such an aura about them that you felt like you'd follow them through a brick wall if they asked you to."
However, Bentley believes the days of a team captain being the one to below orders to his team-mates have gone.
He said: "The modern game doesn't need screamers and guys who clench their fists - it needs quality men who get on with doing the right things, on and off the pitch.
"I suspect Fabregas can do this and become a long-term, successful skipper at The Emirates."
Read the full article in ZOO magazine, out now
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 10th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Aston Villa vs West Brom |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Everton vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Sunderland |
| 15:00 | Newcastle vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Man City |
| 17:30 | Stoke vs Liverpool |
| Sunday 11th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Wigan vs Tottenham |
| 16:00 | Man Utd vs Chelsea |
| Wednesday 14th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Man Utd vs Wigan |
| Saturday 17th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Newcastle |
| 15:00 | Bolton vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Wigan |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs Middlesbrough |
| 17:30 | Hull vs Arsenal |
| Sunday 18th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | West Ham vs Fulham |
| 16:00 | Tottenham vs Portsmouth |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 30th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Hull 0 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Monday 29th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 1 - 0 Middlesbrough | |
| Sunday 28th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 2 - 2 Man City | |
| Fulham 2 - 2 Chelsea | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Stoke | |
| Everton 3 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Arsenal 1 - 0 Portsmouth | |
| West Brom 2 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Bolton 0 - 1 Wigan | |
| Newcastle 1 - 5 Liverpool | |
| Friday 26th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Liverpool 3 - 0 Bolton | |
| Wigan 2 - 1 Newcastle | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Everton | |
| Man City 5 - 1 Hull | |
| Sunderland 0 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Portsmouth 1 - 4 West Ham | |
| Tottenham 0 - 0 Fulham | |
| Chelsea 2 - 0 West Brom | |
| Stoke 0 - 1 Man Utd | |
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