January 2008

December 2007

An injury-hit month for Cesc started with the visit of Chelsea. In that game his corner set-up the winning goal, a feat mirrored a week later in the North London derby. He was withdrawn in the dying moments of the win at Everton having also played throughout the draw with Portsmouth.

November 2007

A quiet month by the high standards already set out by Cesc - he only scored once! The Spaniard was in action for his country but was suspended against Wigan before a hamstring injury forced him off against Sevilla.

October 2007

Cesc is becoming one of the most coveted midfielders on the planet and his October performances showed why. With an already impressive goals and assists tally this season, he found the net three more times in October, most notably against Liverpool. The Spaniard didn’t miss a minute of the domestic campaign and also featured for Spain in their Euro 2008 qualifying matches with Denmark and Finland. He capped the month off by topping an Arsenal.com poll that named him Player of the Month.

September 2007

The midfield maestro had an outstanding month for the Club. The Spaniard scored four times and provided the decisive pass to his team-mates on seven occasions in his first four games. He was withdrawn after 71 minutes against Derby to a standing ovation having just a moment before thumped a long-range strike past Bywater. He had also been presented with the Player of the Month award for August prior to the game.

August 2007

Spaniard Cesc had a superb August and won our Player of the Month award with over 50 per cent of the vote. The 20-year old scored the crucial opening goal in the Champions League Qualifying Round against Sparta Prague and went on to score the fourth in a 5-0 aggregate win. He continued his rich vein of form with a late winner against Manchester City. Cesc also played the final eight minutes of Spain’s game away to Greece, a fixture the visitors won 3-2.

May 2007

Cesc’s impressive season came to a close with two 90 minute performances in May. The 20-year-old Spaniard shone as Chelsea’s first visit to Emirates Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw, earning him his starting spot for the final day trip to Portsmouth. Julio Baptista spurned a good chance from a Cesc free-kick as the Fratton Park encounter finished goalless. Cesc ended the season having made 54 appearances, scoring four goals.

April 2007

Cesc’s performances in April saw him win Arsenal.com’s Player of the Month by a landslide. The skilful Spaniard scored a superb winner against Bolton and then the vital second goal in the 3-1 defeat of Manchester City. The midfielder, who turns 20 on May 4, started all but one of Arsenal’s games. A virus restricted him to a substitute appearance at White Hart Lane but he came off the bench to set up both Arsenal goals in a 2-2 draw. Cesc also finished second in the voting for the PFA’s Young Player of the Year award.

March 2007

Cesc played every minute of Arsenal’s first four games in March. The Spaniard scored an own goal in the first game of the month against Reading but his team-mates spared his blushes by holding on for a 2-1 win. He also played a central role in the 1-0 win at Aston Villa. There was disappointment though as Arsenal crashed out of the Europe following a 2-1 aggregate defeat to Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven and lost at Everton and Liverpool in the Premiership.

February 2007

Cesc was part of the side that so nearly brought Arsène Wenger his first League Cup trophy in February. The Spaniard played a full 90 minutes of the Final against Chelsea in Cardiff but couldn’t prevent a 2-1 defeat. An impressive performance was only slightly overshadowed by his involvement in the now infamous fracas. The midfielder also played a full 90 minutes in wins over Wigan and Bolton and the defeat at PSV Eindhoven. Earlier in the month the 19-year-old played the final 17 minutes of Spain’s 1-0 friendly win against England.

January 2007

2006 was a memorable year for Cesc and if January is anything to go by then 2007 could be even better. The Spaniard appeared in seven of Arsenal’s eight games, only missing the FA Cup Third-Round win at Liverpool through suspension. The highlight of his month was an all-action display in the two-goal comeback at Tottenham in the Carling Cup Semi-Final first leg. The midfielder orchestrated Arsenal’s second-half revival half as a brace from Julio Baptista earned a 2-2 draw.

December 2006

December was a busy month for Cesc as he featured in every game for the Gunners. He came off the bench on 74 minutes against Wigan and for the last 27 minutes against Sheffield United but missed no further action as the Gunners recorded four victories, three draws and one defeat. The highlight of the Spaniard’s month was a perfectly-weighted pass over the top of the Wigan defence which allowed Emmanuel Adebayor to clinch a 1-0 win at the JJB Stadium.

November 2006

Cesc is certainly raising the bar this season after producing another string of inspired performances. He was replaced late on against CSKA Moscow but played a full 90 minutes against West Ham. The Spaniard was then rested for the Carling Cup clash at Everton but didn’t miss a minute of the games against Liverpool, Newcastle, Hamburg and Bolton. He was rested again for the last game of the month at Fulham and despite his half-time introduction he could not prevent a 2-1 defeat. Cesc also took time out this month to answer your questions in an exclusive Arsenal.com webchat and scooped our November Player of the Month award.

October 2006

It seems Cesc cannot put a foot wrong at the moment. The classy Spaniard played a full 90 minutes in each of Arsenal’s three Premiership matches during October and turned in a succession of solid, all-round performances. He was particularly impressive during the 3-0 win over Watford, pulling the strings in midfield and orchestrating wave after wave of attack. He also played the whole of the 1-0 defeat to CSKA in Moscow. His performances led Arsenal fans to vote him Arsenal.com's Player of the Month.

September 2006

Cesc showed throughout September why his reputation is growing at such a rapid rate A string of accomplished midfield displays demonstrated the consistency Arsenal fans have come to expect from the classy Spaniard. A man-of-the-match display, capped with a clever assist for Emmanual Adebayor’s winner at Old Trafford, earned the 19-year-old plenty of plaudits.

August 2006

A stunning start to the season for the teenager who seems to just get better and better. Cesc started the pre-season friendly win over AZ Alkmaar before producing a match-winning, two-goal display as the Gunners beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 in the Champions League. He also started the Premiership games with Aston Villa and Manchester City.

June 2006

Cesc burst onto the world stage during the summer as he starred in Spain’s passage to the last sixteen of the World Cup in Germany. His man-of-the-match display as a second-half substitute in the group stage win over Tunisia left the watching world in awe. The midfielder appeared in every game for Luis Aragones’ side, starting against Saudi Arabia and France.

May 2006

Cesc began May by starting and scoring at Sunderland before coming off the bench at Manchester City. The midfielder then started the win over Wigan and the Champions League Final against his former side, Barcelona.

April 2006

Cesc was forced off after just 16 minutes of the win over Aston Villa at Highbury but recovered to put in an assured display at Juventus. The 19-year-old started the defeat at Manchester United and sat out the games with Portsmouth and West Brom before returning against Villarreal. Cesc ended April with a substitute's appearance against Spurs and played the entire 90 minutes at Villarreal.

March 2006

If February and the Bernabeu was the making of Cesc, March and Highbury was his confirmation. The 18-year-old dominated a Juventus midfield containing Patrick Vieira and Emerson, scoring one and making another as Arsenal won their Champions League Quarter-Final first leg 2-0 at Highbury. Cesc made a goalscoring appearance as a substitute at Fulham to start March off on the right foot and went on to produce impressive displays against Real Madrid, Liverpool and Charlton.

February 2006

Cesc sat out the opening game of the month against West Ham through suspension but returned against Birmingham to provide the pass from which Thierry Henry grabbed Arsenal’s second. The Spaniard also created Gilberto’s late equaliser against Bolton and then produced one of his best-ever displays against Real Madrid, again assisting Henry to score the only goal of the game. He finished the month with a start at Blackburn and went close to snatching a second-half equaliser.

January 2006

Cesc started against Manchester United in the opening game of the month before being rested for the Cup ties with Cardiff and Wigan. The Spaniard returned in the defeat of Middlesbrough but was sent off in the closing stages at Everton and was consequently ruled out of games against Wigan and Bolton at the end of the month.

December 2005

Another busy month for the 18-year-old midfielder as he started five of Arsenal's six Premiership games in December. Cesc came on as a second-half substitute in the remaining League fixture at home to Portsmouth as well as the Champions League draw with Ajax. He was given the night off when the Gunners beat Doncaster to reach the Carling Cup Semis. Typically efficient with his distribution, the former Barcelona youth seems to improve with every game.

November 2005

Another impressive month for Cesc who started all three of Arsenal's Premiership games against Sunderland, Wigan and Blackburn, scoring against Rovers after just four minutes. He was a second-half substitute in both Champions League games against Sparta Prague and FC Thun and was rested from the Carling Cup squad that beat Reading at Highbury.