Cesc Fabregas has been repeatedly asked one question after every good outing and he’s repeatedly answered the same way all the time. The Spanish and British news outfits have all the time since the beginning of the new European football season confronted the young Spaniard with the question as to what has contributed to Arsenal’s current fine form following the departure of the mercurial and talismanic Thierry Henry to the Camp Nou, and he’s asserted two reasons all the time:

First, Henry’s figure and presence at Arsenal indirectly imposed some stringent requirement of perfection from every player on the field, in a bid to complement or harmonize the almost flawless match-by-match outings of the King of Highbury, at least to pacify his extended stay at the club. This, the midfield generalissimo indicated, rather inflicted an unnecessary pressure and tension on the entire playing body, which had resulted in sub-par performances prior to Henry’s parting company with the Emirates Stadium.

Secondly, after the departure of the French talismanic forward, the entire lads reckoned the need to do the job all by themselves, integrating and complementing any small effort from every man on the field, now that the goal-getter is no more with them. And this has helped to a great extent.

Now what is Arsenal like? Cesc is a goal scorer cum provider, a total deviation of his traditional midfield ‘scheming’ business in his early days at Arsenal. He’s also improved his slide-rule passes, knowing very well it’s not reaching the French master upfront, whose aplomb, patience and ball control in front of goal had put Wenger on smiles, but to yet-to-master forwards: Adebayor and Eduardo, lads who have also shown laudable improvement in their games in Arsenal’s recent fine form. Adebayor scores in almost every other game and Eduardo would make a brace on a fine afternoon A once much-maligned Mathieu Flamini is now the backbone of the Emirates Stadium midfield and Alexander Hleb now links up the backline and the forwards with perfection.

Ghana stands the chance of making the CAN 2008 trophy stay put if the now Appiahless Black Stars could take a lesson from the Henryless Arsenal contingent. If after three or four matches, we could all shout: “No Appiah, No Problem”, then we stand the chance of making history with Egypt.

Essien, Muntari, Eric Addo, Anthony Annan, Barruso, and maybe the injured Tynecastle king Kingston must have to up their game to make up for Tornado’s space. Leroy needn’t mastermind an Appiah-like style in our game; we’ll miss that style notwithstanding. Our midfield only needs to give us their best and we would be good to carry’em!

Our front men should remember that even with Henry gone and Van Persie injured, Arsenal is the summit of the Premiership table. It is so because Adebayor and Eduardo have learned, after Henry’s departure, that opportunities come, but once, and no Henry to make up for their misses. The Gyan brothers and their contingent upfront must remember that Ghana lost to Brazil in Germany not because the Samba boys were superior in the duel but for taking all the chances that came their way.

Our young contingent comprising of Andre Ayew, Barruso, Kumordzi, Annan and Dan Opare can only make us come to terms with their intention of stepping into the shoes of the somewhat-soon-old-legs by staging trophy-winning outings when accorded the opportunity in the coming tourney. They must have to understand now is the time, ratherbthzn later! And to those who feel Appiah’s presence makes them underperform due to their feel of want to impress or appease the skipper, do it now so you would tell Ghanaians the stuff you’re made of. The young gunners could be your icons.

This is all but the opportunity for Ghanaians to smile. Our faces have been gloomy and sulky, far too long; along a husky-dusty, meandering and pot-holed road, from stations Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Ghana/Nigeria, Mali, and back to Tunisia, then to station Egypt. Back at major station Ghana, we must smile with a deep sigh of relief on a long and tortuous journey.

Comments like “….Ghana glorious, Ghana amazing, oh Ghana, Ghana magnificent…” from the Ghana-Czech cologne duel commentator will force heavy tears of joy out of the eyes of Ghanaians at CAN 2008, unlike “…..Ghana played all the beautiful football today but Brazil scored all the goals…..” which will woefully inflict heart attacks.

So go for gold, we dey beg, no heart attacks oo, please!

God bless my motherland!