Of course this was gold dust to any journalist looking for a simple story that could be replicated without work.  Today has been a perfect example.  Most of the broadcast media, and most media websites are running the Cesc to leave story, but when you look closely they are all using the same unattributed sources for Cesc’s statements.

You can also see this in the way BBC Radio 5 debate players leaving.  Last week one journo on the site said, “Arshavin’s obviously going – he says so every week.”

In fact he doesn’t – the media says so every week.  The media repeats itself, but this gives the half a dozen or so catastrophists who run the show the chance to find stories to run with.  In other words the media creates the story, brews up a storm, and the player thinks, “this is ludicrous,” and so says, “look, I don’t need this media stuff, I think I’d like to leave.”

In other words the action runs:

Catastrophists make up a story
Media pick up and repeat as if fact
Player eventually has enough and leaves
Put like that it is a total miracle that Arshavin and Cesc have survived this long.

wow, 2 french players this summer..interesting