30 Mar 2018 21:20:46
Interesting quotes from Silva. We say we never replaced Vieira but did we ever replace Silva. "I remember hearing a comparison with Coquelin when he was playing but when I started to see him I could see there was something missing in his game to be a holding midfielder and sacrifice himself for the team, " he added.
"You cannot blame the player for this but but need to find a player who can play there.
"The role is to play simple. I couldn't do the same as Henry, Ronaldo and the like and you have to know this to play there. "
He's so right. To be the invisible wall you s@crifice going forward and glory passes but instead keep the shape, protect the back four and give the ball to a red shirt. Nothing flash and no headlines. A truly unselfish role with limited applauds.
He went on t say Song could have made it. For me, I thought so too until he decided he wanted to venture forward, grab the hearlines, die his hair blond and stand out. All the wrong characteristics of a holding midfielder.
Bring back our invisible wall - the team needs an unsung hero more than a new PV4.
30 Mar 2018 22:01:26
Le Coq was brilliant when he first played DM he quite simply did the proper DM of putting our fires before they began and played the ball simply to others then set about getting back in position.
When Xhaka came things changed for Le Coq and suddenly he wasn't top man anymore with people raving about Xhaka fantastic passing ability more than Le Coq firefighting strengths.
Ed001 said a couple of years back heat Arsene was obsessed with finding an Alonso type DM, firstly trying to make Artetta fit the role and now I think he's doing the same with Xhaka.
Le Coq was more like Silva and the best of the best of DMs Claud Makelele himself.
30 Mar 2018 22:12:01
Do we need a silva or a Viera?
30 Mar 2018 22:22:32
Silva or better still a Claude.
Claude Bergkamp where do you find another? a Des Walker in his Forest days wouldn't go a miss either, unbelievable all 3.
30 Mar 2018 22:49:17
You’ll never beat Des Walker!
Found my time machine.
Jennings
Dixon Keown Adams Cole
ljunberg Petit Vieira Brady
Henry Bergkamp
We should be able to compete now.
30 Mar 2018 23:18:14
I'd have to swap Freddie for a Pires but apart from that, it difficult to argue with that team mate.
Pat Jennings and his one handed catches, top top keeper with Banks and Shilton.
30 Mar 2018 23:50:20
It did pain me not to have Super Rob in my side as well as Overmars to be honest. I loved Freddie’s engine and goals plus his great song! Freddie never let us down in front of goal in big games nor did Bobbie and Marc. if only we had such hard choices today.
31 Mar 2018 00:14:23
Romford Pele and Sol Campbell too plus O"leary and of course Wrighty who in some ways is the greatest player/ explayer ever, peole talk of Arsenal through and through? Wrighy is the standard by which all others are measured, passion and then some for our grrat club.
31 Mar 2018 05:35:42
The success in the first decade under Wenger was immense and we played a fluid 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 and utilised two, tall, athletic DM's, such as Vieira, Petit and Gilberto. Then for some unknown reason Wenger changed formation and played smaller, attacking, technical players, which never worked. Coquelin only looked decent when he returned from his loan deals, as he was the sole DM in the team. He is ordinary and never a top class DM. We need to sign two DM's this summer, such as Lamina and Doucoure.
Best Arsenal team in my lifetime:
Seaman
Anderson Campbell Adams Cole
Pires Vieira Brady Overmars
Henry Bergkamp.
31 Mar 2018 09:08:58
RG behave mate, you can't put David Seaman ahead of Pat Jennings mate!
I know it's all about personal opinion but I do think you should prehaps go for a run or do some yoga or meditation until you agree that Pat was the better keeper by far :-)
31 Mar 2018 10:42:56
Over the past 15 years or so, Arsenal, Utd and Chelsea have seen some very special players and teams at their clubs. We’ve been very fortunate as Arsenal’s best ever have been in the last 20 years - difficult to argue that. may be the odd player change eg Jennings etc o’leary Was a great player too. Now we are wTching at the sidelines seeing City put those special teams out - it’s so painful to see especially as that was once us. That’s what hurts the most and then that some of the obvious holes have not been filled - by the same man who gave us our best teams with zero holes! Confusing
The man who put out the fittest, tallest and most fast teams now play the opposite.
The man who gave us Petit and Vieira gives us who?
Why did we switch mentality and set up ( copy Barca? ) but not switch back.
Frustrating this nostalgia thing.
{Ed025's Note - for me the reason is 2 words SY.....david dein..
31 Mar 2018 11:57:53
Ed, he left just before the oil money hit. in your opinion, would he have been able to deal with that and our lack of funds due to the stadium debt etc?
{Ed025's Note - i believe he would you know SY, some people just fit at a club and i believe him and arsenal were a match made in heaven mate, just my opinion of course..
31 Mar 2018 12:50:38
True - thank you and have a great Easter weekend.