As some people have expressed, we?ve been fortunate enough to enjoy an amazing Gunners Golden Era in recent years. It?s impossible to really compare players from different eras (pace, strength, tactics have changed dramatically), but I thought it?d be fun anyway. Not much else to do as far as Arsenal goes this week, anyway?. So here?s my all time Arsenal team; actually more like a ?modern era? team, because it?s only since I started watching in the early ?70s.
1st team:
Jennings
Dixon
Adams
Campbell
Sansom
Armstrong
Vieira
Brady
Overmars
Bergkamp
Henry
2nd team:
Seaman
Anderson
O?Leary
McLintock
Cole
Ljungberg
Ball
Petit
Rix
George
Wright
?Honorable mention:?
Pires
Worthington
Graham
Gilberto
Keown (the 90s version)
Smith
Stapleton
Thoughts?
42 Responses to “All Time XI”
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September 6th, 2005 at 8:22 am
Who is Worthington?
September 6th, 2005 at 8:35 am
seaman
winterburn
adams
keown
dixon
pires
vieira
bergkamp
ljungberg
henry
wright
i really like campbell and toure but i could not break up the famous 5. if cole didnt turn traitor might’ve considered it though.ian wright is my all time favourite player, so i had to include him thats why bergkamp falls into midfield. vieira is gonna have to play the holding role.
petit and overmars were ineligible because they wanted to leave as was anelka.bould is the guy i really wish i could make place for.limpar, reyes,lauren, parlour are also really high up on my favourites list.of the new guys i mentioned reyes, but also clichy cesc,van persie and senderos are also definite greats in the making.
September 6th, 2005 at 8:43 am
I love this topic! I got hold of a book name “The Official ARSENAL DREAM TEAM”. Voted by Arsenal fans. See if u’d agree:
GK - DAVID SEAMAN
RB - LEE DIXON
LB - KENNY SANSOM
CB - TONY ADAMS
CB - FRANK MCLINTOCK
RM - DAVID ROCASTLE
LM - ROBERT PIRES
CM - PATRICK VIEIRA
CM - LIAM BRADY
ST - THIERRY HENRY
ST - IAN WRIGHT
MANAGER - ARSENE WENGER
September 6th, 2005 at 8:47 am
My own DREAM TEAM:
GK - Seaman
RB - Dixon
LB - Cole
CB - Adams
CB - O’Leary
RM - Rocastle
LM - Pires
CM - Vieira
CM - Petit
ST - Henry
ST - Bergkamp
September 6th, 2005 at 8:49 am
p.s: Manager - George Graham
September 6th, 2005 at 9:04 am
Surely Anders Limpar deserves an honorable mention! What a player! Just a shame Graham wasn’t a “flair” manager!
September 6th, 2005 at 9:05 am
i’d have to agree, but with Henry/Wright and Bergkamp its an extremely tough call up front!!!
September 6th, 2005 at 9:08 am
i fully agree! it was a straight choice between him and freddie but chose freddie coz of his cool hairstyles. wonder when they coming back. both swedes!
September 6th, 2005 at 9:14 am
Worst Team Ever?
Poom
Crowe
Ceaser
Stepanovs (Capt)
Lydersen
McGoldrick
Carter
Jensen
Helder
Diawara
Jeffers
September 6th, 2005 at 9:16 am
Worst Team Ever?
Poom
Crowe
Ceaser
Stepanovs (Capt)
Lydersen
McGoldrick
Carter
Jensen
Helder
Diawara
Jeffers
September 6th, 2005 at 9:23 am
Surely you are joking. It is absolutely stupid to put Poom down as Arsenal’s All-Time Worst Keeper when he hasn’t yet seen a game!
He’s an easy and obvious choice, but Almunia ought to take it, at least when looking at more recent keepers. I laughed so much when I saw him out there, running around like an eejit in the 4-2 loss to United. It had gone beyond ridiculous and into the surreal.
September 6th, 2005 at 9:27 am
Glenn Helder is a legend! He set-up Bergkamp’s first ever goal.
September 6th, 2005 at 9:39 am
remi garde, wenger’s first signing along with vieira was just awful.stephen hughes apparently a future international, never really given a chance by wenger, but after about 20 clubs in the last 5 years we no doubt know why.
September 6th, 2005 at 9:41 am
also christopher wreh, george weah’s cousin. he was just terrible.
September 6th, 2005 at 9:43 am
Fair enuff about POOOOOOOOOOM but to my knowledge we have never signed a goalie as lowly as being Sunderland’s 3rd and possibly fourth choice.
Helder was awful after his first game against Forest.
Wreh scored some vital goals in ‘98 so is excluded for being an arsenal legend
September 6th, 2005 at 9:56 am
Yeah true, but it’s not Mart’s fault that Mick McCarthy is a knobhead.
September 6th, 2005 at 10:06 am
GK - Jennings
RB - Dixon
LB - Silvinho
CB - Adams
CB - Bould
RM - Ljungberg
LM - Pires
CM - Vieira
CM - Silva
ST - Henry
ST - Bergkamp
September 6th, 2005 at 10:27 am
All this is bad for your health. How do you compare 2005 to 1970 or 1970 to 1930.
What matter to me is who really gave their all to the club. Who really showed what it meant to be a Gunner with pride and proud of the Arsenal Tradition not someone who was good but careless about what Arsenal stands for. Someone who wears the Red and White with respect and pride.
As far as I’m concern and please read it again I used the word “I” - Every player is part of my all time great, so far as they wear the Arsenal Red and White.
Henry is great but will never have be great without the support and help from the other players so somehow this topic does not make sense.
What next - Another Topic soon about who is the greatest and better - Henry or Wright.
Watch the space. When he scores the 2 goals needed.
September 6th, 2005 at 10:34 am
Grimandi, Kiwomya, Hillier, Groves would also be banging on the door for the worst ever team.
September 6th, 2005 at 10:38 am
It’s only a bit of fun. Of course football is a team game, but who would you rather supply passes to Henry, Stepanovs or Ronaldinho?
September 6th, 2005 at 11:13 am
this “Poom was Sunderland 4th choice keeper” was getting really ridaculous. I mean, how many of us even watched Sunderland last season in the Championship? Poom was out injuried since October, so who to decide he’s 1st choice or 10th choice?
Let’s face it, everybody how been talking about Poom was “4th choice” is because of the fact we read it from the net or papers. and u know how the media works.
Judge the player on his performance (on the pitch), not by whatever we read. Let’s be honest: how many of us actually have seen Poom played the past few years? If the answer is no, then how on earth we can slam a player without even seeing him played?
September 6th, 2005 at 11:15 am
LoveG, i think ppl here just been having a bit of fun picking up our Arsenal dream team!
September 6th, 2005 at 11:54 am
“If the answer is no, then how on earth we can slam a player without even seeing him played?”
Here’s my pet theory on this, Andez. As I see it, there’s a cross section of supporters here, and to be honest, elsewhere regardless of the club. However, for the sake of this silly and highly un-scientific posit, I’ll use the Poomometer:
1- Poomsayers: Its irresistable for some to stress the negative possibilities as more likely and/or worthy of more focus because it best prepares some of the most passionate among us for potential disappointment. It puts those in this category at a pseudo-psychological advantage in what is preceived as a hopeless situation (as being a supporter, by definition, really is). Upside = one only risks having one’s pessimism reenforced or being pleasantly surprised. The downside = long jags of bitterness and unecessary misery in an already stress-filled world.
2- Poom-Poom Shakers: This lot believes that through devine intervention or positive karmic vibrations in the universe, believing that your club is the best and your manager is a genius is the only reasonable reaction to legitimate challenges. Common exclamations often allude to the “style” of football played, or “club history and spirit” as more important than trophies even while deep down inside they want to win just as bad as the Poomsayers. Upside = every positive tidbit affirms your faith. Downside = looking foolish and crushing deflation when it all goes pear-shaped.
3- MidPoomers: those who dwell in the middle tend to believe that, while its no secret weaknesses have been bared, it makes little sense to believe that your club is the only one that has them. They prize those moments when “stranger things have happened” and try and see the bigger picture despite what history tells them. They are at various times disappointed and elated, and fight schizophrenia through the season with pint after pint and obsessive information gathering via the web. They understand that, when evidence supports both dark and light, that its best to be patient. Upside: every once in awhile, postive results from unlikely sources and at unlikely times restores one with the possibility that the heart still means something. Downside: Aforementioned schizophrenia and that uneasy feeling of being always slightly off-balance. Alcoholism.
4- Varying points on the Poomometer. Strings of successes/losses/underwhelming performances and/or the “major/underwhelming signing” pushes those who wallow in the uncertain grounds of MidPoom in one direction or another without notice. This creates a dizzying sensation that at once forces one to wonder why they care so much about their club, and reminds them. Upside: the joy of the game is fully realized. Downside: None, unless you’re the type who expects blood from a stone and pennies from heaven.
;^P
September 6th, 2005 at 11:59 am
Christ, is Poom really worth all that text? I always thought Poom was a good keeper, he had a very good spell in the Premiership when he was up there with the best. I have no problem with his signing at all, it’s short term and he’s far better than Almunia.
I think Wenger should have made a few more short term loans/buys to beef up the squad, but 1 is better than none.
September 6th, 2005 at 12:07 pm
Did anyone catch the ‘99 Semi Final on Fox Soccer yesterday? How did we lose to that lot? Anyway, I was marvelling at the power and athleticism of the Petit/ Vieira central midfield. Petit really was a great player in his day- better than Vieira. I think that’s why the great French team of ‘98-’00 was anchored by Deschamp and Petit, not Vieira. But Patrick was a better servant to the club and so gets the nod in an Arsenal XI.
September 6th, 2005 at 12:26 pm
You have to admit its a great name with loads of spoofing potential. And I have no idea what he’s worth outside of that. And I’m bored.
Don’t know what to make of the Papa Baba Dioup (sic) talk, but he may be looking to January which is not usually Wengertime. I’ve got a weird feeling that he’s got something up his sleeve, though.
September 6th, 2005 at 1:49 pm
Wow thats a lot of psychology there. I hope you dont have me down into one of these categories.
September 6th, 2005 at 2:33 pm
Okay lets get this straight, Remi Garde and Gilles Grimandi were decent players. I remember vividly Garde playing sweeper against Chelsea in 1996/7 at Stamford Bridge and he was majestic. His time there was punctuated by injuries so he couldn’t really get into his stride.
Grimandi was a fairly average central defender, I agree, but he was OKAY. As a central midfielder, there were times we he played at least as good, maybe better, than a certain Gilberto Silva. Although Silva is the more talented player by far.
I think I would put Pires ahead of Graham Rix. I think Pires during 2001-2 was the best player in Arsenal’s history, I remember Charlie George saying he was the best player EVER to don the red and white during that golden period of form.
September 6th, 2005 at 3:59 pm
Why Poom… What about Alex Manninger ?
September 6th, 2005 at 4:01 pm
Alex Manninger and Cygan ?
September 6th, 2005 at 4:03 pm
I am actually excited to see Poom playing.
Everytime AW gives a player a second choice to come, the player comes back greater than before. Henry, Lehman, ….
I think Poom will earn a 1 year contract in January.
September 6th, 2005 at 4:22 pm
No worries. It just b*llsh*t, based on loose observation, wrapped in conjecture, and dipped in a hard, frosty coating. I was waiting on a client and decided to postulate. Really, it was meant for no one.
Unless… ;^)
September 6th, 2005 at 5:56 pm
Ha Ha!!!!
Excellent observations still!!!
Yet vey coldly rational!!!!
September 6th, 2005 at 6:00 pm
I saw it yesterday and I too was amazed at the players level of athleticism. It was a dark year in our history though. We came so close to repeating the double, and after that had to wait another three years for the double. Man Bergkamp looked so much younger back then.
September 6th, 2005 at 10:58 pm
Wot no Sammy Nelson (the time he mooned the North Bank) Ian Ure and Willie Young charging upfield or ‘living in a Perry Groves world’ type players? Bob McNab (earlist F.A Cup final booking) or ‘I was there when J.J scored!’……Webster in goal…Aaaaaarrrrrrrr!!!!, and my favourite goal celebration - the two handed beer swig a-la-Merson, followed closely by the Charlie George lay down, the clenched fist in the air McDonald special and the Wright Wright Wright twirl and thats my 11!
September 6th, 2005 at 11:47 pm
Rocastle is interesting. Actually Rocastle, Davis, Limpar and Thomas were there during the ‘dark days’ of my Arsenal support, so probably don’t get their deserved recognition from me. In graduate school in Philly at the time and not a whole lot of ways to stay tuned to what happened at Highbury. Somehow was able to follow Anfield 89 though.
Jennings over Seaman any day. Seaman never gave me the comfort level Jennings did. Jennings just mastered the goal area like a Smichael or Shilton.
September 6th, 2005 at 11:48 pm
Rocastle is interesting. Actually Rocastle, Davis, Limpar and Thomas were there during the ‘dark days’ of my Arsenal support, so probably don’t get their deserved recognition from me. In graduate school in Philly at the time and not a whole lot of ways to stay tuned to what happened at Highbury. Somehow was able to follow Anfield 89 though.
Jennings over Seaman any day. Seaman never gave me the comfort level Jennings did. Jennings just mastered the goal area like a Smichael or Shilton.
September 6th, 2005 at 11:50 pm
It’s official, senility has hit! Winterburn, not Worthington.
September 7th, 2005 at 12:05 am
agree, mazza, about garde and grimandi. gilles was never afraid to get stuck in. i appreciated that in his game. and garde’s injuries never allowed a fair assessment of his ability.
also, you’re right to add the qualifier on pires. in season 01-02 he was absolutely brilliant. i was gutted when he got hurt and wasn’t able to come down the home stretch with the rest of the team.
but he is now a mere shadow of that player. fear of injury (and i don’t blame him for this fear) has brought about his decline. sad.
September 7th, 2005 at 4:15 am
He must have been his cousin from his mothers side.
September 7th, 2005 at 6:59 pm
Hey Andez, agree with you there.
From what I remember of him, Poom was not bad in the EPL. And if I am not mistaken he pulled off some good saves against Arsenal. The reason I remeber thinking that is I was ticked off that keepers such as Niemi, Poom and Van Der Saar (when he was at Fulham) had denied us some goals by making a string of saves. But these keepers didn’t make as many saves against certain other teams.
Heck I remember him as being better than M.Alumania. I just don’t have the video tapes to back my thinking.
September 7th, 2005 at 9:41 pm
At school he was made fun of because of his ’shovel’ sized hands!