The worst kept secret of the close season was confirmed Thursday when Robert Pires left Arsenal to join Villareal on a two year contract.
It seems quite a simple one in one out transaction with Rosicky coming in to take up that creative role in the team.
Pires has always been one of my favourite Arsenal players of the last half decade. Whilst he is the most steroetypically French of the muskateers, can you imagine how much the press would have loved him if he were English?! A left sided goal scoring creative metronome that kept the side ticking and can have an impact from the bench! The fact he is French and made one dive that resulted in a penalty against journo favourite Harry Redknapp meant he was never going to be a media darling.
Being French was never a problem for me, but these idiot writers never wrote about the good parts of his game.
The 19 goals in the unbeaten run, the fact he was consistently in the top scorer charts as a midfielder, his amazing form before he did his knee in during the 2002 Double season. Put simply, he did what Paul Scholes had done in the 1990’s but being French, the press wouldn’t take to it. Imagine if Lampard was French; they wouldn’t give him half the coverage and praise he gets and Frank the Tank has only done what the influential Pires has done for under half the amount of time!!
I had a conversation once with a mate of mine about Overmars leaving. He was gutted but when I heard Pires was coming, I thought there was potential for a better player there. Whilst Overmars was great, he was very much a ‘match winner in 1 game, disappeared for the next 2′ type of player. Pires however, had as much influence as a central player, even though he was out on the wing. And if he hadn’t scored, you could be damn sure he’s played a part in the build up.
He has been an integral part of the Arsenal teams of the last 6 years and will be sorely missed. Personally I think it may take more than Rosicky, in his adapting debut season to replace Pires. Even if the new boy becomes the new ‘oil in the machine’ - as Wenger once described Pires - how do we get 15-20 goals a season with Ljungberg forgetting to shoot and Hleb being scared to do so?
Replacing Pires is going to take more than one player and I think thats about the biggest compliment you can pay one individual footballer.
For his amazing double season where he won player of the year 2002 despite being out since March,
For his countless goals against Spurs,
For his infinite through balls to Henry that always produced goals,
For his partnership with Ash on the left hand side,
For his even more goals against Spurs,
For his amazing goal against Aston Villa,
For his sheer French-ness that annoyed everyone else so much and
For his jaw-dropping munching of PV4 in the Champions League…
…here’s to Robert Pires, the Premierships most consistent and influential goal scoring midfielder of the twenty first Century and a true an Arsenal Legend.
18 Responses to “Bye Bye Bobby”
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May 27th, 2006 at 11:22 am
Amen. Well said.
Robert Pires deserves as many glowing tributes as folks can write up.
We WILL miss him badly. More than some folks believe… simply because of how he linked up with Henry, and his unselfish play as well.
May 27th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
Let’s be honest his best days were behind him and Reyes can fill in for him quite nicely. The timing was right and his play was rapidly diminishing so I think it was good we let him go. I don’t think we’ll miss him all that much. A couiple of years ago I wouldn’t have said that but today is different.
May 27th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
He was the 2nd leading goal scorer AGAIN.
That was THIS SEASON.
Reyes is going to suddenly start to score goals? What in the world makes you think that will happen?
I’d like to see Reyes leave, personally. Its about time we jettison him… and give someone else a shot.
Reyes does NOT link up with Henry. Does Henry dislike him? don’t know, but they aren’t close, thats for sure. Reyes will never have the rapport ON the pitch the Henry had with Pires.
I hope Hleb and Rosicky step in and fill the void left by Pires. I think they can. I don’t think Reyes is filling in that gap. He can’t find the net.
May 27th, 2006 at 7:12 pm
I think Reyes played excellent in the CL matches and he was Spain’s best player today against Russia. I wouldn’t write off Reyes yet, he has an outstanding future I think. I don’t dislike Pires, but I think he gave away the ball too often this season and looked a lot worse than he did in previous years. He had an amazing career, but it was definitely time for him to go and other players will step in easily.
May 27th, 2006 at 7:17 pm
Nicely written mate - an excellent tribute to a unique player who has played a huge part in our success in recent years. He will be missed.
May 27th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
If Reyes starts the first game next season on the left wing we may as well give up their and then. He is totally incapable of receiving the ball, turning in field and laying it off. Instead he invariably falls on his arse or tries to pass through the limb of an opposing player and get a throw in. Pires was so comfortable on the ball even though he was no where near his best.
May 27th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Reyes has done nothing.
He has not lived up to expectations.
He can’t score goals.
Pires will NOT be replaced easily… thats for sure.
You underestimate his ability… and so did opponents, thats why he was 2nd leading scorer on our team EVERY SINGLE SEASON.
Thats not a fluke, its fact.
You don’t easily replace that, and definitely not with Reyes, who has proven he can’t score.
Reyes runs his ass off. Tireless in the CL.
Unfortunately, he’s on the pitch have the game. Goes down too easily, and dives… he can’t score goals. He’s a team player at best… thats not good enough for his big pricetag. Send him to Spain. If he was their best player today… if he’s among their best players, they will be OUT of the World Cup pretty damned fast.
May 27th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
Reyes cause Real Madrid so many fits when we played them I don’t see why everyone hates him. He started off the year very strong and I think his age got the best of him. Next year with World Cup experience I expect him to be a very mature player who will be one of the main ingredients to our success.
May 27th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
If you’re going to criticize Reyes for diving then you would also have to look at Pires and say the same thing. And in today’s game Fabregas was nowhere to be seen all game and barely touched the ball when he was in. When Reyes came in he had a cracker of a shot that was barely saved by Russia’s keeper and could have had a few assists if not for Raul’s poor finishing.
May 27th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
Adios Pires! We will not forget your contributions. All the best with the yellow submarines (I still hate them).
I think Rosicky is taking over his position and not Reyes
May 28th, 2006 at 12:12 am
Its gut-wrenching that he is leaving, but what is even worse is that he is going to Villareal, a lil piss of a club. I guess it wouldn’t hurt as much if it was like Milan or Real, or any French club, but the fact that Vilareal’s a club that didnt qualify either for the UEFA Cup, or the Champions League.
May 28th, 2006 at 9:11 am
Why don’t we sell Reyes and buy Simao? At least Simao scores goals
May 28th, 2006 at 9:48 am
you KNEW this one was going to happen… this rumor is out already!
I’ll tell it… because you know I want to…
PaddyV… wants to return to the Arsenal!
ohhhhh yeeeeeeeeeah!
May 28th, 2006 at 10:06 am
If he does come back then last season was a complete waste of time.
May 28th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Nicely put! I know I am going to reallllllly miss this guy. Always had such a good attitude and a smile on his face was most visible…except in that CL final.
And yes he was always up there in the scoring charts for a midfielder. It was only this season that Lampard overtook Pires and Scholes’s tally for most goals scored in a season from a midfield position. But like you said, Pires has hardly got the same positive media coverage as those 2 other players.
The best!
May 28th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
just the small matter of the remaining 4 years of his ?4m pa contract to consider…
May 28th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Umm… Juve are like Chelsea, they don’t care about the money…
They could be in Serie B before its all said and done…
May 28th, 2006 at 3:57 pm
A waste of time for Vieira maybe…
but he could play in many fewer games… part of the rotation in midfield with Gilby and Cesc…
I KNOW you heard the flattering things Cesc had to say about Vieira… how much he learned from him…
Now, I am not saying it will occur… but the rumor is out there…