We’ve let quite a bit of talent slip thru our hands. Perhaps it could be said of some other teams, but the team below could contend for Europe!
Manninger / Stack (OK, Keeper isn’t so strong)
Lauren Campbell Upson Cole (Silvinho)
Bentley Vieira Sidwell Pires (Pennant, Reyes)
Anelka Kanu (Wiltord, Baptista)
This is some very impressive talent. Yes many are older players, but we lacked experience
last season. It was one of our biggest problems. Players that knew how to win.
They showed some coverage of the last game at Highbury on Fox last evening. We got down
2-1 to Wigan, but we KNEW we were going to win the game. Pires scoring one and setting up Henry beautifully on another. We miss that guy big time. We simply haven’t come close to replacing his goals, or his telepathy with Henry.
I just found it interesting. A lot of good players, playing at the top level of football and doing pretty damned well. In a sense, it tells you how great we’ve had it in recent years, because we let such good players go, and still succeed. But I’d have to say that we might have let go of a bit too much experience, and it cost us.
I am sure I’ve even missed a few names. Feel free to add on the squad!
28 Responses to “The Ex-Arsenal Team!”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
June 2nd, 2007 at 11:45 am
there were good reasons why they left.
save Anelka - a deal made in heaven, and maybe Sidwell - none of them are worth crying over. not even the beloved PV4, it was time and it showed in his play.
it’s time to accept that Wenger has a plan and is building a NEW team. let’s move on. but i accept that two hungry and experienced players are needed - one ball winner, one winger.
June 2nd, 2007 at 12:15 pm
I don’t accept that a 4th place finish and no trophies is where we’re at!
If thats what we are looking forward to, then the new stadium was a waste.
We could use a few of these guys now, even though I agree that when they left it might have been best for all concerned.
June 2nd, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Seaman (Wilson)
Dixon, Keown, Adams, Winterburn (Rice, O’Leary, Bould, Sansom)
Rocastle, Brady, Petit, Overmars (Davis, Parlour, Thomas, Limpar)
Wright, Bergkamp (Nicholas, Smith)
Wow, there are 22 great players who we have let slip through our hands and leave the club. Oh, they are too old or too slow for modern football. Didn’t
realise that. With the possible exception of Anelka (and to a lesser extent Sidwell) there is nobody on Stag’s list that could add anything to our current squad even in the short-term. Growing up as a kid, I used to dream that Brady would return to the club but as I grew up I realised that it never works out that way. Players leave for various reasons, to move up, to move down, because they couldn’t adapt, because the team/club couldn’t adapt to them etc. etc. It is very hard to come back and overcome those issues. Time for people to stop living in the past and look to Arsenal’s future.
June 2nd, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I might take that back four over ours RIGHT NOW.
I’d rather Lauren than Eboue for a variety of reasons. Eboue is a diver, stamper, and he is not a proven back. He might be better on the wing.
Cole is better than Clichy. I hate Cashley, but lets not delude ourselves.
Upson and Campbell for next year vs. Toure and Gallas?
Is Gallas going to get injured again and bitch all season?
How long is Kolo going to be away for?
I’d rather Pires for next year than Hleb or any other winger we have…
Because I KNOW he is going to score goals. Those stats don’t lie. He scores.
Our wingers do NOT.
Pennant and Bentley are going to get better. We LOVE to say our kids are going to improve… just wait! Well those two played pretty well.
June 2nd, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Pennant is not going to get better. All talk. Did you watch him in the Champions League final? He was the main reason Liverpool lost (there were reasons on the Milan side for why they won - Kaka the most important). The Italians were awful down their left, giving Pennant acres of space. How many real chances did he create? Tough question I know. How many times did he test the goalie? Well he gave him a warm-up pass-back. Not in the England squad, not good enough for Arsenal, not good enough for Liverpool if they are serious. Mid-table merdiocrity beckons.
We have six internationals at centre-back, if you include O’Cearuill and Gilberto, I must admit stretching it a little. Why want Upson (or Curtis Davies) who is not a proven international. How many minutes did Upson play for West Ham in their successful fight against relegation? Look at the way Birmingham improved when he left. Anyone who prefers Upson and Campbell to Toure and Gallas for next season (despite the latters’ weakness in the air) is mad. Too slow-miving oil-tankers would make for more mobile centre-halves.
Cole is injured. Pires spent most of the season injured.
I would prefer Hoyte to Eboue. But I am deluded.
June 2nd, 2007 at 5:58 pm
At least you admit your delusion!
Cole is better than Clichy. Its not even debatable. He has all Summer to get over the injury!
June 2nd, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I would take Bentley. Arsene has a very good record of knowing whom to let go, but I think Bentley has a bright future.
I have not seen Steve Sidwell or Reo-Coker play many games, but I do not think there is a huge difference in their abilities. If we pay 8 mil or so for Reo-Coker as has been rumored I will be very disappointed. We could have gotten Sidwell for free, and he wanted to play at Arsenal!!! We need more players who are true gunners, not more like Gallas.
June 3rd, 2007 at 6:08 am
I just finished writing about this on the previous thread. Wenger wants to stop losing young players that he’s developed to rival opposition.
As far as former players, there’s simply no one that can do what Bergkamp and Vieira did. No one will be able to do what Henry can. These guys were phenoms. And Pires can play with ANYBODY! I remember in the late 90’s when he and Cristoph Dugary used to take turns ripping teams apart in France.
Cole might be better than Clichy but he’s not 5 million quid + William Gallas (minus the cry baby drama) better than Clichy. In fact, Cole wasn’t that good this year and is not that much better than Clichy anyway. Clichy won more tackles than any defender in the league this season and that’s with being out injured early on. I’d take that Cole deal again 100 times over.
We sure do miss Pires as he’s come back from injury and is doing it big at Villareal. I watch Villareal when they come on to see how Bobby and Pascal Cygan are doing. They’ve won almost every game since Bobby’s back including victories against Barcelona and Valencia. They should qualify for Europe over some very good Spanish teams and people are already forgetting about Riquelme. We do miss that bit of magic that Pires and Dennis were capable of providing.
Irish, I agree, Pennant’s not going to get much better. Also, Hoyte over Eboue, I’d agree you’re deluded.
June 3rd, 2007 at 7:18 am
The only players good enough in that original list to play for Arsenal now is Anelka and Cole, but would you want them playing for Arsenal? Pires is unlikely to have been our goalscoring hero this season - he scored 11 in his last season, but 3 were penalties and 2 were against Cardiff in the FA Cup - the only vital goal he scored was at Tottenham. Rosicky has 6 this year despite being injured half the season, so I think he will be our new Pires if he remains injury free.
The one player not mentioned who we really miss is Edu. He was quality and I can’t believe he was sold - he should have been given a whopping contract.
Bentley? What has he done? He has improved but he is not consistent. Wouldn’t want him back or Pennant.
The team is fine as it is, as long as Wenger purchases 2 or 3 quality signings.
He must buy a centre back, it’s essential. With Eboue and Toure out for 6 weeks at the start of next year you cannot have pretensions of winning anything with Hoyte, Senderos, Gallas and Clichy as a back four. Especially if Gallas or Clichy happened to have an injury at the time - it’s would be an absurd situation.
June 3rd, 2007 at 8:58 am
Totally forgot Edu… he was often overlooked here to. Under-rated.
With the ACoN going on, we need defensive help, otherwise, we’ll be out of the league race earlier than ever.
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:19 am
Remember, Edu was offered a whopping contract but refused to sign it. He allowed his contract to run out and went to Valencia for free. Since he’s been gone I’ve only seen him play for Valencia a couple of times and he didn’t look too impressive.
Pires was never going to be a goal scoring hero but he’s got an instinctive “Johnny on the Spot” ability to be in the right place at the right time and finish simple chances that Hleb, Rosicky, Fabregas, Diaby, and Baptista have managed to miss. I don’t think he alone was going to be our saviour but he could have given us at least a dozen points this season. Like Edu, he was offered a contract but made the decision to leave Arsenal.
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:23 am
ONE YEAR contracts… so wisely, they took the security of a longer term contract… as they’ve both been injured.
June 3rd, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Anybody knows who is Roy Sim? He is first in Fantasy Premierleague Manager and we are level on points. Maybe he has a better goal difference :)))))))
Anyway, congratulations to him.
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:29 pm
The thing is - there are only 11 spots in a starting lineup.
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:19 pm
11 spots in a starting line-up.
OK.
Throughout a season, in which we play in 4 competitions, add in injuries and fatigue, and you have the need for far more than 11 players that can start. You need a big squad with depth to compete in the league, Cups and CL.
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Hey Chris, the two players I would have added to your list would have been Petit & Overmars. But irishgunner included them above.
Can someone refresh my memory as to the reasons why Petit and Overmars were sold? Did they simply want away? Once they left, they never fit in with Barca and drifted away quietly, even though Petit tried making a comeback. I think injuries might have been a reason but I don’t remember them being that effective with their new clubs as they were with Arsenal. Even Edu & Pires sufferred horrible injuries after their Spanish transfers and have not been up to their old Arsenal standards.
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Petit / Vieira was the best midfield combo I have ever seen. They were awesome together. Overmars was great for a few years as well. They were sold for the cash, big cash… if I remember correctly. I don’t remember EITHER of them requesting a transfer… but we made a lot of money on the transfer.
June 4th, 2007 at 12:06 am
Wenger’s words regarding Petit and Vieira were so simple yet perfect. Something along the lines of one is left footed, the other is right footed; one plays long passes and the other short passes. No wonder they fit together.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:18 am
I wanted to put an ex-Arsenal in England 11
Wright
Cole, Campbell, Upson, Lauren
Bentley, Sidwell, ?, Pennant
Kanu, Anelka
We could do with some of these, but each left for a good reason (except Campbell?).
At present, I would want Anelka the most. Will he stay at Bolton since Fat Sam has left? There are rumours of him joining ManU.
June 4th, 2007 at 7:13 am
Sachin G, both Petit and Overmars wanted to leave. Petit made a statement about leaving along the line of Arsenal lacking ambition. Funny seeing after he left Arsenal won another double (2002) and went unbeaten (2004) while he was at Chelsea. I used to love Petit until he said that.
Don’t know why Overmars left but we got in Pires and Wiltord right away and didn’t miss him much.
Petit/Vieira was awesome for Arsenal but sucked for France in Japan/South Korea ‘02. I think it had to do with them both being box-to-box guys at the time. When Petit was still at Arsenal Vieira, being the prodigy, was relegated to doing the defensive dirty work.
The Petit and Overmars departure probably had to do with Wenger’s age policy in that he probably didn’t offer either of them long deals. They were both very close to thirty.
June 4th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Overmars wanted to leave, Petit never expressed a desire to leave.
Barcelona made a massive joint offer and Arsenal accepted because Petit had a dodgy knee. He played the last few months of the season with it strapped up and Wenger obviously felt it was a big problem, and he was right because it dogged Petit until the end of his career. The only strange thing for me is how Petit passed his medical?
June 4th, 2007 at 11:42 am
I don’t know if Petit wanted to leave but I remember him talking smack in a Sky interview after he left about how Arsenal didn’t have the pedigree to compete in Europe. I clearly remember him saying that’s why he left Arsenal for Barcelona. Until that time, Petit was probably my favorite player.
June 4th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Hardly anyone on that list “slipped” through our hands. That team wouldn’t beat our current team, much less challenge for Europe. And you want a backline with “Sicknote” Upson on it? Go ahead, it’s yours.
The most successful ex player hasn’t been mentioned yet, and that’s teeny tiny Gio VanBronckhorst, who has had plenty of success at Barcelona. Although I was never a Gio fan, putting him on this list makes it even deeper at LB.
Oh, and without a doubt, I’ll take Clichy over Cole in a heartbeat. Go back and watch the ManUre games, when Clichy pulled a Champ Bailey on Cristiano and shut him down. Clichy was one of our top 3 players this season, it’s just that his performance got overlooked because it was a relatively disappointing season. I’ll also take Gael over Cashely based on their respective ages, salaries, tempermant, and number of crappy, embarrasing books written.
June 4th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Clichy is not as good as Cole, don’t care what you say!
He might be some day, but not right now. Cole is world class.
When he was on Arsenal, all I heard was that he was the BEST IN THE WORLD. Repeatedly.
All of sudden he’s not even as good as Clichy.
Funny how changing kits does that to people.
I’d definitely take Cole & Lauren over Clichy and the diver Eboue.
And with Toure going to ACoN and Gallas’ injury problems and his whining… I might take Upson and Campbell too.
June 4th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Nipuna,
On your ex-Arsenal in England, Harper at Reading could play central midfield, as could Muamba at Birmingham. On the subs bench you have Stack (gk), Dickov, Andrew Cole, Larsson, Gray (Birmingham), Simek. That gives you an eighteen man squad. And what about Stokes or the kids who went to Scotland like Cregg? Don’t think I want any of them back though.
June 5th, 2007 at 1:37 am
IrishGunner,
Thanks for filling in. I was looking at EPL players and chose the best in each position. Muamba qualifies as Birmingham are up.
June 5th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Of whom you’ve listed, I’d only care to have back Campbell, Vieira and possibly Wiltord or Pires back — and Reyes is still officially a Gunner.
Here are my personal feelings about the names that stand out particularly on your list:
Cole — I honestly prefer Gallas.
Sidwell — yet another youngster on a team full of young talent. The Midfield needs experience and if they were to sign a younger player, I’d prefer Franck Ribery.
Pennant — undisciplined. ’nuff said.
Anelka — has played for 5 clubs (not counting loans) in the 8 seasons since leaving Arsenal. The Gunners shirts aren’t as red as the flag this name should raise.
Kanu — still decent, but Adebayor fills the same role, scored as many goals this season, and is 7 years younger.
Baptista — you mean the guys that just went back to Real? No thanks.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Pennant is trouble, I am surprised he is not doing more drink driving. Kanu was overrated for me, as is Baptista. Bentley is again a player who is a legend in his own underpants.