Arsenal have been one of the most exciting football teams in the world over the last 25 years or so becoming known worldwide for their free-flowing, attacking and exciting brand of football.
For many, the Arsenal revolution started when Arsene Wenger replaced Bruce Rioch as manager at Highbury as he went of to build one of the best teams in the world. I still cannot believe that they didn’t win a Champions League title despite some pretty good efforts (I won’t mention crappy referee decisions in ECL finals!).
Embed from Getty ImagesPicking the top ten players over the last 25 years was really difficult and I reluctantly had to leave a whole heap of quality Gunners such as Nicolas Anelka, Marc Overmars, Santi Cazorla, Kolo Toure, Kanu, Ray Parlour, Aaron Ramsey, Jens Lehmann, Paul Merson, Robin van Persie, Steve Bould, Lee Dixon, Ashley Cole, Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker and Nigel Winterburn, Edu…. the list goes on.
This just shows what an incredible team Arsenal have been over the years. Anyway, onto my countdown, here is my top ten. Remember, it’s just my opinion from watching games at Highbury, The Emirates, on TV and in stadiums across the country.
Embed from Getty Images10. Freddie Ljungberg
Freddie Ljungberg was another of Arsenal’s great midfielders. A quick and intelligent playmaker, he was superb at creating chances for his teammates and also chipped in with some important goals. He joined the club from Swedish side Halmstads in 1998 and went on to make 300 appearances. He won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups during his time at Arsenal.
9. Sol Campbell
A rock at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, Sol Campbell was a key player in the club’s success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He joined the club from Tottenham Hotspur in 2001 and went on to make over 200 appearances for Arsenal. A tall and powerful centre-back, he was also excellent in the air and scored some important goals for the club. He won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups during his time at Arsenal.
8. David Seaman
David Seaman is another of Arsenal’s all-time great goalkeepers. He joined the club from Queens Park Rangers in 1990 and quickly established himself as the club’s first choice keeper. He made 564 appearances for Arsenal, winning one Premier League title, three FA Cups, four League Cups and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. He also represented England at international level 75 times.
7. Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas came through Arsenal’s youth academy to establish himself as one of the best midfielders in the world. A creative and gifted playmaker, he was also a superb passer of the ball and scored some important goals for the club. He made 303 appearances for Arsenal, winning one Premier League title, two FA Cups and one League Cup, before returning to his boyhood club Barcelona in 2011.
6. Ian Wright
Ian Wright is Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer, having found the net 185 times in 288 appearances for the club. He joined Arsenal from Crystal Palace in 1991 and went on to become one of the Premier League’s most feared strikers. A quick, skilful and powerful player, he was a joy to watch and was hugely popular with the Arsenal fans. He won two league titles, three FA Cups and one League Cup during his time at the club.
5. Robert Pires
A superb winger with pace, skill and an eye for goal, Robert Pires was a key player in Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ side of 2003/04. He joined the club from Marseille in 2000 and went on to score 84 goals in 284 appearances for Arsenal. A hugely popular player with the fans, he won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups during his time at the club.
4. Tony Adams
A true Arsenal legend, Tony Adams captained the club to some of their greatest ever triumphs during his two spells at the club. He made 669 appearances for Arsenal, winning four league titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup. A powerful and commanding centre-back, he was also a superb leader on the pitch and is rightly considered one of Arsenal’s all-time greats.
3. Patrick Vieira
A colossus in midfield, Patrick Vieira was the driving force behind Arsenal’s success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He joined the club from AC Milan in 1996 and quickly established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world. A powerful and tenacious player, he was also a superb passer of the ball and scored some crucial goals for Arsenal during his time at the club. He won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and three League Cups during his nine-year spell at Arsenal.
2. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry is widely regarded as one of the best strikers of all time and is also Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer. He joined the club from Juventus in 1999 and went on to score 228 goals in 377 appearances. A fearsome goalscorer with pace, power and technique, he also provided countless assists for his teammates and was a huge favourite with the fans. He won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups during his time at Arsenal, before leaving for Barcelona in 2007.
1. Dennis Bergkamp
This could be seen as a controversial first choice, but I’ve seen him in the flesh heaps of times, watched him dominate defenders off the ball as well as running into space and doing things that the TV cameras just simply couldn’t pick up on. To me, Bergkamp is Arsenal’s greatest ever player. He epitomises everything that I believe a world-class football should be both on and off the pitch.
Dennis Bergkamp arrived from Inter Milan in 1995 and went on to score 120 goals in 423 appearances for the club. A superb technician with vision and intelligence, he was the perfect partner for Thierry Henry up front and was instrumental in Arsenal’s success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and one League Cup during his time at the club.
He was part of the Arsenal revolution and was responsible for much of the Gunners’ success. What an absolute legend.
Please go ahead and post your top ten Arsenal greats over the last 25 years in the comments below. Thanks for reading my blog guys.