Arsenal Dream Team

[Cripps_orig]

Arsenal Dream Team: No 3 Nigel Winterburn

• 
  GOLD
  Gunners Greatest Players - No 32. Nigel Winterburn
  2 mins 20 seconds
  
  
• 
  HEROES TOGETHER
  No 15 Legendary left back Nigel Winterburn
  2 mins 16 seconds
  
  
• 
  GGG44
  Nigel Winterburn v Chelsea - 1997
  2 mins 46 seconds
  
  

It’s time to unveil the Arsenal Dream Team.

This summer we asked the fans to choose their all-time XI and we got a tremendous response. More than 12,000 teams were submitted as supporters all around the world had their say.

There were only two rules: no current players could be included and the formation would be a traditional 4-4-2. That gave the fans a difficult task - how would they fit their favourite players into the side and find the perfect blend?

We’ll reveal the Dream Team position by position, resuming today with a left back who was selected in 46 per cent of the submitted line-ups.



NO 3 NIGEL WINTERBURN
Left back
Appearances: 584
Goals: 12

Nigel Winterburn is the first member of our Dream Team who had a real fight on their hands to earn a place in the starting XI.

David Seaman was a shoo-in for the goalkeeping spot and Lee Dixon comfortably saw off Pat Rice at right back, but Nigel had much stiffer competition. The manner of Ashley Cole's departure in 2006 angered many Arsenal fans but he pushed his predecessor all the way in our summer poll.

Ultimately Nigel pipped the 'Invincible' by 46 per cent to 38 and he is well worth his place in our all-time XI. After all, who on earth would have wanted to face Winterburn at his peak?

Influenced by his childhood admiration for Leeds United and toughened by four years with Wimbledon's 'Crazy Gang', Nigel arrived at the Club in 1987 and replaced a veritable Arsenal legend, Kenny Sansom, within a year.

Like the England international, Nigel loved to get forward and he enjoyed a particularly productive left-flank partnership with Marc Overmars later in his career. His early years were notable for his finest goal in a red and white shirt, a vicious long-range effort against Wimbledon with his (usually) weaker right foot.

Chelsea were other notable victims of Nigel's penchant for spectacular shooting but, of course, the Dream Team's No 3 did his best work at the other end of the pitch. You'd be hard pushed to think of a more tenacious defender, a more determined character and a better tackler than the long-serving left back.

Nigel gave 13 years to Arsenal, won a hatful of medals, never let the Club down and fully deserves this latest accolade. The all-time XI's full backs are firmly in place.

WHAT THEY SAID
"Nigel is a consummate professional and to lose a player who has dedicated 13 years of outstanding service to this club is a great loss. In an age where many players are eager to move from one club to another, Nigel has shown remarkable commitment to us. Nigel is a special character and I have to say that I, and undoubtedly the fans, did not want him to leave." - Arsène Wenger in 2000

"There is a tradition that comes with playing for Arsenal and that always drove me on to play my very best. The like of Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Lee Dixon were winners who knew what it meant to play for the club, knew what it took to be successful." - Nigel on his commitment to the Club

NIGEL WINTERBURN AT ARSENALCompetitionAppearancesGoalsLeague438+28
FA Cup470
League Cup493
Champions League
42+11
Totals581+312

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-arc...gel-winterburn

Cole

Winterburn

[Cripps_orig]

Arsenal Dream Team: No 6 Tony Adams

• 
  GOLD
  Gunners Greatest 50 Players - Tony Adams
  2 mins 40 seconds
  
  
• 
  HEROES TOGETHER
  No 11 Legendary captain Tony Adams
  2 mins 46 seconds
  
  
• 
  GGG11
  Tony Adams v Everton, 1998
  3 mins 0 seconds
  
  
• 
  Greatest Moment - 33
  1993, Adams clinches FA Cup semi-final win over Spurs
  1 min 53 seconds
  
  

It’s time to unveil the Arsenal Dream Team.

This summer we asked the fans to choose their all-time XI and we got a tremendous response. More than 12,000 teams were submitted as supporters all around the world had their say.

There were only two rules: no current players could be included and the formation would be a traditional 4-4-2. That gave the fans a difficult task - how would they fit their favourite players into the side and find the perfect blend?

We’ll reveal the Dream Team position by position, resuming today with a defender who was selected in 90 per cent of the submitted line-ups.



NO 5 TONY ADAMS
Defender
Appearances: 669
Goals: 48

Fourteen years as captain, 669 appearances and 10 major trophies, including League titles in three different decades. It's no surprise that 'Mr. Arsenal' himself has made it into our all-time XI.

Adams was the ultimate one-club man and a rock at the heart of Arsenal's defence. He thrived as the leader of the famous Back Four, developing an instinctive understanding with Steve Bould and Dream Team full-backs Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn.

On an individual level, it's hard to think of a more committed, more gutsy and more inspirational footballer in Arsenal's history.

Technically, Adams was a supreme defender - the timing of his tackles, his reading of the game and his aerial ability just some of the qualities he showcased in a regular basis.

Add to that his insatiable appetite for a battle, his mental and physical resilience, his desire and, of course, his leadership, and it's easy to see why Adams has been selected by the fans.

Whereas George Graham favoured a more direct style, Arsène Wenger encouraged Adams to be more expansive. He flourished, showing more poise in possession, initiating attacks from the back and even getting forward when he could.

His transformation under the Frenchman is a tribute to Adams’ quality and adaptability and underlines why he is the perfect candidate - and dare we say captain - for the Arsenal Dream Team.

WHAT THEY SAID
“I never really saw him play because I was too young but from what people say he was amazing and everybody says amazing things about him. Hopefully one day - not so much be like him, because I like to be my own player and person - but of course I want to achieve the things that he achieved.” - Cesc Fabregas

"My colossus." - George Graham

"A professor of defence." - Arsène Wenger

TONY ADAMS AT ARSENALCompetitionAppearancesGoalsLeague50432
FA Cup548
League Cup595
Europe
483
Totals66948

Greatest captain ever for Arsenal

[LDG]

Gonna be

Seaman
Dixon Adams McClintock Winterburn

Rocastle Viera Cesc Pires

Bergkamp Henry


/thread

[Cripps_orig]

Arsenal Dream Team: No 5 Sol Campbell

• 
  GOLD
  Gunners Greatest Players - No 15. Sol Campbell
  4 mins 23 seconds
  
  
• 
  TOP FIVES
  Headers: No 2 Campbell v Barcelona (n)
  2 mins 15 seconds
  
  

It’s time to unveil the Arsenal Dream Team.

This summer we asked the fans to choose their all-time XI and we got a tremendous response. More than 12,000 teams were submitted as supporters all around the world had their say.

There were only two rules: no current players could be included and the formation would be a traditional 4-4-2. That gave the fans a difficult task - how would they fit their favourite players into the side and find the perfect blend?

We’ll reveal the Dream Team position by position, resuming today with a central defender who was selected in 80 per cent of the submitted line-ups.



NO 5 SOL CAMPBELL
Defender
Appearances: 211
Goals: 12



Rarely has an Arsenal defensive duo shown the physical and mental strength of Sol Campbell and Tony Adams so it’s fitting that the pair will resume their partnership in our all-time XI.

During his first season at the Club, having crossed the North London divide from Tottenham, Campbell thrived alongside the outward-bound Adams at the heart of the Arsenal back four.

The Dream Team now has two inspirational leaders, who captained both club and country, as the bedrock of the side.

After that short trip down the Seven Sisters Road, Campbell grew into one of the game’s finest centre backs. He was impregnable at times, even when he made a daunting return to White Hart Lane with his new club for the first time.

Campbell was strong but he was also athletic. His bludgeoning power and fearsome frame worked in tandem with fast-moving feet. And there was, strangely for a man of his build, serenity in the way he carried himself too.

He was never willing to throw in the towel and often appeared visibly hurt in defeat - characteristics that endeared him to the fans and earned him a place ahead of Martin Keown, David O’Leary and Steve Bould in the Dream Team.

A ‘super rock’ according to Arsène Wenger, Campbell was a lynchpin in the ‘Invincibles’ side of 2003/04, a campaign in which the Gunners conceded just 26 goals.

His resoluteness, alongside Adams, Nigel Winterburn and Lee Dixon, make our all-time XI’s back four a frightening prospect for even the most potent of strikeforces.

WHAT THEY SAID
"Sol was at the heart of our defence and he will take away with him many fantastic memories, which he richly deserves. I would like to thank Sol for his tremendous contribution. His commitment, stature and strength of character have served us remarkably well, both individually and as a team player who captained the side.” - Arsène Wenger, speaking in 2006.

SOL CAMPBELL AT ARSENALCompetitionAppearancesGoalsLeague1468
FA Cup202
League Cup20
Champions League
412
Totals21112

As good as Sol was, a bit of a surprise hes in there

[LDG]

All responded to by kids who haven't seen anything pre-wenger innit.

[Hump]

Nah, it because of diversity quotas - Sol ticks both the ethnic and sexual orientation boxes.

[Cripps_orig]

Might be cos they want to keep the white/black CB partnership

[Cripps_orig]

Arsenal Dream Team: No 4 Patrick Vieira

• 
  GOLD
  Gunners Greatest Players - 5. Patrick Vieira
  3 mins 53 seconds
  
  
• 
  Greatest Moment - 14
  2005, Arsenal win the FA Cup Final on penalties
  2 mins 52 seconds
  
  

It’s time to unveil the Arsenal Dream Team.

This summer we asked the fans to choose their all-time XI and we got a tremendous response. More than 12,000 teams were submitted as supporters all around the world had their say.

There were only two rules: no current players could be included and the formation would be a traditional 4-4-2. That gave the fans a difficult task - how would they fit their favourite players into the side and find the perfect blend?

We’ll reveal the Dream Team position by position, resuming today with a central midfielder who was selected in 93 per cent of the submitted line-ups.



NO 4 PATRICK VIEIRA
Midfielder
Appearances: 406
Goals:33



From the moment he stepped onto the Highbury turf, you sensed that Patrick Vieira would be something special.

The 20-year-old became the hub of the Arsenal side, was pivotal to the early success of Arsène Wenger's era and gives our Dream Team a world-class powerhouse to kick off its midfield quartet.

It’s hard to fathom now that Vieira was a relative unknown when he arrived alongside Wenger in 1996. He went on to help reinvigorate the Club with two domestic Doubles and an historic unbeaten Premier League campaign.

Under the guidance of his compatriot, Vieira blossomed into one of the world’s finest, a remarkable athlete who could both win the ball and distribute it effectively.

Vieira is a perfect addition to our all-time XI because his graft went hand-in-hand with craft. The composure and quality of his passing means that, as well as quelling the threat of the opposition, he would be a vital cog in our Dream Team machine.

His bite and enthusiasm made him one of Arsenal’s most influential players and, although his goals weren’t frequent, when they did arrive they were invariably spectacular or crucial.

And if the all-time XI are ever up against it, no one will have more passion for the cause than Vieira. Who can forget those infamous battles with Manchester United captain Roy Keane?

Our Dream Team now has its driving force.

Please login to Arsenal Player before watching the video clips on this page.

WHAT THEY SAID
"I respect hugely what he has done. He was a massive success with Arsenal, is a legend here and will always remain so. I feel I have done well for Patrick in his life, so I am rather proud of what we have achieved together. He has done so well for nine years for us, who has given us nine top, top years? A few players before, but of the foreign players I can only remember Patrick [and Bergkamp].” - Arsène Wenger

"I don't think a lot of players have done what he has done for this Club. He has been a big inspiration for me. He came here when he was 20 and he got the same sort of confidence from the manager. He has won so many things, not just with Arsenal but with France.” - Cesc Fabregas, speaking in 2006

PATRICK VIEIRA AT ARSENALCompetitionAppearancesGoalsLeague27928
FA Cup483
League Cup70
Champions League
682
Totals40633

Bring him back as coach

[Cripps_orig]

Arsenal Dream Team: No 8 Liam Brady

• 
  HEROES TOGETHER
  No 22 Legendary Irish midfielder Liam Brady
  1 min 35 seconds
  
  
• 
  GGG19
  Liam Brady v Tottenham Hotspur, 1978
  2 mins 25 seconds
  
  

It’s time to unveil the Arsenal Dream Team.

This summer we asked the fans to choose their all-time XI and we got a tremendous response. More than 12,000 teams were submitted as supporters all around the world had their say.

There were only two rules: no current players could be included and the formation would be a traditional 4-4-2. That gave the fans a difficult task - how would they fit their favourite players into the side and find the perfect blend?

We’ll reveal the Dream Team position by position, resuming today with a central midfielder who was selected in 31 per cent of the submitted line-ups.

NO 8 LIAM BRADY
Midfielder
Appearances: 307
Goals: 59


Liam Brady is Arsenal's Head of Youth Development, he's 55 years of age, and he's still a pretty decent player. Back in his heyday, he was dynamite.

When Jack Wilshere was likened to the Irishman last season, a few eyebrows were raised among the older generations of Arsenal supporters. Not because Jack isn't a wonderful talent - he is - but because Brady was so special for so long.

The Club's fans have seen some prized assets leave down the years but arguably none of those losses were mourned as much as Brady's. Unlike, say, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, the Irishman was at the peak of his powers when he swapped north London for Italy in the summer of 1980.

Put simply, Brady was Arsenal back then. He made 307 appearances, inspired the Gunners to three consecutive FA Cup Finals, was man of the match in the 1979 Wembley win over Manchester United and generally elevated Terry Neill's team from an above-average top-flight side to a serious force in English football.

Brady was the cleverest playmaker of his generation, a man blessed with copious amounts of skill as well as balance, strength, a powerful shot and the ability to glide past opponents. He rarely picked the wrong pass and, for all his brains, he never shirked a challenge. Brady could be spiky as well as spectacular.

Emmanuel Petit was Vieira's regular midfield partner and he received plenty of votes in our poll but the prospect of Vieira and Brady pairing up in an Arsenal Dream Team is a mouthwatering one.
To get the very best out of them you might need a more defensively-minded player in behind but, in our 4-4-2 formation, one would have to stay and cover while the other surged forward.

Together, Brady and Vieira would give our all-time XI's engine room everything it needed. They'd combine force with flair, graft with craft, and every now and then you'd get a goal to savour too.
If you don't believe us, click on the video link above to see what Brady was capable of.
Please login to Arsenal Player before watching the video clips on this page.
WHAT THEY SAID
"Liam Brady is my role model. He works with the youth players now and he has always been there in my career. He has helped me a lot and people have said I am a similar player to him so he is probably my role model.” - Jack Wilshere

"He is very important to us because he is in charge of the youth set-up here. You know how important that is at Arsenal Football Club so it is vital to keep our structure going." - Arsène Wenger
LIAM BRADY AT ARSENALCompetitionAppearancesGoalsLeague23543
FA Cup352
League Cup2310
Champions League
134
Totals30733

Does he take any responsibility for the failed youth project?

[alexander]

Nice to know that there are people out there voting that realise Arsenal had some success before Wenger. Suprised at Sol inclusion. Top player, but not in my all time greatest team.