18 best players of the Wenger era at Arsenal.
With Arsene Wenger celebrating 18 years as manager of Arsenal this week, the Daily Mail looks at the best 18 players to play under the Frenchman during his time at the club.
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In no particular order, they list the 18 players below, featuring many of the game’s modern greats, who made up some superb title-winning sides for the Gunners, including several members of their famous ‘Invincibles’ squad of 2003/04.
1) Dennis Bergkamp
An Arsenal legend, Dennis Bergkamp’s skill and intelligence almost typified the Gunners under Arsene Wenger, with the classy Dutch forward proving a crucial player in ridding the club of their ‘boring, boring’ label from previous manager George Graham. Bergkamp spent a decade with the club, scoring 120 goals in 423 appearances, helping them through one of the most successful periods of their history with three Premier League titles and four FA Cup final wins.
2) Thierry Henry
Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer, Wenger owes so much of his success to the superb scoring of brilliant French striker Thierry Henry, who scored 228 goals in his time at the club, hitting his peak with some memorable displays in their unbeaten season of 2003/04.
3) Patrick Vieira
A superb midfielder and great captain, Patrick Vieira was brought to Arsenal by Wenger as a little-known French youngster from AC Milan’s reserves, before quickly becoming one of the best players in the Premier League and perhaps the best midfielder in the world for a number of years.
4) Nicolas Anelka
A controversial choice given his short time with Arsenal and the manner of his exit, but Nicolas Anelka was an inspired signing by Wenger as he broke into the team as an exciting youngster in 1997/98, helping the Gunners to the double with some fine end-of-season form.
5) Emmanuel Petit
A classy midfielder, Emmanuel Petit was a crucial cog in the machine in Wenger’s early sides, forming a fine partnership with Patrick Vieira in the middle of the park.
6) Marc Overmars
An electrifying winger, Marc Overmars was a hugely important member of Wenger’s first title-winning side in 1997/98, scoring some fantastic solo goals including a crucial late winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford to put Arsenal in charge of the title race.
7) Tony Adams
One of Arsenal’s all-time greats, Tony Adams was a key figure in Wenger’s early sides, finding some of the best form of his career to ensure he remained a great captain and defensive leader for the team.
8) Martin Keown
Another superb defender inherited from the previous manager, Martin Keown was excellent for Wenger in all three of his Premier League title wins earlier in his Arsenal career.
9) Lauren
A tough right-back with quality going forward, Lauren was another superb find by Wenger in the summer of 2000, and went on to become one of the first names on the team sheet for many years.
10) David Seaman
A real great of English football, Wenger owes a lot to the superb goalkeeping of David Seaman in his earlier Arsenal career, though it is a bit of a surprise that another top keeper Jens Lehmann does not make this list.
11) Aaron Ramsey
The man who brought silverware back to Arsenal last season with the winning goal in the FA Cup final, Aaron Ramsey’s recent superb form is enough to earn him a place alongside Wenger’s best players, with the Welshman developing into a truly world class talent at the Emirates Stadium.
12) Cesc Fabregas
A player who developed from an unknown youngster to one of the best midfielders in the world under Wenger, there’s no doubt that Cesc Fabregas is a real great of the Wenger era at Arsenal, even if he has soured his reputation by moving to Barcelona and now Chelsea.
13) Ashley Cole
Another top player who tarnished his reputation with Arsenal fans by moving to rivals Chelsea, Ashley Cole was undoubtedly a key performer for the Gunners and for Wenger in the title victories of 2001/02 and 2003/04, becoming one of the finest full-backs in the world during his time at Highbury.
14) Robert Pires
A superb goalscoring midfielder, Robert Pires was a joy to watch for Arsenal and a reliable performer for Wenger as he linked up brilliantly with the likes of Henry, Bergkamp and Cole down Arsenal’s left-hand side.
15) Robin van Persie
Although now bitterly hated by Arsenal fans for moving to rivals Manchester United, Robin van Persie scored 132 goals for the Gunners in his time at the club, becoming a real star player in his final few seasons in an otherwise uninspiring side.
16) Sol Campbell
Possibly the best defender to play for Arsenal under Wenger, Sol Campbell was an inspired signing as he arrived on a free from local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2001, helping the club to the double in his first season.
17) Freddie Ljungberg
A real fan favourite at Highbury, Freddie Ljungberg was a top performer for Arsenal and Wenger in his earlier years at the club, playing a huge role in the double success of 2001/02 with a fine run of goalscoring form, including a stunning solo effort to seal a 2-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
18) Ray Parlour
A player transformed under Wenger, Ray Parlour was a great servant to Arsenal and played a key role in all three of the Frenchman’s Premier League title wins, as well as scoring a belter in the 2002 FA Cup final win over Chelsea.