This one is a no-brainer. There is no question that Arsenal’s best defensive midfielder is the legendary Patrick Vieira.
The French midfielder signed for Arsenal after the dismissal of manager Bruce Rioch and the arrival of another Frenchman to the throne of Arsenal, the man who still manages the Gunners, Arsene Wenger. Vieira later revealed he signed for Arsenal following Wenger’s rise to power: “I am delighted to be joining Arsenal at the same time as Mr. Wenger becomes their coach.
“Being able to speak French to him will make life a lot easier for me.”
Most foreign players took time to settle and adapt to the viciousness of the English Premier League. The likes of Thierry Henry, Marc Overmars, Robert Pires, Alex Hleb, Tomas Rosicky and Emmanuel Adebayor needed weeks or even months to adjust to England’s elite football league. But that was not the case for Vieira.
England’s severe top flight never seemed like an issue for the 6’4 Vieira, who had a tough physical stature that helped him deliver powerhouse performances in the heart of the Gunners’ midfield. Under the teachings of his compatriot Wenger, Vieira was a walking bulldozer, destroying everyone and everything that came in his path. He was also a remarkable athlete who could both win the ball and distribute it effectively.
He did not score a lot of goals in his Arsenal career but when he did, they were either spectacular or crucial. I’m sure we all remember the long-range net-busters against Newcastle and Manchester United, as well as the clinical finish that helped the Gunners to sweeping Liverpool. Later in his career in a red and white shirt, the French brute netted a third-minute opener winning Arsenal the league on their archrival’s turf, and he netted the decisive goal against Leicester City at Highbury as Arsenal clinched the precious golden title concluding the Invincible campaign, in which the Gunners managed to win the title without enduring a single loss in the whole season.
As of 2001, Vieira was named the club vice-captain to ensure he would succeed Tony Adams as Arsenal captain. And just when the famous Adams hung up his boots, Vieira was given the honour. And with great power comes great responsibility, after being named skipper, Vieira’s reckless and mercurial behaviour stopped: He was more disciplined and showed the display of a great leader and proved he merited this position of authority. Nonetheless, he played with his heart on his sleeve against fierce rivals, and was always on the fighting end against Manchester United captain Roy Keane.
Arguably, Vieira’s absence through injury in the closing months of the 2002/03 campaign was the reason why Arsenal failed to secure back-to-back titles. But he bounced back and was a formidable force in the following season as the Gunners clinched their third FA Cup of the decade beating Manchester United on penalties. The Frenchman’s decisive spot-kick was his final act in an Arsenal shirt, who stacked up three Premier League titles – one unbeaten – and four FA Cups.
Vieira also enjoyed success at the international level, representing France 107 times, and being a part of their 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning sides; he was also a member of the French team that finished runners-up in the 2006 World Cup.
