Arsenal Debate – Pick your favourite Gunner ever?

Your favourite player and why by Big Gun Dear Gooners, It is really good to see a more unified Arsenal fan base these days. It was getting to a point where either Arsene would have to spend, or the fans were eventually going to take matters into their own hands. I am relieved it was not the latter. Let us just hope that Arsene continues in this vein in the years to come – keeping our best players whilst buying top quality where necessary. As we wait ever so patiently for our next Premier league game and of course for the debut of our new No 11, I thought we could pass the time by and look at Arsenal’s long and successful history and the players who have made our club so great over the years. It would be great if each of you could list your top 3 players and reasons why. Also perhaps include some trivia about each player to make it an interesting read. I will kick off by listing my own top 3. I began watching and playing football at the tender age of 4 or 5 years back in the 80’s. My dad had been a gooner all his life, so naturally I followed in his footsteps. The first player to really dazzle me, who initially become my first football role model was Anders Limpar. I loved his flair, creativity and ability to weave past defenders. He was awesome to watch and whenever I played football, I tried to imitate him. Although he only played for Arsenal from 1990-1994, he was instrumental in our Football League, League Cup and F.A cup titles in ‘92 and ‘93 respectively. He scored a hat-trick against Coventry in a 6-1 win in the final game of the season, winning us the league title. It was these efforts that won him the Guldbollen (Swedish Golden Boot award). My second favourite player is Dennis Bergkamp. What can be said about the non-flying Dutchman? Oozing class all over the pitch whenever he played. He might not have scored as many goals as Henry, but his vision was unlike anything I have ever seen. Quite honestly, Bergkamp is up there with the top 10 footballers of all time. The scale of Ozil’s signature has been compared to the acquisition of Bergkamp’s almost two decades ago – a huge morale boost to the club and players. I will never forget the goal he scored against Newcastle United, in my book one of the most technical, classiest goals I have ever seen in my life. It never gets old. Aside from helping the club to win three Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies and reach the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final, he was selected by Pelé as one of the FIFA 100 greatest living players and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in his generation. In 2007, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, the first and so far only Dutch player ever to receive such honour. Bergkamp has also finished third in the FIFA World Player of the Year award twice. My third favourite player, Robin Van Persie. Just kidding. My third favourite player would have to be Tony Adams. A team can be as attacking and creative as they want, but without a solid back four, it means nothing. Whilst growing up primarily watching a team assembled by George Graham, Adams was simply the foundation around which the Arsenal squad was built – and a solid one at that. A talisman of strength, confidence and control, he was like our general commanding the troops. No challenge was ever too daunting and I think every opposition shook at the thought of having to face the combination of Adams, Keown, Bould and Winterburn. What a defense we had back in those days. Adams was like the solider who would run back into enemy fire to rescue a wounded comrade. It is no secret though that amidst his patriotism for the club, he suffered from alcoholism and even ended up in jail because of it on one occasion. But, as they say, it is not how you fall, but how you get back up again. Since then, he has sobered up and even started his own recovery clinic which has helped many people recover from a variety of addictions. Adams led Arsenal to many titles, and is the only player in English football to captain a team and win titles in three different decades. Best regards