In my 29yrs of life I've seen a few Arsenal sides come and go, I've seen Great players, I've seen Good players, I've seen Average players and I've seen Bad players. Importantly, I've also seen Heroes. Players who go above and beyond reasonable expectations every time they pull on the shirt.
A fine example of this is Robert Pires, his shuffling running style and quick feet and his distaste for a tackle (unless you're PV4) sealing the left midfield berth of the invincibles. His link-up play with Henry and Bergkamp was superb. Yet it was something else, whenever he got the ball there was almost a silent expectation that he would produce something wonderful. Often, he did.
When players like Viera, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry, Adams, Ljungberg played they had an aura of something extra about them. I'd hate to play any of them in their pomp and I've love to have them back. I'd even have Mad Jens back in a flash (if he was about 32).
Looking at the Arsenal squad now, who are the heroes? Is it really only Van Persie, The Verminator and Fab4? Ramsey and Wilshire have potential but I just feel like we are missing players that have that bit extra, the aura that comes with knowing how good you really are and wanting to show people that you are the best and going on to prove it. I feel we have too many passengers, too many nice boys who wouldn't say boo to Robbie Savage, let alone kick him up in the air and give him a bogwash.
I want our Awesome-ness back. We've got some good players, some with amazing potential but I want that turned into great talent and great results against everyone in the league. ManYoo aren't stronger, Chelski aren't stronger, The Pool are screwed and Citeh will keep buying players til they find a mix that works.
We should be challenging again. We have a right to wonder if we can win it. I think we can, with reinforcements in the right areas and maybe a hero thrown in.
WG
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