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Arsenal have a lot to thank Arsene Wenger for. When he took charge of the club for the first time in 1996, his arrival was greeted with perplexity by Arsenal fans and the English media. In his first full season at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger gave a fitting reply to anyone who doubted his credentials.
The Gunners became Premier League champions in 1998 and also won the FA Cup and that was the start of a 22-year legacy of the French manager. Arsene Wenger installed a different DNA into his team, under him the Gunners invented "the Arsenal way" of playing.
Arsene Wenger groomed some exemplary midfielders
Arsenal have benefitted big time from Wenger's shrewd recruitment strategies and belief in youth. The Gunners bought many less-renowned players with potential and with Arsene Wenger's vision they turned these players into future stars. Today we focus on the selective crop who ran the show in midfield under the former Arsenal manager.
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They were the best at what they did, be it running past defenders to tee up the strikers or hold the ball for their team. Some even scored at free will with elegance. On that note, here are the five greatest midfielders to play under Arsene Wenger:
#5 Mesut Ozil
Let's start out with arguably the most debatable name on this list. If Mesut Ozil was on a contract that paid him half the amount that he was earning at Arsenal, he'd not be as disrespected in his final days as he was. Arsene Wenger bought an attacking midfielder who was gifted with a vision only a few in the game had.
Ozil could look at the three passing options available to him and make a fourth completely different pass. Some of those being so outrageous that people like us wouldn't even notice it with a naked eye. He was sublime while moving with the ball, and always thought of progressing with it.
Arsene Wenger loved Ozil and his system very much revolved around the German. After joining the Gunners in 2013, he went on to make 254 appearances for Arsenal. He decorated his seven-and-a-half year spell with 44 goals and 77 assists. Of those, 37 goals and 71 assists came under Arsene Wenger's reign.
Ozil guided Arsenal to three FA Cup victories since arriving at the Emirates. In the 2015-16 season Ozil created 146 chances, the most by any player in a single season.
He registered 19 assists and if Oliver Giroud hadn't gone on a goal-drought, he could have had at least a few more. The German also holds the record for most chances created in a single Premier League game, 12. If Ozil had played alongside Gilberto Silva and Patrick Vieira, he would have easily been the best Arsenal No.10 ever.
#4 Freddie Ljunberg
Talk about Arsenal's best bargain deals and you wouldn't dare miss out on Freddie Ljungberg. How do you start your successful journey as a Gunner and become a favorite of the fans? Score a goal against Manchester United just seconds into your debut!
The Arsenal No.8 was for many a true reflection of Arsene Wenger's football philosophy. He was athletic, he was skillful, graceful and loved to entertain the crowd. At £3 million, his signing was a daylight robbery! The Swedish midfielder, with his pink hair and likable personality, soon became a cult hero for the Gunners.
Ljungberg averaged one goal every four games for Arsenal, a very impressive return from a man who came in running from the deep to score. When Robert Pires suffered an injury in 2002, Ljungberg deputized on the opposite flank and it never looked like he was out of position.
Arsene Wenger's absolute bargain became the first player after 40 years to score in consecutive FA Cup finals back in 2002. In his nine years at Arsenal, the Swede won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. He also won the Player of the Season award in the English division for the 2001-02 season.
#3 Cesc Fabregas
Arsene Wenger got the hint that Barcelona were unable to guarantee La Masia academy's most dazzling prospect a regular starting spot. Next thing you know, Cesc Fabregas lands in London and everyone is wondering about what the boy wonder from Spain can do.
At 16 years of age, Fabregas was endeared by Arsene Wenger. He was given every opportunity to settle at Arsenal as he saw the Gunners claim the Invincibility cloak in 2003-04. He became the youngest player to feature for Arsenal's first team.
He wasn't the most physically gifted or imposing midfielder in Arsenal's ranks but he had his way of running the show. Fabregas was highly mobile and always on the move, his spatial awareness was quite impeccable and made it easier for him to distribute the ball and receive it.
The Spaniard was a creative powerhouse and was gifted with a very delicate touch. Arsene Wenger built his team around Fabregas as the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry left the club. The well-knit passing game that Arsenal are known for thus began due to Fabregas' abilities.
The midfielder made 303 appearances in the Arsenal shirt and capped them with 57 goals and 96 assists. He was Arsenal's Player of the Season for two consecutive campaigns between 2006 and 2008. Under Arsene Wenger, Fabregas could only win one Premier League title and one FA Cup. He moved on to Barcelona and then returned to England to play for Arsenal's city rivals Chelsea.
#2 Robert Pires
Peak Arsenal, admired for their free-flowing fluid football, were incomplete without their Gallic genius Robert Pires. Upon his arrival from Olympique Marseille, the Frenchman was off to a slow start in Arsenal colors. Pires took his time but he got the Arsenal faithful rid of all that anxiety by soon putting in world-class performances.
His telepathic partnership with Thierry Henry meant that it was going to be difficult to keep Pires quiet for longer intervals. He would either tee up his French compatriot with an inch-perfect pass, or use him as a decoy and run straight towards goal to bury one. Arsene Wenger had made a football fetish off his two lethal French weapons while the world sat in awe and admired.
To say the Frenchman had an eye for goals would be kind of disrespectful. He was scoring goals by chipping and lobbing goalkeepers for fun, even from outside the 18-yard box. In Arsenal's Invincible campaign, Pires was their second highest goalscorer with 19 in all competitions.
His six-year spell under Arsene Wenger was haunted by injuries quite often but whenever he recovered it looked like he never left. The French midfielder has won two Premier League trophies and two FA Cups with Arsenal and in his 284 appearances reached a tally of 85 goals and 60 assists.
#1 Patrick Vieira
The first foreign player to captain Arsenal and by a fair shot he seemed like the best. Patrick Vieira was the spirit and soul of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger looked everywhere to find someone of the same mold but he failed.
He was as rugged and as aggressive as they came. Vieira loved to go on a stroll from one box to another and he enjoyed it when the opponents tried to stop him because he left them wishing they hadn't. He had one of the most ruthless tackling ability in the Premier League and his bullyish attitude was a psychological advantage for Arsene Wenger's side.
The French midfielder was Arsene Wenger's first signing at Arsenal, which required a transfer fee and wasn't a free agent. The boss hit gold on his very first attempt at spending cash. Vieira's long-legged strides and endless reserve of stamina saw him cover every inch of the pitch with little effort. That allowed him to make recoveries when Arsenal lost possession.
Arsene Wenger's main man made the Premier League team of the season for six consecutive seasons, starting in 1998-99 and ending in 2003-04. Vieira won two domestic doubles with the Gunners, a total of three PL titles and four FA Cups.
