4) Ashley Cole
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Yet another member of the Invincibles campaign at Arsenal was Ashley Cole. A promising left-back who came through the club’s academy, Cole seized the chance to seal a spot in the Gunners squad when an injury to Sylvinho saw him step up and make the position his own.
Cole was a left-back who loved to attack and it was that desire to be involved at the other end of the pitch that made him a force to be reckoned with. Wenger encouraged his attacking instincts because he was still disciplined enough to track back. He was one of the key members in the undefeated run, playing 32 games in the league that season.
However, while everything was working perfectly on the pitch, all was not well off it. His wages became a big issue and soon Chelsea came calling with a sizeable offer. Cole’s head was turned but not before he and the Blues were fined because they had tapped up the player without including Arsenal in their talks.
But Cole put it behind him and soon became Chelsea’s key player over the next eight seasons, winning every trophy available. He won the league title with the Blues only once in 2009/10 but he became a serial winner of FA Cups – winning seven in all with both London clubs.
