Under Rated or Over Rated? - Discuss Arsenal Legends

[goonersid]

I'm bored to fucking death today at work so here goes.
Is there a player who would be considered in the "Arsenal legend" category who you think wasn't as good as many believe? Now I'm not talking "legend" in a Perry Groves type of way, but a player who is considered to have been real quality.
For me it's Sol Campbell, I never really rated him as "top drawer" and in fact was telling anyone who would listen that he was going to sign for us, all the while the "where will he go" saga was in the press.
I always think that he was revered so much by gooners because he was the spuds darling and he shat on them in a way they could never have imagined and I do love him for that.
As a player though, I would never put him in the same bracket as Adams, Bould or even Keown. Sol was a penalty or a sending off waiting to happen, a "stupid defender" the Solskjaer incident being a perfect example, whether or not he made contact (I think he did) wtf was he thinking flinging his arm back like that, he was on the ball, did he think the ref wouldn't see him or that Solskjaer wouldn't react the way he did? He cost us the title that season IMO.
I also hold him partially responsible for the unbeaten run coming to an end, he stuck out his leg inviting Rooney to fucking well take a tumble, I know it was a dive but again it was stupid and typical from Campbell.
Then there was his general passing, it was awful, the 2-4 against the mancs comes to mind, when Sol attempting to carry the ball from defence passed it straight to Scholes and utd scored, that goal killed us in what was another huge game.
So there!

[VoiceOfReason]

It's a good shout actually - he also had that odd incident at the West Ham game in 2006 when he made a couple of blunders and went AWOL at half-time (for days!)

In the history of AFC defenders, I'd definitely rank Campbell on the second tier, behind the likes of Adams, Keown, Bould etc.

[goonersid]

It's a good shout actually - he also had that odd incident at the West Ham game in 2006 when he made a couple of blunders and went AWOL at half-time (for days!)

In the history of AFC defenders, I'd definitely rank Campbell on the second tier, behind the likes of Adams, Keown, Bould etc.

I actually meant to include that in my post but forgot

[LeftfootlegendGooner]

Good shout with Sol, I would always worry about him giving a pen away, his pace and power though did get him and other defenders out of the shit at times though.

For me it is Gilberto, great at winning the ball but couldn't pass the thing more than 5 yards without giving it straight back to the opposition, terrible passer of the ball

[Bradywasking]

Sol would have been our best defender if he had been around in recent years, he was with us at a time of high standards. i actually rated him , not a Keown, Adams or Bould but much better than a lot we had and still have.
I would say David Platt was an England legend but never cut it as an Arsenal player for me. There are Arsenal players and players who played for Arsenal , for example Cole is possibly a better left back than Winterburn but which one is the Arsenal legend? So while I name Platt I wouldn't imagine anyone here would call him an Arsenal legend.
On the bigger picture I would say that Stevie G is a very over-rated player . I think he fitted a need at a time he was deemed to be World Class by the media.

[LeftfootlegendGooner]

Sol would have been our best defender if he had been around in recent years, he was with us at a time of high standards. i actually rated him , not a Keown, Adams or Bould but much better than a lot we had and still have.
I would say David Platt was an England legend but never cut it as an Arsenal player for me. There are Arsenal players and players who played for Arsenal , for example Cole is possibly a better left back than Winterburn but which one is the Arsenal legend? So while I name Platt I wouldn't imagine anyone here would call him an Arsenal legend.
On the bigger picture I would say that Stevie G is a very over-rated player . I think he fitted a need at a time he was deemed to be World Class by the media.

Got to disagree with the Stevie G thing, he was world class and carried that team and won them that CL title, I wish he had been at Arsenal.

[flash gunner]

Sol was superb during his first few years with us

I always though Merson was over-rated And I've been battered over this on here before

[REB]

same as flash, merson I always found to be a bit ott and not as good as people seem to remember.

[Natural Born Gooner]

May not be a "Legend", but couldn't stand the snide *word censored* Grimandi. Was always trying to cheat or get sent off.

Now he's trying to fuck us over with his shit recommendations for signings.

[augie]

Sol would have been our best defender if he had been around in recent years, he was with us at a time of high standards. i actually rated him , not a Keown, Adams or Bould but much better than a lot we had and still have.
I would say David Platt was an England legend but never cut it as an Arsenal player for me. There are Arsenal players and players who played for Arsenal , for example Cole is possibly a better left back than Winterburn but which one is the Arsenal legend? So while I name Platt I wouldn't imagine anyone here would call him an Arsenal legend.
On the bigger picture I would say that Stevie G is a very over-rated player . I think he fitted a need at a time he was deemed to be World Class by the media.

Got to disagree with the Stevie G thing, he was world class and carried that team and won them that CL title, I wish he had been at Arsenal.

I remember the first game xabi alonso played for the victims as I watched it on tv - alonso was pinging great passes all over the place and the scousers were well impressed so stevie me decided to show alonso that he was as good as him and tried to fire this great crossfield pass out to the left full only for it to land somewhere in row 15 of the stand

On a serious level I have to say that the stand out english player over the last 30 years or so, and I know that this wont be popular, but glenda was different class - in any other country he would have been world class but football over this side of the world prioritises physique and athleticism over technique Stevie me is a great leader but world class....I dont think so.

Again they wont be popular nominations but for me romford pele and spunky were over-rated - parlour worked his nuts off in every single game but that dont make him a legend for me. Seaman was for me a player that benefited hugely from playing behind the best defence english football has ever seen and his non ability to deal with direct free kicks was astounding

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

Giggs. Great longevity but in his prime I don't think he was that special. Certainly not Ronaldo quality or even Pires quality either.

Gerrard + Lampard. Gerrard is a great solo player but as a team he can be a real hindrance. I read a stat somewhere yesterday that Liverpool win equal amount of games without Gerrard and have won significantly more without him in the big games.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... -overhyped

As for Lampard. Great at shooting and getting into dangerous positions outside the box. Too bad that that kind of player is extinct today. His playing style just didn't work at international level.

As for Arsenal. Perhaps Ljungerg. Dont think Campbel was overrated at all. Sure his discipline wasn't great but thats the same for all defenders.

[goonerdan]

May not be a "Legend", but couldn't stand the snide *word censored* Grimandi. Was always trying to cheat

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtidXpWaVVM

[Number 5]

Jens Lehmann.

He was not a very good goalkeeper at all. In fact he was a fucking calamity an awful lot of the time.

WHL in the unbeaten season still don't sit well with me. We should have easily won that game but his dicking around with Keane really soured the afternoon for me.

In fact. I think I'm gonna *word censored* him.

[hugh jardon]

This thread is hilarious. Sol Campbell, Gilberto, Paul Merson and Jens Lehmann "over rated"!!!

I always thought Henry and Bergkamp weren't all that and Tony Adams also nowhere near as good as some made out.

[This Is The Daybreak]

Agree on Gilles Grimandi, he seems to have gained a cult hero type of status since he left but he was a very poor footballer with very limited ability, kind of irks with me that the likes of Steven Sidwell could have done a better job if he was given a chance over someone like Grimandi who just seemed to be selected because he was a favourite of Wenger and not because of his ability. If he was in one of Wengers recent sides he would be crucified.

Sol Campbell was one of the best centre backs of his generation so do disagree on that, every team in the world wanted him when we signed him and he chose us to f**k our rivals from down the road off.