Arsenal's Greatest Ever 11 - Number 4 - Centre Back

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Arsenals Greatest Centre Half

Frank McLintock (1964-1973)
16
36%
David O'Leary (1973-1993)
6
14%
Steve Bould (1988-1999)
5
11%
Sol Campbell (2001-2006 & 2010)
17
39%
 
Total votes: 44

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Rocky Number Seven
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Arsenal's Greatest Ever 11 - Number 4 - Centre Back

Post by Rocky Number Seven »

Ok so after an earlier thread asking where these had gone I am starting this up again. Carrying on working our way up from the back the next position is Centre Back. Assuming there would be no arguments in having Tony Adams as a nailed on starter in this side we are therefore looking for his defensive partner (any objections and I will edit this and include him in the voting and we will pick the top two).

I reckon this ones going to be really interesting.

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xDAVEYx
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Post by xDAVEYx »

posted this in the other thread:

adams needs no election, so there really is only one place to fill from mclintock, o'leary, bould, campbell and keown...

i don't know, i'm too young to have seen mclintock and o'leary but their service to the club was outstanding. campbell though... he was invincible and utterly devastating until 2006, scored the goal in paris and saw the light and joined us for NOTHING. i think his wikipedia page sums up just what a player he was for us:
Campbell spent nine years at Tottenham, scoring 10 goals in 255 appearances, and captaining the team to victory in the 1999 Football League Cup Final against Premier League side Leicester City. In 2001 he controversially joined Tottenham's North London derby rivals Arsenal, the first high profile free transfer within the Premier League under the Bosman ruling. In his five years and 135 appearances at Arsenal he won two Premier League winners medals and three FA Cup winners medals, encompassing the 2001–02 League and FA Cup double, and being part of the team that became known as The Invincibles for their undefeated 2003–04 Premier League campaign. Campbell was also part of the side that lost 2–1 to Barcelona in the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final, in which he scored the only goal for Arsenal.
keown was amazing, he was a monster as was bould, but campbell was just epic. seeing that huge bastard lining up with bergkamp, pires, vieira, henry... no wonder teams crumbled when they came to highbury. also, stumbled upon the england v. argentina world cup game from 1998 and big sol and mr arsenal were utterly immovable, proper 'they shall not pass' stuff. it has to be them.

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flash gunner
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Post by flash gunner »

This is going to be one of the hardest to decide i think.

I loved Steve Bould he was a tough tackling defender who read the game well and complimented Adams perfectly, my fave defender of that time but Arsenal best im not sure. The same could be said about Keown but i think Keown was more of an animal :D . Campbell was very good and part of the invincibles but kind of blotted his copy book towards the end of his 1st Arsenal stint although he had balls leaving sp*rs and coming to us to win things :lol: :barscarf: O'leary was a superb player and a true Arsenal man until he left and acted like a complete cunt as Leeds manager :roll: :x I didnt see McLintock but know loads about him from my dad and videos etc. he was a brilliant defender with the heart of a lion and a love of Arsenal and captain of the first double winning side....

After all this im going to vote for McLintock his defensive toughness, heart and love of Arsenal just about swing it for me

MEDINABOY
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Post by MEDINABOY »

how the hell do you choosefrom this lot?personally i would omit bouldy for being only 99%.then i think its down to thier smile. for captaining the 71 side i'd give it to mclintock but then for clouting that c--t vnistolroy i'd give it to keown.to close to call
:barscarf: :barscarf: :barscarf: :barscarf:
brady won it beautifully look at that oh look at that

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Henry Norris 1913
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Post by Henry Norris 1913 »

Frank McLintock. He had passion , drive and charisma - and he hated the **** 8)

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Rocky Number Seven
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Post by Rocky Number Seven »

I'm seriously surprised Big Sols in the lead at the mo... Thought McLintock, Bould and Keown would all be ahead of him. :shock:

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flash gunner
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Post by flash gunner »

Im suprised Swale hasnt suggested Koneilsky for the list :roll: :wink:

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DB10GOONER
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Post by DB10GOONER »

flash gunner wrote:Im suprised Swale hasnt suggested Koneilsky for the list :roll: :wink:
:lol:

LDB
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Post by LDB »

Mclintock suffers from being too long before my time.

For me you couldn't ask for more in a defender then Big Sol in his pomp. Not much in it at all though.

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Bring Back Pires
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Post by Bring Back Pires »

I voted for Martin Keown.

Am also surprised that Campbell is being chosen by so many. Thought he was quite error-prone, which culminated in the breakdown / collapse at home to West Ham.

Plus, I don't think he had the longevity of the others.

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merson_is_god
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Post by merson_is_god »

BOULDY!!! The 2 against Sampdoria in 95 and for being a consistent centre back for many years. Wasnt he subbed in 91 when we lost our only game? Hillier replaced him?

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QuartzGooner
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Post by QuartzGooner »

Sol Campbell.

Unusually powerful, fast, tough, good tackler, scored the odd header, intimidated opposition.

The rest (apart from McClintock) were all very good players who would go into our current first team without a thought, but Sol was elite level for a few years.

McClintock was a great captain, perhaps our greatest captain, but physcially would now be considered quite small for a centre back and not sure how he would have coped in modern powerhouse game, think in today's game he woudldhave played midfield, where he also played in his own career.

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flash gunner
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Post by flash gunner »

QuartzGooner wrote:Sol Campbell.

Unusually powerful, fast, tough, good tackler, scored the odd header, intimidated opposition.

The rest (apart from McClintock) were all very good players who would go into our current first team without a thought, but Sol was elite level for a few years.

McClintock was a great captain, perhaps our greatest captain, but physcially would now be considered quite small for a centre back and not sure how he would have coped in modern powerhouse game, think in today's game he woudldhave played midfield, where he also played in his own career.
Its an all time team not a team to play in todays league, McLintock might not have been as good in the modern game but you can only judge players by their skills within their era. McLintock for me

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franksav63
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Post by franksav63 »

Hmm.. a close call this between Keown and Bouldy... Keown the harder of the two (sit KingJay) :wink: Bouldy better on the deck. Went for Keown in the end...

oaodan
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Post by oaodan »

Impossible choice but went for OLeary,couldnt leave him voteless.I know he turned into a gobshite when he left but he was a class defender,no fuss and cant think of any howlers despite his long career.Also he stuck with us through thin and thin(80s)when it must have been tempting to leave.

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