Wenger's five best ever signings?

[Dennis Bendtner]

Just thought about this. Pretty difficult to narrow it down. I would have a couple of certainties and the remainder can certainly be dictated by preference, but there are several factors to consider alongside that.

1) Henry
2) Vieira
3) Pires
4) Fabregas
5) Ljungberg

I'd probably change my mind on that a few times. One really good omission was Anelka - sold off after a good season for £23m and never the same since, whilst paying for Henry and a new training ground. :lol:

Tried to think mostly of on-pitch contribution but it's hard not to be swayed little bit by the incredible profitable signings when putting together a list. Someone like RVP - bought for £3m, sold for £24m - falls under that. Even guys like Nasri, Overmars, Mong Billong and so on.

Thoughts?

[Marc Overmars]

I'd have Anelka on there because from a business sense it's still one of the best to date. You could say that sale alone allowed us to move up a level as a club.

[Xhaka Can’t]

There isn't much to disagree with in the OP - other notables are Anelka - for reasons specified by MOe, Fabregas and RvP. What is particularly notable about these signings, is how long ago they were.

[GP]

Double, double, double...

[Master Splinter]

Sol?

Got one over Spurs, was free and was the best defender in England for half a decade.

Then he met Dido and went mental.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Good list by the OP; only that I'd have to find a way to sneak RvC somewhere in that top 5.

[LDG]

1. Vieira - It's difficult to look past Henry, but he took a while to settle, and was reasonably high profile. I just think Vieira was the original "Wenger rough diamond", who was the basis, lynchpin and oil in engine of everything that came after. It's why Wenger still persists with Diaby.

2. Henry - Best striker we've ever had. Converted from winger to God, quite simply.

3. Campbell - Classic wenger. Cheap, and more importantly wound up the spuds. We needed new blood when Adams and co retired, and Campbell was a Wenget wumgering at his beat.

4. Anelka - As MOe says. Was a massive contribution money-wise and awesome wheeler dealing.

5. Pires - Balanced the side perfectly, and gave Henry the platform to perform, as well as being an awesome technically brilliant player himself....

[Dennis Bendtner]

Sol?

Got one over Spurs, was free and was the best defender in England for half a decade.

Then he met Dido and went mental.

Good call. But you tend to give more credit for the lesser-known quantities not signed expensively. LOL Campbell was one of the best in the world. I suppose credit is due for that particular investment paying off so well given Arsenal couldn't afford for a deal like that not to.

It really was a coup though. Barca and Inter at 150-200k in 2001. :haha:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1396373.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/1413433.stm

Kolo Toure and Adebayor. Not top five but at least we mugged off City and Adebayor's still winning games for us.

[Grebbo]

In this order for me:

1. Vieira
2. Henry
3. Pires
4. Campbell
5. Fabregas

RVP would be there in terms of quality but we only got two seasons out of him.

[Syn]

Kolo Toure and Adebayor. Not top five but at least we mugged off City and Adebayor's still winning games for us.

:lol:

[Özim]

1) Vieira, a monster of a player from day one, his aggression, strength, guts and leadership made him one of my favourite players of all time

2) Henry, flair, skills, goalscoring ability, exceptional player who had just enough arrogance about him

3) Pires again this guy had fantastic flair and score a hatful from midfield

4) Ljungberg, made great runs, worked incredibly hard, scored goals galore a fabulous player who complimented the rest of the team perfectly

5) Campbell, one of the best centre backs in the world when we signed him, really committed, fast, never scared to go in where it hurts and a massive desire to succeed.

The post 2005 lot don't feature for me because despite some excellent performances and seasons they never delivered season after season in the same way as the above.

RVP could have been in that list had he stayed fit longer. Anelka doesn't feature enough either as he wasn't there long enough, likewise Overmars who was brilliant.

[Boss]

Henry
Vieira
Fabregas
Pires
Van Persie

On the basis of talent / performances. If taking economics into account you'd have to include Anelka, Adebayor, Toure Overmars etc.

[GP]

Bergkamp.


:)

[Özim]

Cesc is nowhere near for me, whilst he's a very good player I don't rate him as one of the very best.

[Joker]

Henry
Vieira
Pires
Campbell
Anelka

[Power n Glory]

Cesc is nowhere near for me, whilst he's a very good player I don't rate him as one of the very best.

Seeing how we're struggling in the midfield now without him....can't underestimate his importance.

Sol was another important signing. Without him we were struggling defensively and he sorted things out quickly. Won the title in his first season.

[milla]

Dennis Bendtner. :coffee:

[Özim]

Seeing how we're struggling in the midfield now without him....can't underestimate his importance.

Sol was another important signing. Without him we were struggling defensively and he sorted things out quickly. Won the title in his first season.
Yes this side is, not saying he's not a top player because he is, but he's not up there with our very best IMO, great passer, with very good vision.

[Master Splinter]

Wilshere from Luton tbf.

Luton :haha:.

[hobson's choice]

I'll put Gilberto on that list.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Jenkinson's dad

[Niall_Quinn]

I'll put Gilberto on that list.

Great player. Shameful how he was treated at the end.

[fakeyank]

Henry
Vieira
Lauren
Campbell
Pires

[Marc Overmars]

No way is Pires bottom of the 5. It's a Henry, Vieira, Pires top 3, in any order, but those are the top 3 without a doubt.

[GP]

Lauren better than Pires? :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

1) Henry
2) Vieira
3) Pires
4) Fabregas
5) RvP

or

1) Bendtner
2) Walcott
3) Park
4) Santos
999,999) Chamakh

[fakeyank]

Lauren better than Pires? :lol:

Its not in any order really.. just the top 5 for me.

If its about ranking, lauren would be 5

[dazthegooner]

1.Wenger signing his resignation.
2.Vieira
3.Henry
4.Pires
5.Campbell...

[Özil's Panoramic View]

1.Wenger signing his resignation.
2.Vieira
3.Henry
4.Pires
5.Campbell...

:haha:

http://www.murdoconline.net/pics/cpe4-thumb.jpg

Hope you're wearing it.

[Injury Time]

1.Wenger signing his resignation.
2.Vieira
3.Henry
4.Pires
5.Campbell...
Oh it was YOU at Brighton!

[dazthegooner]

Oh it was YOU at Brighton!



:ninja:

[-Xs-]

Ah for the days when Wenger really knew what super super quality was...:cloud9:

[Munchies]

1) Henry
2) Vieira
3) Pires
4) Fabregas
5) RvP

or

1) Bendtner
2) Walcott
3) Park
4) Santos
999,999) Chamakh

Feels ages ago since we had those 5 in the same team ffs :oldboy:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Which five?

[Niall_Quinn]

Which five?

The first five, I assume. Nobody would want the second lot, especially all in the same team.

[Mac76]

you just replied to a post from 2013?

[Niall_Quinn]

you just replied to a post from 2013?

So did you.

[Mac76]

So did you.

no i replied to your message posted at 12.22 today - don't try to wriggle out of it with fake facts :D

[Niall_Quinn]

no i replied to your message posted at 12.22 today - don't try to wriggle out of it with fake facts :D

Not exactly sure what problem you have with this guy getting an answer having waited over half a decade.

How long do you want him to wait?

[Mac76]

Not exactly sure what problem you have with this guy getting an answer having waited over half a decade.

How long do you want him to wait?

that's better :lol:

[GP]

Bergkamp
Adams
Seaman
Drake
Torreira

[selassie]

On a performance only basis:

1 Henry
2 Vieira
3 Campbell
4 Pires
5 Ljungberg

Value for money

Great wheeler dealer deals were most definitely Anelka, we got huge money for him back then off the back of one good but not amazing season. Picking up an unknown Vieira for next to nothing back then was amazing business, he was pretty much a bonafide world class midfielder within 2 seasons of being with us, nobody had heard of him prior to that. Henry was a bit different but still an amazing find. He was highly rated but his development had totally stagnated, Wenger turned him into a worldie off the back of a poor start for him here. Sol was great business for what we did alone and he was a monster for us, absolute giant. Pires & Freddie were both great signings too..especially Freddie who was pretty unknown before he came to Arsenal.

Look at Wenger post stadium move and he was arguably up there as one of the best in the market and developing players, he was still good at it up until around 2010...once RVP & Fabregas left I don't think Wenger has properly developed anybody since, he bought well sporadically too.

[The Wengerbabies]

Henry
Vieira
Pires
Ljungberg
Fabregas