The Best Arsenal XI of the Emirates Era – Who Makes Your Team?

The Emirates Stadium celebrated its 20th anniversary in July.

August 19th was two decades to the day since it opened its doors to the Premiership.

Join me throughout the season (especially during the international break) as we wish a happy birthday to our home.

Let’s start by putting together the greatest Arsenal XI of the Emirates era.

Let me know yours in the comments…

Raya – GK

Remember when so many Gooners (myself included) couldn’t understand why we loaned David Raya (with an obligation to buy) when we already had Ramsdale?

Rambo had made some errors, but not enough, it seemed, for millions to be invested in the GK position when other areas of the squad needed fixing.

This is a reminder, though, that we fans don’t see players every day in training.

While Mikel Arteta originally pretended he wouldn’t have a number one goalie and might even rotate during a game, he clearly saw something in the Spaniard he felt was lacking in the team.

Who would have thought back then I would be selecting David Raya as the best Arsenal keeper in the Emirates era?

The 30-year-old has won three Golden Gloves, one every year since he moved to North London, and some of his saves last season won us points.

Sagna – RB

Just because of injuries, I’m not quite ready to pick Timber over the Frenchman. That also counts against Bellerin.

So Sagna gets the nod for pure consistency.

He was part of that impressive young Arsenal squad who just needed some experience at key times in matches/seasons to get them over the line.

Maybe because he became the latest to think the grass was greener at the Etihad (it was), his seven years as a Gunner are underrated.

We knew the 2014 FA Cup Final would be his last game for us. It would have been an injustice if he didn’t have a medal to show for his contribution to the cause.

Gabriel – CB

For years we were told that the Emirates wouldn’t feel like home until it produced moments that led to trophies.

What were the two most important aspects of a Premiership being lifted in the Emirates era?

Arsenal’s ability to defend better than the rest of the division and how creative we became at set-piece routines.

The Brazilian has been crucial to both.

Saliba – CB

The other half is easily the best defensive partnership the stadium has seen.

For the majority of the time since the venue was opened, various versions of the Gunners tried to play football the right way.

Even in Mr Wenger’s final years as a manager, the Emirates was a place you knew you would see entertainment.

For the majority of its existence, few would have believed the title would be won by being hard to break down, not easy to bully, a willingness to fight, and a love for the art form of defending.

Saliba is a massive part of that and is at an age where he will only get better.

Clichy – LB

If he stays fit, Calafiori will eventually get into this XI, but for the moment I will pick the last Invincible to play at the Emirates (not including Henry’s short return).

In the last couple of years at Highbury, the Frenchman was being prepared to be Ashley Cole’s replacement.

He had all the attributes Mr Wenger wanted from his full-backs.

Another youngster, though, who played in a youthful dressing room that just needed some leadership to help.

Gooners were so distraught about Fabregas and Nasri leaving in the same window, Clichy leaving for Man City went under the radar at the time.

Declan Rice – CM

Let’s be honest, most who have ever visited the Emirates never believed the day would come when Arsenal would be investing £100 million on one player.

The irony being that it was the cost of building our home that restricted the club for so long on and off the pitch.

The 27-year-old has been exactly what Hammers told us he would be and so much more.

He’s an all-round midfielder, which is so rare in the sport, and in many ways he’s become one of the faces of the Champions.

If we are honest, as a fanbase, too many years at our stadium have been spent seeing our best talent want to eventually leave.

It’s so refreshing to see a player so happy and proud to wear the shirt.

Ramsey – CM

Listen, Cazorla and Ozil are better footballers, and Ramsey’s injury history will always leave him as a ‘what if’ (along with Super Jack).

So I guess the Welshman makes my team as a cult hero.

It’s easy to take for granted now, but there were zero trophies in the first eight years at the Emirates, and it was becoming a mental block for everyone connected with the club.

Rambo made that all go away with his goal against Hull in the FA Cup Final.

Then, like London buses, having waited so long for one piece of silverware to show up, another came along quickly.

As already mentioned, a ground can’t be called home until they have moments to connect that era with.

The Oxford United boss lifted three FA Cups, scoring two winners at Wembley.

Fabregas – CM

I will leave readers to debate if the Spaniard was the best Gunner (at his peak) to play at the Emirates. I will say that no one on this list deserved more to show for his performances at the stadium.

That he only has an FA Cup medal to show for his time in North London is an insult to his talent and why many understood why he needed to return to Barcelona.

Growing from a teen into a man under Mr Wenger, Fabregas became the face of the club as we transitioned away from Highbury.

Made captain by the age of 21, he led a young dressing room who, with a little more knowledge, would have won trophies.

Little did we know it at the time, but the debt of paying off building the stadium meant the midfielder had to leave to fulfil his ambitions.

Don’t rule out him returning one day as manager.

Sanchez – LM

Not the first or last to leave the Emirates thinking the grass was greener in Manchester, has there been a big-name player who left since the stadium was opened who regrets it quite like the Chilean?

The 37-year-old has admitted that many times over the years. Even on his first day as a Man United employee, he asked his agent if they could cancel his contract after one training session.

He was such a flop at Old Trafford it’s almost ruined his legacy in North London.

Because for a few years as a Gunner, he was one of the best players in the Premiership.

It had been a few years since Gooners could claim that.

Arsenal have lifted 14 FA Cups in their history. Sanchez scored in two finals. In fact, his scoring record for club and country at Wembley is impressive.

The only issue is he knew he was good, which didn’t make him the best leader when things were going wrong.

Van Persie – Striker

If we are taking the emotion out of this list, it’s hard to argue the Dutchman had perhaps the greatest individual season of any Gunner in the Emirates era.

He almost single-handedly dragged a poor squad into the top three. Very few campaigns did Gooners owe so much to one man.

The idea Arsenal would sell their best player to Man United was confirmation that the target in North London was no longer to win titles.

Questioning the ambition of our board with an open letter, Van Persie had to go to Old Trafford to get the Premier League medal he deserved.

To be fair to him, for the rest of his career he wasn’t proved wrong about our lack of ambition.

Saka – RM

Was four years old when the Emirates opened!

Now 25, he has seen the Gunners at their lowest ebb at their stadium with two eighth-place finishes and at their highest by bringing the Premiership trophy back to North London.

When Mikel Arteta returned to the club he captained, he spoke about non-negotiable principles. Big personalities were removed from the dressing room, as our manager was willing to take a few steps back to build a team around youth.

Saka became the face of one of the youngest squads in the division.

Even though some are concerned injuries have robbed him of pace, his goal contributions remain consistent.

Dan Smith

Have Your Say

Put your team in the comments, peeps, and we can see which players get the majority of picks.

Who makes your greatest Arsenal XI of the Emirates era, and where do you disagree with Dan’s selections?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT

So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….

You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.

CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…

The post The Best Arsenal XI of the Emirates Era – Who Makes Your Team? appeared first on Just Arsenal News.