Viera

[eoinh]

Patrick Viera has signed for Real Madrid according to the spainish daily marca

[adamcarr]

I never saw that transfer happening, Have Arsenal denied it??

[ccfcman]

anybody else agree he is THE most over rated player in premiership history(rooney a close second)?

[cullenswood]

Define over-rated!! I'm not an Arsenal fan or anything, but I think he's pretty damn good

[Macy]

Arsenal are continuously over rated by the London media, however, vic vapor rub is one of the top midfielders in the premiership. Him, Keane and Gerard the top 3, and probably in that order at the moment.

[drinkfeckarse]

Good player that Viera is, I think Gerrard is a better player. He had an indifferent Euro 2004 but there was times last season when I watched Liverpool, that he dragged that team kicking and screaming to a result and looked like the complete midfielder with his tackling, passing ability and energy. Keane in his prime (years ago!) was even better IMO but not now.

[DolansWaistcoat]

Asenal play the best football in europe at the moment and Viera is the holding midfielder who allows those around him to get forward.If Arsenal have let him go i'll be amazed because they will not find a better player in his position and they will struggle next year.

[Macy]

Good player that Viera is, I think Gerrard is a better player. He had an indifferent Euro 2004 but there was times last season when I watched Liverpool, that he dragged that team kicking and screaming to a result and looked like the complete midfielder with his tackling, passing ability and energy. Keane in his prime (years ago!) was even better IMO but not now.

The main problem with Gerrard is that he doesn't do the simply pass often enough, whilst his long passes are often less than pinpoint. For every great cross field ball he plays, there are 10-15 that give possesion away.

Asenal play the best football in europe at the moment and Viera is the holding midfielder who allows those around him to get forward.If Arsenal have let him go i'll be amazed because they will not find a better player in his position and they will struggle next year..

No way that Arsenal play the best football in Europe - best in the premiership last season no doubt, but best in europe
They won't replace Viera, as there's so few that are of a similar class - look at the problems United are having finding someone to fill Keane's boots, and they've been looking for 3 years now. Wenger to go at the end of the season, if Viera goes...

[drinkfeckarse]

The main problem with Gerrard is that he doesn't do the simply pass often enough, whilst his long passes are often less than pinpoint. For every great cross field ball he plays, there are 10-15 that give possesion away.

I suppose he can be guilty of that sometimes, the simple pass is the most important pass. Dont agree with your last point though about the long passes, if he gave possesion away that much he wouldn't be held in such high regard by opposing managers.

[DolansWaistcoat]

Agree with ya there Drink,Gerrard is one of the best midfielders in the prem and his accuracy of passing,especially long balls is second to none,look at how many goals he creates at liverpool and for England.Macy you must mean 10 -15 stray passes in a season because I don't see what your on about.Anyway it's his fierce determination and drive which puts him in such high esteem with other managers,why else would fergie call him the new Keane,which is some compliment.

Whats confusing about Arsenal playing the best football in europe last season. Who was better,not united,real,porto? nobody.I watch a lot of different leagues around europe and Arsenal were by far the best side i've seen in a long long time.Pure class.If Viera goes though I can see Henry going as well and they would struggle big time to replace those two.

[Pat O' Banton]

If Viera goes though I can see Henry going as well and they would struggle big time to replace those two.

Your right there, it would certainly mark Arsenal out to the rest of Europe as a selling club, but one unlike the big Italian clubs who do not at the moment have the resources to replace the players that they sell.
What would losing Vieira do to the ideas of Henry, Campbell et al that Arsenal are a club with ambitions of the Champions league?