VIEIRA: THE TEAM IS THE KEY
PATRICK VIEIRA reckons it is no surprise there have been no midfield legends at Arsenal since he left.
The powerhouse of the Invincibles season brings his Crystal Palace side to his former club for an emotional derby tonight.
The Frenchman is revered as one of the superstars of nine glorious seasons under Arsene Wenger between 1996 and 2005.
Many have since tried and failed to emulate his lofty achievements in the middle of the pitch, including current
Partnership
He said: “When I was playing I had Emmanuel Petit and Gilberto next to me, and Edu in the midfield. That was a really good partnership.
“The new players may not have had those players around them who allowed them to express themselves.
“I had Dennis or Thierry ahead of me, Sol and Martin and Tony behind me. They all made my job even easier. So it’s difficult to be critical of players who maybe didn’t have the same help around them.”
Palace paid Chelsea € 21.3m for Marc Guehi in July and Vieira believes he will soon be challenging Arsenal’s
Ben White for a place in the England squad, unless the exEnglish Under-21 skipper opts to declare for Ivory Coast.
He said: “His work ethic, his concentration, they’re really good. This is why I believe he has the attributes to be an international player one day.
“As a manager and a football club, we will give him that support to improve and challenge himself.
“He’s really calm, really composed and his competitiveness is unbelievable. It’s a pleasure for myself and my staff to work with him.”