Arsenal rumors abound!!!!

Oh my, Pat Vieira coming back to northern London??? Really? As every article mentions, and I will as well, the last time Pat kicked a ball wearing the #4 for Arsenal coincided with the last time Arsenal won silverware - the 2005 FA Cup finals, literally the last kick of the game when Vieira struck the winning PK against Manchester United.



What struck me from watching the video was the number of seasoned players Wenger had at the time on the squad - Ljunberg, Vieira, Pires, Edu, Lauren....granted not all of them needed to stay, but wonder if Arsenal would have fared better had Wenger kept some of his 30+ players.

I digress, back to Vieira, on the surface I like the idea. I am a huge Pat Vieira fan. He was at the core of the success of those Arsenal teams in the 90s. He was a "box to box" midfielder a player that could win the ball on his end with a hard tackle and then carry it into the other side of the pitch with ease. He would even chip in a number of goals on his own. More importantly he was the steel of the Arsenal teams, all one has to do is look back to his encounters with the other hard man of the EPL during those days - Manchester United's Roy Keane. However the Vieira of today is pales in comparison to that combative Gunner. Age and the rigorous of his position have taken a toll on him. So what would he bring were he to return? Clearly he is no longer the galloping force he once was, and he really needs to be managed in order for him not to break down. Could he play a similar role Makelele did during the last few seasons for Chelsea - playing in the big games, being rested as much as possible? To me that is the best for Vieira. Wenger would have to manage his appearances very cautiously, and really look to Vieira to be a manager on the training ground to be a leader in all facets of the game for his young Gunners. If Vieira is expected back in Arsenal to once again control and dominate the middle of the park, I fear that we will all be disappointed. If Wenger looks to Pat to play 50% to 70% of Arsenal's games and use his experience with the team in the dressing room and training pitch, then it might work.

On another note, interesting that the rumors around Wenger signing De Rossi. While the Italian has pledged his future to AS Roma, sometimes those are the signal that the player is on his way out. Glad to see Wenger read one of my earlier posts about players he needed to sign! I hope that Wenger is serious in the pursuit of the Italian. I also think that should not preclude him from pursuing St Etienne's Matuidi nor Vieira. De Rossi could be used higher up the pitch, shouldering Cesc, allowing a rotation of Vieira, Matuidi and Denilson in front of the back 4. When Arsenal want to milk away a lead or play more defensive, De Rossi could slot back and becoming a second holding midfielder. With a De Rossi and Vieira on your side, you do not have to concern yourself with where does the "toughness" come for your team...again maybe too much to hope for, but one can always dream!

Question is....if Vieira comes back to Arsenal will Cesc give him back the #4 kit???