POLL: How does current Arsenal squad compare to 2006 Champions League final squad?
After a wobbly start to the season away to Fulham, Arsenal have silenced most of their critics by banging in 11 goals without reply in the three games since.
However there still appear to be a number of dissenting Gooner voices out there, so I thought I’d gauge the opinions of you lot today with a very simple poll to see just how high our confidence is.
When Arsenal reached the Champions League Final in 2006, the team consisted of:
Lehmann
Eboue Toure Campbell Cole
Hleb Fabregas Gilberto Ljungberg Pires
Henry
And the subs were: Almunia, Senderos, Clichy, Flamini, Reyes, Bergkamp and van Persie.
Considering we have the likes of Eduardo, Rosicky, Diaby and Nasri injured, the Gunners squad that travelled to Kiev for tonight’s game looks pretty good to me - Alumunia, Sagna, Fabregas, Toure, Gallas, RvP, Vela, Walcott, Denilson, Ramsey, Song, Wilshere, Djourou, Fabianski, Clichy, Adebayor, Bendtner and Eboue.
So my poll question is simple: is the Arsenal first team squad better or worse than the squad that reached the Champions League final three seasons ago?
GM
Reader Comments (10)
Its neither - just different, i'd say the new team has more attacking options and is stronger on the flanks but that balances against a slightly weaker centre midfield/defence. Going forward we'll be great, defensively more vulnerable in open play and from set pieces.
Skill wise I'd say overall the new squad is better, however the champions league final squad had a back bone of experience that the Gunners lack these days and always seems to be it's achilles heel.
This squad is very much younger than the 2006 squad. It has more ingredients particularly going forward. The downside to this squad is a lack of authority in front of the back 4. In 2006, Gilberto was an invisible wall. Right now I feel the back 4 are not well protected but Arsene will work out a way of compensating for that.
The recent 'coming of age' of Theo Walcott will add something to Arsenal's style of play if he continues the way he is playing at the moment. In 2006, Arsenal relied heavily on Henry but now (2008) Arsenal are more fluid having VanPersie, Adebayor and Walcott. If these 3 players can start all the time and consistently deliver, then Arsenal will destroy many teams. The key is fitness and hoping injuries to key players don't set in at the wrong time. Walcott and VanPersie needs a lot of cotton-wooling. Those 2 have a lot to offer this season.
The quality of opposition is better than when we reached the 2006 final. Back then we managed to avoid English clubs en route and it proved to be a turning point. When Manchester United won it in 1999, they also avoided English opposition. Now it seems inevitable that were Arsenal to reach the final, at some stage we'll be playing English opposition. Our style of play and the players we have are better suited to beat European opposition, given the huge sums of money invested in Premiership clubs these days. The players we have must adapt to playing against and beating Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool. The question remains, when it is needed the most can we break down scrappy and dogged opposition, disregard our beautiful playing style and get our midfielders and forwards to beat the likes of Anderson, Hargreaves, Carrick, Ferdinand, Vidic, Van Da Sar, Lampard, Essien, Ballack, Terry, Carvarlho, Cole, Cech, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas, Carragher, Hypia, Dossena and Reina in the games when it really matters?
Couldn't agree more with Rahman up there. If we are able to break the English jinx when it comes then we'll be pretty good. But honestly I think it's only 4 games into the premiership so let's hold our breath first before critically analysing this team in contrast with the 06 one.
the main difference is henry was in the 2006 team
zats ze wrong sqaud
Champions league final maybe, but not the team that took us there
Lehman
Eboue, Toure, Campbell, Flamini
not sure, Fabregas, Gilberto, Pires
Llunberg, not sure but defo not Henry coz he had ligament damage...
Henry, Cole came in final, Clichy came towards quarter finals
I think we have a better team but not a better TEAM. i.e. the 2006 1st team was better but now we are better able to cope with inevitable injuries and are no longer reliant on one person.
Actually Senderos was largely responsible for getting us to the final. Campbell was out for a long while before the final. Kolo and Phil formed a great partnership during that run and were controlled fantastically by Lehmann. Unfortunately Almunia doesn't posess any of the atributes that Jens displayed.
The current squad is prob more talented but the Class of '06 knew how to win.
No one has mentioned the contribution of Jose Antonio Reyes. When Henry was out injured, he led our line. When Henry came back, he promptly went about ending the international careers of both Jonathan Zebina and Cicinho. He was nothing short of fantastic for Arsenal in our run to the final. He got screwed by Wenger in the final who opted to bring back Ljunberg. Freddie had done not a damned thing all season. Worst decision Wenger ever made.
Also Senderos was supported by Flamini and vice versa. They played on that left side of our defense as a team and made each other look good. Lastly, Lehmann was world class.