‘Football is a game of opinions’ might be one of the most overused phrases in the world of sports broadcasting.
But it’s true, and that’s why so many of us care so much about it.
And if there’s a guy who loves both, his opinion and football, it’s Piers Morgan.
The Good Morning Britain presenter and die-hard Gooner joined Jonny Owen and Friends on talkSPORT this week to discuss all things Arsenal, and give us who he’d pick for his all-time Gunners XI.
A ‘crazed’ Arsenal fan from the age of seven, defying his Spurs-supporting Dad, who grew up worshipping Charlie George and Liam Brady, it’s fair to say Morgan has a generation of north London legends to pick from.
But who made his team, and who just missed out on a spot?
“A team of ‘the greatest players’ is one thing,” he explains. “But I’ve gone for a team skewed to players I personally love… although it’s not actually that different.”
So here it is, Piers Morgan’s all-time Arsenal XI, just in time for Sunday’s north London derby – what do you make of his selection, Gooners?
MORE: Piers Morgan aims latest dig at old sparring partner Aaron Ramsey
GK: Seaman
“Safe Hands. Bob Wilson was brilliant, I have a soft spot for Lehmann who was completely made, but David Seaman is the best goalkeeper we have ever had. And a thoroughly nice chap.”
RB: Dixon
“I could go with Pat Rice or Lauren, but Lee Dixon was there in ‘89, there through the 90’s, solid as a rock. Arsenal through and through and would never let you down.”
CB: Adams and Keown
“This is quite interesting, obviously you have Tony Adams, the guv’nor, my captain, indisputable.
“Alongside him, the next best centre-back for Arsenal fans who could hold their noses long enough would be Sol Campbell – and the glory of removing him from White Hart Lane, he should be in the team… but I can’t bring myself to do it!
“A mention in dispatches for Frank McKlintock, captain of the double-winning team, but I’ve gone for one who I absolutely loved as a player; he didn’t just give a 100 per cent, he gave one thousand per cent. If there was ever a fight needed starting, he would be in the thick of it – it’s Martin Keown.
“Steve Bould, sorry mate, you had a great shout too, but Keown for me was the absolute heartbeat of any team he played for.
“He was the warrior. He’d go over the top of the trenches. He gets the nod over Sol Campbell. Possibly not as good a player, but a greater Arsenal figure.”
LB: Cole
“I should really have Nigel Winterburn to make up the famous back four, but I have to go for Ashley Cole.
“He was the best left-back in the world. He should never have been allowed to leave. He went over a ridiculous argument about money. Sorry to Nigel, he was a great player too.”
CM: Vieira and Petit
“Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit won the World Cup for France. I put a picture of the two of them hugging on the front page of the Daily Mirror ‘Arsenal win the World Cup!’. I made sure there were copies in West Ham… we printed 50,000 copies. I went into the press room and saw they have that up there. I am the only editor in history to produce a front page with Arsenal Win The World Cup as the headline.
“Vieira is one of the all time great generals, brilliant captain and leader. His partnership with Petit was so magnificently strong, skilful, determined. Most United players would say they are the two they most feared in midfield for Arsenal.”
LM: Brady
“I worshipped Liam Brady. He had a wand of a left foot. I got to know him quite well over the years. When we won the league at Old Trafford and Sylvain Wiltord scored the goal in a 1-0 win, I’ve got a picture of me hugging Liam Brady.
“My favourite player as a kid was Charlie George, and Brady would be up there with him – the two. Not only the best player in our team for years, but the best player in the league.”
RM: Pires
“I have to have Robert Pires in, but special mention for Ray Parlour and Freddie Ljungberg, two players with an Arsenal heartbeat.”
ST: Bergkamp and Henry (and Wrighty on the bench)
“Up front, with one caveat, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.
“The are two best players I have seen at Arsenal, but Ian Wright has to be on the bench and he would get at least 20 minutes.
“Ian was utterly brilliant, but even he would accept my choice here.”
The manager?
“I could choose one of three.
“Hebert Chapman built Arsenal… George Graham won two league titles, including winning the title at Anfield against the greatest ever Liverpool team, and he won a European trophy, which Wenger never did.
“But in the end, I have gone for Arsene Wenger, with the caveat – only the first eight years.
“He transformed Arsenal. He gave us a uniquely brilliant brand of football, for eight years, he was the best manager in world football. He also transformed English football.
“Enough time has passed now that I can look back to those first eight years and say it was the greatest period in the history of the club.
“The football Wenger gave us for eight, nine years was utterly brilliant. The players he brought in, what he did to the existing players. We had a magical period and when he and Ferguson were going at each other in that period, it was one of the greatest battles in football history.
“I prefer to remember that because what happened next was too depressing.
Arsene Wenger says he’s proud of his Arsenal legacy – My heart is still with the club.
“I used to know Arsene quite well. When we won the league in the Invincibles year at White Hart Lane, I ended up in the boardroom with my dad, we were the last ones left, and the doors swung open and in came Wenger and Pat Rice. I grabbed a bottle of wine and we set for an hour, having just won the league in the Invincibles season, against Spurs, at White Hart Lane and we just spoke football for an hour.
“That was special. It was probably the last time I spoke to Wenger, but it was special!
“But I wonder if he had his time again… would he have gone after winning the FA Cup in 2013? It would have been a much better time for him to have left and the club would be in a better place now.”
