Arsenal FC: The 10 Best Arsenal Defenders of All Time

Even though it may not seem like it now, Arsenal used to be a team built on its rock-solid defence and regarded as one of the toughest, nastiest teams in the world.

Though those days are long gone, and Arsene Wenger has installed a softer, more technical back four into his current Arsenal side, it's important to remind ourselves of what Arsenal once were and what the club has stood for.

There have been no shortage of superb defenders who have passed through the hallowed halls of Highbury, and even recently, onto the pristine pitch of the Emirates.

Here are, in no particular order, 10 of the best defenders to ever wear the red and white of Arsenal, regardless of their position on the back four.

Enjoy.

Kolo Toure

It's sad that Arsene Wenger made the mistake of choosing William Gallas over the Ivorian Toure when the two got into a row when they were together at Arsenal, because Toure was really a fantastic player.

Signed for peanuts from ASEC Mimosas, Toure developed into a force to be reckoned with and was an absolute centerpiece of the "Invincibles" side that went the entire 2003-04 unbeaten.

He's everything Arsenal currently do not possess enough of at the back, and the Gunners really have not recovered all of the power and skill that Toure has.

It makes it even harder to see him rot on the bench at Manchester City.

However, Thomas Vermaelen is learning to provide some of this.

Martin Keown

Martin Keown was a tough, gritty, physical defender who served Arsenal loyally for over a decade and partnered Tony Adams perfectly in those famously solid Gunners sides of the 1990s.

Keown was aggressive and no-nonsense and would not take lip from any player on the pitch. Nor was he afraid to dish it out, as when he verbally accosted and taunted Ruud van Nistelrooy after his crucial penalty miss which would allow Arsenal to ultimately go the entire 2003-04 season unbeaten.

One can just see how a massive presence like Keown would fit in beautifully to the Arsenal side of today.

David O'Leary

There can be no greater indication of greatness and stability than holding Arsenal's all-time appearance record, and O'Leary appeared for the Gunners 722 times over the course of his career.

Over 18 years in the senior squad, spanning from 1975-93, the Irishman was an ever-present force in many Arsenal sides and eventually played the role of mentor to club legend Tony Adams, who O'Leary relinquished the captain's armband to in the 1980s.

O'Leary combined his excellent positional sense, elegant style of play and cool demeanor on the ball to become an absolute stalwart at the club for decades, and there have been few better than him in the history of Arsenal Football Club.

Steve Bould

When he was bought from Stoke City in 1988, Steve Bould became a member of Arsenal's famous early 90's defence, which included such stalwarts as Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and David Seaman.

Bould was, at 6'4", tough, rugged and uncompromising, even when age began to affect him in his later years under Arsene Wenger, and he saw less starting opportunities.

His aggressive style of defending was typical of Arsenal sides of that era, and he achieved considerable success with the Gunners, winning several Premier League titles and numerous cups during his tenure as a player.

He continues to serve the club as the head coach of the prolific Arsenal youth system.

Pat Rice

As a right back, Rice was an ever-present and a leader for the Arsenal sides of the 1970s and appeared in an Arsenal record five FA Cup Finals, defeating Manchester United in the famous 1979 victory.

Tough and tenacious, Rice was handed the captain's armband toward the end of his 14-year Gunners career and had amassed almost 400 league appearances for Arsenal when he left at the age of 31.

The defender's dedication to Arsenal extends further, though, as Rice has coached at Arsenal in some capacity since his retirement in 1984 and has been serving as Arsene Wenger's trusted assistant for the Frenchman's entire 15-year reign in North London.

Peter Storey

No one embodies the terms "aggressive" or "tenacious" in Arsenal history more than Peter Storey.

A hard-tackling defender who amassed 501 appearances for Arsenal during a 12-year career in which he won a League and FA Cup Double in 1971, he was probably the closest thing to a "dirty" player that Arsenal have ever seen.

As a testament to his extremely rough approach to the game and his hard-man reputation, Johnny Giles of Leeds United fame claims that Storey was the hardest player he ever faced on a football pitch, saying that his compatriot was an "animal."

High praise, indeed.

Nigel Winterburn

Nigel Winterburn occupied the left-back role for Arsenal for more than a decade following his £350,000 move from Wimbledon and was as complete a player as one will see at the position.

Winterburn proved to be a fantastic crosser of the ball when be bombed forward to support an Arsenal attack, and his defensive virtues were frequently extolled, as he flanked a fantastic central defensive partnership of Tony Adams and Martin Keown.

Though his playing time was relatively sparse in his later years, the fact that Winterburn was able to remain at Arsenal until the age of 37 speaks to his remarkable physical prowess and his value to the Arsenal squad.

Lee Dixon

Another player who displayed remarkable longevity for Arsenal, Dixon flanked the other side of Arsenal's famous back line of the 1990s.

Retiring at the age of 38, Dixon was a fantastic right back from 1988 until 2002, constantly marauding forward, despite being very solid in defence, in keeping with the priority of the Arsenal team of that era.

Dixon is also one of the only players in English football history to have won a League title in three different decades with the same club, accomplishing the feat during the late 80s, several times during the 90s and in 2002.

All told, the Englishman made a total of 458 League appearances for Arsenal at the time of his retirement, which is a remarkable feat in and of itself.

Sol Campbell

After famously leaving Tottenham for Arsenal on a free transfer (or infamously, depending on which side of North London you're from), Sol Campbell established himself as an essential part of Arsene Wenger's new defensive core during the 2000s.

An integral part of multiple Arsenal defences, Campbell saw himself play an essential role in the 2003-04 "Invincibles" campaign, and his tenacity, speed and natural leadership were huge assets to the Gunners during this time.

He was ranked 15th in Arsenal fans' list of the 50 greatest players of all time, and he's certainly deserving of such a high ranking due to his fantastic defensive prowess.

Tony Adams

It could be none other than a man immortalized in bronze to conclude this list of outstanding defenders.

Indeed, Tony Adams was as solid as the metal that will forever bear his likeness, with supreme aerial ability, an uncanny ability to read the game, an ability to time and execute his tackles with expert technical precision and, of course, his unparalleled leadership skills.

Such was Adams' presence that he was named captain at the tender age of 21 and served as Arsenal's unquestioned and universally admired skipper for all of the next 14 years.

Even after his alcoholism was brought to light, the great man cleaned himself up and returned to add extra years on to his career and accomplish the unbelievable feat of lifting the Premier League trophy as captain in three separate decades with the same team.

"Mr. Arsenal" was truly one-of-a-kind, and Arsenal would undoubtedly choose Adams, their best defender of all time, if they could have one old player back in their squad.

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