Ranking Arsenal's Wide Forwards Under Arsene Wenger
On February 20, 2017, Theo Walcott swept home a goal against Sutton United in the FA Cup fifth round that took his tally with Arsenal to 100—a total achieved after a decade with the club.
Inevitably, that landmark has sparked comparisons with other great wide forwards of the Arsene Wenger era.
It's a role that has become a hallmark of Wenger's teams. Every great Arsenal side has contained at least one prolific wide player with licence to get forward and run beyond the striker. Walcott is simply the latest exponent of an art established by the likes of Marc Overmars and Robert Pires.
In this piece, we look back at 11 wide forwards from Wenger's reign. They're ranked partially according to their statistics, with goals and assists obviously at a premium. Trophies and medal collections will also be factored in.
However, there's also a qualitative assessment—to what extent did they make their respective teams tick and how easy were they on the eye.
Read on to begin the countdown of Wenger's wide forwards.
*Alexis Sanchez does not feature here due to his conversion to a centre-forward this season.
11. Gervinho
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Gervinho first rose to prominence during his time with Lille in France. Wenger's scouts would have been attracted by the Ivorian's mazy dribbling and searing pace. However, when Wenger opted to sign Gervinho rather than his then-Lille team-mate Eden Hazard, he made a grave error.
Unpredictability can be an asset for an attacking player, but it's problematic when not even your own team-mates have any idea what you're going to do. Gervinho was prone to running down blind alleys, and his finishing was erratic at best.
Eleven goals from 63 Arsenal appearances shows that he never proved to be particularly reliable.
10. Alexander Hleb
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Alexander Hleb was a confusing player to watch. He had so much innate talent—he could dribble between defenders with ease and had a fantastic weight of pass—but lacked a clinical edge in the final third.
A record of just nine goals and 15 assists in 123 Arsenal matches illustrates that he simply wasn't efficient enough.
His goal-shy nature is comparable with the manner in which Mesut Ozil frequently elects to pass rather than shoot. However, Ozil makes up for that lack of goalscoring instinct by regularly supplying goals for others. Hleb was unable to do the same and was arguably lucky to earn a move to Barcelona in 2008.
9. Andrey Arshavin
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Based on talent alone, Andrey Arshavin should figure far higher up this list. The diminutive playmaker was capable of moments of genius, but all too often he failed to deliver on the big stage.
Arshavin did amass 31 Arsenal goals, but it took him 144 games to do so. Given the ability he possessed, he ought to have been more prolific.
The biggest problem with Arshavin was his lack of work rate. Playing him on the flank left Arsenal exposed, and ultimately, the Gunners could not afford to carry a player who did not want to contribute defensively.
Perhaps Arshavin's problem was that he was never a true wide forward. Had he been granted a central role as a pure No. 10, he might have fared better in English football.
8. Jose Antonio Reyes
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When Wenger eventually sits down and looks back over his Arsenal career, he might cite Jose Antonio Reyes as one of his biggest disappointments. Wenger broke Arsenal's transfer record to lure the Spanish forward from Sevilla, yet Reyes never really settled on these shores.
He played 107 games for the club, scoring 23 goals. Given his age and potential when he joined, he really ought to have made a more significant contribution to the Arsenal cause.
His standing with the club is somewhat improved by the fact that he played a part in the Invincibles' campaign of 2003/04.
7. Lukas Podolski
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Lukas Podolski was never purchased as a wide forward. The Germany international was initially signed as a replacement for Robin van Persie, but once it became clear he could not function as a lone striker, Wenger redeployed him on the wing.
At times, he was devastatingly effective—a record of 31 goals from 82 appearances is certainly not to be sniffed at. However, his defensive work left a lot to be desired, and he never quite seemed to fit into Arsenal's intricate approach play.
Like Arshavin, Podolski was a talented player who seemed perennially out of place at Arsenal.
6. Samir Nasri
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He's an unpopular man at Arsenal these days, but Samir Nasri was once a key cog in the Arsenal side. Playing as a non-axial playmaker, he dovetailed brilliantly with Cesc Fabregas to form the creative hub of the Arsenal XI.
Nasri's goal record was actually pretty poor—he scored just 26 times in 123 appearances. Thirteen assists help to make that record a little more respectable, but it's clear he could have been more productive during his time in north London.
Perhaps if he'd remained at Arsenal longer, he would have begun to add goals to his game.
5. Sylvain Wiltord
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The curious thing about Sylvain Wiltord is that he never quite nailed down a regular place in the Arsenal XI. Initially signed as a striker, he tended to operate on the flanks in a 4-4-2.
A lack of consistency in his playing position did not stop him making a real impact in north London. In 168 games, he bagged 48 goals—as well as two Premier League titles and two FA Cups.
It's difficult to think of another "squad player" who made quite such an important contribution to the Arsenal teams of the first few years of this millennium.
4. Theo Walcott
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Arsenal's latest centurion is next up in the rankings. Although Walcott has never won universal popularity with Arsenal supporters, it's becoming increasingly difficult to argue with what he's brought to the club.
In the modern game, 10 years of service is unusual—and Walcott and Wenger have proved fiercely loyal to each other.
3. Marc Overmars
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Upon his arrival from Ajax, Marc Overmars was a sensation at Arsenal. There had been fears that a succession of knee problems would mean he never fulfilled his potential, but being reunited with compatriot Dennis Bergkamp in north London saw him reach unprecedented heights.
Overmars was a key figure as Arsenal stormed to the double in 1997/98. He played a big part in reinventing the role of the winger in English football, effectively operating as an auxiliary striker.
The Dutchman bagged 30 goals in 113 games before moving to Barcelona. Wenger's decision to sell him proved justified, though, as Overmars was never able to produce consistently at the Camp Nou.
2. Freddie Ljungberg
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Freddie Ljungberg must go down as one of Wenger's best signings. Plucked from Swedish football, he went on to score 70 goals and record 32 assists in 315 Arsenal appearances.
Although his goalscoring slowed in the latter stages of his career, a remarkable run of form played a crucial part in propelling Arsenal to the Premier League title in 2001/02.
The key to his success was his movement. Ljungberg had a remarkable knack of making the right run into the penalty box—and in Bergkamp, he had a player with the vision and ability to find him.
1. Robert Pires
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A total of 83 goals in 278 games is a fantastic record. Throw in a massive 45 assists, and it begins to become clear what a huge contribution Robert Pires made to Arsenal.
Wenger called Pires the oil in Arsenal's engine, and it's true that the Frenchman brought a slickness to the left-hand side that hasn't been replicated since.
Pires redefined what a wide forward could be. The way in which he, Ashley Cole and Thierry Henry interchanged positions on the left-hand side was a wonder to behold.
Not only is he the best wide forward in Arsenal's history, he's one of the club's greatest players.
*All stats via statbunker
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