Arsenal 2017 vs. Arsenal 2007: Which Is the Stronger XI?
Arsenal fans are bemoaning their side, insisting they've never had it so bad under manager Arsene Wenger.
To examine those claims, we're comparing the Arsenal side that lost 3-1 against Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday to the one that played 10 years and one day prior. On March 3, 2007, Arsenal beat Reading 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium. The win took them within one point of the team they were chasing in third: Liverpool, as chance would have it.
Now we'll directly compare these teams to discover if Arsenal were any better off a decade ago.
This will be a player-by-player slugfest, with 12 rounds—one for each of the 11 positions on the field, and one for the substitutes' bench. Those rounds will each be scored as they would in a boxing match. That means if the round is close, the victor takes it 10-9. If the disparity between the two competitors is great enough to call to mind a knockdown, it'll be 10-8.
Let's get ready to rumble, starting off with Round 1: the battle of the goalkeepers.
Goalkeeper: Petr Cech vs. Jens Lehmann
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Both teams had veteran goalkeepers between the sticks. Both have Premier League title medals to their names—yet both could be said to be past their best.
By this stage, Jens Lehmann's first-team place had begun to come under threat from Spaniard Manuel Almunia. Petr Cech seems to be Wenger's preferred choice at No. 1, but it's fair to say he's this season struggled to recapture the form that won him the Golden Glove in 2015/16.
On balance, this round probably goes down as a draw. Both players are top 'keepers who, by this stage, are not quite at the top level.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 10
Right-Back: Hector Bellerin vs. Johan Djourou
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This round is a clear win for Arsenal 2017. Johan Djorou was a promising youngster back in 2007, but even then, he was far more comfortable as a centre-half than a right-back.
Injuries and poor form put paid to his Arsenal career. Hector Bellerin, meanwhile, looks set to go from strength to strength.
Bellerin's pace and skill are attributes that Djourou could never have dreamed of matching. The Spaniard is the undisputed winner in this contest.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 8
Centre-Back: Shkodran Mustafi vs. Gilberto Silva
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This is an interesting battle—like Djourou, Gilberto Silva was not playing in his preferred position. The Brazilian was known primarily as a holding midfielder, although in the course of the 2006/07 campaign, he found himself occasionally filling in at centre-half.
Shkodran Mustafi is a centre-back by trade, so you'd expect this to an easy win for him. However, the German's recent form has been particularly unconvincing. After a strong start to his Arsenal career, his performance level has dipped dramatically.
Gilberto may have been a World Cup-winning midfielder, but he was also an astute centre-half. His positional sense and natural authority give him the edge here.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 9
Arsenal 2007: 10
Centre-Back: Laurent Koscielny vs. William Gallas
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Both teams had France internationals at the heart of their defence: William Gallas and Laurent Koscielny.
Although Gallas had an impressive record, he never endeared himself to Arsenal fans. That was partly a natural consequence of his long association with Chelsea, but he also never performed to the best of his abilities at the Emirates Stadium.
Koscielny has been a revelation at Arsenal and remains the man who holds everything together in an otherwise chaotic back line.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 9
Left-Back: Nacho Monreal vs. Gael Clichy
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If we were assessing an Arsenal team from early 2016, it would take something special to stop Nacho Monreal. Throughout last season, he was one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers. However, he has looked far more vulnerable recently.
Back in 2007, Gael Clichy was an emerging force at Arsenal. The young Frenchman had stepped out of Ashley Cole's shadow and seized the left-back spot for himself.
Over the course of their respective careers, Monreal has probably been the better defender. However, the 2007 version of Clichy was superior to the modern-day Monreal.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 9
Arsenal 2007: 10
Right Wing: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain vs. Freddie Ljungberg
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Experience comes up against youth here as Freddie Ljungberg tackles Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
At these specific points in their careers, neither player could be described as being at his peak. Ljungberg's best days came between 2002 and 2004, as he played a crucial part in Arsenal's two Premier League triumphs in that span.
As for Oxlade-Chamberlain, the expectation is that we're yet to see the best of him. Call it a draw between two talented players, with neither quite at the top of his game.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 10
Central Midfield: Francis Coquelin vs. Denilson
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Francis Coquelin is not a popular man among the Arsenal fans. However, if Denilson came back to the Emirates Stadium, the Frenchman's approval rating would probably shoot up.
The Brazilian was an insipid player—neither a strong tackler nor a particularly good passer. For all his flaws, Coquelin is at least a reliable ball-winner.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 9
Central Midfield: Granit Xhaka vs. Cesc Fabregas
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Cesc Fabregas may have scored an own goal in this particular game against Reading, but he remains arguably the most gifted player in either XI.
Granit Xhaka is a player of considerable promise, but he must learn to control his temper if he is to become the fulcrum of the Arsenal midfield. Fabregas was both the chief creator and leader, and if anything, it's a shame that Wenger could not build a team strong enough to give him the necessary platform for success.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 9
Arsenal 2007: 10
Left Wing: Danny Welbeck vs. Alexander Hleb
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Alexander Hleb was a curious player. He had so much skill and imagination yet seemed to struggle to convert that into the tangible reward of goals and assists.
The same was true of Danny Welbeck in the early part of his career, but he appears to be developing a more predatory instinct. His athleticism is also a huge asset; if fit, he's generally one of Wenger’s preferred picks. He just edges this round.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 9
No. 10: Alex Iwobi vs. Julio Baptista
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Julio Baptista might have been a Brazil international with a big move to Real Madrid under his belt, but he was pretty much a disaster at Arsenal. Although he scored in this particular game, he generally struggled to hold down a regular place.
At 20, Alex Iwobi is still young but already seems a more natural fit for the Arsenal team. Baptista never felt like an Arsenal player, but having been reared in the club's academy, Iwobi is steeped in Wenger's playing style.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 9
Centre-Forward: Olivier Giroud vs. Theo Walcott
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Olivier Giroud has typically been a much-maligned figure among the Arsenal fans, who have craved a more mobile centre-forward.
However, he's still a better bet than a 17-year-old Theo Walcott. At this stage, Walcott was a few days shy of his 18th birthday and lacked the game intelligence and upper-body strength to hold his own at Premier League level.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 9
The Bench
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This one is easy. In March 2017, rightly or wrongly, Arsenal's bench included Alexis Sanchez. Case closed.
The whole substitutes' bench is stronger. Names like Aaron Ramsey, Lucas Perez and Walcott certainly inspire considerably more confidence than Armand Traore, Philippe Senderos and Jeremie Aliadiere.
Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 10
Arsenal 2007: 8
Verdict
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Final Scorecard
Arsenal 2017: 115
Arsenal 2007: 113
It's a close-fought battle, but it's a victory on points for Arsenal's team of March 2017. That raises the question: Why is there so much unrest around the Gunners at the moment? The straightforward answer may well be that the Wenger of 2017 might struggle to beat the Wenger of 2007.
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