Arsenal FC: Patrick Vieira and the Gunners' 5 Most Notorious Bad Boys

Today, Arsenal play a timid, technical style of play, in which small players and quick passing is valued over physical prowess and brute force.

It wasn't always that way, however. Back in the day, the Arsenal of George Graham and the Arsenal of the early (and successful) Wenger years muscled opponents into submission while often combining steel with slick attacking play.

To keep up that style of play, you need enforcers in your team who are willing to take a yellow card for the benefit of the squad or making that shady tackle just to keep the fear factor about the team.

There are also those who disregard the club, come to believe they are too good for the Cannon, leave on bad terms or just have a fiery temper that can get out of control at times, who are not quite so revered.

Nevertheless, here are five of those controversial figures, assembled for your reading pleasure.

Enjoy.

Emmanuel Adebayor

No one likes Emmanuel Adebayor. He is a loudmouth, can sometimes lack effort and is in general infuriating. But after the mountains of disrespect he heaped upon Arsenal, no one hates him more than Gooners.

In 2009, the Togolese striker decided that, after one good season, his talents were far too great for the red and white, so he secured a massive transfer to Manchester City on bad terms with Arsenal.

Of course, being the temperamental headcase that Adebayor is, he ran the length of the field to taunt Arsenal supporters after scoring against the Gunners, before promptly stomping on Robin van Persie's ankle.

It's fair they say that Adebayor is one of the baddest boys Arsenal have ever had the displeasure of knowing.

Tony Adams

Mr. Arsenal himself, Tony Adams personified Arsenal for 19 years and was the toughest, grittiest defender Arsenal had during that glorious era.

Always willing to give everything his body would let him to support the cause, he was also the greatest leader Arsenal has ever known.

Adams also had his rebellious side, as he indulged alcohol to a fault, and would just impose his will on a game at times, often getting in trouble with referees due to his trademark aggressiveness.

To Arsenal fans, though, this only made him more of an icon and helped to cement his place in Arsenal lore.

Samir Nasri

Samir Nasri, often spelled $amir Na$ri, decided he was just too good to be constrained at a club like Arsenal, and moved to take a massive deal from Manchester City, just as Adebayor had before him.

Naturally, he is replaceable, as all players are, and losing a player who had five good months before wilting under the late season pressure due to spectacular wage demands won't hurt Gooners one bit.

It is mercenary players like Nasri who always make lame excuses for why they have moved to a club who are willing to pay them a few more pounds per week for their replaceable commodity.

While Tony Adams was a rebellious player in the best sense, Nasri unfortunately wears the opposite distinction.

Robin van Persie

Many forget that the current Arsenal skipper was not always such a mature and exemplary leader.

In fact, when van Persie arrived in 2004, there were major concerns about his temper and attitude, which had seen the precocious youth benched and reprimanded at Feyenoord.

On February 26, 2005, van Persie got sent off for the first time in an Arsenal shirt for a lunge on Graeme Le Saux, which sent Arsene Wenger into a rage, and which he fiercely condemned.

Now, however, van Persie is considerably more settled, mentoring younger players, leading the side, scoring at a ridiculous rate and even breeding incredibly talented 5-year-old footballers.

But the Dutchman could still be considered something of an Arsenal bad boy, considering the problems of his early days.

Patrick Vieira

Patrick Vieira is probably Arsenal's most notorious bad boy, and certainly the player on this list who most fits the description.

Vieira was exceptionally strong in the tackle and extremely aggressive, leading to many more red cards than any other Arsenal player accumulated during the era in which the French maestro played. In the first two matches of the 2000-2001 season, Vieira was sent of two consecutive times.

Then, there were the numerous battles with Manchester United's Roy Keane, both on the pitch and off, as well as the occasional pre-match scuffle in the tunnel.

Vieira embodied all the good and bad qualities of his bad boy image, becoming Arsenal's fiery leader and midfield enforcer, as well as leading the side in red cards and running into disciplinary problems.

I still think, though, that any Arsenal supporter would welcome a bad boy like Vieira with open arms into the squad today.