Arsene Wenger... hails Vieira but insists Club were close to silverware without him
'Lack of trophies not linked to Vieira sale'
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By Nick Teale
Arsène Wenger has described former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira as an "amazing" player but he insists that the midfielder's departure in 2005 is not responsible for the Gunners' recent lack of silverware.
Vieira was Wenger's first major signing as Arsenal boss in 1996 and the powerful midfielder eventually spent nine years at the Club, winning 11 trophies and captaining the team to an unbeaten title season in 2003/04.
The final kick of Vieira's Arsenal career secured the 2005 FA Cup after a penalty shoot-out against Manchester United but the Gunners have not lifted a trophy since the Frenchman left for Juventus.
Some might suggest that there is a connection between Vieira's absence and Arsenal's trophy drought but Wenger disagrees.
"Patrick was an amazing, fantastic player," said Wenger, speaking last week. "But I believe we were very close to winning [silverware] since [he left].
"But of course, if you don't win people will say 'you did not win'. But people forget that in 2006 we played a Champions League Final with 10 men and nearly won it.
"He [Vieira] is perfect for every [style of] football," added Wenger. "But he will not play forever and I believe we have created a young team and to win with a young team is very difficult.
"We are at a stage where people want us to win trophies, and we know that."
[Friday, October 09, 2009]
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