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Arsenal’s Greatest Premier League XI
Left-Back – Ashley Cole
The shoe is very much on the other foot now as we round off the defensive section of this Arsenal Premier League XI with a brief account of the quality and success enjoyed by another English great, Ashley Cole.
Cole joined his local childhood club in 1999 and had to bide his time before he could prove he was ready to compete for the first team, even spending part of the 1999/00 season on loan at Crystal Palace. However, a calf injury to Sylvinho in the autumn of 2000 paved his path to the starting XI and he never looked back – even keeping his place when the Brazilian had recovered.
Once described by Liam Brady as a player with “great character and determination”, Cole was a highly skilled individual who loved to drive forward but became increasingly adept at the back as his career progressed. He benefitted from his acquaintance with Nigel Winterburn – whom he studied – and modelled his game on Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos, and such meticulous training and experiences helped him become a regular on both the domestic and international scene.
His Arsenal stay was shorter than many would have liked, but with two Premier League trophies and three cup triumphs to show for it, Cole still claimed a lot of silverware while at the club and is rightly considered one of the best defenders of his generation.
Continued on the next slide…