Pain in the Arsenal
Fansided

Ranking the 5 best Arsenal central defenders of all-time

By Adam Schultz

26 Dec 2000: Tony Adams celebrates his goal for Arsenal during the FA Carling Premier League match against Leicester City played at Highbury in London. Arsenal won the game 6-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport
26 Dec 2000: Tony Adams celebrates his goal for Arsenal during the FA Carling Premier League match against Leicester City played at Highbury in London. Arsenal won the game 6-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 21: Martin Keown of Arsenal shows his feelings at Ruud Van Nistelrooy of Man Utd after Van Nistelrooy missed his penalty during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on September 21, 2003 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 21: Martin Keown of Arsenal shows his feelings at Ruud Van Nistelrooy of Man Utd after Van Nistelrooy missed his penalty during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on September 21, 2003 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

4. Martin Keown

One of the first players of the modern era to give Arsenal that tough, winning mentality. Such was his nature; Keown would often relish the physical battles with hulking centre forwards and leave them in his wake.

Keown wasn’t only was he physically imposing, but he was ridiculously quick for a defender, too. He also had an insane, tactical mind as he would position himself in such a way on the pitch that often made it seem impossible to get past him.

Few scarred the opposition quite like Keown in his two decades of playing in north London.

Because of his leadership from the back, he played an integral part in his fair share of Arsenal glories. Three league titles and three FA Cups for Arsenal’s mentality monster in 449 appearances in all competitions.

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