IT IS fitting that Patrick Vieira returns to Arsenal tonight with Crystal Palace as Mikel Arteta tries to find the right balance in his midfield.
One could argue that Arsenal have been doing the same ever since Vieira left the club in 2005 — and the obvious conclusion to draw is that the Frenchman is one of a kind and irreplaceable.
“He was very dominant,” said Arteta. “He was physically really gifted, technically, too. He had the right temper, he was brave and he could score goals. He could do a bit of everything and he was remarkable.
“There have been some really good midfielders and Patrick was Patrick. There won’t be another like him.”
Plenty of Arsenal players over the years have been dubbed ‘the new Patrick Vieira’, but no one has lived up to the billing. Thomas Partey is the latest to be handed that title and, while his style differs from the Frenchman, he has a similar role to play under Arteta.
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