Patrick Vieira Arsenal debut vs Sheffield Wednesday PL 1996/97

[@willooi]

Thank you for uploading this great debut, which has almost become mythical over the passing of time and the lack of footage! His quality is there to see, and you can see him grow in confidence and stature in the middle of the park despite a few misplaced passes - as might be expected for a new player in a new league. But what a player he was, who redefined the all-round midfield role, and what a monumental Wenger signing.

[@benandlilyann]

Here after Stick to Football

[@fitnesse9055]

Me too

[@jeromesix9684]

me too lol

[@nordicgaming2572]

Best signing in the clubs history according to Wenger. 3,5 million pounds for what was to become the greatest defensive midfielder to ever play in The Premier League. Wouldn't have won the titles without him. A true Arsenal legend indeed!

[@45ginola]

*greatest box to box midfielder

[@nmarcus7233]

Defo box to box. He could do everything, even a mazy dribble!

[@tq6892]

Yaya?

[@nmarcus7233]

Promising debut! I can see why the fans were excited. The best signing we made under Wenger or maybe Henry

[@rahulbhatt3431]

The birth of a legend....

[@londonred8851]

What a player... ain't seen nothing like him since

[@tommymercer9174]

Overlap sent us here

[@PercyChips]

Yaya Toure was similar but a bit better

[@loyisotunzi677]

Great video man✊ I really enjoyed it......more of Patrick Vieira's individual highlights please

[@ricd2821]

Peak Peak 90s love it

[@ChrisKing_777]

Patrick Vieira is widely known within circles as the best central midfielder no one comes close

[@velouris76]

The one thing that's easily forgotten now, is that Arsenal had been so desperately in need of a true quality all-round central midfielder for years, ever since Rocky was sold in 1992... For 4 seasons, the central midfield was the one area where it was glaringly obvious Arsenal had a serious lack in quality...nobody of real quality was coming through the youth team, the players bought for MF were mediocre at best, and the quality midfielders in the transfer market went to the likes of Man Utd, Blackburn etc... I first saw Vieira about 6 weeks after this game, v Leeds, and the whole way he controlled the game, my mind was like "AT LAST! We finally have true quality in Midfield" The fact that Wenger signed him, and he was already playing even before Wenger officially had taken over as manager was a masterstroke: both the squad, and the fans were already fully on Wenger's side...

[@arbeitsscheuer]

I remember the fan review of this game, for the following funny paragraph (my memory is hazy so I'm paraphrasing): Parlour had to come off, so we got a glimpse of our new signing. Oh God, you could almost hear everyone thinking, we've signed the French Carlton Palmer! The only thing you thought you heard after that was the sound of roughly 38,000 Gooners eating their words. Even Platt, shaken into life by he presence of a midfield partner who didn't look and play like a poodle, suddenly started to perform...

[@reeceparker1596]

Anyone here cause of stick to football? 👀

[@souster98]

What did they say?

[@reeceparker1596]

Ian wright mentioned this game cause it was Vieras debut for us

[@jimmcclemont9514]

Maybe the best, but definitely in the top 3 signings that Wenger made in his entire tenure. He looks raw in this video, but very, very good.

[@LukesGamePage]

Thank you xx read so much so it the debut, and finally seen it x

[@discharge29]

Ian wright was the last of the personality greats in the premiership - fucking arsenal legend , my all time favourite player

[@rogergoodman326]

Generational midfielder. He absolutely transformed us

[@waynemarshall8836]

Ian Wright was that guy. Loved the celebration for the hat trick. I took a chance on Vieira….didn’t know who he was or what he looked like…but I got his shirt. I could’ve riske it all by going for Grimandi or Garde (even Anelka) but I chose that shirt wisely

[@sammypierrecollections]

4:18 the pass ian was talking about (even though it didn't lead to a goal)

[@MattieBennett]

Vieira leaving Arsenal was the beginning of the end. We have never replaced him - it’s impossible.

[@PeaceDweller]

I remember Arsenal being heavily linked to Tim Sherwood that summer and I was so gutted that we signed Vieira instead lol. Boy was I wrong!

[@AW-kr9fl]

Vieira was Wenger’s best signing

[@discharge29]

Wenger had a huge eye for players to come in to our club , paying nominal fees for most of them back after taking over from bruce rioch - he did sooo well with that with the spine of a great bunch of players - adams, wright, bergkamp, keown, dixon, parlour, winterburn, merson - going up against the bullying alex furguson and intergrated huge finds - henry, Vieira, petit, overmars etc ,sending arsenal to to the invisibles - he nver replaced that spine of players THEN he was caught in an arrogant bubble of ''i know better'' and buying players on the cheap to mould and develop into his way of thinking - HE took our club into the worse 12 years of our history - his arrogance cost us , buying cheap players to decvelop into his outdated mould

[@utenrodlamai9039]

I start Asenal 97/98 I dont see this motion

[@arbeitsscheuer]

This match was during the 96/97 season. Arséne Wenger was announced as new Arsenal manager that day, and gave a brief message on the Jumbotron big screen before the game - "Let's win tonight". At the time, Arsenal & Sheffield Wednesday were battling it out at the top of the table...

[@athuldas4959]

Look how brave he is, showing for the ball, taking risks, making runs. Stark contrast to Lokonga