Centre-Back 1: Igor Stepanovs
With an injury befalling Arsenal skipper Tony Adams, Arsene Wenger quickly sought after some defensive cover, and found it in Latvia. Igor Stepanovs had been playing for Skonto Riga since he was a teenager, had won seven league titles and had attracted attention from a wide array of European clubs. Arsenal were able to pick up the defender for
just over £1 million, seen by many across the country as a bargain for a young centre-back with a great deal of potential. However, despite a debut goal and a string of good early performances, one match would see him tumble down the pecking order. With Arsenal and Manchester United the two most viable contenders for the title at the time, and so the matches between the two were extremely vital in the race for the trophy. So, if the result between the two biggest teams in the league ends 6-1 to the Red Devils, it is unlikely that the defenders have had their best day in the office. Stepanovs picked the wrong fixture to have a sheer drop in form. He would only play one more game that season, and in his entire tenure at the club he made only seventeen league appearances. Absent from major trophy squads, he would be simply a spectator to some of the most excellent moments in the clubs history. His entire career wasn't a flop however, and went on to become the sixth most capped player for Latvia.
Other contenders: Pascal Cygan, Sebastien Squillaci