Is This Arsenal's Greatest XI?

DL. Ashley Cole

This is probably going to be a controversial choice for most Arsenal fans, especially after how he left the club and his relationship with the fans since. However, if Ashley Cole isn't the best player - let alone left back - that Arsenal have produced via their youth system during Arsene Wenger's tenure as manager then who is?

He might not be the most likeable character off the field, but on the pitch he was a phenomenal player. It took him a bit of time to fully incorporate the defensive aspects of being a left back into his game, which makes sense considering he was originally a striker, but once he began to understand his duties he flourished in the role.

Cole was given plenty of opportunities to go and do some damage at the other end of park too. When given the chance he would run riot down the left side of the pitch, alongside Robert Pires and Thierry Henry, creating goals and scoring a few himself too. Of course, this is all overshadowed by a terrible contract situation that saw him leave in a way Arsenal fans have never been able to forgive him for. However, it's impossible to ignore the amount of success he brought to the club during his time there.