Arsenal misses out on a golden opportunity to recruit the class of the 2004 Invincibles. Patrick Vieira retires and is absorbed within the Man City ranks as football development executive.
Vieira would have been an inspiration to an Arsenal team that has struggled with self belief and a six year drought after he left. Wenger was interested in him when he announced he was leaving Inter in 2009. In retrospect, the Arsenal manager thrashed the theory that he never re-signed a player already sold with his Sol Campbell and Jens Lehmann overtures. He could have hardly done worse with Vieira. Chalk this one up to stubbornness and short sightedness.
Arsenal could have really put meat on the bones with its talk of installing a winning mentality and showing loyalty by bringing Vieira to the organization. This Arsenal board is now known best for its preoccupation with internal wranglings and share buyouts.
Today, however, as Arsenal fans we salute Vieira as a legend who gave his club his best years and in turn gave us our best years.