Filed under: Arsenal, Tottenham, Premier League, Football
Put together the men Arsene Wenger has allowed to leave Arsenal in the last three years and there would be quite a team, one of experienced winners still playing.Until around a month ago it would have been difficult to find a goalkeeper for this "Wenger Rejects XI" but Jens Lehmann coming out of retirement solves that problems.
It also begs the question of why Lehmann did not stay if Wenger feels he is still capable of contributing.
Other players who would walk back into Wenger's current team include midfielders Lassana Diarra, Mathieu Flamini and arguably Gilberto Silva still.
In attack, Eduardo could not get into Wenger's first-team plans regularly but he has scored four in six games during Shakhtar Donetsk's run to the Champions League quarter-finals, while Emmanuel Adebayor and Jose Antonio Reyes have moved to Spain.
Closer to home is Wenger's biggest recent mistake, as he could not agree terms with William Gallas last summer and the French centre-back moved to rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal have not won a trophy since 2005 and here was Wenger allowing one of his proven winners - with two Premier League titles under his belt - to leave.
Wenger also suffered his problems in the area Gallas vacated. Thomas Vermaelen has missed most of the season with an Achilles injury, while Laurent Koscielny has been acclimatising to English football and Sebastien Squillaci has yet to impose himself since his move at the start of the season.
It seemed Wenger was being punished for failing to retain his former captain. In contrast, Gallas has been a key player for Harry Redknapp at Spurs.
At 33, Gallas was brought in as a squad player but fitness concerns over Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson at different stages during the campaign meant Gallas was a mainstay in Spurs' defence. He has even captained the team at times.
It was no surprise he was handed a new contract to stay at White Hart Lane, a two-year deal reflecting the progress he has made and how highly regarded he is despite his age.
He has played in victories over Inter Milan and AC Milan in the Champions League and is set to face Real Madrid in his next tie in the competition.
After defeating Milan, he gave a rare post-match interview, and said: "If I left Arsenal it was for some reason. I will say at the end of the season.
"More important for me was to stay in London for my family and to play in the Champions League. Tottenham gave me the opportunity to play in the Champions League so I signed for them. Maybe, I don't know, people are very happy with what I do."
Redknapp is one person who has been happy with what Gallas has done, although it comes with a sense of regret for Wenger.
Arsenal Released XI (post 2008): Jens Lehmann; Kolo Toure, Sol Campbell, William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre; Mathieu Flamini, Gilberto Silva, Lassana Diarra; Jose Antonio Reyes, Emmanuel Adebayor, Eduardo.
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/29/william-gallas-the-biggest-mistake-of-arsene-wengers-arsenal-r/
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