Pires: Arsenal a class apart

Former Arsenal winger Robért Píres has said that Arsenal will always have a special place in his heart, that there was a love story between him and the club.

He also praised new arrival Samir Nasri, who has quickly established himself as a fans favourite.

Speaking to Setanta Sports, Píres thinks that Nasri will be staying at Arsenal for some time, as the club was a "class apart" from other establishments.

Píres said: "I do not think Nasri is going to leave because Arsenal are a special club.

"This club makes you want to wake up and go to training every day.

"They make of you a confident footballer. Of course seeing something different is attractive, but being at Arsenal is even better!

"For that reason I do not think Nasri will leave the club in the close future.

"Arsenal and myself was a love story and to be honest I am so proud to have been part of such a different club, they are a class apart."

User Comments

kushal

Posted on 23 Oct, 2008 at 01:39 PM - Reply

does any 1 know about cesc's transfer rumours?? are they true !!!!

mafika, south africa

Posted on 23 Oct, 2008 at 12:40 PM - Reply

A true genius, Ask Henry and Dennis!!

shkumbin

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 05:05 PM - Reply

pires is a true gunner just like henry ljumberg ,they told hleb and flamini why we didnt love them as much as we did ljumberg piresand henry,becous they arent a true gunners

Dalala

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 01:05 PM - Reply

I'm in Zimbabwe and Robert Pires will forever be a Gunner. I remember watching their last champions league match againgst manu. Bobby was just great. Keep on keeping on Bobby. hope you'll come back to Gunners.

Jerome

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 01:03 PM - Reply

There's not an Arsenal fan on this planet that wouldn't readily declare his love for Pires!

We all miss you dude!

Irish Gooner

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 11:24 AM - Reply

Bobby was a legend. Best number 7 since Chippy. To hear his love for the Arsenal is touching and raises emotions. I think a lot of ex players do speak so highly and fondly of their time at Arsenal and many have not gone on to acheive the same personal peformance levels once they have left us. Players leave of their own accord in many instances but live to regret their decisions I think. Some of them of course were just not good enough.
Wenger must take a huge amount of credit for that in both how he got the best out of players while they were at the club and making the right decision to let them go.

- Henry
- Vieira
- Petit
- Overmars
- Bentley (has potential but not lived up to it.)
- Aliadere
- Hleb (jurys out)
- Flamini (cant get a game at Milan I think)
- Cole
- Stokes
- Freddie
- I have just drawn a blank

There are some that have continued to play well of course, Pires being one of them but you could argue that it was still the right decision to leave for many reasons.

Anyway, the current crop do us proud but I fear for us in some respects that we are a couple of quality players short. As an example if Cesc were to get injured we would lose so much in terms of penetration. If Adebayor was injured we might struggle a little as well although the coverage is a little better here.

What is very encouraging is the emergence of Theo and signs that Nasri is really settling into a groove and with those two in the team we have a source of goals from midfield that was missing since the days of Bobby and Freddie.

I think we can challenge better for something like the Champions League than the Premier league (would love to see both of course!) based on our style of play and smaller squad than the ManU and Chelski of this world.

Whatever happens we all have Arsenal blood like Bobby Pires and we will always love the club for better or worse.

Mike

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 10:15 AM - Reply

In my opinion, letting him go was Arsene's biggest mistake as Arsenal manager. Last night he came off the bench, got an assist and a goal. He is STILL the bussiness!

Brigham

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 08:53 AM - Reply

Super Bob was and will always be an Arsenal Legend and he will always be assured of a place in every Gooners heart.

Great player, great man, great respect for him. Good to see him on the scoresheet for Villareal last night as well.

Angel

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 03:31 AM - Reply

Pires always love to see him play a true gunner

David Bell

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 01:18 AM - Reply

That is what is amazing about Arsenal and Wenger we play best football on the planet and there is not one genuine Football fan in the world that can deny that.....As for the statment of Super Rob as he will always will be known to all Gooners around the world it was a previlage for me and thousands of gooners around the world to have watched him play in the famous No 7 shirt at Arsenal...
Apart from being a fantastic footballer and was part of our invincible side that won the leauge without a defeat...we shall never forget what Pires did in an Arsenal shirt.Thanks for the memories Bobby and there is always a place in our gooner hearts for you.
We are simply the best!!

Harshal

Posted on 22 Oct, 2008 at 12:25 AM - Reply

We miss you Pires!

gunner17

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 11:33 PM - Reply

bobby you are the most talented player to have ever worn the shirt! the definition of class.

clare quinn

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 07:52 PM - Reply

arsenal rock!.there is one more thing i would like to say...i love arsenal!!!!!!

gooner10

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 07:41 PM - Reply

a genius this guy. miss him alot.

maria

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 06:58 PM - Reply

aaaaaaaaaah i do love me some pires its funny have our foreign ex players except for that idiot Helb ofcause are always positive about Arsenal in comparison to some noted Arsenal...Wright,Merson etc

Terri

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 04:16 PM - Reply

Robert Pires was a class act and will always have a special place in the heart of the Arsenal fans

Guan Sheng

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 04:02 PM - Reply

We love you Bobby, and we miss you!!!!!!!!

Yengzhi Nakashaki

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 03:57 PM - Reply

hello my humble gunner buddies...i am yengzhi nakashaki from tha little village town of chekonoko samukara...i would just like to praise bobby pires for his contemptuous attitude of pragmeable constuency...he has based his assumptions on the notions of all the paradigms of constructive eusebic improvements in natural constraints...one is able to notice his clearly thought and contempuous love for his former team...i love him as well as his newly found successor samir nasri on the field...time for the arsenal to explode once again!

Ati

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 03:09 PM - Reply

Bobby is such a legend. I probably miss him more than any other player who's left the club..

Syed Haider

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 02:40 PM - Reply

bobby, titi and patty are all legends. some ppl bash paddy for being 'too' worried for the current gunners side, and he has good reason too. He is genuinely worried because he genuinely loves the club, and wants them to win trophies this season. He was one of the all-time best gunners, along with bobby and titi. Although bobby and titi are great for their believing in the current team; i believe our starting XI is good enough to win the title; but not the squad. Although the trio has not changed (in their unrequited love for the club), Arsene Wenger has changed in his attitude. He is not the same man that first came to Arsenal. I think he has been affected by hindsight, if he thinks this current crop (squad) is good enough to win the title. He has made so many tactical blunders (and lack of bold moves) over the past couple of seasons, it makes me doubt his judgment now. Like they say, all good things must come to an end. I believe Arsene Wenger's time is coming to an end soon if he continues to be blinded by the obvious lack of resources we have (esp in backup), and if he sticks to his stupid decisions (playing gallas as CB and CAPTAINNN!!!, playing denilson with fabregas, not getting an established DM) when the whole world is against him on these 3 things (mentioned in the brackets).

Welsh Gazza

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 02:34 PM - Reply

The feeling is mutual Bob!!!! You will always have a place in the hearts of all true gooners.

Naz

Posted on 21 Oct, 2008 at 02:06 PM - Reply

We were extremely proud for you to wear our shirt Bobby.

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