Arsenal 2006 v 2026 - select your team

2006 Arsenal lined up for the 2006 Champions League final with five in midfield. Playing in the holding role was Brazil's 2002 World Cup winner Gilberto Silva , nicknamed "the invisible wall". Next to him in central midfield was Spanish playmaker Cesc Fabregas - who notched up an incredible 111 assists and 50 goals across 350 Premier League appearances for Arsenal and Chelsea. Fabregas, then 19, was named in Uefa's 2006 team of the year. On the wings for Wenger's side were Belarusian midfielder Alexander Hleb and Frenchman Robert Pires . Hleb scored seven goals and had 10 assists in 89 Premier League appearances for Arsenal between 2005-08. Pires won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France as well as winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups during six years at Arsenal. In front of them, sitting behind lone striker Thierry Henry, was Freddie Ljungberg . The Swedish winger was named the Arsenal's 11th greatest player of all time in 2017 , external . 2026 Meanwhile, the mainstay in Arteta's midfield this season has been box-to-box player Declan Rice , who has carried their title charge with his legs, lungs and ability from set-pieces. Rice was voted second in this year's Football Writers' Awards list, behind Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes. Rice posted the highest expected assists from set-pieces (3.3) in the Premier League this season, with only Fernandes and Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro playing more passes into the penalty area. …