When he’s not knocking back his own creation, the “cobra-bomb” or having a laugh with Alan Brazil, he can be found at talkSport towers offering his stance on the latest footballing affairs. The cheeky pundit, well-loved by the football community, made his name as a midfielder during a lengthy spell at Arsenal. A key member of the illustrious Invincible side, the self-deprecating Ray Parlour sat down with GIVEMESPORT on behalf of NetBet Online Casino to give his view on an Arsenal invincible and Manchester City combined XI…
“It’s a very difficult task. In goal, I’d probably go with Ederson, although Jens Lehmann did have a great season that year. You have to go with Ashley Cole at left-back. For the centre-backs I’d go with John Stones and Sol Campbell, and for right-back, you’d have to go for Kyle Walker.”
“In the midfield, I’d have Patrick Vieira and Kevin De Bruyne, but you’ve got to try and get Erling Haaland, Thierry Henry, and Dennis Bergkamp in the team, which is difficult. So I’d play 4-3-3 with Haaland up front, Henry off the left, Bergkamp off the right, and Robert Pires in the midfield three – he’s another player who had a great season that year.”
Goalkeeper: Ederson
“Ederson always performs well for Man City, and he’s great with his feet. Jens Lehmann was brilliant that season for Arsenal, but I think Ederson just gets in ahead of him.”
Defenders: Kyle Walker, Sol Campbell, John Stones, and Ashley Cole
“Ashley Cole was always consistent for Arsenal and an excellent left-back that never let the team down. He played so many times for England as well. He was a top player and I think he would be most people’s choice.”
“John Stones has been excellent this year for Man City, whether he’s been at centre-back or in midfield. And it looks like he’s now thought highly of at Man City, which not every English player has managed at teams like City in the past. I really like the way he plays, and he’s very good on the ball.”
“Sol Campbell, alongside him, he was always a great defender and so that would be a good partnership, with Sol as the defensive united and Stones playing out from the back.”
“At right-back, Kyle Walker has had a great career at City. He gets forward well, and he has so much pace, which you need at times, so he has to be in the team.”
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne, Patrick Vieira, and Robert Pires
“There isn’t a lot you really need to say about De Bruyne, he’s excellent in midfield, the way he plays. He’d be the ball player in central midfield spraying it around.”
“Then you have Vieira, who can win the ball back so well in the midfield area. He had a great career at Arsenal, he was captain as well, which he was brilliant at, so he has to be in the team.”
“Although usually coming off the left-hand side, Pires can play in midfield as well, he’s got the energy and the movement and he’s a very clever player when he’s on the ball. So he would be in my selection.”
Forwards: Erling Haaland, Thierry Henry, and Dennis Bergkamp
“Haaland scores goals for fun so he has to be in there. You don’t need to say too much more than that.”
“Henry could play alongside him or just off the left where he liked to play. He played there at Barcelona under Pep Guardiola and often drifted out left for Arsenal quite often, so he’d fit in there quite nicely.”
“And you have to get Bergkamp in the team because he’s the sort of player that can always open the door for you, along with De Bruyne. He would just drift in off the right, sort of in a free role, and he can defend as well. He was a tough player, and he’d always put a foot in, or even an elbow, if he had to. If he had to defend he would, so he would be in there off the right for me.”
“I’ve missed some great players, but it’s almost an impossible task! I’ve got five Man City and six Arsenal players – so about half-and-half!”
