Patrick Vieira Claimed Thierry Henry Was a ‘Nightmare’ to Play With at Arsenal

· GiveMeSport

Patrick Vieira picked an Arsenal icon as the one teammate who was a ‘nightmare’ to play with

Patrick Vieira once named an Arsenal legend as the teammate who was a 'nightmare' to play with during his time in North London. Needless to say, the Frenchman hardly ever played with anyone below world-class status during his time in the Premier League .

Playing 405 times for the Gunners, Vieira won three Premier League titles - including the iconic 2003/04 'Invincibles' campaign - as well as four FA Cups. Arsene Wenger's sides were known for having a high-morale dressing room, with a feel-good factor that differed from the environments at Chelsea and Manchester United, where the demands were often relentless.

Wenger had strict rules when it came to diet, training and conduct, but he was also a far more approachable and affable manager than many of his rivals.

However, that's where one of Vieira's teammates came into the picture, ensuring the Gunners had someone willing to demand more from them during their golden era. His uncompromising approach and extra dose of strictness made him, by Vieira's own admission, a nightmare to play with.

Vieira shared the pitch with Thierry Henry at Arsenal and for France, racking up 313 matches alongside each other, which is the most of any of his teammates. But he revealed earlier this year that playing alongside the striker was not always easy.

The legendary number 14 - one of the greatest players in Premier League history - demanded perfection and was never afraid to show his frustration when things did not go his way. That made him a difficult teammate at times, but also brought out the best in others. Vieira said on CBS Sports:

> “We’ve known each other for a long, long time because we shared a room with the France U21s. It was a real pleasure to play with Thierry [Henry].

> “He was a nightmare as a teammate, but he always managed to get the best out of every single one of us, because he was really demanding. When the ball didn’t arrive, he would be showing that he wasn’t happy, with his face.

> “He didn’t need to talk, but it was still loud enough to be really demanding of us. But he managed to get the best of the players around him, and that is a sign of greatness.”

The imposing Frenchman named an Arsenal duo in his top five teammates that he played with during his illustrious career.

Vieira’s leadership, presence and mentality made him one of the most respected figures in the game, and not many players dared to challenge him during his playing days. But Henry's fearlessness to do just that is what helped him stand out from the rest.

Eyebrows were raised when Arsene Wenger spent £11 million to bring Thierry Henry to Arsenal in 1999. The Frenchman had struggled at Juventus, scoring just three times in the 1998/99 campaign.

Henry soon justified his price-tag as he wowed fans with a blend of pace, skill, and finishing, scoring 175 goals for Arsenal and winning the Premier League Golden Boot four times.

He is not only the best striker to ever play in the Premier League, but in the eyes of many, the best player to ever play in the league, regardless of position. It was no surprise that Henry and Shearer were the first two players inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame., with the former one of the great entertainers in sporting history.

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