We paid around 20 mil for his ass back then, I remember being pissed when we signed him.
I've always been suspicious over Arsenal players. "very" few Arsenal players did well in other clubs when they leave Arsenal.
Arsenal were one of the first teams to use the Prozone sports data software that studies every facet of a player on a statistical level, Wenger is massive on this sort of thing. I have it on good knowledge that Vieira's physical stats were decreasing considerably by the time he joined Juve, and that is one reason why he was allowed to go for what seemed a low £14m at the time. Of course he was still a very good player when he joined us, but he was never as good from the point he left Arsenal as when he was there, and he declined quite rapidly.
Wenger basically decides the make up of his squad on these stats, Henry is another example. You might say 'oh well, he was old', but if the figures tie up he keeps them. It's also why players over 30 only get one year contracts, as they have to be re-evaluated. Of course what is happening now is that teams are buying his peak players (Fabregas, Nasri), so Arsenal are obviously going to stutter.
Watch this space in terms of RVP.
---------- Post added 11.05.2012 at 20:37 ----------
Something tells me this guy doesn't watch much Serie A. If he thinks he had problems finding a space in Man United's average midfield, he's gonna be very disappointed to learn that we've possibly the best midfield setup in Europe.
Pogba knows Juve got to take your chance
After being granted first-team chances at Manchester United towards the end of the season, Paul Pogba will no doubt be painted as greedy and ungrateful if, as rumours suggest, he leaves for Juventus.
But so much depends on what assurances he has been given by the new Italian champions. Every player wants to play and the chance of starting regularly for the Old Lady has got to be better than what looks like a future of being a bit-part player at Old Trafford.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/robbie-savage-column-on-roberto-mancini-827566
Robbie Savage who was released from Man Utd, of course

Little does he know...