Lucas Torreira

[Zedie]

He's really impressed me so far. The way he plays and conducts himself, I already think of him as a senior player even though he's only 22. Love to see him taking responsibility and making things happen. His vision and passing is much more incisive than I was expecting for a DM, and his reading of the game is superb.

Still, a CDM wearing number 11 is unacceptable.

Struggling to keep my OCD in check. It's like when they gave Gallas no.10

Otherwise he's already our top DM. Absolutely love his style of play. He has such quick feet, meaning he draws so many fouls when we need to break up play.

Also he's so comfortable with the 1 touch passing. That's so important because it reduces the chance you'll get closed down immediately when your dithering on the ball like xhaka does with his 10 touches before releasing.

[Callum]

Reckon he needs another 15-20 games being eased in before he's ready to start. Should focus on developing an Elneny-Xhaka axis for the time being whilst Torreira settles in.

[LegendaryKeown]

Reckon he needs another 15-20 games being eased in before he's ready to start. Should focus on developing an Elneny-Xhaka axis for the time being whilst Torreira settles in.

Quoting this so Callum can't edit later

[Arsene Nose]

Rank our 21st century DMs in order of quality:
Petit, Gilberto, Flamini, Denilson, Song, Arteta, Coq, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira

Mine are:
1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Arteta
4. Song
5. Xhaka
6. Flamini
7. Torreira
8. Elneny
9. Coq
10. Denilson

[DiamondGooner]

Rank our 21st century DMs in order of quality:
Petit, Gilberto, Flamini, Denilson, Song, Arteta, Coq, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira

Mine are:
1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Arteta
4. Song
5. Xhaka
6. Flamini
7. Torreira
8. Elneny
9. Coq
10. Denilson

Torreia at 7 Xhaka at 5?

This trolling has to be stopped.

[theHotHead]

Reckon he needs another 15-20 games being eased in before he's ready to start. Should focus on developing an Elneny-Xhaka axis for the time being whilst Torreira settles in.

Why on earth would we do that??? Guendouzi-Elneny axis please!!!

[theHotHead]

Rank our 21st century DMs in order of quality:
Petit, Gilberto, Flamini, Denilson, Song, Arteta, Coq, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira

Mine are:
1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Arteta
4. Song
5. Xhaka
6. Flamini
7. Torreira
8. Elneny
9. Coq
10. Denilson

Mate, I know football is an opinion-based game but how can you have Denilson, Coq, Elneny, Torreira and Flamini behind Xhaka?!

Plus, Flamini was much more effective than Song amd Arteta neither of which had pace and were almost useless at stopping counter attacks.

[Arsene Nose]

Rank our 21st century DMs in order of quality:
Petit, Gilberto, Flamini, Denilson, Song, Arteta, Coq, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira

Mine are:
1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Arteta
4. Song
5. Xhaka
6. Flamini
7. Torreira
8. Elneny
9. Coq
10. Denilson

Mate, I know football is an opinion-based game but how can you have Denilson, Coq, Elneny, Torreira and Flamini behind Xhaka?!

Plus, Flamini was much more effective than Song amd Arteta neither of which had pace and were almost useless at stopping counter attacks.

I have a huge soft corner for players with good long range passing. It’s the reason I put Xhaka so far up. Similarly I found Flamini a useless mutt despite his interception skills. Arteta was a refined player abs Song in his final season had come along nicely.

[Callum]

Reckon he needs another 15-20 games being eased in before he's ready to start. Should focus on developing an Elneny-Xhaka axis for the time being whilst Torreira settles in.

Quoting this so Callum can't edit later

Elneny-Xhaka is the new Gilberto-Vieira.

[elber]

Rank our 21st century DMs in order of quality:
Petit, Gilberto, Flamini, Denilson, Song, Arteta, Coq, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira

Mine are:
1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Arteta
4. Song
5. Xhaka
6. Flamini
7. Torreira
8. Elneny
9. Coq
10. Denilson

How you gonna leave Vieira out?!

Anyway Gilberto, Petit, Arteta and Torreira. In that order.

The rest are all equally shite.

[Ach]

Rank our 21st century DMs in order of quality:
Petit, Gilberto, Flamini, Denilson, Song, Arteta, Coq, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira

Mine are:
1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Arteta
4. Song
5. Xhaka
6. Flamini
7. Torreira
8. Elneny
9. Coq
10. Denilson

Bored so thought i'd do this

1 Gilberto
2 Petit
3 Flamini
4 Coq
5 Torreira
6 Song
7 Denilson
8 Elneny
9 Arteta
10 Xhaka

Arteta higher than he should be

[UFGN]

1) PV4 should be on the list and obviously number one because his role within the team included defensive midfield. He was effectively two players

2) Don't start me off on Denilson. Pure shit.

[elber]

Rank our 21st century DMs in order of quality:
Petit, Gilberto, Flamini, Denilson, Song, Arteta, Coq, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira

Mine are:
1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Arteta
4. Song
5. Xhaka
6. Flamini
7. Torreira
8. Elneny
9. Coq
10. Denilson

Bored so thought i'd do this

1 Gilberto
2 Petit
3 Flamini
4 Coq
5 Torreira
6 Song
7 Denilson
8 Elneny
9 Arteta
10 Xhaka

Arteta higher than he should be

Two of the most naturally untalented footballers to ever play for the club at numbers 3 & 4 LOL. Yep sounds like a Ach post.

[Ach]

Rank our 21st century DMs in order of quality:
Petit, Gilberto, Flamini, Denilson, Song, Arteta, Coq, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira

Mine are:
1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Arteta
4. Song
5. Xhaka
6. Flamini
7. Torreira
8. Elneny
9. Coq
10. Denilson

Bored so thought i'd do this

1 Gilberto
2 Petit
3 Flamini
4 Coq
5 Torreira
6 Song
7 Denilson
8 Elneny
9 Arteta
10 Xhaka

Arteta higher than he should be

Two of the most naturally untalented footballers to ever play for the club at numbers 3 & 4 LOL. Yep sounds like a Ach post.

Oh dear

Coming from you, LOL

[Angelito]

Since these kinds of lists are useless, I might as well go ahead and do it. Still fun though.

And, Petit wouldn't count as our DM if we're considering 21st century alone. He left before the turn of the 21st century. Please google before quoting me.

I'll still include him - just for the giggles.

1. Gilberto
2. Petit
3. Torreira
4. Flamini
5. Song
6. Arteta
7. Coquelin
8. Elneny
9. Denilson
10. Xhaka

Flamini is primarily up there for our UCL run in 05/06 and out Prem run in 07/08. Coquelin would have been higher if Santi had remained fit. Song had potential even though he had turned into a B2B CM in his final year for us.

In terms of talent, Elneny is ahead of the likes of Song but he's never had a legitimate run here at Arsenal. Between Xhaka and Denilson... Well, the latter was more agile. That clinches it.

Btw, Vieira wasn't a DM. I don't know where this notion ever came from.

But I have an even more interesting list for everyone.

Top-6 CMs at Arsenal in the Emirates Era:

Cesc*
Santi*
L
M
A
O

* Not traditional CMs.

In fact, the best CM we have bought in the 21st century might be Edu. And people wonder why we can't challenge...