Arsenal's From Brilliant To Bobbins XI - Part 1

Centre-Backs

Scott MARSHALL

Marshall was a highly rated young centre half in the early to mid 90s. With the likes of Keown, Adams, Bould and Linighan on the training ground and George Graham as manager, he had some good role models. But the young Scot was given his chance under Bruce Rioch, with Adams and Bould simultaneously suffering long term knee injuries during the 1995-96 season.

Rioch favoured three central defenders at the time so Marshall was eased in alongside Linighan and Keown and he impressed with a series of authoritative performances, scoring in a 2-0 win over league leaders Newcastle at Highbury in March 1996. He even seemed to have Tony Adams' posture, which lent fuel to comparisons with the legendary skipper. He was voted as Young Player of the Year in the 1995-96 season by Arsenal fans. Wenger however, was not quite as taken with Marshall.

The Frenchman reverted to two centre halves, whilst his new fitness regime healed Adams and Bould's creaking joints. Marshall was sold to Southampton in 1998, but lasted a single season there. He took in an underwhelming loan spell at Celtic, before turning out for Brentford and Wycombe Wanderers, where he was Tony Adams' first signing as Chairboys manager. But in August 2004, aged just 31, Marshall decided to retire. He is currently the first team coach at Aston Villa.

Philippe SENDEROS

Signed from Servette in the summer of 2003, a back injury delayed the Swiss centre half's debut for over a year, but came into the first team after an injury to Sol Campbell in January 2005. He personally managed 10 consecutive clean sheets at the end of that campaign as Arsenal pipped Manchester United to second place and the F.A. Cup. In 2005-06, he played in all ten games in Arsenal's record breaking run of ten consecutive Champions League clean sheets. A tournament record.

In the summer of 2006, he played in a Switzerland side that did not concede a goal in their four matches in Germany. In the summer of 2006, he was awarded the hallowed number 6 shirt at Arsenal, which saw him earn the nickname "Swiss Tony." But much like Almunia and Manninger, Senderos' mistakes haunted him. A few maulings from Chelsea's Didier Drogba appeared to damage Senderos' confidence beyond repair.

The signing of William Gallas moved Senderos slightly further down the pecking order and he could not play enough games to mend his ailing self-esteem. He was loaned at A.C. Milan and Everton, before being sold to Fulham in 2010. He is now playing for Aston Villa via a short spell at Valencia. Not a bad career by any means, but he has not come close to realising the potential he showed circa 2005- 2006.