The Greatest Forwards in Arsenal History | Arsenal Forwards
Here are some of the greatest forwards in Arsenal history, going all the way from Bastin to Henry and every goal-scoring Gunner in between | Arsenal Forwards
Arsenal Football Club is one of the most attack-oriented teams in English football, and they are well-known for their incredible Total Football-like performances. The Gunners never failed to put on a show for an audience, whether they were coached by the legendary Arsene Wenger, Bertie Mee, or Herbert Chapman. To determine who the greatest Arsenal forwards of all time are, it only seems fitting that we give some of the individuals behind those thrilling performances names.\
Some of the best Arsenal forwards of all time were natural finishers, while others were quick wingers or even playmakers, representing different periods of the team. What unites them all is that they contributed to Arsenal's multiple trophy and silverware victories, making the team the third most decorated in England. So let's see who is included on our list:
Greatest arsenal Forward of All Time
The best strikers in Arsenal's history have had a significant impact on the team's attack rather than just being excellent goal-scorers because attackers may affect games in a variety of ways. Now let's look at who made our list
1. John Radford
John Radford, a legend of the Arsenal Academy, began his career with the team in 1962 and worked his way up to the first squad. He was a starter for almost ten years, starting with the 1965–66 campaign. At seventeen years old, Radford is still the youngest
Radford was a winger at first, but he quickly demonstrated his goal-scoring ability, tallying 19 goals in the 1968–69 and 1969–70 seasons. This contributed to Arsenal's Inter-Cities Fair Cup victory, one of their few European titles. As a result, it was both Arsenal's first European trophy and their first trophy in 17 years.
Radford assisted Arsenal in winning both the league title and the FA Cup the following season, making it one of the greatest in the team's history. Radford became one of the greatest English forwards of all time with his 21 goals and his legacy in Arsenal's history.
Radford was regarded as a diligent striker because of his reputation for hard effort and his warrior mentality. The Englishman frequently assisted others and was excellent at making room for them. With 448 Arsenal games played, Radford amassed 149 goals, good for fourth place all-time, and unquestionably one of the greatest forwards in Arsenal history.
2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The next player in our list of the greatest forwards in Arsenal history is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who isn't always popular with the Gunners. The previous club captain of Arsenal had a significant impact on the team during his brief tenure. The Gabonese striker, who joined from Borussia Dortmund for a then-record cost of £56 million, was exactly what Arsenal was looking for. Aubameyang more than paid for the money with his exceptional performances.
The majority of Premier League defenders were reeling from Aubameyang's lightning-fast pace and lethal finishing. The Gabonese striker lost to Jamie Vardy for the Premier League Golden Boot after coming just short of earning it once more. This demonstrates why he is among the greatest forwards Arsenal has ever had.
With an FA Cup trophy and a Community Shield, Aubameyang demonstrated his importance to Arsenal during his second full season. Aubameyang is among the greatest goal-scorers in Arsenal's history with 92 goals in 163 games. But many Arsenal supporters believe that his departure from the team to join Barcelona and his subsequent move to Chelsea have damaged his legacy.
3. Robin van Persie
After one contentious captain, we have the Dutch legend Robin van Persie, who is not well-liked by Arsenal supporters. This is mostly because of his move to Manchester United, where he contributed to his team's Premier League victory over Arsenal's rivals. From an objective standpoint, though, this purported betrayal does not change the reality that he was one of the greatest strikers in Arsenal's history.
In 2004, shortly after Arsenal's Invincibles season, Robin Van Persie joined the team. The Dutchman won an FA Cup in his debut season with the club, but he was not present for Highbury's heyday.
Van Persie studied the trade's crafts with club legends Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp. This was evident in the way he played, fusing Dennis Bergkamp's visionary genius with the pace and strength of Henry. After being moved to a striker position and given more responsibility, he steadily improved his game and developed deadly finishing abilities. As a result, he became one of the greatest strikers of his generation and unquestionably the greatest forward for Arsenal in history.
His best years were spent with Arsenal, where he scored 30 goals in the 2011–12 season to earn the Premier League Golden Boot. He eventually won the Premier League with the Red Devils after joining Arsenal, therefore this ended up being his final season there. Nevertheless, Robin van Persie has cemented himself as one of the greatest Arsenal attackers of all time, having scored 132 goals in 278 games and winning an FA Cup.
4. Alan Smith
Though he is most known for his commentary work on Sky Sports and many iterations of the well-liked FIFA series, Alan Smith is a legendary striker in his own right. In the 1980s and 90s, Alan Smith—who had previously played for Arsenal and Leicester City—rose to prominence as one of the best English forwards of all time. Smith was a traditional center forward who was deadly in front of goal and tall enough to score with amazing headers. Unfortunately, injuries throughout his career forced him to retire earlier than planned.
Smith signed with Arsenal in 1987, just as George Graham's illustrious team was beginning to take shape. After a season in which he had to get used to the way the Gunners were playing, Smith's second season with Arsenal saw him dominate the league with 23 goals and the Golden Boot. Smith was instrumental in Arsenal's victory at Anfield on the last day of the season, which allowed them to capture one of the most dramatic league titles in history.
Two seasons later, Smith would win another Golden Boot as Arsenal repeated as league winners. He won two league championships, one FA Cup, one League Cup, and a European Cup Winners' Cup before retiring after the 1994–1995 campaign. With the Gunners, Alan Smith made 347 games and scored 115 goals. He rightfully holds a place among the greatest Arsenal forwards of all time because his goals were a major factor in George Graham's team's enormous success.
5. Ted Drake
Without question, one of the best English forwards of all time is Ted Drake. Drake, an Arsenal icon from the 1930s, was deadly in front of goal as evidenced by the fact that he became the team's first Golden Boot winner. Drake is among the greatest forwards in Arsenal history since only six Gunners have ever accomplished this in the team's existence.
Drake's 1934–1935 season, in which he scored 42 goals in 41 games and assisted Arsenal in winning the title, was the one that earned him the Golden Boot. That season, he scored 42 goals, including three hat-tricks and four four-goal halves. Drake's four goals in a single season set a club record that he still owns. He also scored two goals in the FA Cup and Charity Shield that season.
The amazing Ted Drake scored 139 goals in 184 games during his 11-year tenure at Arsenal, giving the North London team never-before-seen success. His inclusion in the mural of 32 Arsenal legends at Emirates Stadium indicates that he was a key member of Herbert Chapman's legendary Arsenal team during the 1920s and 1930s, making him one of the greatest forwards in Arsenal history.
6. Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin, a veteran of the Arsenal Football Club, led the team in scoring from 1939 until 1997. In addition to his legacy at Arsenal, Cliff Bastin was admitted into the English Hall of Fame of Football, making him one of the greatest English players of all time. Bastin was renowned for his lightning-fast speed, his skill with the ball, and his ability to finish in front of the goal. When he was just 17 years old, Bastin signed with Arsenal in 1929, and he stayed with the team until the conclusion of his playing career in 1947.
By the age of 19, Bastin had already won nearly everything, making him one of the greatest forwards in Arsenal history. As the youngest player to win an FA Cup, a League title, and an England call-up, he was truly remarkable. Having won two FA Cups and five league titles, he is arguably the most decorated player among the greatest forwards to have ever played for Arsenal.
Before the next guy on our list surpassed him, Bastin was Arsenal's all-time leading striker for over 60 years, with a record of 178 goals in 398 games. He was a left winger, not a classic attacker, which adds to the impressiveness of his record. For many, Bastin remains the greatest forward to have ever played for Arsenal and the greatest player the club has ever produced.
7. Lan Wright
Ian Wright is a fan favorite among Arsenal supporters and English fans in general. His career is undoubtedly one of the most distinctive on our list of the greatest forwards to have ever played for Arsenal. After failing to make it through the youth academies, Ian Wright went through several trials before being hired as a striker for Crystal Palace. There, he demonstrated his deadly strike ability and quickly attracted the attention of teams like Arsenal.
Wright made his league debut in 1991 and his club debut in the League Cup, and he did not let them down. In reality, he scored a hat trick against Southampton in his first league match as an Arsenal player. Ian Wright was incredibly swift and had a somewhat tiny stature compared to many other legendary center strikers. Nevertheless, he made the most of them and went on to win the Golden Boot in his debut campaign with the team. He went on to lead Arsenal in scoring for six straight seasons after that.
Arsene Wenger and George Graham were two of the managers that Wright worked for. In addition to the cup double in the 1992–93 season, he was able to win four cup trophies: two FA Cups, one League Cup, and one Cup Winners’ Cup. An FA Cup and a Premier League title followed him far into his last seasons as an Arsenal player in 1998.
When Ian Wright scored his 179th goal for Arsenal against Bolton Wanderers in 1997, he broke Cliff Bastin's record and became the club's all-time top goal scorer. Ian Wright is regarded as one of the greatest attackers to have ever played for Arsenal, having scored 185 goals in 288 games.
8. Dennis Bergkamp
It's almost unnecessary to introduce The Non-flying Dutchman because most football fans are aware of his style, flair, and skill. Bergkamp was able to score some of the most exquisite goals ever, some of which rank among the greatest ever. In 1995, Bergkamp moved from Inter Milan to Arsenal. He was one of the first true superstars to decide to play in the Premier League, so the transfer was important for the league. Not only did he transform Arsenal's style of play, but he also rose to become one of the team's greatest forwards ever.
Bergkamp found his footing when Arsene Wenger took over as Arsenal's manager in 1996, as the Frenchman's strategies were a natural fit for him. Bergkamp was able to dominate the game during the attacking phase because of Wenger's Total Football, even helping to score more goals than he did. Wenger paired Bergkamp with a variety of players over the years, but Bergkamp remained the driving force behind Arsenal's offensive.
Two of the greatest Arsenal attackers of all time, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry, had a connection that defined his career as they combined to score and assist goals. Except for Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, who collaborated with legendary players like Zinedine Zidane, regarded Bergkamp as the best player he had ever played with.
In the Premier League for Arsenal, Bergkamp scored 87 goals and assisted on 94 others. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest football players of all time and one of the greatest forwards for Arsenal thanks to his exquisite ball control, curling shots with his right foot, and extraordinary vision. Any football fan, and especially supporters of Arsenal, should be thankful to have witnessed him play.
9. Thierry Henry
On our list of the greatest forwards to have ever played for Arsenal, only the legendary Thierry Henry could hold the top slot. The Frenchman not only won everything during
his time at the club, but he also developed into one of the greatest players of his generation, if not all time.Following a failed stint at Juventus, Henry joined Arsenal in 1999 after being spotted by Arsene Wenger during their time at AS Monaco. Henry was originally a winger, but Arsene Wenger encouraged him to play as a striker because the manager thought the young Henry had the makings of a finisher. Henry never stopped scoring once he scored his first goal. Even though he did eventually win a trophy in the 01–02 season, his trophy wait was still very lengthy. Henry scored 32 goals across all competitions to help Arsenal win the league and secure the record third double.
10. King of Highbury 
Henry was among the world's finest players by 2003. The Frenchman helped make himself and his colleagues iconic by helping Arsenal win the league in the 2003–04 season without dropping a single game. The next season, the Gunners increased the record to 49 games. Henry won Player of the Year for the second consecutive season with 39 goals in all competitions. In addition to becoming the first player from Arsenal to win the European Golden Boot, he finished second in the World Player of the Year competition, falling short to Ronaldinho.
The winning mindset and on-field brilliance of Thierry Henry propelled Arsenal to the 2005–06 Champions League final, where they were ultimately defeated by Barcelona. After a few years, Henry believed that he needed to leave Arsenal, who were rebuilding their squad, to win titles. As a result, in the summer of 2007, he joined Barcelona.
Thierry Henry became the only player to win the Premier League's Golden Boot four times with 228 goals in 377 games for Arsenal. With his lightning-fast speed, amazing dribbling skills, potent right-footed shots, and ability to create plays, The King—as Arsenal supporters refer to him—was the epitome of the ideal football player. During his time at Arsenal, he accomplished nearly everything a football player could hope to accomplish, making him the greatest forward in Arsenal history. His Va Va Voom as a player will rarely be forgotten by those who witnessed it.
FAQ
Q. 1 Who is the top goalkeeper for Arsenal?
Ans. After serving as Arsenal's starting goalkeeper for the last two seasons, Ramsdale hasn't started a Premier League match since September 3. Arteta now prefers on-loan goalkeeper Raya to stop shots.
Q. 2 Who was the unbeaten Arsenal team?
Ans. Manchester United defeated Arsenal 2-0 fifteen years ago, demonstrating that the Invincibles were, in fact, unbeatable. However, the events that transpired off the field are nearly as well-known as those that occurred on it. Losing their 49-game winning streak infuriated Arsenal. They fought in the tunnel, the two squads.
Q. 3 Who is the full captain of Arsenal?
Ans. Martin Odegaard: Mikel Arteta's team is firing now that the captain of Arsenal has dug in deeper | Football News | Sky Sports