Silva can fill void, says Wenger

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is confident World Cup winner Gilberto Silva can fill the central midfield void which many believe has been left at Highbury since Emmanuel Petit departed.

Petit’s partnership with Patrick Vieira was the cornerstone of the club’s double success of 1998, but the Frenchman left the club two seasons later to seek a new challenge in Barcelona.

He has since returned to English football with Chelsea, while his position alongside Vieira has been filled by a variety of players, including Gilles Grimandi, Ray Parlour, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Edu.

But while van Bronckhorst has suffered through injury, Parlour has always performed consistently and Edu improves each month, none of them ever formed such a seamless and productive partnership with Vieira as Petit did.

Last season’s double triumph was based mainly around other strengths, such as the finishing and power of the strikers, allied to the pace and movement on the wings, defensive strength and mental resolve.

Wenger, of course, would never criticise his other midfielders but he does believe Gilberto, as he is now known on his Arsenal shirt after his summer signing, can slot in comfortably alongside Vieira.

"Last year we had a very good midfield as well and I believe Vieira and Gilberto can be a tremendous partnership," he told the club’s website, www.arsenal.com.

"It will be different to Petit because Gilberto is a player who has quick vision and gets in the penalty area. He is less physical than Petit and plays less long balls. But it will be a very good partnership."

It was initially thought that Gilberto, who was a holding midfield player for Brazil at the World Cup, may be required to play a similarly deep role at Highbury to allow Vieira to get forward more often, just as he did with Petit.

However, the 25-year-old Brazilian has already demonstrated his versatility with late runs into the penalty area and he does not seem worried by the change in style and pace from the Brazilian league.

Although he started the Community Shield against Liverpool and the opening Premiership game against Birmingham on the bench, it is surely only a matter of time - and fitness - before he becomes a first-team regular.

"It looks like Gilberto will adapt very quickly," added Wenger.

"At the moment, he’s not quite ready as he had no pre-season but he looks so intelligent and has such a good understanding of the game that I think he will play a big part in our success."

Compatriot Edu, 24, took some time to adapt last season, but Wenger has been so impressed by his development over the past six months that he believes he now has two players who can compete to partner Vieira.

Asked which players can replace Petit, he replied: "Gilberto can and Edu can. I’m very happy as they are two outstanding team players and we have so many games that we will need both of them.

"Edu has come on so well, even beyond expectations. Last January, I was not sure about him but he made a big step forward - tactically, technically, physically and in awareness - in the final two or three months of last season.

"What people forget about Edu is that he is very young, as is Gilberto. We have great expectations for them both."

Gilberto is certainly confident he can make his mark alongside Vieira at Arsenal, having already scored the winner in the Community Shield in Cardiff.

"Before coming here, I did not know that much about Patrick as a person although I knew that he is a great footballer. Since meeting him, I have found that he is a charismatic and kind person," he said.

"I have very good expectations about playing in England. I achieved a dream in winning the World Cup but now I have new goals and I want to win more titles with Arsenal."