To Ferguson, the most absurd notion was that many people actually called Vieira and Roy Keane defensive midfielders.
It was utterly ridiculous!
They were pure central midfielders in a traditional 4-4-2 system, just like Gerrard, Lampard, and others. The only differences lay in whether they defended a bit more or a bit less, or if they were slightly more robust or slender.
Take Manchester City's Yaya Toure, for example—was he a defensive midfielder?
But Gilberto Silva was!
After the Brazilian arrived, he often played as the deepest man in a double-pivot setup. He would even drop back into the defensive line, allowing Kolo Toure to boldly push forward and utilize the Ivorian's mobility. At the same time, this completely unlocked Vieira's potential. However, all of this was built entirely on the foundation of Gilberto Silva acting as a solid wall.
This was also why Wenger was later willing to let Vieira go and start using Fabregas.
