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The decade between 2010 and 2019 might not have been as successful as the preceding 10 years for Arsenal, but the Gunners were still able to claim 6 trophies and were Champions League mainstays for the majority of the time period.
More importantly, Arsenal fans were still treated to some iconic moments – from a huge managerial change to some dramatic events on the pitch – making for a memorable, if not a stellar decade.
In chronological order, here are the 5 most memorable Arsenal moments of the decade (2010-2019).
#1 Barcelona put to the sword (2011)
A win over European giants Barcelona is always something to savour, but this Champions League Round of 16 first leg was truly special because Arsenal played Barcelona at their own game and somehow came away with a 2-1 victory. Sure, the Gunners were eventually eliminated from the competition after losing the second leg 3-1 at the Nou Camp, but for one night at least, Arsene Wenger’s side were on top of the world.
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Early on it looked like Pep Guardiola’s Barca would come away with the win, as they led the game for more than 50 minutes following David Villa’s opener, but a goal from Robin van Persie with 12 minutes to go set the Emirates alight, and 5 minutes later, the Gunners found a winner through Andrey Arshavin.
Despite the smash-and-grab feel of the goals, though, this win was anything but. Instead, it was a night in which Wenger’s philosophy of football – passing, flair and creativity – was kept firmly at the forefront, with midfielders Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and in particular, academy product Jack Wilshere shining against world-renowned names like Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
The fact that the Gunners only ceded 53% possession to Guardiola’s side – and had more attempts on goal than the Spanish giants – should tell you how good this performance was. It was Barcelona’s only loss in that season’s Champions League – and was a highlight of Wenger’s reign in North London.
#2 The return of a legend (2012)
There’s an old adage in life that says “never go back” – in a football sense, basically meaning that past glories can’t be repeated if a player returns to their old club. But in 2012, Arsenal fans were happy for that idea to be proven wrong when club legend and record scorer Thierry Henry returned to North London after nearly 5 years away, and despite being 34 years old, picked up right where he’d left off before his move to Barcelona.
Henry was brought back on an emergency loan deal from New York Red Bulls in January 2012 to provide cover for the absent Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh – both of whom were playing in the Africa Cup of Nations – and while the deal made sense for both parties (it gave the Frenchman a chance to play during the MLS off-season and meant Arsenal didn’t need to spend money on a new player) a lot of fans were cynical and felt that the legend’s return was nothing more than a marketing scam.
Those cynics were proven wrong, however, when Henry was brought on as a substitute in an FA Cup match against EFL Championship side Leeds United – and promptly scored the winning goal just 10 minutes later, sending the Emirates into raptures. It was Henry’s 227th goal for the club, re-affirming his spot as the Gunners’ greatest ever forward.
The Frenchman played a further 5 games during the loan period, eventually signing off with one more goal – a stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Sunderland – before moving back to the US midway through February 2012. In the end, the move couldn’t have gone any better for Arsenal and Henry and it was the perfect way for him to end his career at the club.
#3 The trophy drought ends (2014)
As the decade neared to its midway point, Arsenal’s trophy drought was beginning to become a huge deal for the club. They’d won the FA cup in 2004-05, but had not been able to find their hands on any silverware for the following 9 years, meaning the pressure was on when they suddenly became massive favourites to capture the same trophy in 2013-14.
Arsenal defeated Everton 4-1 in the quarter-finals of the tournament, putting them into a semi-final against EFL Championship side Wigan Athletic, with the winner facing off with either League One team Sheffield United or Premier League strugglers Hull City in the final. Surely even the Gunners couldn’t screw this opportunity up?
As it turned out, they nearly did, drawing 1-1 with Wigan in the semis before defeating the Latics 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out. That set up a final against Hull, and it was clear from the off that Arsene Wenger’s side were feeling the pressure. The Tigers somehow found themselves in a 2-0 lead after just 8 minutes, and it appeared that Arsenal’s wait for a trophy would continue.
But Wenger’s men were able to show a ton of heart to come back – Santi Cazorla pulling a goal back in the first half before Laurent Koscielny equalised with just under 20 minutes to go. By that point the Gunners’ class was beginning to shine through, with Wenger’s side dominating in all areas, and midway through extra-time, Aaron Ramsey struck a winner to end a painful drought, sparking wild celebrations in North London.
#4 Upsetting the odds in the FA Cup (2017)
2016-17 wasn’t the best season for Arsenal; not only did bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur finish above them in the Premier League for the first time since 1994-95, but they also failed to finish in the top 4 for the first time during Arsene Wenger’s reign at the club. To lighten the mood of Gunners fans, though, the team managed to pick up some silverware in the form of the FA Cup, against the odds, too.
Not only were Arsenal faced with Antonio Conte’s Chelsea – who had won the Premier League title – in the final, but they were also forced to do it with a somewhat makeshift defence, as Gabriel Paulista, Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny were all unavailable, meaning Wenger was forced to play with a three-man defence consisting of Nacho Monreal alongside veteran Per Mertesacker – who had played just once during the season – and the inexperienced Rob Holding.
Stunningly though, Wenger’s defence held up, with Mertesacker and Holding both having fantastic games to largely keep Chelsea’s formidable attack – which contained Pedro, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard – in check. The Gunners took the lead after just 4 minutes through Alexis Sanchez, and when Chelsea’s Victor Moses was sent off in the second half, it looked like a remarkable victory was within reach.
The nerves of Gunners fans were shredded in the 76th minute when Costa equalised, though, and for a moment it looked like Conte’s side would complete a dramatic comeback – but just 3 minutes later, Arsenal regained the lead through an Aaron Ramsey header, giving Wenger an unlikely and dramatic FA Cup victory – his final one as Gunners boss.
#5 Wenger departs after two decades (2018)
This moment hardly covered Arsenal in glory, but it was hugely memorable nonetheless and if anything, was probably the biggest moment for the club in the entire decade. Some Arsenal fans had begun to turn on longtime manager Arsene Wenger – who took over the reins at the club back in 1996 – years before his eventual departure, but the entire football world was rocked on April 20th, 2018 when he announced he’d be leaving the Emirates at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Over his 22 years in North London, not only had Wenger won a multitude of trophies – including 3 Premier League titles, among them the famous ‘Invincible’ season of 2003-04 – but he’d widely revolutionised the game in England, introducing many changes in areas ranging from scouting and training to players’ diets.
He’d also turned the likes of Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas into genuine world-class players, often shifting their original playing positions in the process.
Sure, his Arsenal sides hadn’t come close to winning the Premier League for some years prior to his departure, but it was hard to blame Wenger himself for that; the Gunners simply hadn’t been in a financial position to compete with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.
In the end, despite finishing in 6th place in his final season, Wenger signed off on a high note, watching his team hammer Burnley 5-0 in his final home match before ending the season with an 0-1 win over Huddersfield. And while some Gunners fans were happy to see him go, more of them – and more neutrals too – were sad to see a genuine legend walk away, ending an era in the Premier League in the process.
