Remembering The Invincibles: Manchester City vs Arsenal

Arsenal’s Sylvain Wiltord celebrates after scoring the equalising goal

This was the match that saw “Mad” Jens Lehmann line up opposite the man he replaced between the Arsenal sticks, David Seaman. At the end of the 2002/03 season Arsène Wenger saw fit to part ways with “Safe Hands” Seaman to the chagrin of many Gooners. After thirteen years at Arsenal framed with nine trophies and bags full of England caps, Gooners were understandably hesitant to wave goodbye to frankly the best English keeper since Shilton (or maybe even Banks) and the best keeper in the land if it wasn’t for that pesky Schmeichel, although that is still hotly debated.

Age creeps up on you in this game and if Gooners were honest with themselves they probably saw the beginning of the end during the 2002 World Cup when a certain orthodontically challenged Brazilian by the name of Ronaldinho lobbed David from 40 yards. He managed to finish his Arsenal career on a high, winning the FA Cup, having produced possibly his greatest ever save in the semi-final against Sheffield United.

Anyway, thanks for the memories David, on to the City match 31/8/03.

Teams:

Arsenal:Lehmann, Lauren, Keown, Touré, Cole, Ljungberg, Gilberto, Vieira, Pires, Henry, Wiltord Subs: Taylor, Cygan, Parlour, Edu, Bergkamp

Manchester City:Seaman, Distin, Jihai, Sommeil, Bosvelt, Tarnat, Sinclair, Wright-Phillips, Barton, Sibierski, Anelka Subs: Weaver, Dunne, Tiatto, Berkovic, Fowler

The Match:

Unlike the unstoppable Arsenal of late, the team started slowly and shakily. Ten minutes into the game Sinclair burst down the left hand side in a chase with Lauren who took a heavy first touch and then comically slid past Lehmann for a truly awful own goal with a weird left foot touch.

The first half went without further incident but will be remembered for bringing about one of Wenger’s rare rants. It was reported that Arsène tore into the Arsenal team at half-time demanding to know if they wanted to be champions and commanding the team prove it by playing like champions in the second half.

Fredrik Ljungberg celebrates after scoring the second goal for Arsenal

It worked. The second half ignited 2 minutes in when Cole’s pass was met by Wiltord to tuck it under Seaman for the equaliser. Arsenal seemed invigorated by this goal and went on the attack, claiming a second goal and ultimately the winner in the 72nd minute.

The Invincibles were the masters at turning defence into attack and opposition set-pieces into goals. Within a minute of Manchester City putting a long free-kick into the hands of Lehmann they had made rapid fire passes to up the right flank, lost the ball, pressed City to conceding the ball back to them within two passes, zipped the ball from one, to two, to three to a chip into the box for the goal.

Pires burst into the box to collect the chipped pass and his scrappy “effort” was deflected off Seaman straight to Ljungberg who made no bones about putting it past his former colleague.

The Arsenal goal highlights are split over two videos:

Result:1-2 win

Standing:Played 4: Won 4: Drew 0: Lost 0