Arsenal’s last season at Highbury: Arsenal v Newcastle, 14 August 05

By Tony Attwood

I got this hopelessly wrong the other day through getting my notes inside out… but hopefully we are right this time – Arsenal’s final season at Highbury played in the redcurrent shirts.

For this game the words “‘Highbury 1913-2006”  were marked on the grass.

Jermaine Jenas got a red for attempting to decapitate Gilberto Silva on 32 minutes.   Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie scored late on.  Henry got a penalty on 81 minutes with Freddie Ljungberg chopped down by Charles N’Zogbia.  Then Ljunberg crossed six minutes later and Van Persie scored.

Arsene Wenger spoke after the game and said of the opposition, “They are a good side. It is never easy to play 10 men but I like the fact that we knew how to win because we kept patient…  We knew before our penalty we could score – we could smell the goal coming.”

Such elegance of speech and credit to the opposition was lost on Graeme Souness, a manager of whom most things have been said, and few of them complimentary.  He told everyone in his team not to speak to the press, proclaiming himself that, “If you speak your mind you end up in trouble…  They (the Newcastle team) are quite rightfully upset at things that went on out there.  I am protecting them from saying something that might land them in trouble.”

The Arsenal team:

Lehmann,

Lauren, Toure, Senderos, Cole,

Ljungberg, Silva, Fabregas (Hleb 72),

Pires (Flamini 84), Bergkamp (Van Persie 72), Henry.

Subs Not Used: Cygan, Almunia.

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See also…   Royal Arsenal

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