To celebrate Le Professor reaching 15 years as Arsenal boss, we look at some of the highlights in his years at Highbury and the Emirates.
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15. Arsenal reach Champions League final – 2006
Arsene Wenger led his team into the Champions League final for the first time in the club’s history and faced the mighty Barcelona.
Arsenal had kept a record 10 successive clean sheets on their way to the final in Paris – despite having Philippe Senderos and Mathieu Flamini in defence.
But Barcelona were strong too with Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Carlos Puyol providing the spine for Frank Rijkaard’s Catalans.
The Gunners task was made even trickier when after 17 minutes Jens Lehmann caught the trailing leg of Eto’o. Ludovic Giuly tapped into an empty net but referee Terje Hauge overruled the goal, awarded a free kick on the edge of the box and sent off Lehmann.
But Wenger’s players rallied and on 37 minutes came the moment that nearly won the trophy. Thierry Henry whipped in a free-kick from the right and Sol Campbell ghosted in to tower a header past Victor Valdes.
For much of the second half it seemed like this impossible mission would be accomplished. Henry and Freddie Ljungberg even had chances to put the tie to bed.
But 13 minutes from time, Eto’o struck home from an acute angle. Soon after Juliano Belletti fired the winner in off substitute stopper Manuel Almunia.
The dream was over.
14. Ian Wright becomes club’s record goal scorer – 1997
‘Wrighty’ wrote his name into Arsenal folklore by breaking Cliff Bastin’s club record of 178 goals.
At the start of the 199798 season, Wright had 174 goals and three goals in the opening two games of the season – against Leeds and Coventry – moved him to within a goal of Bastin’s mark.
Suddenly, Wright’s torrent of goals dried up. He went three games without finding the net – rare for a man with Wright’s scoring rate – and an international break extended his drought to over a month.
When Bolton visited north London on September 13, Wright just wanted it done and dusted.
Bolton took a shock lead at Highbury but, 20 minutes in, Wright latched onto a pass and drove firmly past Keith Branagan into the bottom corner.
No doubt relieved to end his barren run, Wright ripped off his shirt to reveal the message: ‘179 – Just Done It’. In fact, it was No 178.
The T-shirt would get a more timely airing just five minutes later.
Patrick Vieira challenged for a loose ball and, with the keeper stranded, Wright had a tap-in from no more than five yards. Of all his 179 goals for Arsenal, it was probably the simplest.
Cue pandemonium at Highbury.
The whole Arsenal side rushed to congratulate the club’s new record goalscorer and the home fans gave the striker an ovation which lasted long after Bolton were ready to restart the game.
It was the perfect day for a man who deserves his place in history as an Arsenal great.
13. Arsenal beat Chelsea to win the FA Cup – 2002
A year earlier, Michael Owen had won Liverpool the FA Cup with two late goals against Arsene Wenger’s men.
Arsenal turned up determined to not let history repeat itself and clinch a third double – the second under Wenger.
Chelsea were the opposition this time but the Blues enjoyed few sights of goal with Tony Adams and David Seaman commanding the Gunners defence.
But the west Londoners had no answer to the Gunners strike force and inparticluar two stunning strikes from Ray Parlour and Freddie Ljunberg.
Adams lifted the trophy with the man who would succeed him, Patrick Vieira. While Lee Dixon lapped up the atmosphere at his last showpiece occasion.
12. Move to the Emirates – 2006
Many were sad to leave Highbury but the move to the Emirates would ensure Arsenal would remain a force in world football.
Arsenal announced its proposals to move to a new stadium at Ashburton Grove in November 1999. Planning consent was secured three years later and construction began in February 2004.
The imposing North and South Bridges were in place within six months and, in October 2004, the venue was officially named Emirates Stadium.
In 2006 the stadium opened for business.
Its first game was Dennis Bergkamp’s testimonia. Few would argue that the Emirates has not lived up to expectations.
It is acknowledged as one of the finest football stadiums in the world and was sold out for every first-team game in its opening season.
Highbury will always be Arsenal’s spiritual home, but Emirates Stadium is the key to the future.
11. Arsenal beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu – 2006
No English side had beaten Real Madrid on their own patch. Arsène Wenger’s young side overcame a crippling injury list to try and change all that.
A virtuoso goal from Thierry Henry two minutes after the interval was enough to secure a famous victory.
But this was no smash-and-grab raid by an English outfit counter-attacking on the continent. Arsenal could and should have won by more.
Cesc Fabregas fed Henry in the centre circle and the striker held off Ronaldo and skipped past Alvaro Mejia and Guti before racing into the area and muscling past Sergio Ramos.
He planted an angled shot past Casillas and into the far corner of the net. It was stunning even by Henry’s high standards.
The 28-year-old celebrated his 34th Arsenal goal in the Champions League by running towards to the 3,500-strong visiting support with his arms out wide.
Madrid tried to respond but Arsenal’s back four, superbly marshalled by Kolo Toure, held firm.
Wenger agrued ‘belief’ and defensive stability would be fundamental to his side’s chances against a Madrid side packed with stellar talents like Zinedine Zidane, Raul and Ronaldo. In the end, they displayed both qualities in abundance.
Those qualities were on show once more 15 days later as a 0-0 draw in the second leg at Highbury was sufficient to take Arsenal into the last eight of the Champions League. The Final beckoned.
10. Arsenal thrash Inter Milan 5-1 at the San Siro – 2003
Arsenal headed to the San Siro knowing they would have been eliminated from the Champions League if they lost.
Instead, they overcame injuries and the spectre of Inter’s 3-0 win at Highbury two months earlier to inflict the Milan club’s heaviest home defeat in 47 years of European football.
It was a proud night for stand-in captain Ray Parlour and the travelling fans who reworked their ‘One-nil to the Arsenal’ chant to ‘Five-one in the San Siro’.
But the star of this particular show was undoubtedly Thierry Henry.
The French striker broke the deadlock in the 25th minute and despite Inter drawing level, Arsenal were soon back in charge.
Freddie Ljungberg restored their lead from Henry’s pass before the Frenchman himself secured victory with the goal of the game five minutes from time.
Collecting Parlour’s header on the halfway line, Henry raced away from Javier Zanetti and checked his run before bursting past the Argentina captain once more to hammer a left-foot shot past Francesco Toldo and in off the post.
It was the perfect demonstration of Henry’s remarkable ability – pace, strength, skill and lethal finishing.
There was more for Arsenal’s fans to enjoy as Inter’s defence fell to pieces. Henry helped set up a fourth goal for Edu before Jeremie Aliadiere, on as a substitute, played in Robert Pires to complete an incredible 5-1 scoreline.
9. Dennis Bergkamp scores the best ever hat-trick – 1997
Dennis Bergkamp has a portfolio of classic goals to savour from his Arsenal career. But this was special, even by the Dutch master’s soaring standards.
Bergkamp single-handedly put Leicester to the sword with a magnificent hat-trick but, incredibly, did not end up on the winning side.
Bergkamp curled a shot into the top corner after nine minutes and doubled Arsenal’s lead just after the hour mark. The points seemed secure but Emile Heskey set up a grandstand finish and Matt Elliott grabbed an unlikely equaliser.
That seemed to be that but Bergkamp had other ideas. A darting run into the left-hand side of the penalty area was picked out by David Platt’s perfect lofted pass but it was what happened next which will stick long in the memory.
Bergkamp killed the ball in an instant with a feather-like first touch and then flicked it back past Elliott with his left foot. While the defender floundered, Bergkamp placed the ball into the top corner past a helpless Kasey Keller.
It was a moment of pure genius.
An even later header from Steve Walsh earned Leicester a 3-3 draw and denied Bergkamp the ‘matchwinner’ tag he so richly deserved.
Nonetheless, the Dutchman still rates his third goal that night as his finest in an Arsenal shirt.
8. Arsene Wenger clinches his first double – 1998
Two weeks after clinching the league against Everton – thanks to that Tony Adams goal – Arsenal headed to Wembley for the FA Cup final against Newcastle.
Arsenal were short of their brilliant best but were too strong for Kenny Dalglish’s side. A goal in either half clinched the club’s seventh FA Cup and its second Double.
The final whistle confirmed Arsenal’s status as English football’s finest and further vindicated the decision in 1996 to appoint Wenger as manager.
The Frenchman was a virtual unknown when he arrived; a Double in his first full season silenced any remaining doubters.
7. Thierry Henry scores hat-trick on Highbury farewell – 2005
On an afternoon of excruciating tension and almost unending drama, Arsenal said goodbye to Highbury after 93 years.
The Gunners secured the fourth and final Champions League place with a dramatic 4-2 win over Wigan Athletic, stealing it from under the noses of arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal had to at least match Spurs’ result at West Ham to secure top flight European football.
Robert Pires put Arsene Wenger’s side ahead in the early stages. But Wigan were out to spoil the party and silenced the home crowd with strikes from Paul Scharner and David Thompson.
Thierry Henry again came to Arsenal’s rescue by equalising to send the teams into the break level. Spurs were being held 1-1.
Henry came out for the second half in determined mood and single-handedly dragged his team to victory.
He completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot with 14 minutes left and kissed the Highbury turf in celebration. It was a fitting way for the ground’s most prolific striker to sign off
The 2010th and final game at Arsenal’s wonderful old ground had produced one final memory to treasure.
“Highbury is just a special place.” said Henry afterwards. His words echoed the feelings of Arsenal fans everywhere.
6. Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona – 2011
The greatest football team in a generation came to the Emirates in confident mood especially having knocked out Arsenal from the Champions League a year earlier.
Lionel Messi, Xavi, David Villa, Andres Iniesta – the names just rolled off the tongue – but the Gunners had wanted to put the record straight.
Barca were famous for their passing style of attractive football but Arsenal also wanted to prove they can play pretty football. It was a mouth-watering tie.
The Spanish side dominated the opening period and went ahead through David Villa. But Arsenal never let their heads drop and inspired by Jack Wilshere grew in confidence.
Robin van Persie drew the sides level before a classic Arsenal counter-attack saw Andrey Arshavin secure a valuable win and a first-leg lead.
Arsene Wenger’s men proved they could mix it with the best club in the world.
5. Thierry Henry becomes club’s record goal scorer – 2005
When Ian Wright eclipsed Cliff Bastin’s goal record, everyone thought that record would never be broken in our life time.
But in the summer of 1999, a young French winger arrived who Arsene Wenger turned into one of the world’s most deadly strikers and the finest player to ever grace the Premier League.
Henry studied videos of Wright and the two became friends but Wrights record was surpassed in October 2005 – lasting only eights years and 35 days.
The Frenchman’s double against Sparta Prague meant he had scored 186 goals in only 303 appearances.
Henry went on to score 226 goals for Arsenal, netting for the final time in the 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.
An incredible achievement from an incredible individual.
4. Arsenal make it 49 games unbeaten – 2004
Arsene Wenger wrote his name into the history books by leading his team on the longest unbeaten run from May 2003 to October the following year.
A home defat to Leeds which handed the title to Manchester United kick started the sequence and took in the famous Invincible season.
There were narrow escapes along the way. A controversial penalty won by Robert Pires secured a point against Portsmouth; while Ruud van Nistelrooy’s late penalty miss at Old Trafford is well remembered.
Wenger had built a team to compare with any side in Europe. Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure at the back, Patrick Vieira and Pires in midfield and Thierry Henry partnering Dennis Bergkamp up front.
Nottingham Forest’s record of 42 games unbeaten had stood for 26 years. Arsenal matched it on August 22, 2004 but so nearly blew their chance, digging deep to turn a 3-1 deficit into a resounding 5-3 victory.
Three days later Henry, Cesc Fabregas and Jose Antonio Reyes were on target as Arsenal wrote themselves into the history books by beating Blackburn at Highbury.
Wenger’s team extended their record to 49 games, scoring freely and playing some of the finest football the English game has seen.
Played 49, Won 36, Drawn 13, Lost None.
3. Arsene Wenger clinches first Premier League title – 1998
Just 10 months after Arsene Wenger was appointed manager he had guided the Gunners to their first ever Premier League title.
Bolstered by shrewd signings such as Emmanuel Petit, Marc Overmars and Nicolas Anelka, Wenger and Arsenal were set for an all-out assault on the 1997/98 title.
Success looked unlikely when the Gunners were plagued by inconsistency early on in the campaign.
A 3-1 home defeat to Blackburn on December 13 was the nadir, but also the catalyst for a 26-match unbeaten run.
Arsenal needed just three points from their remaining three games to lift the trophy but with tough trips to Anfield and Villa Park to follow, the visit of Everton to Highbury on May 3 was crucial.
Toffees defender Slaven Bilic headed into his own net early on before two Marc Overmars strikes all but secured the title. A carnival atmosphere began to spread but the season’s most memorable moment was yet to come.
With seconds remaining on the clock, ‘Mr Arsenal’ Tony Adams burst forward from well inside the Arsenal half and collected a pass from defensive partner Steve Bould.
The captain chested the ball down and rammed an unstoppable left-foot shot into the corner. Four-nil. Arsenal were champions again.
2. Arsenal clinch the double at Old Trafford – 2002
Sylvain Wiltord will never be forgotten after scoring the goal which clinched the Double at Old Trafford.
The 2001/02 title race was closely-fought and full of twists and turns, but Arsenal pulled clear of Manchester United and Liverpool by winning their final 13 Premier League fixtures.
Few begrudged Arsene Wenger’s side its success as they scored in every single league game en route to the title. That was a testament to their manager’s attacking ethos.
For once, the FA Cup final was played before the climax of the season. Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-0 with goals from Ray Parlour and Freddie Ljungberg.
The headed to Old Trafford four days later in high spirits, needing just a point to complete the club’s third Double.
Despite the absence of Tony Adams, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Player of the Year Robert Pires, Arsenal were not going to be denied.
Wenger’s men controlled much of the game and it was no surprise when the visitors broke the deadlock 12 minutes into the second half.
Parlour won possession and fed Ljungberg, who broke into the penalty area before firing a low shot towards goal. Fabien Barthez parried but Wiltord slammed in the rebound.
A ‘Champions Section’ banner took pride of place in the away end at Old Trafford. After the final whistle, the gold-shirted Gunners sprinted over to their fans to enjoy one of the proudest moments.
1. Invincibles win the Premier League at White Hart Lane – 2004
What could possibly beat lifting the title at Old Trafford? Well doing it at White Hart Lane of course!
The Gunners clinched their second championship title at the ground of their most fierce rivals – the first being in 1971.
Arsenal were currently unbeaten in all 33 league games that season and the title was surely going to Arsene Wenger but the only dispute was where it would be secured.
Second-placed Chelsea were beaten by Newcastle in an earlier kick-off, so Arsenal’s task became clearer – one point in the north London derby to be crowned champions.
The visitors raced out of the blocks and took a third-minute lead through Patrick Vieira thanks to fine work from Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.
The Dutchman set up the second with a beautifully-weighted pass for Vieira as the skipper surged into the penalty area and cut the ball back for Robert Pires.
Spurs fought back to earn a point but only because Arsenal took their foot off the gas, but the Tottenham faithful still had to watch the Arsenal clinch the league.
Arsenal fans have been reminding the enemy of it ever since.
It must really grind the gears of the Tottenham supporters to know Arsenal have won more Premier League title a White Hart Lane than their own team.