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Nostalgia Corner: Five great last minute winners
Date: 16 Mar 2010By Iron Man
Following Soopa Nik's last gasp winner at Hull which almost caused me to dislocate my shoulder in a fist-pumping frenzy, I became convinced that if (when?) Arsenal do win the FA Barclays Barclaycard bank Premiership EPL championship cup title this May, I will look back on this result and say 'that was the one wot won it for us!'. Many of you will disagree (and you'd be wrong) and say it was the Stoke game but for me, I was so numbed and angry by everything surrounding it, I really struggled to enjoy the victory.
The dramatic Hollywood style ending to Saturday's match, coupled with the flashy Sky Sports graphic to inform us that Arsenal have scored the most last minute goals this season, made me think back to other occasions when all was not looking so rosy in the gooner garden only for the team to rise up and snatch victory at the death and compile what I reckon to be my top five.
It's pretty obvious what should be considered the all time greatest last-gasp winner but as I was just 5 years old and more concerned about Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles and the like, I couldn't really grasp the significance of Michael Thomas' goal at Anfield at the time. Obviously, as I got older and learnt more about the history of our great club (NOT through reading Fever Pitch although 'tis a great book!) I was able to understand why the words “grabs” “It's” “for” “now” and “up” became the most famous to be associated with Arsenal FC.
In chronological order.
1993 v Sheffield Wednesday
Back when I was just a 9 year old Iron Boy, Iron Mum used to make me go shopping with her on most Saturdays regardless of the occasion. Iron Mum had no sentiment or care for things like football and so cup final day 1993 was just like any other weekend. Yes, my beloved Arsenal were in their first FA Cup final in my lifetime and I was walking around Sainsburys. Thanks Iron Mum! When I finally got home that day, I had to wait until the evening news to tell me the result (We didn't have teletext). 1-1. Not too bad. As disappointed as I was that we hadn't won, I was over the moon about the fact the replay would be taking place on the following Thursday. Yes!!
Saying that, I wasn't optimistic. Sheffield Wednesday had finished above us in the league (thanks in part to a 1-0 win at Hillsborough just a few weeks earlier), were already out for revenge after the coca-cola cup final that same season and by all accounts were the better side in the first game. We'd also just ended our league campaign with a 3-1 defeat to the spuds, AT HOME!!
And so came Thursday. Wrighty gave us a 1-0 lead but former spud Chris Waddle of all people got the equaliser. The game dragged on and my pessimistic memory seems to think it was all Wednesday. But they couldn't break the gunners down and needed an extra 30 if they were to finish the job. As an aside, Iron Mum vindicated herself from the previous Saturday's antics by allowing me to stay up past my bedtime to watch extra time. Andy Linighan had broken his nose earlier in the game but soldiered on. Could you imagine that happening with the pansies that play football today?? He was to get his reward in the dying embers of the game as the first ever FA Cup final penalty shoot-out was looming. From a last minute corner, Linighan rose high above and planted a header past Chris Woods and despite the efforts of the Wedsnesday defenders on the line, the game and an unprecedented (I think) cup double were won. I can still hear Martin Tyler's voice on commentary “Goal for Arsenal. They've won the cup”. So simple, so fitting. Cue Pandemonium.
1999 v Chelsea - Kanu
Having been whooped by 4-2 Barcelona at Wembley just a couple of days earlier, a trip to Stamford Bridge was probably the last place the boss would have picked to try and 'bounce back'. The Chavs hadn't conceded at home all season and won 5-0 against Galatasaray while Figo, Rivaldo et al were giving Arsenal a footballing lesson in the week. Even the most optimistic of gooners would have had that sinking feeling.
This were the days just before wall-to-wall TV coverage and internet streaming. I remember listening to the match on the radio and the commentators were telling us how bad the weather was. A grey day about to get even more gloomy as Tore Andre Flo gave Chelsea a 1-0 lead. Crap! At half time all the pundits were saying that the next goal would crucial. If Arsenal scored it, game on. But if the chavs were to score then there would surely be no way back. The records say Petrescu made it 2-0 on 53 but in my mind I remember it as almost immediately after kick off. Either way, I stopped listening to go and play playstation or watch old episodes of the Fresh Prince. Good old teenage angst, what would I ever have done without you?
Needless to say, it wasn't the best decision of my life as at full time I received a phone call from a friend who was uncharacteristically happy. “THREE-TWO!!! THREE-TWO!! THREE-TWO!!!” was all I heard.
Turns out Kanu single-handedly turned the game on it's head with a superb hat-trick. The third, for me, is still one of the best goals in Arsenal history. The lanky Nigerian had the ball on the touchline. Chav keeper De Goey inexplicably charged out to close him down but Kanu with his bizzare style, tricked the Dutchman with an unbelievable bit of skill and from an almost impossible angle curled the ball over the heads of the retreating Chelsea defenders into the top corner to win the game. Cue Pandemonium.
2001 v Aston Villa - Henry
One game many might not remember but certainly a key game in this title winning campaign. Having just picked up a famous 3-1 win over Juventus in the week, we faced a Villa side who were actually top of the league just one month before. As the game started, everyone must have still been congratulating themselves for successfully beating The Old Lady because Arsenal old boy Paul Merson was left free to chip over Stuart Taylor and give Villa the lead. Some comical defending allowed Steve Stone to make it 2-0 before half time.
Whatever Le Boss said at Half time worked a treat as Wiltord pulled one back almost immediately after the restart. Henry levelled things up before a poor Peter Enklemen kick in the 90th minute was pounced upon. As Arsenal streamed forward, Henry found himself one-on-on with the Villa keeper and there was only to be one winner. Cue Pandemonium.
2007 v Man Utd – Henry
The first year at the Emirates was far from a memorable one. An awful start to the season saw Arsenal well off the pace by the time the team finally got their shit together and remembered how to win a game or six. After the first four games, The Arsenal were actually hovering above the relegation zone! The team eventually meandered into fourth but were never in the title race. The season's main highlight was the Carling Cup run. Baptista's four goal haul at Anfield and the epic semi-final against the spuds the two high points. However, my first trip to the Millennium stadium was a miserable one. What followed was the ultimate capitulation as Arsenal lost that final 2-1 to the chavs and exited both the FA Cup and Champions League in the space of 10 days effectively ending the season before the clocks went forward.
It wasn't all bad though, Adebayor had secured our first victory at Old Toilet in years with a goal against the debt-ridden scarf-waving Paupers from Salford. They were top of the league and flying when they made their first trip to our new home and naturally looking for revenge. A cagey first half failed to separate the sides before the Granny shagging hub cap stealing scouser gave them an undeserved lead in the second half. Robin van Persie soon equalised but in the process broke his foot which just about summed up the season.
As the game was heading towards a draw, Emmanuel Eboue bombed forward, played a great one-two with Rosicky before putting in a cross that Thierry Henry directed into the top corner to produce what was in my mind, the first Emirates stadium classic. Unfortunately he ruined it all with that stupid dance him and Adebayor used to do. But still: Cue Pandemonium like you wouldn't believe!
2010 v Hull City – Bendtner
This one, I'm sure is fresh in your memories. Hull KR Rugby League side hosted The Arsenal at the KC stadium. The home side imposed themselves with a number of hefty challenges and generally dirty play whereas Arsenal were dictating the play with actual football. Despite the two teams playing different sports, Arsenal took the lead and should have been further ahead before allowing Hull back into the game via a soft and wholly unjust penalty. George Boateng's disgraceful 'tackle' on Sagna saw him receive a second yellow card and go off. To their credit, Hull defended amazingly with 10 men and just as it looked like Arsenal had blown a fantastic opportunity, a swerving Denilson shot was palmed out by Hull keeper Boaz Myhill straight into the path of Nicklas Bendtner to win the game for The Gunners in the 93rd minute of the game. Cue potential shoulder dislocating pandemonium.
If there's any I've missed, feel free to put them in the comments.
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It depends how this season ends up going down as to whether I'd go for Bendtner's or the late two at Stoke...
I have a funny feeling we'll be bagging ourselves some more tense as late victories this season, especially with Citeh and the Spuds still to play.
Good article.
I was able to relive the moments when ESPN classic showed it few months ago.
What a match? Papilo!
Happy memories.
Great article Iron Man.
I watched the said Chelsea game with a Chelsea supporting housemate at Uni and at 2 nil he kindly got me in a head lock and being twice me size bundled me to the floor. What I did to him at 3-2 for Kanu's beautiful winning goal is not appropriate for this website so I shall have to keep to myself
0-1 Champions for the first time in 18 years........