And the day finally arrived. Arsene Wenger offered to step down as manager of Premier League giants Arsenal at the end of the season, bringing down curtains on a decorated 22-year-old reign. The second half of the 68-year-old’s tenure divided fans from his own club, many of whom have been calling for him to vacate his post since the turn of the decade.
Wenger attracted critcicism from pundits and fans alike for his transfer dealings, the power he enjoyed at the north London club, and manner in which new-age managers left him playing catch-up in the title race. However, towards the close of the 21st century, he was widely regarded as one of the best in the business, and has reportedly turned down job offers from Real Madrid, Juventus and the England national team.
Wenger turned Arsenal into a attractive team around a possession-based game. Several young talents such as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieria, Ashley Cole, Robert Pires, Cesc Fabregas and Co entered the club as unknowns, but exited the arena as world beaters in their respective positions.
Wenger is also credited for taking on a rampaging Manchester United side under Sir Alex Ferguson and winning three league titles. The last of those wins – in 2004 – saw the Gunners go undefeated during the season, and remain the only team in the Premier League era to hold the record. Here are some of Wenger’s finest and lowest moments:
1998 – Premier League returns to Highbury
In the early-to-mid-1990s, Arsenal gained a notorious reputation of doing little more than grinding out wins under manager George Graham. Many of their fans didn’t complain. While they cheered “1-0 to the Arsenal”, the press and the opposition fans taunted them with chants of “Boring, boring Arsenal.” In his first full season as manager, Wenger made Arsenal into a slick winning machine.
United fell off the paces in the second half of the 1997-’98 season and Arsenal cashed in on their rivals’ downfall with a string of wins. The forward line of winger Marc Overmars, French youngster Nicolas Anelka, and Dutch maestro Dennis Bergkamp had everything – pace, skill, trickery and goals. In the middle of the park, a young Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit provided a solid spine for their team to work around.
Arsenal’s defence, which Wenger inherited, came for a lot of praise even as the attackers were running rings around opponents. Led by Tony Adams, the Premier League title returned to Highbury. Wenger came for much praise for his tactics, increased focus on fitness, and a style of play that was easy on the eye. They would also go on to lift the FA Cup by beating Newcastle United in the final.
2001-’02 – Premier League
Ferguson and Manchester United delivered a champions response post 1998, winning three Premier League titles on the bounce. The Red Devils continued their monopoly in the division and Wenger was feeling the heat. During this time, United had also won the treble and won the 1999-’00 season with a record margin of 18 points.
Henry came into his own as a forward and along with a refurbished forward line, which now included Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Sylvain Wiltord recreated the heights of 1997-’98. What was sweeter was that Arsenal’s title was secured with a win at Old Trafford. Their long-serving captain, Adams, got a fitting sending off to retirement with a comprehensive win over city rivals Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
The Invincibles
Arsenal’s barren league run post 2004 meant that this story has been told and retold by in many ways over the years. Wenger’s wards had several last-gap escapes during the course of the season. United nearly halted them in their tracks early into the season. Star striker Ruud van Nistelrooy’s stoppage-time penalty, though, hit the bar and sparked off one of one of the most infamous melee’s witnessed in Premier League history.
Henry, Vieria and rest of the pack grew from strength to strength. Jens Lehmann’s stupendous showing between the sticks meant that club legend David Seaman was hardly missed post hanging up his boots. The defence, shepherded by Sol Campbell was tough-as-nails on any given day.
The most dangerous area of the pitch, however, was the left flank. Cole and Pires simply could not be contained. To make matters worse for the opponents, Henry too would overload that area of the pitch, leaving defences backpeddling for cover. The only blip in the season was the Champions League, were Arsenal were tipped to go all the way. Chelsea grabbed an unlikely win at Highbury in the quarter-finals.
“The Big Ears” would be a trophy that would elude Wenger’s glittering silverware cabinet. History was made as Arsenal completed 38 games without losing a game.
The Inter demolition
Arsenal were trailing 1-3 as they headed into the second leg. Needing to win by two clear goals at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium, Henry took the tie by the scruff of its neck, playing a hand in all of Arsenal’s goals as they registered a comprehensive 5-1 win.
This performance, against a quality Inter Milan side, is widely regarded as among the finest performances by a Wenger side in the continent.
Champions League and Uefa Cup finals
What will really hurt when Wenger looks back at his tenure is that he was within striking distance of winning the Champions League and the Uefa Cup (Europa League in the modern day).
In the second-tier European competition, Arsenal lost out to Galatasaray on penalties in 2000. Their biggest heartbreak would come six years later in Paris. The stage was set for Wenger to get his hands on his first Champions League title in his home country. During the road to the final, Arsenal had stunned Real Madrid pulled off a last-gasp win against Villarreal.
Henry, their talisman, was culpable of missing a host of chances despite going down to 10 men. A tenacious Barcelona side, led by Sweden veteran Henrik Larsson, punished them in the last 15 minutes of the game through goals from Samuel Eto’o and unlikely hero Juliano Belletti.
