Gallant Gunners hard done by harsh decisions

10 heroes 1 Fallen warrior fought Barcelona for 76 minutes on the highest stage of European football. Arsenal's young lads fought hard and were undone by several bad decisions by the referee and brought an end to their glorious campaign. The fitting finale, the dream final for the coveted prize on the fitting stage of Paris was spoilt when Jens Lehmann was sent off for a foul on Eto after Arsenal had started so brightly and were the better team till then. Henry could have scored a brilliant opener in the second minute and Arsenal looked like dominating the Catalans in the opening exchanges. As fate would have it, Lehmann was sent off in the 18th minute but Arsenal played bravely and took the lead in the 38th minute through Sol Campbell's header. For the next 40 minutes the Gunners were in complete control of the game and even had a couple of great chances. Henry skipped past a couple of defenders majestically and had a one on one with Valdes, Ljunberg had his shot saved, Hleb was unfortunate and it looked Arsenal were all set to rule Europe. Barcelona's big guns tried hard without much luck but when Henrik Larson entered the fray there was more bite in the attack. Eventually in the 76th minute barcelona scored which turned out to be an offside later on. From then on it was very hard for Arsenal with the momentum being with Barca and doom struck in the 80th minute. After that was a piece of cheap football b Barcelona keeping the ball in their own half. Barcelona might have won the Champions League but Arsene Wenger's men would have surely won more fans by their fabulous effort. Its just an indication of things to come with Henry deciding to stay with Arsenal for the rest of his career. This young team would definetely play with lots of style
and grace the footballing field.

Gunners bring the curtains down at Highbury in style

What more could you expect in a day, End of an era at Highbury after 93 years, retirement of Dennis "Master" Bergkamp, the anxiety of next year's champions league football. It all ended perfectly for this great North London team who play with a swagger right after a man named Arsene Wenger took the reins of the club.

It all ended in the best possible way any human could dream off after moments of agony and ecstasy combined and interwoven together. When Wigan took the lead in the middle of the first half compunded by Totenham's equalizer at almost the same moment, it looked as though it would be a sad farewell to Highbury but it was not to be. Roll over 90 seconds you had the mercurial Frenchman Thierry Henry levelling it for Arsenal. Such was the excitement at the ground that the crowd kept their radio sets glued to their ears keeping tabs on the action at Upton park where West Ham were battling Tottenham. Henry scored his 9th hat trick in his peerless career at North London and put off any scares and anxiety. At the other end West ham scored through Benyouni, which effectively meant Tottenham had to score 2 goals in 10 minutes. The task has been accomplished, Arsenal will play in next season's Champions league at the Ashburton Grove. Sad the achievement's grace had to be stained with Tottenham's food poisoning saga.

It is going to be a spectacle playing at the new stadium with the professor leading his bright wards into Ashburton Grove. It may be Bergkamp's last season, Pires might follow with Henry and Cole, I am not even sure this young Arsenal team is ready to challenge Chelsea and Manchester United for the Premiership title but I am convinced that the flavour of Wenger football would continue. The game at its subliminal best which has graced Highbury for so long would continue at Ashburton Grove.


Ronaldinho! Who? Bring on Barcelona the young gunners are waiting for you at Paris with their astute guide Arsene Wenger and their leader Thierry Henry who grew up on the suburbs of Paris.