2002–03 Arsenal F.C. season
The 2002–03 season was Arsenal Football Club's 11th season in the Premier League and their 77th consecutive season in the top flight of English football.[1][2] The club retained the FA Cup, a feat last achieved by Tottenham Hotspur in 1982, but finished runners-up to Manchester United in the Premier League. In the UEFA Champions League, defeat to Valencia in the second group stage meant Arsenal exited the competition at the same round for the second successive year.
| 2002–03 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood |
| Manager | Arsène Wenger |
| Stadium | Highbury |
| Premier League | 2nd |
| FA Cup | Winners |
| League Cup | Third round |
| FA Community Shield | Winners |
| UEFA Champions League | Second group stage |
| Top goalscorer | League: Thierry Henry (24) All: Thierry Henry (32) |
| Highest home attendance | 38,164 vs Manchester United (16 April 2003) |
| Lowest home attendance | 19,059 vs Sunderland (6 November 2002) |
| Average home league attendance | 38,041 |
Arsenal began the new campaign as league and cup double winners, and manager Arsène Wenger sought improvement in the Champions League, a competition the club failed in. The retirement of defender Tony Adams meant French midfielder Patrick Vieira was appointed as captain; Pascal Cygan was signed as a replacement in defence. Other recruitments included defensive midfielders Gilberto Silva and Kolo Touré, while goalkeepers Alex Manninger and Richard Wright departed to join Espanyol and Everton respectively.
In the league, a 4–1 win against Leeds United in September meant the club broke the record for scoring in consecutive games (47), and away league games without defeat (22). The club began 2003 in first position, but subsequently floundered; a draw to Aston Villa in April allowed Manchester United to move joint top. A further draw at Bolton Wanderers meant the league championship was, mathematically, out of Arsenal's hands and defeat to Leeds a week after ended their chances of retaining the league. Consolation came in retaining the FA Cup; a solitary goal scored by midfielder Robert Pires was enough to beat Southampton in the 2003 final.
30 different players represented the club in five competitions and there were 17 different goalscorers. Arsenal's top goalscorer was Thierry Henry, who scored 32 goals in 55 appearances.
Background edit
Arsenal began the 2001–02 season in good form and a win against Liverpool in December 2001 – having gone down to ten men in the first half, helped them move second in the table.[3] A draw against Southampton on 2 February 2002 started a run of 13 consecutive league wins – a new record, beginning against Everton.[4] Arsenal won the league away to Manchester United at Old Trafford on 8 May 2002; the winning goal was scored by Sylvain Wiltord in the second half.[5] The result meant the team were unbeaten away from home all season, and in scoring four goals against Everton on the final day, became the first team to score in every league match they played.[6] Arsenal completed the double, having beaten Chelsea 2–0 in the 2002 FA Cup Final.
Wenger hoped his team's success would begin an era of dominating English football for years to come, citing a "shift of power".[7] He moreover aimed for significant improvement in the Champions League, a competition where the club failed to reach higher than the quarter-finals.[8] Such was Arsenal's impressive form in late summer, Wenger commented that his team could go the entire season undefeated.[a]
Arsenal's kit sponsorship with O2 came into action in the 2002–03 season, replacing SEGA Dreamcast.[10]
Transfers edit
Wenger appointed midfielder Patrick Vieira as captain after Tony Adams announced his retirement from football.[11] Defender Lee Dixon left the club after 14 years, retiring at the age of 38.[12] Arsenal did not spend big in the transfer market unlike their rivals and only made subtle additions to the squad: World Cup winner Gilberto Silva and defender Pascal Cygan. English duo Martin Keown and goalkeeper David Seaman extended their stay at the club for two and one more years respectively.
In the January transfer window, defender Matthew Upson was sold to Birmingham City and midfielder Steve Sidwell joined Reading on an undisclosed fee.[13] Goalkeeper Guillaume Warmuz signed a short-term contract with Arsenal, as cover for Seaman, Stuart Taylor and Rami Shaaban.[13]
In edit
| No. | Position | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | DF | Pascal Cygan | Lille | £2,100,000 | 11 July 2002 | [14] |
| 19 | MF | Gilberto Silva | Atlético Mineiro | £4,500,000 | 7 August 2002 | [15] |
| 24 | GK | Rami Shaaban | Djurgården | Undisclosed | 30 August 2002 | [16] |
| 20 | GK | Guillaume Warmuz | Lens | Undisclosed | 31 January 2003 | [17] |
Out edit
| No. | Position | Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | DF | Lee Dixon | Retired | 1 July 2002 | [12] | |
| 6 | DF | Tony Adams | Retired | 1 July 2002 | [18] | |
| 37 | FW | Carlin Itonga | Released | 1 July 2002 | [19] | |
| 13 | GK | Alex Manninger | Espanyol | £960,000 | 4 July 2002 | [20] |
| 40 | MF | Rohan Ricketts | Tottenham Hotspur F.C. | Free transfer | 13 July 2002 | [21] |
| 24 | GK | Richard Wright | Everton | £3,500,000 | 24 July 2002 | [22] |
| 45 | MF | Steve Sidwell | Reading | Undisclosed | 20 January 2003 | [23] |
| 20 | DF | Matthew Upson | Birmingham City | £2,500,000 | 22 January 2003 | [24] |
Pre-season edit
To prepare for the upcoming season Arsenal played a number of friendlies. On 17 June, they played Stevenage for Paul Fairclough's managerial testimonial, then travelled abroad to play Austrian teams Neuberg, and Rapid Wien, before competing in the Tri-team pre-season tournament, also in Austria, winning matches against both Panathinaikos and Roma. Their last match in Austria consisted of a strong 3–1 win against 1860 Munich, before travelling to Belgium to play Beveren, and eventually back to England, beating Barnet in their final pre-season game.
| 27 July 2002 Friendly | Rapid Wien | 0–0 | Arsenal | Eisenstadt |
| 20:00 CEST | Stadium: Linden Stadium |
| 1 August 2002 Tri-team pre-Season Tournament | Arsenal | 1–0 | Panathinaikos | Kapfenberg |
| 19:00 CEST | Wiltord 28' | Stadium: Franz Fekete Stadium |
| 1 August 2002 Tri-team pre-Season Tournament | Arsenal | 2–1 | Roma | Kapfenberg |
| 21:00 CEST | Henry 4' Aliadière 44' | Batistuta 17' | Stadium: Franz Fekete Stadium |
Mid-Season Friendlies edit
During the season, Arsenal played a number of friendlies at their training ground in London Colney. The dates and details of these matches are displayed below.
| 11 September 2002 Friendly | Arsenal | 3–0 | Reading | London Colney |
| Cygan 25' Sidwell 73' Juan 88' (pen.) | Stadium: Arsenal Training Centre |
| 15 October 2002 Friendly | Arsenal | 5–1 | Queens Park Rangers | London Colney |
| 11:00 BST | Noble 49' Pires 60' Tavlaridis 73' Bentley 80' Edu 90' | Doudou 17' | Stadium: Arsenal Training Centre |
| 3 December 2002 Friendly | Arsenal | 3–0 | Millwall | London Colney |
| Kanu 61' (pen.), 74' Jeffers 63' | Stadium: Arsenal Training Centre |
| 14 January 2003 Friendly | Arsenal | 2–0 | Luton Town | London Colney |
| Jeffers 19', 52' | Stadium: Arsenal Training Centre |
FA Community Shield edit
As Premier League and FA Cup winners, Arsenal contested the 2002 FA Community Shield against league runners-up Liverpool. Gilberto, making his debut for Arsenal in the second half as a substitute, scored the winning goal, in a match where the team missed numerous chances.[27]
| 11 August 2002 Final | Arsenal | 1–0 | Liverpool | Cardiff |
| 14:00 BST | Gilberto Silva 68' | Stadium: Millennium Stadium Attendance: 67,337 Referee: Alan Wiley |
Premier League edit
A total of 20 teams competed in the Premier League in the 2002–03 season. Each team played 38 matches; two against every other team and one match at each club's stadium. Three points were awarded for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. At the end of the season the top two teams qualified for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League; teams in third and fourth needed to play a qualifier.[28]
August–October edit
"We're all fighting for second place now. It was demoralising. They just pass and move, pass and move. You find yourself working for nothing."
—Leeds midfielder Olivier Dacourt, 28 September 2002[29]
Arsenal began the season with a 2–0 home victory against promoted Birmingham City; goals from Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord extended the club's winning run to fourteen matches – a new top-flight record.[30] A late equaliser by Wiltord in their next match at West Ham United earned Arsenal a point, having trailed 2–0 in the first half.[31] Three days later, a 5–2 win against West Bromwich Albion moved Arsenal to the top of the league table.[32] Although they drew to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, having lost captain Vieira through a sending-off,[33] a win against Manchester City meant Arsenal leapfrogged local rivals Tottenham Hotspur to first position.[34] A 3–0 win at Charlton Athletic on 15 September 2002 pleased Wenger, who indicated after the match the league was theirs to lose: "We know we can win the league. We know we can be stronger. At this stage last season we were not as good as we are now."[35] Striker Kanu scored a stoppage time winner against Bolton Wanderers to win their eleventh successive home game.[36]
At Elland Road, Leeds United hosted Arsenal on 28 September 2002. Goals from Kolo Touré and Henry and a brace from Kanu ensured Arsenal eclipsed Nottingham Forest's record of 22 away league games without defeat[37] and scored in 47 consecutive league matches, breaking Chesterfield Town's achievement.[38] Wenger hailed the performance as "edging nearer to perfection",[39] adding it evoked memories of the Ajax team in the 1970s: "We are playing great, 'Total Football'. Danger comes from everywhere."[40] Leeds manager Terry Venables agreed: "Manchester United have been exceptional for 10 years – but I've not seen anything as good as that."[37]
Arsenal started October with a 3–1 win against Sunderland, breaking Manchester United's Premier League record of 30 matches unbeaten.[41] They however suffered their first defeat of the season, against Everton; teenager Wayne Rooney scored from long range in the last minute of the match.[42] Wenger used his post-match press conference to praise the striker: "At that age, Rooney is already a complete footballer. The guy can play. He's the best English under-20 I've seen since I came here [in 1996]."[43] In spite of dominating their next match against Blackburn Rovers – "27 goal attempts, 14 on target,"[44] Arsenal were beaten 2–1; the winning goal was scored by Dwight Yorke in the second half.[44] It was the team's third consecutive defeat in all competitions, their worst run since November 2000, and moved league leaders Liverpool four points clear at the top of the table.[44]
November–February edit
A Steve Marlet own goal gave Arsenal a much-needed 1–0 win against Fulham, ceasing their run of four defeats on 3 November 2002.[45] Another 1–0 win, this time against Newcastle United moved Arsenal one point behind leaders Liverpool.[46] Vieira's performance in particular was plauded in The Guardian as a "demonstration of tackling, control, awareness and movement that was exceptional even by his standards."[47] In the North London derby on 16 November 2002, Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotpsur 3–0 to go back at the top of the league table.[48] The opening goal, scored by Henry was later voted the Goal of the Season by viewers of ITV's The Premiership,[49] having picked up the ball from Arsenal's side of the pitch and running past the opposition defence to shoot past goalkeeper Kasey Keller.[50] At St Mary's Stadium, Arsenal lost 3–2 to Southampton; striker James Beattie scored twice against an Arsenal defence, who conceded three goals in total for the first time since May 2001.[51] Defender Sol Campbell had been sent off in the match, and was suspended for a further game, against Manchester United. Arsenal ended the month with a 3–1 victory over visitors Aston Villa; midfielder Robert Pires scoring for the second successive league match and Henry adding a further two goals.[52]
Arsenal faced Manchester United at Old Trafford on 7 December 2002; the home team had beaten title challengers Liverpool the previous weekend. Manchester United opened the scoring in the 21st minute – a poor clearance by Cygan allowed Juan Sebastián Verón to score.[53] Arsenal goalkeeper Rami Shaaban was substituted before the start of the second half, having pulled a thigh muscle.[53] He was replaced by Stuart Taylor, who was helpless to prevent Paul Scholes from scoring a second goal, 15 minutes before the final whistle.[53] A 1–1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur[54] was followed by a win against Middlesbrough; a goal apiece from Campbell and Pires meant Arsenal were top of the table on Christmas.[55] On Boxing Day, Arsenal came from a goal down to beat West Brom 2–1; in doing so, they extended their lead at the top to four points.[56] Three days later, Arsenal's lead was increased to five points, having drawn with Liverpool.[57]
In spite of conceding two late goals against Chelsea, Arsenal won by a solitary goal on New Year's Day to maintain their lead.[58] Two goals from Henry against Birmingham City took his total for the club to 100 goals in all competitions;[59] Wenger declared the display – a 4–0 win, as his team's best since beating Leeds United in September.[60] Henry scored a hat-trick for Arsenal against West Ham United on 19 January 2003[61] but the team drew at Liverpool in spite of a polished performance; Emile Heskey headered the ball into the net, scoring for the home team after 90 minutes.[62] On 1 February 2003, Pires scored a late goal against Fulham, extending Arsenal's lead to six points at the top.[63] This was followed by a 1–1 draw against Newcastle United; manager Sir Bobby Robson after the game criticised referee Neale Barry for his decision to send off midfielder Laurent Robert and Dennis Bergkamp's role in the dismissal, suggesting he "wasn't trying to play the ball to anybody. He kicked the ball against Laurent – I've seen other players do that and I don't like it."[64] Arsenal beat Manchester City 5–1 in their final trip to Maine Road on 22 February 2003. The first four goals, all scored before the half-hour, came at a time when "[Alex] Ferguson ordered the radio to be switched before they reached Old Trafford, presumably in ghastly silence."[65]
March–May edit
"I've always plumped for Arsenal, until now. It seemed to me earlier in the season they could score goals whenever they wanted. But they've seen all these points being lost and, without sitting on the fence, I really don't have a clue now. It's all up for grabs."
—Manager Graham Taylor, 5 April 2003[66]
On 2 March 2003, Arsenal opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the table, winning 2–0 against Charlton Athletic.[67] The result was enough for Irish bookmaker Paddy Power to pay out on punters backing Arsenal to retain their lead, despite Manchester United having a game in hand.[68] The gap was cut to two points after Arsenal suffered their first defeat in 2003, against Blackburn Rovers.[69] By the time Arsenal played Everton on 23 March 2003, they were displaced at the top of the table by Manchester United. A goal by Vieira moved the team two points clear once more.[70]
An own goal scored by Touré meant Freddie Ljungberg's opener against Aston Villa was cancelled out and the match ended in a draw, albeit helping Arsenal back to first position on goal difference.[71] Leading up to the potential championship decider against Manchester United on 16 April 2003, Wenger was adamant his team were mentally ready to retain the title: "We want to be a team who makes history. That's what's really driving us on. We are not worrying about United too much. We are just concentrating on expressing our togetherness, our mental strength and our qualities. We have enough players who can win this game."[72] Having conceded a first half goal scored by Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arsenal overturned Manchester United's lead before Ryan Giggs equalised for the away team.[73] The match ended 2–2; Campbell was sent off for elbowing Ole Gunnar Solskjær and was banned the rest of the season, whereas Vieira limped off with an injury.[73] Although the result helped Manchester United move back top, they had played one game more than Arsenal.[73] Arsenal won their next match at Middlesbrough,[74] but squandered a two-goal lead away to Bolton Wanderers in the last ten minutes. The result, "a big blow" for Arsenal's title hopes,[75] meant the championship was now in Manchester United's favour.[75]
With Manchester United beating Charlton Athletic 4–1 on 3 May 2003, Arsenal, a day later, needed a win against Leeds United to restore any hope of finishing top of the league.[76] In a five-goal match, an 88th-minute goal by Mark Viduka ensured Leeds United's survival in the top division and Manchester United's recapture of the Premiership.[77] Wenger revoked suggestion that the league campaign was a "failure", arguing his team were consistent:
Of course we want to win the league but I think the most difficult thing for the club is to be consistent and we have been remarkably consistent. We are in the cup final; we lose the league to a team who spends 50% more money every year – last year they bought a player for £30m pounds when they lost the championship. They will do the same next year and we [have] done miracles just to fight with them.[78]
Arsenal won their final two matches of the league season, against Southampton – where Pires and Jermaine Pennant both scored a hat-trick[79] – and Sunderland, ending the season with 78 points.[80]
| 18 August 2002 1 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Birmingham City | London |
| 16:05 BST | Henry 9' Wiltord 24' | Report | Purse 24' Cissé 69' 73' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,018 Referee: Mike Riley |
| 14 September 2002 6 | Charlton Athletic | 0–3 | Arsenal | London |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Keown 14' A. Cole 26' Henry 44' Wiltord 67' Luzhnyi 80' Edu 88' | Stadium: The Valley Attendance: 26,080 Referee: Steve Dunn |
| 21 September 2002 7 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Bolton Wanderers | London |
| 15:00 BST | Keown 19' Henry 26' Kanu 90+3' | Report | Farrelly 47' Holdsworth 55' Campo 8' 79' Jääskeläinen 82' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 37,974 Referee: David Pugh |
| 6 October 2002 9 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Sunderland | London |
| 14:00 BST | Kanu 3', 9' Vieira 45+2' | Report | Craddock 83' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 37,902 Referee: David Elleray |
| 9 November 2002 13 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Newcastle United | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Wiltord 25' | Report | Griffin 57' Hugo Viana 68' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,121 Referee: Mike Dean |
| 23 November 2002 15 | Southampton | 3–2 | Arsenal | Southampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Beattie 45+3', 58' (pen.) Delgado 67' Marsden 70' | Report | Bergkamp 36' Campbell 57' A. Cole 60' Pires 79' Vieira 90+3' | Stadium: St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,797 Referee: Paul Durkin |
| 30 November 2002 16 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Aston Villa | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Pires 17' Henry 49', 82' (pen.) Luzhnyi 54' Henry 87' | Report | Hitzlsperger 64', 69' Taylor 84' Dublin 90+2' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,090 Referee: Graham Barber |
| 7 December 2002 17 | Manchester United | 2–0 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| 12:15 GMT | Verón 22' Scholes 73' | Report | Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 67,650 Referee: Dermot Gallagher |
| 15 December 2002 18 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–1 | Arsenal | London |
| 14:00 GMT | Ziege 11' | Report | Pires 45+1' (pen.) | Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 36,076 Referee: Neale Barry |
| 21 December 2002 19 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Middlesbrough | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Campbell 45+1' Pires 90+1' | Report | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,003 Referee: Steve Dunn |
| 26 December 2002 20 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–2 | Arsenal | West Bromwich |
| 14:00 GMT | Dichio 3' | Report | Jeffers 48' Henry 85' | Stadium: The Hawthorns Attendance: 27,025 Referee: Graham Poll |
| 12 January 2003 23 | Birmingham City | 0–4 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| 16:05 GMT | Report | Henry 6', 70' Pires 29' Lauren 67' | Stadium: St Andrew's Attendance: 29,505 Referee: Steve Bennett |
| 1 February 2003 26 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Fulham | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Pires 17', 90+1' | Report | Malbranque 29' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,050 Referee: Eddie Wolstenholme |
| 9 February 2003 27 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Arsenal | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| 16:05 GMT | Robert 53' | Report | Henry 27' | Stadium: St James' Park Attendance: 52,157 Referee: Neale Barry |
| 22 February 2003 28 | Manchester City | 1–5 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| 15:00 GMT | Anelka 87' | Report | Bergkamp 4' Pires 12' Henry 15' Campbell 19' Vieira 53' | Stadium: Maine Road Attendance: 34,960 Referee: Paul Durkin |
| 2 March 2003 29 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Charlton Athletic | London |
| 12:00 GMT | Jeffers 26' Pires 45+1' | Report | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,015 Referee: Rob Styles |
| 15 March 2003 30 | Blackburn Rovers | 2–0 | Arsenal | Blackburn |
| 15:00 GMT | Duff 22' Tugay 52' | Report | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 29,840 Referee: Steve Bennett |
| 5 April 2003 32 | Aston Villa | 1–1 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| 15:00 BST | Touré 71' (o.g.) | Report | Ljungberg 56' | Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 42,602 Referee: Uriah Rennie |
| 16 April 2003 33 | Arsenal | 2–2 | Manchester United | London |
| 20:00 BST | Henry 51', 62' | Report | van Nistelrooy 24' Giggs 63' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,164 Referee: Mark Halsey |
| 19 April 2003 34 | Middlesbrough | 0–2 | Arsenal | Middlesbrough |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Wiltord 48' Henry 82' | Stadium: Riverside Stadium Attendance: 34,724 Referee: David Elleray |
| 26 April 2003 35 | Bolton Wanderers | 2–2 | Arsenal | Bolton |
| 12:30 BST | Djorkaeff 74' Keown 84' (o.g.) Laville 90+2' | Report | Wiltord 47' Pires 56' | Stadium: Reebok Stadium Attendance: 27,253 Referee: Andy D'Urso |
| 7 May 2003 37 | Arsenal | 6–1 | Southampton | London |
| 19:45 BST | Pires 8', 22', 46' Pennant 15', 18', 25' | Report | Tessem 34' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,052 Referee: Uriah Rennie |
| 11 May 2003 38 | Sunderland | 0–4 | Arsenal | Sunderland |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Henry 7' Ljungberg 39', 78', 88' | Stadium: Stadium of Light Attendance: 40,188 Referee: Paul Durkin |
Classification edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United (C) | 38 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 74 | 34 | +40 | 83 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Arsenal | 38 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 85 | 42 | +43 | 78 | |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 63 | 48 | +15 | 69 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Chelsea | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 67 | |
| 5 | Liverpool | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 61 | 41 | +20 | 64 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[b] |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
- ^ Wenger's actual quote was: "It's not impossible. I know it will be difficult for us to go through the season unbeaten. But if we keep the right attitude it's possible we can do it."[9]
- ^ Since Liverpool qualified for the UEFA Cup via the league, their place in the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners reverted to the league and was awarded to Blackburn Rovers as the highest-placed team not already qualified for European competitions.
Results summary edit
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 38 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 85 | 42 | +43 | 78 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 47 | 20 | +27 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 38 | 22 | +16 |
Source: [81]
Results by round edit
FA Cup edit
Arsenal entered the competition in the third round, receiving a bye as a Premier League club. Their opening match was a 2–0 home win against Oxford United on 4 January 2003.[83] Bergkamp scored his 100th goal for the club and an own goal by defender Scott McNiven ensured progression to the next round.[84] Arsenal faced non-league side Farnborough Town but the match switched from Farnborough's ground at Cherrywood Road to Highbury due to concerns over safety.[85] Farnborough as the home team began the match in disastrous fashion, conceding a goal scored by Campbell in the 19th minute, and going down to ten men after Christian Lee was sent off for a professional foul. Francis Jeffers scored twice before Rocky Baptiste added a consolation, beating Cygan for pace and despite having his first shot saved by goalkeeper Taylor, he managed to lift the ball over him and into the net. Lauren and Bergkamp each scored in the final 15 minutes to give Arsenal a 5–1 victory.[86]
Arsenal's fifth-round match was away to league rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on 16 February 2003. After Giggs missed the chance to score past an open goal, midfielder Edu gave Arsenal the lead through a free kick which took a deflection off David Beckham's shoulder. Wiltord scored the second goal of the match in the 52nd minute, running onto a pass from Edu and side-footing the ball past goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.[87] Vieira said of the performance: "We knew when we lost here in the league that we had lost the battle in midfield. We had to put that right, and we did."[88] In the sixth round, Arsenal were drawn at home to Chelsea in a repeat of the previous season's final.[89] Chelsea defender John Terry put his team ahead with a header from a set piece before Arsenal responded through Jeffers and Henry. Frank Lampard scored a late equaliser for the visiting team meaning the match was replayed at Stamford Bridge.[90] An own goal by Terry and a strike by Wiltord in the space of seven minutes during the replay gave Arsenal an early lead against Chelsea. Despite going down to ten men after Cygan was sent off and Terry scoring from a header, the away team scored a third goal through Lauren to ensure progression into the semi-finals.[91] In the semi-final against Sheffield United on 13 April 2003 at Old Trafford, Ljungberg scored the winning goal to help Arsenal reach their third successive FA Cup final appearance.[92] The match was remembered for Seaman, who on his 1,000th appearance in senior football produced a late save to deny Sheffield United from equalising.[93]
In the 2003 FA Cup Final against Southampton, a goal from Pires, scored in the first half was enough to ensure Arsenal won their ninth FA Cup, becoming the first team to retain the trophy in over 20 years.[94] Wenger commented after the game that his team "got the trophy we wanted"[95] while defender Martin Keown said the FA Cup win was "the best ever".[95] Winning captain David Seaman felt the disappointment of losing out to Manchester United in the league spurred the team on.[95]
| 4 January 2003 Third round | Arsenal | 2–0 | Oxford United | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Bergkamp 15' McNiven 67' (o.g.) | Report | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 35,432 Referee: Clive Wilkes |
| 25 January 2003 Fourth round | Farnborough Town | 1–5 | Arsenal | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Baptiste 71' | Report | Campbell 19' Jeffers 23', 68' Bergkamp 74' Lauren 78' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 35,108 Referee: Alan Wiley |
| 15 February 2003 Fifth round | Manchester United | 0–2 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| 12:15 GMT | Report | Edu 35' Wiltord 52' | Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 67,209 Referee: Jeff Winter |
| 25 March 2003 Quarter-finals replay | Chelsea | 1–3 | Arsenal | London |
| 19:45 GMT | Terry 79' | Report | Terry 24' (o.g.) Wiltord 33' Lauren 82' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 41,456 Referee: David Elleray |
| 13 April 2003 Semi-finals | Arsenal | 1–0 | Sheffield United | Manchester |
| 13:30 GMT | Ljungberg 34' | Report | Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 59,170 Referee: Graham Poll |
| 17 May 2003 Final | Arsenal | 1–0 | Southampton | Cardiff |
| 15:00 GMT | Pires 38' | Report | Stadium: Millennium Stadium Attendance: 73,726 Referee: Graham Barber |
League Cup edit
Together with the other clubs playing in European football, Arsenal entered the Football League Cup in the third round, where they were drawn at home to Premier League club Sunderland. Although Arsenal went two goals ahead in the first half, Sunderland responded, scoring three times in 15 minutes.[96] The result was Wenger's fifth defeat in six matches.
| 6 November 2002 Third round | Arsenal | 2–3 | Sunderland | London |
| 19:45 GMT | Pires 12' Jeffers 33' | Report | Kyle 56' Stewart 70', 72' | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 19,059 Referee: Alan Wiley |
UEFA Champions League edit
Group stage edit
Arsenal were drawn in Group A, along with German club Borussia Dortmund, Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven and French side Auxerre.[97] A deflected goal by Bergkamp and a counterattack, finished off by Ljungberg on his comeback from injury gave Arsenal the perfect start in the group stages, at home to Borussia Dortmund.[98] At the Philips Stadion, Arsenal produced an impressive display against PSV, winning 4–0.[99] It was their first win in European football away from home in 19 months[99] and the match set a new club record, as Gilberto scored the fastest goal in the competition at 20.07 seconds.[100]
Against Auxerre, Gilberto scored for the second successive matchday to take Arsenal to nine points, but goals from Olivier Kapo and Khalilou Fadiga in the return game inflicted Arsenal's first defeat in the Champions League.[101] In spite of taking the lead against Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 5, Arsenal conceded two goals to lose 2–1.[102] A fourth straight defeat represented the club's worst run in 19 years[102] but with PSV beating Auxerre, Arsenal qualified for the second group stage with a game to spare – that match ending in a 0–0 draw against PSV.[103]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 10 | Advance to second group stage |
| 2 | Borussia Dortmund | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 10 | |
| 3 | Auxerre | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 7 | Transfer to UEFA Cup |
| 4 | PSV Eindhoven | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 6 |
| 25 September 2002 2 | PSV Eindhoven | 0–4 | Arsenal | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| 20:45 CEST | Ooijer 20' Vennegoor of Hesselink 55' | Report | 1' Gilberto Silva 34' Lauren 66' Ljungberg 81', 90+2' Henry | Stadium: Philips Stadion Attendance: 24,000 Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia) |
| 2 October 2002 3 | Auxerre | 0–1 | Arsenal | Auxerre, France |
| 20:45 CEST | Jaurès 77' | Report | 48' Gilberto | Stadium: Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps Attendance: 21,000 Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium) |
| 30 October 2002 5 | Borussia Dortmund | 2–1 | Arsenal | Dortmund, Germany |
| 20:45 CET | Rosický 38', 62' (pen.) Reuter 77' | Report | 18' Henry | Stadium: Westfalenstadion Attendance: 52,000 Referee: Manuel Mejuto González (Spain) |
| 12 November 2002 6 | Arsenal | 0–0 | PSV Eindhoven | London, England |
| 20:45 CET | 29' 35' Touré | Report | 25' Vogel 45+1' Ooijer 65' Hofland 90' Vennegoor of Hesselink 90+2' van Bommel | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 35,274 Referee: Tom Henning Øvrebø (Norway) |
Second group stage edit
Henry scored his first hat-trick in Europe for Arsenal against Roma on 27 November 2002 with the player stating; "It's wonderful to score a hat-trick but it's even more important that I did so in a game we've won."[104] The result was followed with four consecutive draws – three at home against Roma, Valencia and Ajax. Arsenal only needed a draw to progress into the knockout stages, but lost 2–1 to Valencia at the Mestalla on 19 March 2003.[105] Reflecting later on the Champions League campaign, Wenger commented that "we lost our qualification at home".[106]