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ARSENAL 2 LEICESTER CITY 1
Bergkamp 65 Cottee 57 Sinclair 90 (o.g.) 7.8.99
After spending the summer hoping against hope that Martin would do the impossible and buy a couple of world class strikers and a top notch defender or two, we had to face the reality when our team ran out at Highbury, that, apart from Tim Flowers we actually had a weaker squad than we had at the end of last season. The facts are that we do not have the cash and furthermore our dreams of generating more by putting 'more bums on seats' in our new stadium seem to be receding into the distant future. Had we been ordinary supporters of an ordinary team we would indeed have been downhearted at the prospect of facing the mighty Multi Million Gunners who only last week put paid to the Multi Million 'champions of champions' Manchester United.
But we are not supporters of an ordinary club and therein lies our strength. It is our unpredictability and the capacity to surprise when faced with almost impossible odds that sends the wise men of the TV and Press crazy. Their predictions concerning Leicester City F.C. have backfired so many times during the past few years that they now play safe by ignoring us on the grounds that we are an 'unfashionable' club .
We knew , when our boys ran out on to the immaculate turf of Highbury for their first match of the season that this was the very best team we could muster. The question was-would they be daunted by the Multi -national team of Multi Millionaires? We knew that they would not despite the fact that The Gunners had not been beaten in a league game at home since December, 1997 and no one in the media gave us a chance.
The Gunners put us under pressure from the start, no doubt hoping for a spectacular victory to give them a good start in the season in which they are aspiring to de-throne Manchester United. As a team they put together spectacular moves and as individuals demonstrated the skills which have made most of them very wealthy and darlings of the media. On the other hand, our boys were equal to the task of foiling their supposed magic by resolute defending. In the 18th minute, Steve Walsh was stretchered off with a leg injury, receiving a loyal round of applause from the City fans who have a special place in their hearts for him. Perhaps this was the last time we would see him play in a Leicester shirt. He was replaced by substitute Frank Sinclair. We were subject to a continual battering, but the Arsenal finishing was poor and Tim Flowers had very little to do.
In the 43rd minute, disaster struck again when, during a tussle with Grimandi, Emile Heskey was pulled to the ground and had to be stretchered off with a neck injury. Mr Wilkie saw nothing amiss and Emile Heskey was replaced by substitute Ian Marshall.
In the 57th minute it could be said, against the run of play, the Gunner's defence faltered when Grimandi lost the ball to Neil Lennon who sent Steve Guppy away on the left. All that remained for Steve to do was to put in a low cross between goalkeeper Manninger and Petit to the feet of Tony Cottee who had a simple tap-in. We were on cloud 9. A goal up against the mighty Arsenal at Highbury - what a start for the season!!!
This put new strength into City legs and the mighty Gunners began to falter with increasing regularity. At half time, however Thierry Henry, the new £10 million signing was brought on to increase their fire power and he did give City a few problems but failed to outwit our defenders who held on to the single goal lead until the 65th minute when Dennis Bergkamp equalised by defeating Tim Flowers with a ball that came off Gerry Taggart.
We looked all set for one point at least until, 2 minutes into the 4 minutes of injury time cruel fate struck and broke our hearts when Tim Flowers and Frank Sinclair went for the same ball with no Arsenal player in the vicinity. Tim Flowers came out for the ball but Frank Sinclair guided it into the net with a header intended for elsewhere.
All we could say as we left Highbury empty handed was that we took on the mighty millionaires and held them until the very end when we shot ourselves in the foot. No credit to them!!
We must take heart from our performance against one of the sweethearts of the media and look forward to the rest of the season and perhaps a few signings.
Attendance: 38,026. Referee: A.Wilkie.
Leicester City: Flowers,
Sinclair, Walsh (Taggart, 18), Izzet, Lennon, Heskey (Marshall,
43), Guppy, Savage, Elliott, Impey, Cottee.
Subs not used: Arphexad, Oakes, Zagorakis.
Booked: Elliott.
Arsenal: Manninger, Dixon, Winterburn, Vieira, Keown, Ljungberg
(Henry, 46), Bergkamp (Silvinho, 90), Parlour (Overmars, 64),
Petit, Grimandi, Kanu.
Subs not used: Upson, Lukic.
Booked: Grimandi, Silvinho.
forward to the rest of the season and perhaps a few signings.
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