Thierry Henry scored from a quickly taken free-kick for Arsenal against Chelsea on Sunday.
As Chelsea 'keeper Petr Cech lined up his wall, Henry took the free-kick and scored.
And in theory every free-kick can be taken quickly and it's not the first time that Henry has taken advantage.
The BBC's Academy spoke to Premiership referee Graham Poll last season after a similar Henry strike against Aston Villa and he explained the ruling.
Graham Poll
Premiership referee
First you have to deal with the principle of a free-kick.
If the attacking team are fouled then it is they who hold the advantage.
With a free-kick around the penalty area, we always ask the players whether they want it quick or slow.
This is their window of opportunity to surprise the defence.
Henry scored the same way against Villa last season
If they want it quick, then they have given up the right to re-take it, no matter if it hits a defender who's three yards away.
The same goes if they kick it over the bar. They only get one chance.
The flip side is if they want it slow, they can't then take it while I count out the ten yards for the wall.
They must wait for my whistle.
There is nothing in the laws of the game that say we have to indicate for the free-kick to be taken.
It's just like when someone wants to take a free-kick anywhere else on the field.
As long as the ball is stationary and in the right place then the attacking team can take it as quickly as they like.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur
The Battle for North London
As rivalries go, this one has it all - stealthy river crossings; occupation of enemy territory; double agents - and ultimately, taking over the identity of your rival.
Introducing the Rivals
The Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur began when schoolboy friends that hung around to play football in the Northumberland Park area of N17 (North London postal district) decided to form an organised club.
One of the schoolboys from a famous family in the district was nicknamed Harry Hotspur, after a Shakespearean character. The name of Hotspur came to represent the entire team.
The Spurs have been playing at White Hart Lane since 1900 and have always drawn massive support from the large Jewish, Cypriot and Irish communities in the area. The Spurs have always seen themselves as the rightful heirs to the throne of north London football. However...
The Arsenal
Arsenal were originally formed as Dial Square FC in 1886 by mainly Scottish munitions workers working at the Royal Arsenal armaments factory in Woolwich, south-east London.
They were donated a set of red shirts from Nottingham Forest and have been famous for wearing red ever since.
After changing their name to Royal Arsenal FC, and consequently becoming a professional club in 1891 they enjoyed 9 years in the top division from 1904.
Arsenal's relegation to the Second Division in 1913 coincided with extreme financial problems that led to the club's owner, Henry Norris, having the idea of moving the club to a part of London with a bigger catchment area.
The area identified was in enemy territory. A stealthy crossing of the murky River Thames saw the Arsenal move lock, stock and two smoking barrels to... North London of course.
A rivalry is born
In 1913 Arsenal moved to Highbury, their current home, only several miles away from Tottenham's White Hart Lane.
Inevitably, this led to a battle for the emerging football fans in the area and rivalries shot up which divided the community - families, school friends and work colleagues.
The Spurs certainly saw this move by Arsenal as hostile, and the famous North London rivalry was born.
The battle intensifies
The battle intensified considerably when only 6 years later Arsenal were promoted back to the First Division, despite only finishing 5th in the Second Division.
This came about due to the expansion of the First Division following the end of World War I. However, Tottenham were particularly incensed because they were relegated that same season.
Impersonating the opposition
The Spurs may have lost ground in terms of geography but they have always taken great pride in the style of football they play. Free flowing, attack-minded, adventurous football has been a hallmark of Spurs teams over the years.
From the 1960's team of Danny Blanchflower and Jimmy Greaves, through the 1970's with Martin Peters and Steve Perryman, and well into the 1980's with Glenn Hoddle and the Argentinean duo of Ossie Ardilles and Ricky Villa, the Spurs have always entertained.
Arsenal, on the other hand, have had to endure less flattering labels over the years, despite being more successful than Spurs.
Lucky and boring are the usual chants hurled at them by opposing fans. 'Lucky' stemmed from their style of play under the great Herbert Chapman which involved soaking up the pressure at the back and then scoring breakaway goals on the counter-attack. The 'Boring' tag came about much more recently, and resulted from the side's success being built on a defensive, rather an attacking foundation.
The boring tag was never more zealously thrown at the Gunners than under the reign of George Graham, the man responsible for bringing in the defensive quartet of Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn.
However, Arsenal's image has changed since then. Nowadays, under the Frenchman Arsene Wenger, their football is seen as classy, exciting and sophisticated.
You might say they are now impersonating their great rivals Spurs, and have stolen their mantle as the flair North London side. Many would argue that Tottenham no longer have the creativity and adventure that used to characterise their game.
Gary Blee, a Spurs fan for the last 25 years, certainly does:
"The club feels soulless. We now lack the passion and the style. We haven't had a creative side for nearly a decade now. Slowly, it seems, we have began to play without taking the risks needed in order to compete with the Man Utds, the Liverpools, and dare I say it, the Arsenals of this world."
Double Agents
Not content with taking over Spurs' reputation for flair, Arsenal went on to steal some of their staff. Terry Neill was a successful Arsenal manager in the 1970's. In that same era, Pat Jennings was their legendary goalkeeper. Both came from Spurs.
But the Spurs hit back. At the end of 1998 they signed their new manager - George Graham.
Graham had been Arsenal's most successful ever manager, winning a total of six trophies with them in his nine years in charge (1986-1995). He had also played for the Arsenal League and Cup Double winning side in the early 1970's. Graham is Arsenal through and through - he even had the club crest built into his patio!
Maybe Spurs thought his success at Arsenal would rub off on them. It didn't. In three years in charge, Graham has only won them the lesser of the Eglish cup competitions - the Worthington Cup. Worse, the Spurs team is now playing "old Arsenal" football - dour, without flair, focused on defense. Unlike the old Arsenal though, the new Spurs are not too successful.
No wonder Graham has gone on record to suggest that he'll never be accepted by some Tottenham supporters.
Danny Kelly, a London based broadcaster and journalist, and lifelong Tottenham fan would certainly agree with him there:
"Tottenham are a once-great club in absolute crisis. The gamble the chairman took in George Graham was equivalent to sticking two fingers up at the fans. Graham is not only the wrong manager because of his Arsenal history, he is the wrong manager because he belongs to a different era."
Kelly and many like him protest so much to Graham being made manager of the club that they have even set up a website with the sole purpose of getting rid of him.
Clive Allen, the former Spurs hero, provides balance to the argument:
"Some Tottenham fans have been giving George Graham a fair bit of stick in recent weeks. In my view, expectations have been unrealistically high for a few years and while results are not good, it is easy to use the fact that George is a former Arsenal manager against him."
In the battle for North London many fans simply aren't prepared to give Graham the time that he needs to bring to Spurs what he had previously delivered for Arsenal.
So what about the success of these clubs?
Arsenal and Spurs both have impressive trophy cabinets. Spurs have won the two league titles (including the league and F.A. Cup Double in 1960-61) and won the F.A. Cup eight times.
Arsenal have won eleven league titles and seven F.A. Cup wins, including the Double in 1970-71 and again in 1997-98.
On the battlefield
But the individual battles between these clubs are almost as important as the silverware.
There have been several big clashes between the two teams, the spoils of which have been shared quite equally over the years.
Many Arsenal fans would hark back to their famous 5-0 victory at White Hart Lane back in 1978 as their most prized derby moment. Desmond Barnes was only 18 at the time but recalls the game with some relish:
"I remember the legendary Liam Brady ripping the Spurs apart almost single-handedly with a bit of help from Alan Sunderland's hat-trick. Brady's 'goal of the season' goal was the moment of the game though. I loved every minute of that game and I'm sure that is the best we've ever played against the old enemy."
Younger fans than Desmond speak with equal fervour about Arsenal's 1987 2-1 victory at White Hart Lane in the 1987 League Cup semi-final replay. Charlie Notaro recollects:
"The man on the public announcement system gave details during half-time about how the Spurs fans could buy tickets to the final. With ten minutes to go and them being 1-0 you'd have to praise him for his foresight. But he didn't reckon on the mighty Arsenal who always play a 90 minute game. We scored twice in the last ten minutes to take the result. Needless to say, the man on the PA system was pretty quiet after that."
Whilst the Arsenal fans can look back with joy on these historic games Spurs have had plenty to sing about too.
One particular game that lingers in the fans' memories is the 1991 FA Cup Semi-final. The demand for tickets was so high that the FA gave special permission for the game to be played at Wembley - normally reserved only for the Final.
The streets of north London were deserted that afternoon, as most of the community was either at Wembley or watching on TV.
The game lived up to expectations as well, as Paul Gascoigne (Gazza) gave Spurs the perfect start with a free kick from 30 yards past England goalkeeper, David Seaman. It was a thrilling game and Spurs eventually came out 3-1 victors and went on to win the cup.
And the war still rages on
Arsenal and Tottenham remain two of the biggest sides in the English Premiership, not to mention Europe.
Arsenal have over the years won ground over Spurs, both in terms of geography and appropriating their mantle as the most attractive attacking side in London.
Tottenham are, however, a side with everything to fight for again and with George Graham at the helm they can claim to have stolen a prized Arsenal possession.
The battle between these two London giants will surely rage on for years to come.
The Battle for North London
As rivalries go, this one has it all - stealthy river crossings; occupation of enemy territory; double agents - and ultimately, taking over the identity of your rival.
Introducing the Rivals
The Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur began when schoolboy friends that hung around to play football in the Northumberland Park area of N17 (North London postal district) decided to form an organised club.
One of the schoolboys from a famous family in the district was nicknamed Harry Hotspur, after a Shakespearean character. The name of Hotspur came to represent the entire team.
The Spurs have been playing at White Hart Lane since 1900 and have always drawn massive support from the large Jewish, Cypriot and Irish communities in the area. The Spurs have always seen themselves as the rightful heirs to the throne of north London football. However...
The Arsenal
Arsenal were originally formed as Dial Square FC in 1886 by mainly Scottish munitions workers working at the Royal Arsenal armaments factory in Woolwich, south-east London.
They were donated a set of red shirts from Nottingham Forest and have been famous for wearing red ever since.
After changing their name to Royal Arsenal FC, and consequently becoming a professional club in 1891 they enjoyed 9 years in the top division from 1904.
Arsenal's relegation to the Second Division in 1913 coincided with extreme financial problems that led to the club's owner, Henry Norris, having the idea of moving the club to a part of London with a bigger catchment area.
The area identified was in enemy territory. A stealthy crossing of the murky River Thames saw the Arsenal move lock, stock and two smoking barrels to... North London of course.
A rivalry is born
In 1913 Arsenal moved to Highbury, their current home, only several miles away from Tottenham's White Hart Lane.
Inevitably, this led to a battle for the emerging football fans in the area and rivalries shot up which divided the community - families, school friends and work colleagues.
The Spurs certainly saw this move by Arsenal as hostile, and the famous North London rivalry was born.
The battle intensifies
The battle intensified considerably when only 6 years later Arsenal were promoted back to the First Division, despite only finishing 5th in the Second Division.
This came about due to the expansion of the First Division following the end of World War I. However, Tottenham were particularly incensed because they were relegated that same season.
Impersonating the opposition
The Spurs may have lost ground in terms of geography but they have always taken great pride in the style of football they play. Free flowing, attack-minded, adventurous football has been a hallmark of Spurs teams over the years.
From the 1960's team of Danny Blanchflower and Jimmy Greaves, through the 1970's with Martin Peters and Steve Perryman, and well into the 1980's with Glenn Hoddle and the Argentinean duo of Ossie Ardilles and Ricky Villa, the Spurs have always entertained.
Arsenal, on the other hand, have had to endure less flattering labels over the years, despite being more successful than Spurs.
Lucky and boring are the usual chants hurled at them by opposing fans. 'Lucky' stemmed from their style of play under the great Herbert Chapman which involved soaking up the pressure at the back and then scoring breakaway goals on the counter-attack. The 'Boring' tag came about much more recently, and resulted from the side's success being built on a defensive, rather an attacking foundation.
The boring tag was never more zealously thrown at the Gunners than under the reign of George Graham, the man responsible for bringing in the defensive quartet of Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn.
However, Arsenal's image has changed since then. Nowadays, under the Frenchman Arsene Wenger, their football is seen as classy, exciting and sophisticated.
You might say they are now impersonating their great rivals Spurs, and have stolen their mantle as the flair North London side. Many would argue that Tottenham no longer have the creativity and adventure that used to characterise their game.
Gary Blee, a Spurs fan for the last 25 years, certainly does:
"The club feels soulless. We now lack the passion and the style. We haven't had a creative side for nearly a decade now. Slowly, it seems, we have began to play without taking the risks needed in order to compete with the Man Utds, the Liverpools, and dare I say it, the Arsenals of this world."
Double Agents
Not content with taking over Spurs' reputation for flair, Arsenal went on to steal some of their staff. Terry Neill was a successful Arsenal manager in the 1970's. In that same era, Pat Jennings was their legendary goalkeeper. Both came from Spurs.
But the Spurs hit back. At the end of 1998 they signed their new manager - George Graham.
Graham had been Arsenal's most successful ever manager, winning a total of six trophies with them in his nine years in charge (1986-1995). He had also played for the Arsenal League and Cup Double winning side in the early 1970's. Graham is Arsenal through and through - he even had the club crest built into his patio!
Maybe Spurs thought his success at Arsenal would rub off on them. It didn't. In three years in charge, Graham has only won them the lesser of the Eglish cup competitions - the Worthington Cup. Worse, the Spurs team is now playing "old Arsenal" football - dour, without flair, focused on defense. Unlike the old Arsenal though, the new Spurs are not too successful.
No wonder Graham has gone on record to suggest that he'll never be accepted by some Tottenham supporters.
Danny Kelly, a London based broadcaster and journalist, and lifelong Tottenham fan would certainly agree with him there:
"Tottenham are a once-great club in absolute crisis. The gamble the chairman took in George Graham was equivalent to sticking two fingers up at the fans. Graham is not only the wrong manager because of his Arsenal history, he is the wrong manager because he belongs to a different era."
Kelly and many like him protest so much to Graham being made manager of the club that they have even set up a website with the sole purpose of getting rid of him.
Clive Allen, the former Spurs hero, provides balance to the argument:
"Some Tottenham fans have been giving George Graham a fair bit of stick in recent weeks. In my view, expectations have been unrealistically high for a few years and while results are not good, it is easy to use the fact that George is a former Arsenal manager against him."
In the battle for North London many fans simply aren't prepared to give Graham the time that he needs to bring to Spurs what he had previously delivered for Arsenal.
So what about the success of these clubs?
Arsenal and Spurs both have impressive trophy cabinets. Spurs have won the two league titles (including the league and F.A. Cup Double in 1960-61) and won the F.A. Cup eight times.
Arsenal have won eleven league titles and seven F.A. Cup wins, including the Double in 1970-71 and again in 1997-98.
On the battlefield
But the individual battles between these clubs are almost as important as the silverware.
There have been several big clashes between the two teams, the spoils of which have been shared quite equally over the years.
Many Arsenal fans would hark back to their famous 5-0 victory at White Hart Lane back in 1978 as their most prized derby moment. Desmond Barnes was only 18 at the time but recalls the game with some relish:
"I remember the legendary Liam Brady ripping the Spurs apart almost single-handedly with a bit of help from Alan Sunderland's hat-trick. Brady's 'goal of the season' goal was the moment of the game though. I loved every minute of that game and I'm sure that is the best we've ever played against the old enemy."
Younger fans than Desmond speak with equal fervour about Arsenal's 1987 2-1 victory at White Hart Lane in the 1987 League Cup semi-final replay. Charlie Notaro recollects:
"The man on the public announcement system gave details during half-time about how the Spurs fans could buy tickets to the final. With ten minutes to go and them being 1-0 you'd have to praise him for his foresight. But he didn't reckon on the mighty Arsenal who always play a 90 minute game. We scored twice in the last ten minutes to take the result. Needless to say, the man on the PA system was pretty quiet after that."
Whilst the Arsenal fans can look back with joy on these historic games Spurs have had plenty to sing about too.
One particular game that lingers in the fans' memories is the 1991 FA Cup Semi-final. The demand for tickets was so high that the FA gave special permission for the game to be played at Wembley - normally reserved only for the Final.
The streets of north London were deserted that afternoon, as most of the community was either at Wembley or watching on TV.
The game lived up to expectations as well, as Paul Gascoigne (Gazza) gave Spurs the perfect start with a free kick from 30 yards past England goalkeeper, David Seaman. It was a thrilling game and Spurs eventually came out 3-1 victors and went on to win the cup.
And the war still rages on
Arsenal and Tottenham remain two of the biggest sides in the English Premiership, not to mention Europe.
Arsenal have over the years won ground over Spurs, both in terms of geography and appropriating their mantle as the most attractive attacking side in London.
Tottenham are, however, a side with everything to fight for again and with George Graham at the helm they can claim to have stolen a prized Arsenal possession.
The battle between these two London giants will surely rage on for years to come.
The Gunners?
Reason: the original Arsenal team were munitions workers at Woolwich Arsenal in south east London.
Red is the second most popular colour in British football.
Red is viewed by experts as the most conspicuous of all colours, especially at a distance. Tests have shown that exposure to the colour red can raise blood pressure and increase aggression.
Red is supposed to denote desire, intensity and the will to win.
Arsenal Ladies, England
Arsenal Ladies were formed in 1987 as part of Arsenal Football Club's effort to increase their role in the local community.
The team have several internationals in their squad and there are hopes to sign more from countries such as Australia, Japan and Nigeria. The captain of the side, Sian Williams, is also manager of the Welsh women's football team.
The club has recently developed an academy for 16-19 year old women to study, train and play.
Reason: the original Arsenal team were munitions workers at Woolwich Arsenal in south east London.
Red is the second most popular colour in British football.
Red is viewed by experts as the most conspicuous of all colours, especially at a distance. Tests have shown that exposure to the colour red can raise blood pressure and increase aggression.
Red is supposed to denote desire, intensity and the will to win.
Arsenal Ladies, England
Arsenal Ladies were formed in 1987 as part of Arsenal Football Club's effort to increase their role in the local community.
The team have several internationals in their squad and there are hopes to sign more from countries such as Australia, Japan and Nigeria. The captain of the side, Sian Williams, is also manager of the Welsh women's football team.
The club has recently developed an academy for 16-19 year old women to study, train and play.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Arsenal name new ground
Arsenal have signed a £100m deal with Emirates Airlines, which will see their new 60,000-seater ground at Ashburton Grove named the Emirates Stadium.
The deal also sees Emirates become the Gunners' shirt sponsor for eight years - starting in 2006-07.
The stadium, which should open in the same season, will take on its new name for the next 15 years.
"The sheer size of this deal is an amazing opportunity," said Arsenal managing director Keith Edelman.
In a statement, the club added: "The combined value of both elements of the sponsorship is by far the biggest deal ever undertaken in English football."
Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood said he had mixed feelings about the decision to name the stadium after a sponsor.
Hill-Wood accepted that many traditional fans would have been happier to see the new stadium named in honour of an Arsenal legend.
We are talking a huge sum of money for the sponsorship, and you have to recognise the club's massive financial investment in the stadium Paul Matz, secretary AISA
"I would be one those supporters," he said. "I've been here a long time, a great many years and if we named the new stadium after Herbert Chapman or even Arsene Wenger it would roll off the tongue.
"But things have changed in football and this is a wonderful offer we have received - the biggest ever in English football. We must move on."
Paul Matz, secretary of the Arsenal Independent Supporters Association, agreed the deal was just too good to turn down.
"Part of being an Arsenal supporter is appreciating the culture and tradition of the club," he said.
"But we are talking a huge sum of money for the sponsorship, and you have to recognise the club's massive financial investment in the stadium.
"I want to see Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Arsene Wenger stay at the club. They are on big wages and we all make judgements about how far we'd go to keep them - personally I think this is fair enough.
"And from surveys we've done with the fans, the majority of them were prepared to sell the ground's naming rights too."
But Mike Francis from the Arsenal fanzine The Gooner said: "It didn't really come as a surprise as we'd been kind of expecting it, but I was a bit annoyed and upset anyway.
I think 'The White Elephant' would be more apt From Skibbad
"My initial feeling about Emirates are who the hell are they and what have they got to do with Arsenal? Maybe someone like Nike would have been better.
"I was hoping it was an easy name to drop so we wouldn't have to use it but it doesn't appear to be that way.
"It's difficult to tell what the fans will call it as it's not built yet but I have a feeling we'll end up calling it Highbury still. But I'm a bit of traditionalist really.
"The money doesn't really soften the blow. I'm afraid £100m doesn't sound a lot when you consider it includes a shirt sponsorship as well."
In February, Arsenal finally secured the £357m needed to build the new stadium.
The Gunners' new home will be built by Sir Robert McAlpine under a fixed price contract, which also includes the construction of a new waste and recycling centre.
Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, currently sponsors Chelsea's shirts but that deal expires at the end of the season.
"This represents a win-win partnership for both Emirates and Arsenal," said Emirates chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.
Arsenal's current club and shirt sponsorship deal with phone company 02 expires at the end of the 2005-6 season.
Arsenal have signed a £100m deal with Emirates Airlines, which will see their new 60,000-seater ground at Ashburton Grove named the Emirates Stadium.
The deal also sees Emirates become the Gunners' shirt sponsor for eight years - starting in 2006-07.
The stadium, which should open in the same season, will take on its new name for the next 15 years.
"The sheer size of this deal is an amazing opportunity," said Arsenal managing director Keith Edelman.
In a statement, the club added: "The combined value of both elements of the sponsorship is by far the biggest deal ever undertaken in English football."
Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood said he had mixed feelings about the decision to name the stadium after a sponsor.
Hill-Wood accepted that many traditional fans would have been happier to see the new stadium named in honour of an Arsenal legend.
We are talking a huge sum of money for the sponsorship, and you have to recognise the club's massive financial investment in the stadium Paul Matz, secretary AISA
"I would be one those supporters," he said. "I've been here a long time, a great many years and if we named the new stadium after Herbert Chapman or even Arsene Wenger it would roll off the tongue.
"But things have changed in football and this is a wonderful offer we have received - the biggest ever in English football. We must move on."
Paul Matz, secretary of the Arsenal Independent Supporters Association, agreed the deal was just too good to turn down.
"Part of being an Arsenal supporter is appreciating the culture and tradition of the club," he said.
"But we are talking a huge sum of money for the sponsorship, and you have to recognise the club's massive financial investment in the stadium.
"I want to see Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Arsene Wenger stay at the club. They are on big wages and we all make judgements about how far we'd go to keep them - personally I think this is fair enough.
"And from surveys we've done with the fans, the majority of them were prepared to sell the ground's naming rights too."
But Mike Francis from the Arsenal fanzine The Gooner said: "It didn't really come as a surprise as we'd been kind of expecting it, but I was a bit annoyed and upset anyway.
I think 'The White Elephant' would be more apt From Skibbad
"My initial feeling about Emirates are who the hell are they and what have they got to do with Arsenal? Maybe someone like Nike would have been better.
"I was hoping it was an easy name to drop so we wouldn't have to use it but it doesn't appear to be that way.
"It's difficult to tell what the fans will call it as it's not built yet but I have a feeling we'll end up calling it Highbury still. But I'm a bit of traditionalist really.
"The money doesn't really soften the blow. I'm afraid £100m doesn't sound a lot when you consider it includes a shirt sponsorship as well."
In February, Arsenal finally secured the £357m needed to build the new stadium.
The Gunners' new home will be built by Sir Robert McAlpine under a fixed price contract, which also includes the construction of a new waste and recycling centre.
Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, currently sponsors Chelsea's shirts but that deal expires at the end of the season.
"This represents a win-win partnership for both Emirates and Arsenal," said Emirates chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.
Arsenal's current club and shirt sponsorship deal with phone company 02 expires at the end of the 2005-6 season.
Saturday, August 21, 2004
raumzeit filter
Can anything be so elegant as to have few wants, and to serve them one's self?
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Can anything be so elegant as to have few wants, and to serve them one's self?
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Saturday, July 10, 2004
Monday, June 07, 2004
1) INTER MILAN 1-5 ARSENAL
Champions League
November 25, 2003
My first two choices were high-scoring affairs capped by stunning individual goals from Thierry Henry. They are head, shoulders and probably half-a-torso above anything else this season given the criteria set out. But the sensational display at the San Siro just pips it for me.
Remember the significance. Arsenal had taken one point from their first three Champions League games (including a 3-0 reverse at Highbury by Inter on the opening night of Group B). Victory was a necessity.
Remember the absentees - Vieira, Campbell, Lauren, Gilberto, Bergkamp, Wiltord. Remember the then relatively unknown names of Justin Hoyte, Gael Clichy and Michal Papadopulos on the bench. It smacked of a squad at full stretch.
But they delivered. It was Inter’s second ever Champions League defeat at the San Siro, their first home loss to English opposition for over 40 years and they went into the game having not conceded a Serie A goal for more than a month!
Henry breached their defence early but Vieri responded with a goal that Jens Lehmann told the website afterwards was "three times lucky". Ljungberg restored the lead then, five minutes from time, Henry conjured up a clinching third that combined pace, vision, confidence and lethal finishing. He left Javier Zanetti, (yes THAT Javier Zanetti, the Argentinian defender with 70 caps) trailing in his wake to spear home a shot past Francesco Toldo. Pires and Edu added late goals but 5-1 did not flatter Arsenal.
They knew they had to win or that modern barometer of footballing greatness - the Champions League - would have been pointing straight towards stormy weather. However they met the challenge and exceeded all expectations.
My report from the San Siro that night ended with one word - incredible. I stand by that.
Champions League
November 25, 2003
My first two choices were high-scoring affairs capped by stunning individual goals from Thierry Henry. They are head, shoulders and probably half-a-torso above anything else this season given the criteria set out. But the sensational display at the San Siro just pips it for me.
Remember the significance. Arsenal had taken one point from their first three Champions League games (including a 3-0 reverse at Highbury by Inter on the opening night of Group B). Victory was a necessity.
Remember the absentees - Vieira, Campbell, Lauren, Gilberto, Bergkamp, Wiltord. Remember the then relatively unknown names of Justin Hoyte, Gael Clichy and Michal Papadopulos on the bench. It smacked of a squad at full stretch.
But they delivered. It was Inter’s second ever Champions League defeat at the San Siro, their first home loss to English opposition for over 40 years and they went into the game having not conceded a Serie A goal for more than a month!
Henry breached their defence early but Vieri responded with a goal that Jens Lehmann told the website afterwards was "three times lucky". Ljungberg restored the lead then, five minutes from time, Henry conjured up a clinching third that combined pace, vision, confidence and lethal finishing. He left Javier Zanetti, (yes THAT Javier Zanetti, the Argentinian defender with 70 caps) trailing in his wake to spear home a shot past Francesco Toldo. Pires and Edu added late goals but 5-1 did not flatter Arsenal.
They knew they had to win or that modern barometer of footballing greatness - the Champions League - would have been pointing straight towards stormy weather. However they met the challenge and exceeded all expectations.
My report from the San Siro that night ended with one word - incredible. I stand by that.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Saturday, April 03, 2004
A Gift of Love
By Cindy Beck
"It's time," my sister whispered, and I was instantly awake, my heart pounding frantically in my chest. It was 4:00 a.m., and I wondered how I could have ever slept so late. After all, it was Christmas morning. I should have been awake hours ago.
We crept down the hall as quickly as we could. In the back of the house, our parents slept peacefully. I had been waiting for this day all year, marking off the days on my calendar as they passed, one by one. I had watched every Christmas special on TV, from Charlie Brown to Rudolph, and now that Christmas morning was finally here, I could hardly contain myself. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to play and, perhaps most of all, I wanted to rip open my presents.
As we approached the den, my sister put a single finger to her lips and whispered, "Santa might still be here." I nodded in complete understanding. At six, I knew all about Santa and his magic. At eleven, my sister was trying to give me my dream.
When we finally walked into the den, my first instinct was to rush toward the presents that were stacked oh-so-carefully around the room, but something made me hesitate. Instead of rushing forward, I stared in wonder at the room, wanting this single moment to last as long as it could. My sister stood quietly beside me, and we stared at the beautiful tree that we had decorated together weeks before. The lights shimmered, the ornaments sparkled, and our golden angel sat just slightly off-center on the top of the tree. It was the most perfect sight I'd ever seen.
On a nearby table, the cookies that we'd left for Santa were gone, and a small note read, "Thank you. Merry Christmas!"
My eyes widened in amazement at the note, for I was sure that I had finally found real proof of the jolly man's existence. Yet before I could truly marvel over the letter, my sister was handing me a small package. "It's from me," she whispered with a shy smile.
With trembling fingers, I slowly opened the package, carefully preserving the green bow. Inside, I found my sister's favorite necklace. It was a small heart on a golden chain. She had received the present from our grandfather two years before. My eyes filled at the sight. Santa's note was forgotten.
She put her arm around me. "He was going to give you one this year, but -" she stopped, and carefully wiped her eyes, "he just did not get a chance." He had died on Easter morning - the heart attack had been a harsh shock to our family. Our mother still cried quietly when she thought no one was watching. My sister squared her slender shoulders with a brave air. "So, I thought you might like to have mine."
I held the necklace as if it were made of the finest gold in the world. It seemed to shine even brighter than the lights on our tree.
"Let me help you," she said as she moved to put the necklace around my neck.
The small heart felt warm against my skin, almost like it was alive. In my mind, I could see my grandfather. He'd loved Christmas, and he had always given each of us a special surprise on Christmas day.
"Consider this his surprise," my sister told me as if she'd read my mind.
I grabbed her hand and held onto her with all of the strength that I possessed.
When our parents finally made their way into the den two hours later, they saw a beautiful Christmas tree, a dozen unopened gifts, and two sisters holding each other tight
By Cindy Beck
"It's time," my sister whispered, and I was instantly awake, my heart pounding frantically in my chest. It was 4:00 a.m., and I wondered how I could have ever slept so late. After all, it was Christmas morning. I should have been awake hours ago.
We crept down the hall as quickly as we could. In the back of the house, our parents slept peacefully. I had been waiting for this day all year, marking off the days on my calendar as they passed, one by one. I had watched every Christmas special on TV, from Charlie Brown to Rudolph, and now that Christmas morning was finally here, I could hardly contain myself. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to play and, perhaps most of all, I wanted to rip open my presents.
As we approached the den, my sister put a single finger to her lips and whispered, "Santa might still be here." I nodded in complete understanding. At six, I knew all about Santa and his magic. At eleven, my sister was trying to give me my dream.
When we finally walked into the den, my first instinct was to rush toward the presents that were stacked oh-so-carefully around the room, but something made me hesitate. Instead of rushing forward, I stared in wonder at the room, wanting this single moment to last as long as it could. My sister stood quietly beside me, and we stared at the beautiful tree that we had decorated together weeks before. The lights shimmered, the ornaments sparkled, and our golden angel sat just slightly off-center on the top of the tree. It was the most perfect sight I'd ever seen.
On a nearby table, the cookies that we'd left for Santa were gone, and a small note read, "Thank you. Merry Christmas!"
My eyes widened in amazement at the note, for I was sure that I had finally found real proof of the jolly man's existence. Yet before I could truly marvel over the letter, my sister was handing me a small package. "It's from me," she whispered with a shy smile.
With trembling fingers, I slowly opened the package, carefully preserving the green bow. Inside, I found my sister's favorite necklace. It was a small heart on a golden chain. She had received the present from our grandfather two years before. My eyes filled at the sight. Santa's note was forgotten.
She put her arm around me. "He was going to give you one this year, but -" she stopped, and carefully wiped her eyes, "he just did not get a chance." He had died on Easter morning - the heart attack had been a harsh shock to our family. Our mother still cried quietly when she thought no one was watching. My sister squared her slender shoulders with a brave air. "So, I thought you might like to have mine."
I held the necklace as if it were made of the finest gold in the world. It seemed to shine even brighter than the lights on our tree.
"Let me help you," she said as she moved to put the necklace around my neck.
The small heart felt warm against my skin, almost like it was alive. In my mind, I could see my grandfather. He'd loved Christmas, and he had always given each of us a special surprise on Christmas day.
"Consider this his surprise," my sister told me as if she'd read my mind.
I grabbed her hand and held onto her with all of the strength that I possessed.
When our parents finally made their way into the den two hours later, they saw a beautiful Christmas tree, a dozen unopened gifts, and two sisters holding each other tight
Thursday, March 18, 2004
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves, who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must ever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream"
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves, who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must ever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream"