The semi-final against a strong Sampdoria side was a riotous contest. They snuck past Brondby in the second round, winning 4-3 on aggregate, and when they drew 1-1 with Auxerre at Highbury in the first leg of their quarter-final, they won the second leg in France 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Wright. They relished the tournament and their status as holders gave them belief. Europe was their sanctuary and they had placed their focus on retaining the Cup Winners’ Cup instead.
In Arsenal’s defence the league was not their priority during the season’s final weeks.
That has not happened again in the past 20 years. To put Arsenal’s woes into context, even Tottenham Hotspur looked down on them in the final standings. Southampton, Queens Park Rangers and Wimbledon finished above them. Only six points stood between Arsenal and the relegation zone they were 38 points behind the champions, Blackburn Rovers. They ended the season in 12th place, above Sheffield Wednesday on goal difference, a mere point above Coventry City, Everton and West Ham United.
Stewart Houston, Graham’s assistant, was appointed on a caretaker basis and Arsenal’s league form remained mediocre. It was 21 February 1995, Arsenal were drifting in 10th place and Graham was out. Graham’s descent at Arsenal was swift and remarkable, his tenure ending in scandal when a Premier League inquiry found that he had received bungs totalling more than £400,000 from the transfers that took John Jensen and Pal Lydersen to Highbury. Nayim goes for goal at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris.
0 kommentar(er)
