2007–08 Arsenal F.C. season
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| 2007–08 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood | |||
| Manager | Arsène Wenger | |||
| Stadium | Emirates Stadium | |||
| Premier League | 3rd | |||
| FA Cup | Fifth round | |||
| League Cup | Semi-finals | |||
| UEFA Champions League | Quarter-finals | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Emmanuel Adebayor (24) All: Emmanuel Adebayor (30) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 60,161 (vs. Manchester United, 3 November 2007, Premier League) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 53,136 (vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 9 January 2008, League Cup) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 59,581 (in all competitions)[1] | |||
| | ||||
The 2007–08 season was Arsenal Football Club's 16th season in the Premier League and their 82nd consecutive season in the top flight of English football.[2][3] The club ended their Premier League campaign in third position, having led the table for two-thirds of the season. Arsenal made it into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, but were eliminated on aggregate score against Liverpool. The team exited the FA Cup in the fifth round to Manchester United and lost in the semi-finals of the League Cup to Tottenham Hotspur. This was Arsenal's first hat-trick of trophyless seasons since 1997.
Arsenal sold striker and club record goalscorer Thierry Henry to Barcelona, in the transfer window. Other departures included first team players Freddie Ljungberg and José Antonio Reyes to West Ham United and Atlético Madrid respectively; defender Bacary Sagna and striker Eduardo were the notable purchases from Auxerre and Dinamo Zagreb, respectively.
A strong start to the season saw Arsenal top the league table by September. Defeat against Sevilla in November ended a run of 28 matches undefeated and it was not until a month after did the team lose in the league for the first time, away at Middlesbrough. Arsenal extended their league lead to five points in February, but a career-threatening injury to Eduardo against Birmingham City coincided with the team going on a run of four draws in the Premier League. Manchester United soon overtook them in first and defeat to Chelsea in March moved Arsenal down in third place, where they remained at the end of the season. However, their points tally of 83 remains as the highest in the Premier League for a third-placed team under the 38 game format.
Thirty-two different players represented the club in four competitions, and there were 16 different goalscorers. Emmanuel Adebayor was Arsenal's top goalscorer in the 2007–08 season, scoring 30 goals in 48 appearances.
Background[edit]
The previous season was a transitional period for Arsenal. The club transferred a number of first-team players such as defenders Sol Campbell and Lauren to Portsmouth and winger Robert Pires to Spanish club Villarreal.[4] After lengthy negotiations, Ashley Cole moved to Chelsea on the final day of the summer transfer window, in exchange for £5 million and defender William Gallas.[5] Arsenal played their home games at the newly constructed Emirates Stadium and drew their first game against Aston Villa.[6] After a defeat by Bolton Wanderers, manager Arsène Wenger admitted that his team were unlikely to make a serious challenge for the Premier League.[7] Despite being a young and inexperienced team, however, Arsenal reached the final of the League Cup, where they were beaten 2–1 by Chelsea.[8] Elimination in the UEFA Champions League in the knockout stage (two-legged matches played home and away) and FA Cup in the space of four days followed – the club lost three games in succession for the first time since October 2002.[9] Arsenal eventually finished fourth in the league, level on points with third-placed Liverpool but lost out on goal difference +30 to +28.[10]
Transfers[edit]
At the end of the 2006–07 season, Arsenal transferred Fabrice Muamba to Birmingham City and released Mart Poom, who subsequently joined Watford on a free transfer.[11] Jérémie Aliadière moved to Middlesbrough in a £2 million deal while club captain and record goalscorer Thierry Henry left to join Barcelona for a reported fee of £16 million.[12] Henry commented that his decision to leave Arsenal was because of the departure of chairman David Dein and the uncertainty over Wenger's future.[12] Midfielder Freddie Ljungberg and striker José Antonio Reyes departed the club in July 2007, moving to West Ham United and Atlético Madrid respectively. Other players, Arturo Lupoli, Ryan Garry and Joe O'Cearuill, left on free transfers.[11] Defender Matthew Connolly, who joined Colchester United on loan for a six-month period, later signed for Queens Park Rangers.[13]
Legia Warsaw goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański was the first player Arsenal recruited of the new season.[14] Next to arrive was striker Eduardo, who signed from Dinamo Zagreb, shortly followed by French defender Bacary Sagna.[11] Lassana Diarra was purchased on transfer deadline day from Chelsea, but later transferred to Portsmouth in January after he was frustrated at limited playing time; he said, "I read that the club [Arsenal] wanted to keep me. But when you want to keep someone, you do it by playing them. This hasn't been the case."[15]
In
| No. | Position | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | GK | Łukasz Fabiański | Legia Warsaw | £2,000,000 | 26 May 2007 | [14] |
| 9 | FW | Eduardo | Dinamo Zagreb | £7,500,000 | 3 July 2007 | [16] |
| 55 | DF | Håvard Nordtveit | Haugesund | Undisclosed | 3 July 2007 | [17] |
| 3 | DF | Bacary Sagna | Auxerre | £6,000,000 | 12 July 2007 | [18] |
| 8 | MF | Lassana Diarra | Chelsea | £4,000,000 | 31 August 2007 | [19] |
Out
| No. | Position | Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MF | Fabrice Muamba | Birmingham City | £4,000,000 | 11 May 2007 | [20] | |
| 21 | GK | Mart Poom | Watford | Free transfer | 26 May 2007 | [21] |
| 30 | FW | Jérémie Aliadière | Middlesbrough | £2,000,000 | 19 June 2007 | [22] |
| 14 | FW | Thierry Henry | Barcelona | £16,000,000 | 25 June 2007 | [23] |
| FW | Arturo Lupoli | Fiorentina | Free transfer | 1 July 2007 | [24] | |
| 8 | MF | Freddie Ljungberg | West Ham United | £3,000,000 | 23 July 2007 | [25] |
| 9 | FW | José Antonio Reyes | Atlético Madrid | £6,000,000 | 31 July 2007 | [26] |
| DF | Ryan Garry | AFC Bournemouth | Free transfer | 6 August 2007 | [27] | |
| DF | Joe O'Cearuill | Barnet | Free transfer | 24 August 2007 | [28] | |
| DF | Matthew Connolly | Queens Park Rangers | £1,000,000 | 2 January 2008 | [29] | |
| 8 | MF | Lassana Diarra | Portsmouth | £5,500,000 | 17 January 2008 | [30] |
Loans out
| No. | Position | Player | Loaned to | Date | Loan expires | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DF | Matthew Connolly | Colchester United | 6 July 2007 | 2 January 2008[31] | [32] | |
| DF | Kerrea Gilbert | Southend United | 30 July 2007 | 3 January 2008[33] | [34] | |
| FW | Jay Simpson | Millwall | 31 August 2007 | 4 May 2008 | [35] |
Club[edit]
Coaching staff[edit]
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Arsène Wenger |
| Assistant manager |  Pat Rice |
| First team coach |  Boro Primorac |
| Goalkeeping coach |  Gerry Peyton |
| Physiotherapist |  Gary Lewin |
| Fitness coach | Tony Colbert |
| Chief scout | Steve Rowley |
Last updated: 2 Aug 2006
Source: Arsenal FC
Kit[edit]
Supplier: Nike / Sponsor: Fly Emirates
         Home | Home alt. |      Away | Away alt. | Away alt. 2 |      Third |
 Goalkeeper 1 |  Goalkeeper 2 | Goalkeeper alt. | Goalkeeper alt. 2 |  Goalkeeper 3 |
Kit information[edit]
Nike released new kit for Arsenal this season.
- Home: The home kit from last season was unchanged.
- Away: The away kit with a design that celebrates the pioneering spirit of club legendary Herbert Chapman, and sees a return to the white away shirts worn throughout the club's history. The shirt incorporates a tonal print in a horizontal stripe, detailing many of Chapman's groundbreaking innovations which among others include the introduction of the white ball, rubber studs and numbered shirts. The Gunners legend also campaigned for Gillespie Road tube station to be changed to Arsenal tube station - the setting for the print adverts - to further promote the club's name, and was successful with its renaming in 1932. The kit with a redcurrant v-neck collar and a red currant trim to the sleeves - the hooped design another of the ideas that Chapman introduced to the club along with his inspiration for Arsenal's famous red and white shirt.
- Third: The third kit featured with hooped dark-redcurrant shirts with gold trim in side collar, dark shorts and hooped redcurrant in dark socks with gold stripes, same as the away kit to commemorate the influence and achievements of under club legend Herbert Chapman.
- Keeper: The goalkeeper kit are yellow. grey and navy blue.
Other information[edit]
| Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood |
| Ground (capacity and dimensions) | Emirates Stadium (60,355 / 114x71 yards) |
Updated to match played 2 Aug 2007
Source: Arsenal and Emirates Stadium
Pre-season[edit]
| 14 July 2007 | Barnet | 0–2 | Arsenal | Barnet |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Adebayor  18' Barazite 66' | Stadium: Underhill Stadium Attendance: 5,091 Referee: Michael Russell |
| 19 July 2007 Austria Tour | Gençlerbirliği  | 0–3 | Arsenal | Bad Waltersdorf |
| 19:00 BST | Report | Van Persie 45', 65' Walcott 51' | Stadium: Bad Waltersdorf Stadion |
| 25 July 2007 Austria Tour | Red Bull Salzburg  | 1–0 | Arsenal | Salzburg |
| 19:00 BST | Janočko 75' | Report | Stadium: EM Stadion Attendance: 31,000 |
| 28 July 2007 Emirates Cup | Arsenal | 2–1 | Paris Saint-Germain | London |
| 16:15 BST | Flamini 45' Bendtner 70' | Report | Luyindula 80' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 55,106 Referee: Peter Walton |
| 29 July 2007 Emirates Cup | Arsenal | 2–1 |  Internazionale | London |
| 16:15 BST | Hleb 67' Van Persie 85' | Report | Suazo 62' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 59,821 Referee: Mark Halsey |
| 2 August 2007 Amsterdam Tournament | Lazio | 1–2 | Arsenal | Amsterdam |
| 18:30 CET | Pandev 40' | Report | Bendtner 19' Eduardo 55' | Stadium: Amsterdam Arena Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Bas Nijhuis |
| 4 August 2007 Amsterdam Tournament | Ajax  | 0–1 | Arsenal | Amsterdam |
| 21:15 CET | Report | Van Persie 87' | Stadium: Amsterdam Arena Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Eric Blom |
Premier League[edit]
Twenty teams competed in the Premier League in the 2007–08 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.[36]
The provisional fixture list was released on 14 June 2007, but was subject to change in the event of clashes with other competitions, inclement weather, or matches being selected for television coverage.[37]
August–October[edit]
Arsenal started their league campaign at home to Fulham on 12 August 2007. A mistake by goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, "screw[ing] an attempted return pass against his own knee", allowed striker David Healy to score, just under 52 seconds. However, a late penalty scored by Robin van Persie and a goal from Alexander Hleb resulted in the team winning the match.[38] In their next match, away to Blackburn Rovers, another error by Lehmann – this time letting David Dunn's shot slip through his fingers and into the goalnet, meant the team drew 1–1.[39] Cesc Fàbregas scored the winning goal against Manchester City, ten minutes before the end of the match.[40] The result was followed with what The Guardian described as a "fluent attacking display" at home to Portsmouth, on the first day of September.[41] Arsenal faced local rivals Tottenham Hotspur after a week-long international break and went a goal behind when Gareth Bale's free-kick beat goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, past the net.[42] Emmanuel Adebayor scored the equaliser in the second half, before Fàbregas "piloted a 30-yarder beyond Paul Robinson in the 80th minute."[42] In stoppage time, Adebayor flicked the ball up and volleyed it into the top corner of Tottenham's goal; the result meant Arsenal went top of the league table, for the first time in the season.[42] A week after, Adebayor scored a hat-trick (three goals) in a 5–0 win against Derby County.[43] Van Persie scored the only goal against West Ham United on 29 September 2007 to maintain the lead at the top.[44]
Two goals from Van Persie helped Arsenal beat Sunderland 3–2 at home, on the first weekend of October.[45] Second half goals from defender Kolo Touré and midfielder Tomáš Rosický against Bolton Wanderers, gave the team a seventh straight victory in the league.[46] Arsenal played Liverpool on 28 October 2007, a match billed as the "first great test" of their title credentials.[47] Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool an early lead, from a free-kick, but as the match went on, Arsenal began to dominate possession, eventually rewarded when Fábregas equalised in the 80th minute, from a Hleb through ball.[47]
November–February[edit]
November began with a home match against Manchester United. Going into the match, both clubs were level on points and goal difference, at the top of the league.[48] In the 45th minute, Gallas inadvertently scored an own goal to give United the lead, before Fábregas equalised early in the second half.[48] Cristiano Ronaldo scored what was thought to be the winning goal, eight minutes from the end, but Arsenal equalised for the second time in the match via Gallas.[48] The draw pleased Wenger, who after the game noted his team were "...still charge of the title race because we are top with a game in hand".[49] A win against Reading at the Madejski Stadium on 12 November 2007 brought about Arsenal's 1,000th Premier League goal, scored by Adebayor.[50] Reading striker Dave Kitson afterwards praised Arsenal's performance and asserted they were "the best team on the planet": "The thing that amazes you most is they are not just passing to each other – they are passing so that person can run on to the ball and then his mind is already made up what he is going to do next. It is just magic, it is unbelievable."[51]
"Arsenal are my favourite team right now and I think they are the best performing team in the Premier League."
Late goals scored by Gallas and Rosický at home to Wigan Athletic kept Arsenal three points clear of Manchester United in the league table, at the end of November.[52] The win at Villa Park against Aston Villa in December, moved Arsenal five points clear at the top of the league table, and provoked speculation as to whether the club could go another league season unbeaten; Wenger responded, "People will talk ... just let us play."[53] The team played out a 1–1 draw at Newcastle United four days after[54] and lost against Middlesbrough, ending a record of 22 league matches unbeaten.[55] Arsenal beat Chelsea 1–0 on 16 December 2007[56] and needed a late goal, scored by substitute Nicklas Bendtner to win against Tottenham Hotspur.[57] In spite of a draw at Portsmouth on Boxing Day, which moved Arsenal down to second place,[58] a win against Everton helped the club move past Manchester United to the first-place spot.[59]
On 1 January 2008, Eduardo and Adebayor each scored to earn Arsenal a win against West Ham United.[60] The team dropped two points against Birmingham City,[61] but a 3–0 victory at Fulham meant that Arsenal retained their first-place status.[62] Goals scored by Mathieu Flamini, Adebayor and Fábregas helped Arsenal beat Newcastle United in the final week of January.[63] The team became the first to reach 60 points in February, after winning 3–1 against Manchester City; Wenger described the feat as "phenomenal".[64] Manchester City's defeat of Manchester United the following week meant a 2–0 win at home to Blackburn Rovers put Arsenal five points clear in first spot, with 12 matches to play.[65]
The team then faced Birmingham City at St Andrew's. Shortly after kick-off, defender Martin Taylor was sent off and took no further part in the game, after his tackle on Eduardo. The player's challenge left the Arsenal striker with a broken leg; he was ruled out from action for the rest of the season.[66] James McFadden scored through a free-kick in the 28th minute, before two Theo Walcott goals in the second half put Arsenal in the lead.[66] In stoppage time, Gaël Clichy was penalised for a foul on Stuart Parnaby in the penalty area; McFadden scored Birmingham's awarded penalty to draw the match 2–2.[66] It prompted Gallas to throw a tantrum: he attacked an advertising board situated on the side of the pitch and rested alone on the pitch, while his players headed for the dressing room.[67] Wenger after the match called for a permanent football ban on tackler Taylor; he later retracted the comment.[68]
March–May[edit]
A late equaliser at home to Aston Villa preserved Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League to only a point.[69] A goalless draw at Wigan Athletic, was followed by a fourth consecutive draw in the league, at home to Middlesbrough.[70] On the same day, Manchester United moved above Arsenal, who recorded a 1–0 win against Derby County.[71] After Gallas missed a chance to score in the first half, Sagna put Arsenal in front, heading the ball into the goal net, from a corner in the 59th minute.[72] Didier Drogba equalised for Chelsea in the 73rd minute and nine minutes later scored the winner, from a Nicolas Anelka flick-on.[72] The result pushed Chelsea up into second place and moved Arsenal down one; both clubs were five and six points behind Manchester United respectively at the top.[72] At the Reebok Stadium on 29 March 2008, Arsenal played Bolton Wanderers. The team went two goals down in the first half, both scored by Matthew Taylor and lost Abou Diaby, who was sent off for a foul on Grétar Steinsson.[73] The team's "dramatic" comeback however, in the form of a winning goal in stoppage time, secured their first league win at Bolton Wanderers' ground in six years.[73]
A 1–1 draw against Liverpool in early April, sandwiched in between Champions League legs between both teams "disappointed" Wenger, who refused to concede winning the title.[74] Defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on 13 April 2008, however ended any realistic chance of overtaking the leaders, as United, the champions, needed two more wins to retain the title.[75] Arsenal beat relegation-threatened Reading 2–0 the week after.[76] Adebayor scored a hat-trick against Derby County on 28 April 2008, which made him the first player to score three goals, home and away against the same side in the same season.[77] The win secured third place, pleasing Wenger who felt the team had a "great future – I believe we were really unlucky not to win something this year."[78] Arsenal won their remaining two fixtures against Everton[79] and Sunderland by a single goal, ending the campaign four points behind champions Manchester United.[80]
Match results[edit]
| 12 August 2007 1 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Fulham | London |
| 12:00 BST | Van Persie 84' (pen.) Flamini  85' Hleb 90' | Report | Healy 1' Bocanegra 59' Smertin 66' Kamara 73' Warner 85' Diop 85' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,093 Referee: Phil Dowd |
| 19 August 2007 2 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Arsenal | Blackburn |
| 15:00 BST | Bentley 24' Samba 29' Savage 45+2' Nelsen 60'  84' Dunn 72' | Report | Van Persie 18', 74' Flamini 29' Eduardo 65' Clichy 66' | Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 24,917 Referee: Alan Wiley |
| 25 August 2007 3 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Manchester City | London |
| 15:00 BST | Fàbregas 80' | Report | Hamann 17' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,114 Referee: Chris Foy |
| 2 September 2007 4 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Portsmouth | London |
| 13:30 BST | Adebayor 8' (pen.) Fàbregas 35', 67' Senderos  49' Rosický 59' | Report | Hreiðarsson 44' Kanu 54', 60' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,114 Referee: Mark Halsey |
| 15 September 2007 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–3 | Arsenal | London |
| 13:30 BST | Bale 15' Jenas 35' Chimbonda 45' | Report | Sagna 63' Adebayor 65', 90+4' Hleb 67' Fàbregas 80' | Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 36,053 Referee: Mark Clattenburg |
| 22 September 2007 6 | Arsenal | 5–0 | Derby County | London |
| 15:00 BST | Diaby 10' Adebayor 25', 50' (pen.), 79' Eduardo 28' Fàbregas 70' | Report | Lewis 39' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,122 Referee: Martin Atkinson |
| 29 September 2007 7 | West Ham United | 0–1 | Arsenal | London |
| 15:00 BST | Bowyer 16' Noble 29' | Report | Van Persie 13' Flamini 58' Eboué 90+4' | Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 34,966 Referee: Alan Wiley |
| 7 October 2007 8 | Arsenal | 3–2 | Sunderland | London |
| 12:00 BST | Van Persie 7', 80' Senderos 14' | Report | Jones 4', 48' Wallace 25' Chopra 27' McShane 90' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,098 Referee: Rob Styles |
| 20 October 2007 9 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Bolton Wanderers | London |
| 15:00 BST | Fàbregas 20' Touré 68' Rosický 80' | Report | Diouf 20' McCann 21' Nolan 71' Davies 87' Campo 90+1' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 59,442 Referee: Mike Riley |
| 28 October 2007 10 | Liverpool | 1–1 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| 16:00 BST | Voronin 5' Gerrard 7' Mascherano 55' Carragher 90' | Report | Rosický 51' Touré 64' Fàbregas 80', 80' | Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 44,122 Referee: Howard Webb |
| 3 November 2007 11 | Arsenal | 2–2 | Manchester United | London |
| 12:45 GMT | Fàbregas 40', 49' Gallas 90+1' | Report | Evra 16' Hargreaves 26' Gallas 45+1' (o.g.) Ronaldo 82' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,161 Referee: Howard Webb |
| 12 November 2007 12 | Reading | 1–3 | Arsenal | Reading |
| 20:00 GMT | Gunnarsson 85' Shorey 87' | Report | Flamini 44' Adebayor 52' Hleb 78' Fàbregas 80' | Stadium: Madejski Stadium Attendance: 24,024 Referee: Rob Styles |
| 24 November 2007 13 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Wigan Athletic | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Gallas 72', 83' Rosický 85' | Report | Brown 15' Granqvist 53' Bent 72' Heskey 73' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,126 Referee: Peter Walton |
| 1 December 2007 14 | Aston Villa | 1–2 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| 17:15 GMT | Gardner 14' Bouma 37' Carew 56' Young 87' | Report | Flamini 23' Adebayor 32', 36' Gallas 55' | Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 42,018 Referee: Chris Foy |
| 5 December 2007 15 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Arsenal | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| 19:45 GMT | Barton 41' Given 59' S. Taylor 60' Beye 72' | Report | Adebayor 4' Diarra 45' Sagna 63' | Stadium: St. James' Park Attendance: 50,305 Referee: Mike Dean |
| 9 December 2007 16 | Middlesbrough | 2–1 | Arsenal | Middlesbrough |
| 13:45 GMT | Downing 4' (pen.) O'Neil 26' Rochemback 57' Tuncay 73' | Report | Touré 50' Clichy 52' Rosický 90+5' | Stadium: Riverside Stadium Attendance: 26,428 Referee: Howard Webb |
| 16 December 2007 17 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Chelsea | London |
| 16:00 GMT | Adebayor 22' Eboué 35'Gallas 45+2'Flamini 63'Fàbregas 90+6' | Report | Terry 30' Lampard 30'J. Cole 67'Ben Haim 74'Mikel 84' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,139 Referee: Alan Wiley |
| 22 December 2007 18 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | London |
| 12:45 GMT | Gallas 38' Adebayor 48' Bendtner 76' | Report | Boateng 60' Berbatov 66', 67' Tainio 70' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,087 Referee: Rob Styles |
| 26 December 2007 19 | Portsmouth | 0–0 | Arsenal | Portsmouth |
| 19:45 GMT | Lauren 56' Diop 81' | Report | Eboué 60' | Stadium: Fratton Park Attendance: 20,556 Referee: Steve Bennett |
| 29 December 2007 20 | Everton | 1–4 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| 17:15 GMT | Cahill 19' Arteta 84' | Report | Bendtner 24' 74' Eduardo 47', 58', 66' Clichy 68' Adebayor 78' Fàbregas 86' Flamini 87' Rosický 90+3' | Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 39,443 Referee: Martin Atkinson |
| 1 January 2008 21 | Arsenal | 2–0 | West Ham United | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Eduardo 2' Adebayor 18' | Report | Cole 23' McCartney 64' Noble 90+2' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: Chris Foy Referee: 60,102 |
| 12 January 2008 22 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Birmingham City | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Adebayor 21' (pen.) Hleb 55' | Report | Kapo 39' O'Connor 48' Ridgewell 55' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,037 Referee: Phil Dowd |
| 19 January 2008 23 | Fulham | 0–3 | Arsenal | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Adebayor 19', 38' Clichy 66' Rosický 81' | Stadium: Craven Cottage Attendance: 25,297 Referee: Peter Walton |
| 29 January 2008 24 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Newcastle United | London |
| 19:45 GMT | Hleb 20' Adebayor 40' Flamini 72' Fàbregas 80' | Report | N'Zogbia 35' Owen 73' Caçapa 80' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,127 Referee: Mike Riley |
| 2 February 2008 25 | Manchester City | 1–3 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| 12:45 GMT | Fernandes 28' Petrov 62' Elano 89' | Report | Adebayor 9', 88' Eduardo 26' | Stadium: City of Manchester Stadium Attendance: 46,426 Referee: Andre Marriner |
| 11 February 2008 26 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Blackburn Rovers | London |
| 20:00 GMT | Senderos 4' Adebayor 90+1' Fàbregas 90+1' | Report | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,049 Referee: Steve Bennett |
| 23 February 2008 27 | Birmingham City | 2–2 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| 12:45 GMT | Taylor 3' McFadden 28', 90+5' (pen.) | Report | Walcott 50', 55' Gallas 90+5' Sagna 90+5' | Stadium: St Andrew's Attendance: 27,195 Referee: Mike Dean |
| 1 March 2008 28 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Aston Villa | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Gallas 30' Bendtner 90+3' | Report | Senderos 27' (o.g.) Barry 80' Osbourne 90+2' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,097 Referee: Mark Clattenburg |
| 9 March 2008 29 | Wigan Athletic | 0–0 | Arsenal | Wigan |
| 16:00 GMT | King 71' Sibierski 76' | Report | Bendtner 25' Gilberto 61' | Stadium: JJB Stadium Attendance: 19,676 Referee: Rob Styles |
| 15 March 2008 30 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Middlesbrough | London |
| 17:15 GMT | Touré 86' Eboué 90+5' | Report | Aliadière 25' Wheater 27' O'Neil 80' Mido 88' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: Mark Halsey Referee: 60,084 |
| 23 March 2008 31 | Chelsea | 2–1 | Arsenal | London |
| 16:00 GMT | J. Cole 32' Ballack 34'Drogba 72', 81' 73' | Report | Eboué 5' Sagna 59' | Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 41,824 Referee: Mark Clattenburg |
| 29 March 2008 32 | Bolton Wanderers | 2–3 | Arsenal | Bolton |
| 15:00 BST | M. Taylor 14', 43' Davies 45+1' Diouf 54' | Report | Diaby 31' Fàbregas 44' Touré 45+1' Gallas 62' Van Persie 68' (pen.) Samuel 90+1' (o.g.) | Stadium: Reebok Stadium Attendance: 22,431 Referee: Chris Foy |
| 5 April 2008 33 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Liverpool | London |
| 12:45 BST | Bendtner 54' Eboué 67' | Report | Riise 30' Crouch 42' Pennant 54' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,111 Referee: Phil Dowd |
| 13 April 2008 34 | Manchester United | 2–1 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| 16:00 BST | Brown 15' Ronaldo 54' (pen.) Carrick 59' Hargreaves 72' | Report | van Persie 38' Adebayor 48', 63' Lehmann 53' Hleb 56' Gallas 59' Hoyte 90+5' | Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 75,985 Referee: Howard Webb |
| 19 April 2008 35 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Reading | London |
| 12:45 BST | Adebayor 30' Gilberto 38' | Report | Kitson 28' Bikey 58' Sonko 70' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,109 Referee: Peter Walton |
| 28 April 2008 36 | Derby County | 2–6 | Arsenal | Derby |
| 20:00 BST | McEveley 31' Earnshaw 77' | Report | Bendtner 25' Van Persie 39' Adebayor 59', 81', 90+1' Walcott 78' | Stadium: Pride Park Stadium Attendance: 33,003 Referee: Andre Marriner |
| 4 May 2008 37 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Everton | London |
| 13:30 BST | Bendtner 77' | Report | Lescott 28' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,123 Referee: Alan Wiley |
| 11 May 2008 38 | Sunderland | 0–1 | Arsenal | Sunderland |
| 15:00 BST | Collins 54' | Report | Walcott 24' Clichy 82' | Stadium: Stadium of Light Attendance: 47,802 Referee: Keith Stroud |
Classification[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United (C) | 38 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 80 | 22 | +58 | 87 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Chelsea | 38 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 65 | 26 | +39 | 85 | |
| 3 | Arsenal | 38 | 24 | 11 | 3 | 74 | 31 | +43 | 83 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Liverpool | 38 | 21 | 13 | 4 | 67 | 28 | +39 | 76 | |
| 5 | Everton | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 55 | 33 | +22 | 65 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
For further information on European qualification see Premier League – Competition
(C) Champions
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 | 24 | 11 | 3 | 74 | 31 | +43 | 83 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 37 | 11 | +26 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 37 | 20 | +17 |
Source: [81]
Results by round[edit]
UEFA Champions League[edit]
Third qualifying round[edit]
As Arsenal finished fourth in the league the previous season, the club played a qualifying round against Sparta Prague to ensure progression into the group stages. Goals from Fàbregas and Hleb in the away leg earned a 2–0 win and a 3–0 victory at home meant Arsenal qualified for a 10th successive season in the competition.[83]
| 15 August 2007 First leg | Sparta Prague  | 0–2 | Arsenal | Prague |
| 19:45 BST | Hušek 9' Kulič 17' | Report | Fàbregas 25', 72' Flamini 38' van Persie 45+2' Hleb 90+2' | Stadium: Generali Arena Attendance: 19,586 Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain) |
| 29 August 2007 Second leg | Arsenal | 3–0 (5–0 agg.) | Sparta Prague | London |
| 19:45 BST | Rosický 8' Fàbregas 82' Walcott 84' Eduardo 89' | Report | Kulič 29' Řepka 51' Hušek 87' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 58,462 Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium) |
Group stage[edit]
The club were drawn in Group H, along with UEFA Cup holders Sevilla, Slavia Prague of the Czech Republic and Romania's Steaua București.[84] Arsenal started their campaign in good stead, beating Sevilla 3–0 and followed the result with a 1–0 victory against Steaua București.[85][86] Against Slavia Prague at the Emirates, Arsenal equalled their best ever victory in a European competition, scoring seven goals.[87] Walcott, who scored his first two goals of the season in the match, earned the praise of manager Wenger: "Once Theo scored his first, you saw him much more. When they opened up the space, you could see his runs and pace, and the fact he is clinical in front of goal."[87] Qualification into the knockout stages was ensured with a draw away to Slavia Prague on 7 November 2007.[88] Defeat against Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium was Arsenal's first loss since April 2007, ending a run of 28 matches undefeated in all competitions.[89] The result moved them down into second place, and in spite of winning their final group match against Steaua at home, Arsenal ended two points behind group winners Sevilla.[90]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sevilla | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 7 | +7 | 15 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Arsenal | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 4 | +10 | 13 | |
| 3 | Slavia Prague | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 16 | −11 | 5 | Transfer to UEFA Cup |
| 4 |  Steaua București | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 1 |
| 19 September 2007 1 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Sevilla | London |
| 19:45 BST | Fàbregas 28' Adebayor 49' Van Persie 59' Eduardo 90+2' | Report | Dani Alves 74' Keita 85' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 59,992 Referee: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden) |
| 2 October 2007 2 | Steaua București | 0–1 | Arsenal | Bucharest |
| 20:45 CET | Marin 18' Rada 32' | Report | Adebayor 15' Van Persie 76' | Stadium: Stadionul Steaua Attendance: 12,807 Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway) |
| 23 October 2007 3 | Arsenal | 7–0 | Slavia Prague | London |
| 19:45 BST | Fàbregas 5', 58' Flamini 11' Hubáček 24' (o.g.) Walcott 41', 55' Hleb 51', 59' Clichy 52' Bendtner 89' | Report | Volešák 71' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 59,621 Referee: Stefano Farina (Italy) |
| 7 November 2007 4 | Slavia Prague | 0–0 | Arsenal | Prague |
| 20:45 CET | Tavares 41' Švec 47' Krajčík 72' Pudil 84' | Report | Diarra 52' Denílson 82' | Stadium: Stadion Evžena Rošického Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Bertrand Layec (France) |
| 27 November 2007 5 | Sevilla | 3–1 | Arsenal | Seville |
| 20:45 CET | Crespo 21' Keita 24', 90+1' Luís Fabiano 34' Adriano 44' Palop 50' Kanouté 89' (pen.) | Report | Eduardo 11' Hoyte 44' Denílson 50' | Stadium: Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium Attendance: 35,529 Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands) |
| 12 December 2007 6 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Steaua București | London |
| 19:45 GMT | Diaby 8' Bendtner 39', 42' | Report | Neaga 38' Zaharia 68' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 59,786 Referee: Yuri Baskakov (Russia) |
Knockout stage[edit]
First knockout round[edit]
Arsenal was drawn against Champions League holders Milan in the knockout stages. In the first leg, Arsenal was held to a draw at home, with their best chance of winning the match coming in stoppage time; Adebayor headed the ball against the crossbar.[91] A week later at the San Siro, the team produced a performance "with style, intelligence and discipline", to win the match by two goals to nil.[92] In doing so, they progressed into the last eight and became the first English team to beat Milan, away from home.[92]
| 20 February 2008 First leg | Arsenal | 0–0 | Milan | London |
| 19:45 GMT | Senderos 70' Eboué 81' | Report | Pato 33' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,082 Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark) |
| 4 March 2008 Second leg | Milan | 0–2 (0–2 agg.) | Arsenal | Milan |
| 20:45 CET | Inzaghi 55' Kaká 80' Pirlo 85' | Report | Hleb 33' Eboué 56' Clichy 72' Fàbregas 84' Adebayor 90+2' | Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 81,879 Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria) |
Quarter-finals[edit]
In the quarter-finals, Arsenal played against fellow English club Liverpool, with the first leg at home. The two matches were played either side of a Premier League match between the two sides. Adebayor scored the first goal – he headed the ball from a corner, before Dirk Kuyt equalised three minutes later. Arsenal had a strong penalty appeal harshly turned down after Kuyt seemingly pulled Alexander Hleb in the penalty box and missed a chance to score a second goal, had Bendtner not managed to inadvertently clear Fàbregas' strike.[93] In the return leg at Anfield, Arsenal made the better start of the two teams and took the lead when Diaby scored from a tight angle in the 13th minute.[94] Sami Hyypiä equalised from a header before Fernando Torres received a long pass and swivelled to shoot the ball with his right foot, sending it into the top-left hand corner of Arsenal's goal.[94] With five minutes remaining of the second half, substitute Walcott "covered some 80 yards at pace" to get past the Liverpool defenders and passed the ball for Adebayor, in the middle of the pitch to score.[94] Touré moments after was adjudged to have fouled Ryan Babel and conceded a penalty kick; Gerrard converted the ball into the net to make the scoreline 4–3 on aggregate.[94] In stoppage time Babel scored Liverpool's fourth, meaning they faced Chelsea in the semi-finals. Wenger in his post-match news conference questioned the "dodgy decision" to give Liverpool a penalty and commented the defeat was "not down to mental strength ... It was down to a lack of experience defensively."[95]
| 2 April 2008 First leg | Arsenal | 1–1 | Liverpool | London |
| 19:45 BST | Adebayor 23' | Report | Kuyt 26' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,041 Referee: Pieter Vink (Netherlands) |
| 8 April 2008 Second leg | Liverpool | 4–2 (5–3 agg.) | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| 19:45 BST | Hyypiä 30' Torres 69' Gerrard 85' (pen.) Babel 90+2' | Report | Diaby 13' Senderos 17' Adebayor 84' Touré 85' | Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 41,985 Referee: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden) |
FA Cup[edit]
Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round, where they were drawn to play Championship opposition Burnley. Goals from Eduardo and Bendtner, in either half of the match ensured victory for a "second-string" team.[96] Against Newcastle United a fortnight later, a 3–0 victory meant Arsenal progressed into the fifth round, where they faced Manchester United away.[97] The match played on 16 February 2008, ended in a "embarrassingly one-sided victory" for the home team; defender Emmanuel Eboué was notably dismissed for a high challenge on Patrice Evra.[98]
| 6 January 2008 Third round | Burnley | 0–2 | Arsenal | Burnley |
| 14:00 GMT | Lafferty 60' Caldwell 86' | Report | Eduardo 7' Bendtner 75' | Stadium: Turf Moor Attendance: 16,709 Referee: Alan Wiley |
| 26 January 2008 Fourth round | Arsenal | 3–0 | Newcastle United | London |
| 15:00 GMT | Adebayor 51', 83' Butt 89' (o.g.) | Report | Caçapa 75' | Stadium: Emirates Stadium Attendance: 60,046 Referee: Martin Atkinson |
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