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So, justice was done in the end, even if Lauren's penalty did creep wearily across the
line. Tottenham got what they deserved for a negative performance: nothing. We can argue
all day about the merits of both spot kicks, Did David Seaman really foul Gus Poyet before
Teddy Sheringham scored? Was Thierry Henry really held down for Arsenal's winner? At least
referee Mark Halsey was even-handed, giving one to each side. Let's hope that this is the
decisive victory which Sir Alex Ferguson feared. Praise also to Freddie Ljungberg, who ran
from midfield to score the opening goal. If there's one Arsenal midfielder you can trust
to get ahead of the ball, it's the Swede with the carrot top hair He's been doing it all
season.
Arsenal will release Junichi Inamoto early to join Japan's World Cup squad, His Highbury
future remains in doubt, after a handful of League Cup appearances. The arrival of the man
nicknamed Tshirt is still clouded in mystery. Surely Arsenal didn't just sign him for a
season so they could break into the lucrative Far East football merchandise market and
compete with Manchester United?
This is the time of year when the prizes are handed out. Here are some Man in the North
Bank accolades and brickbats.
Player of the season: Robert Pires. His injury was a crying shame for Arsenal and France.
I wasn't convinced about him last year, when he seemed unable to come to terms with the
physical demands of English football. He admitted as much himself. This season no-one has
muscled Pires off the ball. He was playing probably the best football of his career before
that agonising exit against Newcastle. To score 15 goods from his position wide on the
left is phenomenal. Add his frequent 'assists' and you have a dream player. Goal of the
season: A toss-up between Pires and Dennis Bergkamp. Pires' winner at Aston Villa, the
control, the dash past a waiting defender and the almost nonchalant finish won a
potentially crucial game. Bergkamp's goal in the 2-0 win at Newcastle was equally
majestic. The amazing turn that left Nikos Dabizas stranded and the clinical finish that
followed was vintage 1998 Bergkamp. His exquisite chip against Bayer Leverkusen was
vintage too. But the Dutchman summed up the difference: 'I think the goal at Newcastle was
better because it was more important. It turned the game our way after we'd been under
early pressure.'
Stand-in of the season: Young goalkeeper Stuart Taylor, who showed great composure in the
absence of Seaman and Wright and proved that Arsenal didn't need to sign a stopgap keeper,
Mr Cool: Sol Campbell, who coped with venomous abuse from those at the other end of Seven
Sisters Road, and overcame early season doubts to grow more impressive with every
appearance.
Unluckiest players: Pires, Francis Jeffers, whose injury jinx has followed him from
Everton, and Gio van Bronckhorst. The Dutchman was just getting into his stride when
disaster struck.
Disappointments of the season: Arsenal's Champions League away form, the complete opposite
of their mastery on the road in the Premiership. Nwankwo Kanu's inability to turn his
massive ability into an end product. The number of pointless suspensions.
Quote of the season: 'Yes, we're going to win the championship.' (Arsene Wenger) We'll
find out pretty soon if he was giving hostages to fortune.
N16 crossword No.13 Across
by Gap
Twelve solutions are of a kind, with a London theme. Their definitions are omitted from
their clues. The heading may assist as may the fact that all 26 letters of the alphabet
are used.
ACROSS
1 Marshall gets on horse (7)
5 Essayist given old letter (7)
9 Continue strongly on the same line (3-2)
10 Two drains relocated in the cellar perhaps (9)
11 Verne described the French ship as calm (9)
12 Top alfresco party? (5)
13 'ale and 'earty? Getting there (6)
14 End of the line is crazy (7)
18 Minion, or a beloved one, meeting neighbours, maybe (3,4)
20 Compound joined by Ulster old boys (6)
24 Hesitation before support for uninvited guest (5)
26 Characters In Pygmalion and Little Women meet the queen (9)
27 Environment-friendly tat? (9)
28 Moulding circles around numbers perhaps (5)
29 Tabular result I record next to worker (7)
30 Finish receiving new file (7)
The winner will receive a meal for two up to the value of £30 at the Anglo
Asian on Church Street. Entries must be received by 2 May
. Entries to N16 Crossword
26 Shacklewell Lane, London E8 2EZ. |
 DOWN
1 Organised hearing with unknown conclusion (8)
2 Halve penultimate part of agreement, getting nothing for singer (9)
3Cloth for grandma to mourn (7)
4 Mountain singer led Roy astray (6)
5 Author of The Last Battle - an amateur (8)
6 Wrongly considered moist application adequate (7)
7 Precise demand (5)
8 Leader of hounds - a pointer perhaps (6)
15 Duller single Is top of the charts (6,3)
16 Advice for one giving bride away? (8)
17 Clear out place of worship on the first weekday (8)
19 Girl carelessly lets out a kestrel (7)
21 Swinger taking leave to begin game (4,3)
22 Wild ass in place of a youngster's horse first (6)
23 King gets sheik cooked beet or chicken meal (6)
25 Obsolete lines taken on by hospital department (5) |
April 2002, Issue 13. N16 is published by n16 publishing ltd, 26
Shacklewell Lane, London E8 2EZ. Printed by Spiderweb Ltd. Design by Audiografix.
No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the
publisher. |
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