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• Irrespective of where Arsenal finish in the UEFA Cup, Arsene Wenger
sees the competition as a consolation prize. The Arsenal boss's concern is to play in the
Champions League again next season, which is why he has been exhorting the troops to
finish ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea though, by the time you read this, Leeds may have
blown up after an exciting season.
• If the Gunners do make the Champions League again, the choice of home venue will
figure high on the agenda. Anyway, Wembley won't be available for most of next season
because of rebuilding work. UEFA's Champions League requirements don't make playing at
Highbury easy but there's no doubt that Arsenal perform better in the narrow spaces of
the tightest pitch in the Premiership. Ask Deportivo La Coruna and Werder Bremen. Bremen
for instance, who knocked out holders Parma, came into the quarter-final full of
confidence. Afterwards, their coach, Thomas Schaaf, said: 'Arsenal are undoubtedly the
best team we have faced in Europe this season.'
• With the campaign nearing its end, speculation ineviatably turns to transfers.
Manu Petit has made it plain he's had enough of English football and it will take all of
Wenger's persuasive skills to keep him at Highbury. The France World Cup winner is likely
to move to Italy in the summer. Barcelona looks the likeliest destination for winger Marc
Overmars. Louis Van Gaal, his old mentor at Ajax, has not exactly kept his interest quiet.
And this could be the last season in a Gunners shirt for one of Arsenal's great servants,
Nigel Winterburn.
• Who's coming in? Olympique Marseille's former captain and midfield star Robert
Pires is telling everyone who'll listen that he's bound for Arsenal in the summer. Wenger
has stayed studiously silent on the subject. But he was a big admirer of Pires when he was
a youngster at Metz. Pires is desperate to get away from a club which seems intent on
destroying itself with internal feuds. Pires would also be a straight replacement for
Petit.
• Oleh 'Horse' Luzhnyi has made his name as a thundering right back.
Wenger also sees him as a top class centre half, a role he played only occasionally for
Dynamo Kiev and Ukraine. After his performance in the derby win over Spurs, Wenger said:
'I like him in that position. He can grow into it. He has all the qualities to be a
success there.'
• Speaking of Tottenham, isn't it sad that - the occasional upset apart they're no
longer competitive in derby matches? Arsenal think about cups and the Champions League.
Spurs think about Darren Anderton's latest sick note. However, that does not excuse those
new, and moneyed, Arsenal fans who were telling me that the derby doesn't matter any more
because Tottenham have no chance of reaching the Champions League. Get real guys. These
games are north London's matches of the year and if you had any respect for tradition,
you'd know that.
• Finally, an apology to Thierry Henry. At the start of the season, I wondered if he
had the finishing ability to provide the goals the Gunners needed. Henry has given a
conclusive answer. Not only has he shown a sure touch around the box, he has also added
running off the ball and heading power to his game, which make him a formidable opponent.
Henry and Nicolas Anelka were constantly compared when they were at the French football
academy at Clarefontaine. Anelka's disasters at Real Madrid were all too predictable. But
Henry has gone from strength to strength under Wenger's shrewd guidance.
N16 crossword No. 5
© GAP PRODUCTIONS 2000
SN by Gap
Ten solutions include the theme suggested by the heading. The presence of all 26 letters
of the alphabet dictates the spelling of 25 across.
ACROSS
1 Sadly repent about theme of relevance (9)
6 Good man accepts theme for a period (5)
9 Indian tribe moves along one of 5 (9)
10 Fire former jockey, losing his head (5)
11 Issuing red bill shows poor pedigree (3-4)
12 Joint cover for two girls (7)
13 Bird will fly over garcon in circles (9)
15 Push the boat (5)
16 Issue confused by her (5)
18 Mentor Len organised when signing up (9)
21 Drum movement for main pit (7)
23 But reverse charge represents a fraudulent act (7)
24 Trained assassin in Japan (5)
25 Make a different type of list (9)
26 Theme with oddly grey trace of colour (5)
27 Men on Bounty, perhaps, resume arrangement on theme (9)
DOWN
1 Metal covering provides initial insulation around element the theme (7)
2 Even artist has gun raised (7)
3 Supply stimulus and almost come up with new idea, it is said (9)
4 Hoofed animal finds energy with substance (5)
5 Theme for Atherton, perhaps a slow turner? (3-6)
6 Stem some light (5)
7 Almost disparage a king being aloof (7)
8 Theme town in Hertfordshire produces cheap pots and pans, perhaps (7)
14 Destructive crimes, taking in theme, show very low intelligence (9)
15 Gaul, brain-damaged, from a Black Sea country (9)
16 Silk cloth displays 'Tea's Up' around theme (7)
17 Peter, in early life, gets measure of French writer (7)
19 'Great building' appears whenever formality is accepted by journalist (7)
20 Meddles with theme - Hines' novel Routledge initially accepted (7)
22 Saw Bill get old (5)
23 Precise demand (5)
There will be a prize of a meal for two up to the value of £30 at The Fox Reformed on
Church Street. Entries must be received by 12th May 2000.
Entries to N16 Crossword, 26 Shacklewell Lane, London E8 2EZ.
Winner of Crossword No.4:
Rachel Walsh, Dalston Lane, London E8
April/May 2000, Issue 5. N16 is published by N16 Publishing Ltd . Printed by
Spiderweb Ltd. Design by Audiografix.
PO Box 44624, London N16 5WN
phone/fax 020 7502 2532
info@n16mag.com
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