ArseWEB - Swedish tour Summer 1995

This page contains results and (sometimes rather hastily written!) discussions of the Arsenal tour of Sweden in July/August 1995, as they appeared on the Arsenal mailing-list. These were Bruce Rioch's first games in charge, and Bergkamp and Platt's first games for the club.

Kristianstads 1 Arsenal 8
Gaelstads 1 Arsenal 6
GAIS Gothenburg 0 Arsenal 2

Kristianstads FF (1) 1 - 8 (3) Arsenal

26th July, Kristianstads Idrottsplats, att 3.050

Wright scored the first goal from the spot after Ray Parlour had been brought down in the box (see goal times below). He (Wright) was then booked for dissent early in the second half. Rioch immediately brought on Merson in his place. Wright "could not resist one last angry word to the referee as he lefdt the field". Rioch is quoted as saying "We just don't need that sort of thing in a pre-season friendly". Hillier was also forced out of the match - by a late tackle. Bergkamp was on the bench for the first half (then scored his hattrick in 6 minutes - the first being a 25 yarder that Rioch described as "crisp, sweet and clinical finishing of the highest order. We all just looked at each other on the bench... and said 'what a goal!' ".) So, putting all the clues together: it seems that Bergkamp must have come on for Hillier, but I don't know who came on for Platt after 75minutes, and I think it looks like we were playing something like this:

             Wright(subMerson)  Hartson
Helder      Platt(sub ?)   Hiller(sub Bergkamp)    Parlour
     Winterburn   Adams   Bould   Dixon
                   Bartram

although none of the back five is mentioned in any report I've seen except for the fact that the opponents' goal came from a Bartram blunder..

Basically it's the kind of formation we've been expecting but with too many friendly-style substitutions to be able to read a lot into it all.

There's a picture of Bergkamp thanking Helder for setting up his third goal, but it looks more like he's about to nut him. They describe Hartsons' goals thus: the first was a fine left-footer from the edge of the box after a strong run past two defenders, the second a simple header after an inch perfect cross from Helder (ok you win I'll shut up about Helder's poor delivery for a bit and give the guy a chance now!). Bergkamps's goals: the 25 yarder followed by dispossessing an "outclassed defender" and stroking the ball inside the far post, then the third a tap in from Helder's "fine run".They don't describe Merse's goals at all but they came in rapid succession shortly after he came on for Wright.

A chap in Sweden has kindly sent me the following. Note in particular the way that each player's goals are clumped together.


----- Begin Included Message -----
Hi Rupe,

I have a short report from Kristianstad, which will
make you and all Gunners-fan happy:

Kristianstads FF vs Arsenal   1-8 (1-3)
26th July, Kristianstads Idrottsplats,   att 3.050

Denis Bergkamp scored 3 of Arsenal's goals when swedish
2nd Divsion team Kristianstad was defeated by 8-1. A Hat
Trick in sex minutes!

Kristianstad is a top team in Swedish 2nd Division, and
has has a good chance to ge promtions to Division 1 (Sweden
has like UK a Premier Leugue).

Goalscores (minues):

0-1 (12)  Ian Wright (penalty)
1-1 (17)  Stefan Noresson
1-2 (32)  John Hartson
1-3 (37)  John Hartson
1-4 (67)  Paul Merson
1-5 (70)  Paul Merson
1-6 (84)  Denis Bergkamp
1-7 (86)  Denis Bergkamp
1-8 (90)  Denis Bergkamp

David Platt played appx 75 minutes for his new team.

Next game in Sweden will be this Saturday. I promise to give
you the result and goal-scores early Sunday morning.


Good luck!


  / Bengt Gellingskog


----- End Included Message -----

Gaelstad (1) 1 - 6 (5) Arsenal

29th July, Aavalla, att 1.834

Merse was taken off with an injury but Rioch says he's okay. The opposition were pretty poor. But "goals breed confidence", says Brucie.

GAIS Gothenburg (0) 0 - 2 (2) Arsenal

From Ceefax:

First half headers by Wright and Bergkamp. Rioch satisfied. more from Bengt...



Arsenal won also their last game on the Swedish Tour,
when GAIS of Gothenburg was defeated with 2-0 Tuesday
evening. GAIS is a Division 1-team, and is for the
moment three points from promotion to Premiar Leauge.
Last time GAIS played Arsenal (a mixed team from Gothenburg)
was a several years ago, and the spectators will never
forget the Arsenal-center Ted Drake when a dynmite-shot
from him passed through the net when scoring!


GAIS vs Arsenal   0-2 (0-2)
1st August, Gamla Ullevi,  attn 3.500


Goalscores (minutes):

0-1  (3)  Ian Wright
0-2 (44)  Dennis Bergkamp

Both scores was headgoals, and Winterburn & Merson on the left
wing had assist on both goals.

Arsenal was play like this:


                  Bergkamp    Wright (sub Hartson)
       Merson (sub Helder) Jensen (sub Keown)   Hillier   Parlour
            Winterburn    Adams    Bould (sub Linigham)  Dixon
                               Bartram

David Platt was injuired on training Friday afternoon, and has
not played the two last games in Sweden.


I met some 'Gooners On Tour' after the game, and Baso give you
this words:


 "The first game in my opinion, was the best. It was good to
  see that Arsenal started with almost my choice of starting
  line-up. Arsenal started at an average pace, with Bergkamp
  coming on the half time, and the team looked much improved.
  My choice for the player of the match was Glenn Helder.

  When I asked the swedish people how I get to Gaellstad, they
  refused to belive that it was even in Sweden, so I knew it
  was not going to be easy to get there. But I did, and there
  was a good atmosphere, and Merson shone as the star. Every
  goal this guy gets seems to be something special, and for
  this game we was treated to 3.

  Next port of call was the training session at Kungsbacka. Of
  all the sessions I have been to, this was by far the most
  informal. The Arsenal-players spent a lot of time with spec-
  tators. Last stop (one of my favourites) was G\teborg. No stop
  will be complete without stopping at the "Gamle Port". We
  played GAIS, a fairly low key game, but afterwards it was down
  to their "local", and the peoples friendliness was exceptional
  to say the least. To me, this part of the tour is far more
  important than the football"


                       Baso



Arsenal-team vs Kristianstad, July 26:

                Hartson (sub Bergkamp)    Wright (sub Merson)
         Helder  Platt (sub Keown) Hillier (sub Jensen)   Parlour
            Winterburn    Adams    Bould   Dixon
                               Bartram



Arsenal-team vs Gaellstad, July 29:

                     Bergkamp     Wright
       Merson (sub Helder) Keown   Hillier (sub Jensen)   Parlour
            Winterburn    Adams (sub Linigham)    Bould   Dixon
                               Bartram


In Gaelstad the former Liverpool-defender Glenn Hysen played, together
with some other 1st Division-player from the area. Gaellstad playing
in the 5th Swedish Diivsion.


Arsenal appearances, includes those as substitute, Swedish Tour 1995
(goals in brackets)


13  Vince Bartram               3

 3  Nigel Winterburn            3
 6  Tony Adams                  3
 5  Steve Bould                 3
 2  Lee Dixon                   3
12  Andy Linighan               2
18  Steve Morrow                1

 9  Paul Merson                 3 (5)
 7  David Platt                 1
17  David Hillier               3
15  Ray Parlour                 3
14  Martin Keown                3
30  John Jensen                 3 (1)
11  Glenn Helder                3

10  Dennis Bergkamp             3 (5)
 8  Ian Wright                  3 (3)
16  John Hartson                2 (2)



With my very best regards, I wish you and Gunners
all the best for this season!

Thanks,


  / Bengt