Arsenal 1995/96 season summary

Arsenal - summary of the 1995/96 season

Pre-season preview

At the end of last season, most Arsenal fans would not have dared hope for much more than a period of rebuilding. However, the close season appointment of new manager Bruce Rioch and the subsequent signings of world stars Dennis Bergkamp and David Platt have engendered considerable excitement and optimism amongst Gooners around the world, though the departure of Swedish midfield star Stefan Schwarz is a loss which could leave a shortage of ball-winners. The 12 million pounds Arsenal have invested in Bergkamp and Platt though, clearly indicates that the club intend to seriously pursue the major trophies in the coming season and history shows that since 1986 Arsenal have not gone for longer than one season without winning anything.

However, the coming season looks like being a watershed in the club's history, particularly with two old stalwarts and favourites, Paul Davis and Alan Smith, leaving the club. A new style of play seems likely, the new team could take time to gel, and there are still some concerns about the aging defence, particularly in the fullback postitions, so the wise would caution against over optimism. Wise and objective however, are adjectives rarely applied to football fans.

Key Players

Ian Wright: still vital to Arsenal's attack after yet another 30 goal season, though will be hoping to get into less trouble with referees this year.
Dennis Bergkamp: much is expected of the Dutch striker and much will depend on how well he adapts to English football and puts his Italian nightmare behind him. If he plays just behind the strikers as expected, his partnership with Wright could be truly prolific.
Tony Adams: the rock at the centre of Arsenal's defence, and inspirational captain.
David Platt: some fans remain to be convinced about his true class, though his pedigree as a midfield goal-scorer cannot be disputed. His role in the team will be awaited with much interest.
David Seaman: performed heroics on occasion last season, and England's first choice keeper for most of the year. Had a traumatic end to the season though, with that goal in the EC2 final being followed a week later by a broken ankle in end of season tour. Expected to be fit for the start of the season though.

Unknown Player to Watch for

Given that Arsenal had a fair amount of media exposure last season, none of the players likely to get more than the occasional first team game can really be described as unknown.

The best prospects in the Arsenal reserve team seem to be Stephen Hughes and Gavin McGowan. Hughes is a slightly built left-sided midfielder has been likened to Liam Brady, though such comparisons are always facile and Hughes is said to lack a bit of pace. Still a teenager, he may need more time to develop in the reserves. McGowan is a right sided midfielder cum fullback who impressed on the club's recent post season tour of the Far East. However, both may find that their chances in the coming season are extremely limited, though McGowan could be called upon if Lee Dixon is injured or suffers a loss of form.

Post-season review

Close Season Transfer Activity

In: Dennis Bergkamp   (Forward)  from Inter Milan (ITA)   (7.5 million)
    David Platt       (Midfield) from Sampdoria   (ITA)   (4.75 million)

Out: Stefan Schwarz   (Midfield) to Fiorentina    (ITA)   (2.3 million)
     Kevin Campbell   (Forward) to Nottingham Forest      (~2 million)

Squad for 1995-1996 Season

 1. David Seaman          (England international goalkeeper)
 2. Lee Dixon             (England int right back)
 3. Nigel Winterburn      (England int left back)
 4. 
 5. Steve Bould           (England int central defender)
 6. Tony Adams            (England int centre half, club captain)
 7. David Platt           (England captain, international midfielder)
 8. Ian Wright            (England int forward, last term's top scorer)
 9. Paul Merson           (England int midfielder, reformed bad-boy)
10. Dennis Bergkamp       (Dutch international forward)
11. Glenn Helder          (Dutch int left winger)
12. Andy Linighan         (Eng B int central defender, brother of David)
13. Vince Bartram         (Reserve goalkeeper)
14. Martin Keown          (England int central defender)
15. Ray Parlour           (Eng U21 int midfielder with silly haircut)
16. John Hartson          (Welsh international striker)
17. David Hillier         (Eng U21 international midfielder)
18. Steve Morrow          (Northern Ireland int defender/midfield)
19. John Jensen           (Danish int midfielder, goalscorer supreme)
20. Chris Kiwomya         (Striker, cover for Wright)
21. Eddie McGoldrick      (Irish int midfielder, also known as Shoot)
22. Ian Selley            (Eng U21 international midfield)
23. Paul Dickov           (Scotland U21 international forward)
24. Mark Flatts           (Reserve midfielder)
25. Scott Marshall        (Reserve centre half)
26. Lee Harper            (Reserve goalkeeper)
27. Paul Shaw             (Reserve striker)
28. Stephen Hughes        (Reserve midfielder)
29. Adrian Clarke         (Reserve striker/winger)
30. Gavin McGowan         (Reserve fullback)
31. Matthew Rose          (Reserve defender)

Retrospective review of the season

Bruce Rioch was appointed manager early in the close season and immediately started laying the foundations for the rebuilding of the team with the big money signings of Dennis Bergkamp and David Platt. His attempt to introduce a more cultured, passing style of football met with the approval of the majority of Arsenal fans, and was, to a degree, successful.

Under the promptings of the Dutch master Bergkamp, Arsenal played at times some very pleasant and entertaining football. There were however, some periods of lamentable form, culminating in the season's nadir, the defeat in the 3rd round of the FA Cup to 1st division Sheffield United. The Littlewoods Cup also ultimately ended in disappointment, though defeat this time came only on away goals in the semi-final at the hands of Aston Villa.

Arsenal's league form was good at times, poor at others. After an uncertain start, Bergkamp and Wright started to click and formed the beginnings of a deadly partnership which helped lift Arsenal to 3rd in the table. However, suspension for Wright and injury for Bergkamp put a brake on the Gunners' progress and that early good form was never consistently recaptured. The loss through injury of defensive pillars, Steve Bould and Tony Adams, in mid December and January respectively, contributed to the mid-season slump. However, the previously unheralded Martin Keown performed heroically in their absence, and with Andy Linighan and later Scott Marshall ensured that from February onwards, the Arsenal defence was as mean as ever.

In the latter half of the season Rioch made the tactical switch to playing 3 (or 5 depending on your point of view) at the back which gave the team a new lease of life. This helped towards a more consistent finish to the league season and lifted Arsenal into the 5th place needed to ensure qualification for the UEFA Cup this year. Needing to win a heartstopping final game the Gunners looked to have thrown it all away, trailing at home to bottom team Bolton with less than 10 minutes to go. However, Rioch's big name signings came up trumps, and Platt and Bergkamp scored to bring Arsenal victory and that vital 5th place in the league.

Off the field, Arsenal fans were shocked by the news in March that Ian Wright had asked for a transfer, a personality clash with Rioch being cited as one of the main reasons. Disquiet about the state of back room relations at Highbury was further heightened by the news that Rioch still hadn't signed a contract. The papers were filled with rumours of his dissatisfaction with the arrangements for signing new players, and of the lack of esteem with which some players viewed him. Following the Graham affair, the Arsenal board had decided that the manager would no longer have control over negotiations with potential new signings.

Along with rumours about interference by vice-Chairman David Dein in football matters, this all led to considerable unease during the latter part of the season. Five days before the start off the new season matters came to a head when Rioch was sacked only days after he had finally signed a contract. The board blamed Rioch's failure to communicate with them. The lack of any major signings and Arsenal's poor pre-season form had led to a certain amount of unrest among fans, but many would have laid the blame more at the feet of the board. The subsequent transfers of French internationals Garde and Vieira within days of Rioch's exit would seem to suggest that the decision to dispense with his services was not a sudden one.

Previous season

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