Remembering Arsene Wenger's first Arsenal game/Lineup
Arsene Wenger's first game in charge of Arsenal was a fairly routine 2-0 victory at struggling Blackburn Rovers on Oct. 12, 1996. ...
https://thesportsblog360.blogspot.com/2016/10/remembering-arsene-wengers-first.html
Arsene Wenger's first game in charge of Arsenal was a fairly routine 2-0 victory at struggling Blackburn Rovers on Oct. 12, 1996.
But it heralded a new era at the London club, and was the first step toward an unprecedented period of success for the Gunners.
Wenger's first team was largely inherited from predecessors Bruce Rioch and George Graham, but one name stuck out as a symbol of things to come.
Patrick Vieira was handed just his third league start, having been signed by Arsenal that summer on the advice of Wenger, before the Frenchman was officially in charge of the club.
Vieira was the only foreign player in the team that day, aside from Welshman John Hartson, with Dennis Bergkamp not in the squad.
The midfielder was the first of many bright foreign talents -- especially French -- brought in by Wenger, and the days of overwhelmingly English teams were soon over.
Arsene's first official Lineup: David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown, Nigel Winterburn, Paul Merson, David Platt, Patrick Vieira, John Hartson, Ian Wright.
News/photo Credit: Espn
