Middlesbrough 0 - 4 Arsenal

Arsenal go topFA Barclaycard Premier League
Riverside Stadium
24 August 2003

Middlesbrough Scorers
None

Arsenal Scorers
Thierry Henry 5′ (2)
Gilberto Silva 14′ (1)
Sylvain Wiltord 22′, 60′ (1,2)

Booked
Yellows:
Middlesbrough - Colin Cooper 24′ - Unsportsmanlike Conduct

The Gunners catapulted to the top of the table thanks to three goals inside the first quarter of the match, including Gilberto Silva’s first Premiership goal. Arsenal had a comfortable 3-0 lead at halftime at the Riverside, and Sylvain Wiltord added a fourth in the second half from a beautiful setup by Freddie Ljungberg to make the route complete.

Thierry Henry continues his torrid pace, scoring Arsenal’s first goal after only five minutes of play. With the Boro defense sufficiently stretched, Freddie Ljunberg fired a shot towards the Middlesbrough goal, which was parried by the keeper directly into the path of Ti Ti who rushed onto the loose ball and finished clinically.

Not ten minutes later, Arsenal were on the scoresheet again, this time a beautiful lob by Robert Pires on the left side of the penalty area found an open Gilberto Silva, who scored from the volley.

Another volley, from Henry to Sylvain Wiltord made it three goals in twenty-two minutes for Arsenal. Wiltord added a fourth goal, and his second of the game, in the 60th minute. Freddie Ljungberg was in on goal, and could have gone for goal on his own, when he unselfishly sent the ball to the left where an onrushing Wiltord tapped it in.

It was a very easy-going game for Arsenal, but it was not without some matters of concern. On three seperate occasions, Jens Lehmann shanked his clearing attempts. I hope that this gets worked out very quickly. The Gunners’ defense was only tested a few times, but there was a run of play late in the second half in which it seemed that a Boro goal was likely. No matter what they tried, the defense could not clear the ball out of the penalty area. A better team than Middlesbrough would have cashed in on an opportunity like that.

Still, a great win for the Gunners, and one that sees the team atop the league table for the first time since April.

Next up, Aston Villa at Highbury this Wednesday.