August–November 1988–89 Arsenal F.C. season

alan smith (pictured in 2014) reached 10-goal mark arsenal in october, against queens park rangers.

arsenal began league season away @ plough lane, faced wimbledon on 27 august 1988. team started badly, going goal behind after 8 minutes came win 5–1 alan smith scoring hat-trick. manner of arsenal’s comeback had journalist dennis signy mulling on club s chances of winning league; wrote in times match report: …the gunners made bookmakers odds of 16–1 against them championship generous. @ highbury, arsenal beaten newly promoted aston villa; of first half graham’s side struggled break through villa s five. visitors 2 goals in match before arsenal equalised in space of ten minutes. andy gray scored winner in 62nd minute free-kick contentiously awarded referee. arsenal faced tottenham hotspur in season’s first north london derby, staged @ white hart lane. fast-paced , open first-half saw 5 goals in 17 minutes arsenal running out 3–2 winners. graham later described “great” , “wonderful advertisement game, , felt supporters , media go away happy. arsenal s home form continued blight them team dropped 2 points against southampton on 17 september 1988. match best remembered altercation between paul davis , glenn cockerill. arsenal midfielder punched cockerill missed referee, caught on camera. davis later banned 9 matches , handed record £3,000 fine. arsenal ended month 2–1 defeat away sheffield wednesday , sat in seventh position.

s anaemic, s leading line superbly, graham s assessment of smith striker scored 2 goals in arsenal s 4–1 win @ west ham united. david rocastle , michael thomas other goalscorers, contributing team s 13 league goals in 4 away matches. goals adams , smith saw arsenal defeat queens park rangers @ home 2 weeks later, held 1–1 draw @ luton town despite dominating of game. adams scored second league goal of season, @ home coventry city earn 3 points team. extended unbeaten run in competitions 7 matches. kevin richardson , brian marwood singled out praise journalist vince wright, former doing excellent job on [david] speedie, , latter seemingly involved in every penetrating move.

a live match audience witnessed arsenal trounce nottingham forest @ city ground in november. steve bould, brian marwood adams, smith each scored team came goal behind win. performance of true quality must have made excellent viewing, graham s verdict , described satisfying beat forest @ home ground. arsenal not @ fluent best against newcastle united though came away st james park cleansheet , 1–0 win – bould scored second successive match. paul merson scored twice against middlesbrough arsenal recorded 3–0 win , moved second place, 2 points behind norwich city. arsenal s 5 england internationals, featured against saudi arabia week before, lauded in times performances, despite playing tamely country. match reporter suggested club versus country dilemma solved including more arsenal players, graham sceptical when put him. want england well. s want arsenal better, said. arsenal s unbeaten run came end against derby county, @ baseball ground debatable penalty awarded home side allowed them game.