[Sport] 'It was so traumatic' - Why Wenger's Arsenal never recovered from Eduardo injury & Gallas meltdown

[The GodFather]

 

 

 

Arsene Wenger's side looked set to win the Premier League title in 2008 - until one fateful afternoon in February stopped them in their tracks
“I couldn’t tell you the dates of any cup finals, but I can tell you the date of Eduardo’s injury,” says former Arsenal physiotherapist Colin Lewin. “It was February 23, 2008.”

It’s been more than 12 years since Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Birmingham, but that fateful afternoon at St Andrew’s remains firmly etched in the memories of anyone connected with the north London club.

Arsene Wenger’s impressive young team travelled up to the Midlands with the opportunity to move eight points clear at the top of the Premier League with just over two months of the season remaining.

But they ended the game distraught.

One of their key players was in hospital with a career-threatening injury and the squad was divided following an extraordinary on-field meltdown by captain William Gallas, after Birmingham had snatched an equaliser in the closing seconds thanks to a James McFadden penalty.

“It was quite the shock to be on the pitch that day,” recalls former Gunners defender Bacary Sagna.

“I don’t want to use it as an excuse for what happened after, but that day at Birmingham was very bad. It put insecurity into the team and we were not able to come back from it.”

No one had expected much from Wenger’s side when they started the 2007-08 campaign. Thierry Henry had just left for Barcelona, Freddie Ljungberg had also moved on – joining West Ham – while Jose Antonio Reyes had completed his permanent switch to Atletico Madrid.

Money was tight due to the financial implications brought on by the move to the Emirates Stadium, with Eduardo – signed for £7.5 million ($9.2m) from Dinamo Zagreb – the costliest of Arsenal’s five new arrivals.

Wenger’s squad was viewed as talented but youthful, and one that would not be able to compete with Manchester United or Chelsea.

However, a team centred round the mercurial Cesc Fabregas in midfield suddenly began to emerge as genuine contenders having won 14 of their opening 15 games in all competitions.

They hit top spot in the Premier League after a 3-1 win at Spurs a month into the season and went into the new year still at the summit, kicking off 2008 with a 2-0 win against West Ham.

Eduardo – who opened the scoring against the Hammers – and Emmanuel Adebayor were forming a formidable double act up front, with the guile and technical ability of Fabregas and Alexander Hleb combining perfectly with the grit of Mathieu Flamini in midfield.

Arsenal were beginning to look like champions-elect and by the time they made it to St Andrew’s for their last fixture in February, they had a five-point lead over Manchester United in the table.

They went into the game on the back of four successive wins in the Premier League and another three points looked a certainty against a Birmingham side who were rock bottom and heading for relegation.

However, a series of events took place that many believe didn’t just alter the trajectory of Arsenal’s season, but also the second half of Wenger’s 22-year reign as manager.

“What happened that day knocked everyone for six really,” says former Arsenal right-back Justin Hoyte, who was amongst the substitutes at St Andrew’s. “It was so traumatic for everyone and we never really recovered from it.”

The trauma started after just three minutes when Martin Taylor, the Birmingham centre-back, lunged into a challenge on Eduardo, who had just turned onto a pass delivered by Gael Clichy.

By the time Taylor’s sliding tackle reached the Brazil-born Croatia international, the ball had long gone and his studs instead clattered into the striker’s leg and fractured his fibula instantly.

It was a horrific injury, one that shocked everyone on the field. Fabregas’ face as he looked down at his stricken team-mate said it all.

“I was on the bench next to Gilberto and we heard it happen,” says Hoyte. “And then, we could see by everyone's faces how bad it was.

“There was just a sense of shock all around the stadium.”

Within seconds, Arsenal physio Gary Lewin was tending to Eduardo.

“Your training takes over,” Lewin remembers. “The first thing to think about is if it’s either a life-threatening or limb-threatening injury. With Eduardo it was obvious it was a limb-threatening injury.

“Then, you go through the process of stabilising and immobilising the injury, working out how you are going to get them off the pitch in the best way and controlling the pain.”

Eduardo was treated on the pitch for 10 minutes before he was stretchered off and taken to Birmingham’s Selly Oak hospital. Back at St Andrew’s, meanwhile, his team-mates still had a match to try to win.