1. v Leicester City - August 27, 1997, Filbert
Street
The third goal in the hat-trick. The only thing that took away from
my hat-trick that day was that we only managed to get a draw. But
my third goal that night is my favourite for Arsenal. For the goal
itself, I was thinking what I wanted to happen, and it worked out
exactly. When the ball came over from Platty, I had in my mind to
control it, luckily the ball stayed in the air, so I flicked it
round the defender and then finished, and that was the idea. It all
just came together - the movement and the control.
2. v Newcastle United - March 2, 2002, St James'
Park
This goal was more about instinct. As soon as the ball came to me I
decided that I wanted to go round the defender. The ball came on
one side, and just before it came to me, I decided to flick it one
way past the defender. I was already turning the other way, so I
just thought that was the way to go. As I said, it was more about
instinct though - it was thought about and executed in the same
moment.
3. v Tottenham Hotspur - November 24, 1996,
Highbury
This goal has to be in my top three. The goal itself was quite
good, the movement, controlling the ball away from the defender and
then hammering it in. But for me what made it was the moment, the
emotion of scoring against Spurs at Highbury. I said to my wife
afterwards that those conditions were perfect for me. A little bit
of rain, a wet pitch, and it was against Spurs. It was the first
time I really realised how big it was to score against them. I
scored in my first away game against Spurs, but it didn't have
the same feeling as scoring that night at Highbury. It was so
important for the fans and it was a great feeling.
4. v Bolton Wanderers - May 5, 1996, Highbury
It was the last game of my first season and we needed to win to get
into Europe. To be honest I can't remember how exactly the goal
went in, I know it was from the edge of the area, but I have chosen
it at number four because of how important it was. I would call it
pay back time. Arsenal had put that confidence in me when they
bought me so it was good to pay it back. I felt I had had a good
season, but for me personally I wanted to get the team in Europe
and my goal helped do it.
5. v Southampton - September 23, 1995, Highbury
My first ever goal for Arsenal. It was a volley from a Glenn Helder
cross and again I choose this goal for the importance as well. To
be honest I really didn't appreciate how much attention there
was on me to get that first goal. Of course people have spoken to
me about it since, and I know there was a lot written in the
papers. Things like who would score first, me or Chris Armstrong,
who had just signed for Spurs. So it was good to get that goal and
from then on I really started.
6. v Sunderland - January 15, 1997, Roker Park
I like the celebration after this goal too. I received the ball
outside the area, and then beat my man with a little move. I
don't know what you would call the move but I have seen Zidane
do it a few times since. I had it under my feet, rolled it past the
defender, then curled it into the top corner. Then I ran off with
my hand over my mouth as if to say 'what a goal'. It was
probably a bit arrogant but we enjoyed it at the time! I remember
Stephen Hughes and Nigel Winterburn celebrated with me, and people
asked me why we celebrated like that, but that was the reason -
because it was a good goal!
7. v Southampton - September 23, 1995, Highbury
My second goal of the game, and the second of my Arsenal career. I
think it was due to the relief of scoring that first goal that it
gave me the freedom to try this. It was quite a long way out, I
thought why not have a go? And luckily it worked out. I don't
think it was a goal I would have attempted if I hadn't already
scored that day. My confidence was up to shoot from that
distance.
8. v Bayer Leverkusen - February 27, 2002,
Highbury
I enjoyed this goal, the chip. I had scored a lot of goals like
that in Holland, but for some reason in my Arsenal career I had
only done it a few times. In Holland it had almost become my
trademark, I was famous for it. As soon as I went one-on-one with
the 'keeper I would feint to hammer it, but in the end just
lift it over the keeper by chipping it. I scored plenty of those
for Ajax, but only three or four for Arsenal, so that was quite
nice.
9. v Queens Park Rangers - March 2, 1996, Loftus
Road
I believe I have never hit a ball that hard before or since.
Honestly, I smashed it! It was a cross from the right by Lee Dixon
and I just caught it perfectly. It was one of those moments when
you run into it, your feet are perfect, you don't have to break
stride and then bang! It's the same with a golf shot every now
and then. It went so hard and I remember we laughed about it
afterwards in the changing room because it had been hit so hard.
There was also that one against Southampton at the Dell when I
smashed it in after shrugging off a defender a couple of years
later, but I think I'll put this one in.
10. v West Bromwich Albion - April 15, 2006,
Highbury
My last ever goal for Arsenal as it turned out, and on 'Dennis
Bergkamp Day' too! It was nice to give everyone a little
reminder that I could curl the ball into the net beyond the
'keeper. I scored a few like that in the 1998 season, I
remember against Barnsley that year especially I scored one from
the edge of the area, just wide of the 'keeper. So it was nice
to do that again on that day last season.