MINUTES 31-45
We pick out a goal from every minute of our Premier League history, including some of the greatest in our history, as well some lesser-remembered strikes.
By Josh James
31
Lukas Podolski
Arsenal 6-1 Southampton
September 15, 2012
Lukas Podolski arrived with a big reputation when he signed in the summer of 2012, or rather more specifically, he arrived with a reputation as a forward with a lethal left foot.
His first goal at Emirates Stadium proved that the rumours were true.
With just over half an hour on the clock, we won a free kick 10 yards outside the penalty area and just left of centre. Up stepped Podolski, who fired up and over the wall into the top corner.
It was curled with pace and power, just under the crossbar, giving Kelvin Davis no chance in the Southampton goal.
32
Nicolas Pepe
Wolves 2-1 Arsenal
February 2, 2021
This game generally is best forgotten, with two red cards reducing us to nine men and seeing us let a well-deserved lead slip, but the goal that gave us the lead was a work of art.
It was just reward for a dominant first-half performance, and looked to be setting us well on the way to a comfortable win. Bukaya Saka had already hit the post in the first minute but when we did eventually take the lead, it was worth the wait.
Alexandre Lacazette passed to Nicolas Pepe near the left-hand touchline, and our Ivorian immediately ran at the home defence. He weaved his way into the box, beating Nelson Semedo before nutmegging Ruben Neves.
He then smashed his right-footed shot beyond Rui Patricio into the far corner to crown a superb individual effort, that was later voted as our Goal of the Month.
33
Theo Walcott
Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City
December 21, 2015
A stunning effort from outside the area to send the Emirates crowd crazy and set up a memorable win over City.
This clash between the second and third-placed teams in the table had been even in the opening half hour, but Theo Walcott opened the scoring in some style.
Mesut Ozil ran at the defence, and slipped a pass through on the left wing, looking for Nacho Monreal. Walcott intercepted though, shifted the ball onto his right foot outside the corner of the box and flashed a curling shot past Joe Hart inside the far post.
We went on to claim the win, moving four points ahead of City and just two behind surprise leaders Leicester City as the season approached the halfway point.
34
Emmanuel Petit
Arsenal 1-0 Derby County
April 29, 1998
A vital game during the 1997/98 title run-in was decided by this screamer from French midfielder Emmanuel Petit.
The nerves were beginning to flutter just a little as Derby came to Highbury for this midweek match, with six points still needed for the title from our final four games. Manchester United had beaten Crystal Palace comfortably on the Monday night, moving them just a point behind us going into this game.
And the evening did not start well. Our talisman Dennis Bergkamp was substituted on the half hour mark with a hamstring injury – doubt and worry was starting to seep into the stands. But just four minutes later Petit lifted the mood with a cracker.
The loose ball fell to him 22 yards from goal. He took a touch before rocketing a left-footed shot into the net, and sparking celebrations mixed with relief. It was the only goal of the game, meaning victory at home to Everton that weekend would be enough to confirm the title…
35
Nicolas Pepe
Arsenal 3-1 West BromWICH ALBION
May 9, 2021
Nicolas Pepe's earlier goal on this list was with his right foot after cutting in from the left flank.
This one is from the more frequent method of the Ivorian drifting in from the right to unleash an effort with his lethal left boot.
Calum Chambers gave him the ball on the wing, and Pepe brought it just into the area. Then shifting the ball onto his left , he took aim and powered a shot into the top corner, just under the bar with a mixture of power and precision, giving Sam Johnstone no chance.
36
Thierry Henry
Norwich City 1-4 Arsenal
August 28, 2004
The Sky Sports commentary sums it up best: "There are times in football matches, where you just got to hold your hands up and say 'that's just a brilliant goal'. And you really can't defend against it. That is just pure brilliance."
The move started in midfield with Cesc Fabregas, passing out wide to Lauren on the overlap. He returned the ball to Fabregas who played a quick pass inside to Thierry Henry outside the area.
His return pass was dummied by Fabregas to Freddie Ljungberg, who sent a cross into the middle where Henry had continued his run to head home emphatically from the penalty spot.
The movement and incisive, quick passing had pulled Norwich out of shape, and the Invincibles were now 2-0 up at Carrow Road and well on the way to making it 44 league games unbeaten.
37
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Arsenal 5-1 Everton
February 3, 2018
Three days after becoming the club's all-time record transfer when he arrived from Borussia Dortmund, and just 37 minutes into his debut, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened his Gunners account.
Incredibly we were already 3-0 up by the time Auba got his first, and it was set up by fellow new signing and former Dortmund team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan. He slipped the ball through to the advancing Aubameyang into the area, leaving him one on one with Jordan Pickford.
The striker finished first time with a dinked left footed finish, over the keeper and home in front of the Clock End supporters at the Emirates.
Afterwards Auba said: "Of course I am really happy. We are all happy today. Is there more to come from me? I think so!”
38
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Huddersfield Town 0-1 Arsenal
May 13, 2018
Another goal from Auba's first season with us, but this one is included for its significance to the Arsene Wenger era - it was the last goal we ever scored during the Frenchman's reign.
This was game number 1,235 for Arsene in charge of Arsenal, and Aubameyang's goal late in the first half was the 2,298th we scored in that time.
Suitably it was a well-constructed team goal, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alexandre Lacaztte swapping passes before feeding Aaron Ramsey out wide. His low cross into the middle was met first time by Aubameyang, who converted from close range.
The goal was enough to secure victory on the final day of the 2017/18 season – win number 716 under the club's most successful boss.
39
Aaron Ramsey
Tottenham HOTSPUR 2-2 Arsenal
March 5, 2016
A superb piece of improvisation from Aaron Ramsey to give us the lead in the north London derby at White Hart Lane.
Danny Welbeck had possession on the left wing, and rolled the ball across the area for the arriving Hector Bellerin. The full back might have elected to shot first time, but instead he passed to Ramsey just outside the six-yard box.
The pass was behind the Welshman, but he readjusted and backheeled a right-footed shot with power in beyond Hugo Lloris.
Tottenham later struck back once we were reduced to 10 men following Francis Coquelin's red card and the game finished 2-2, but this moment of invention and technique was an undoubted highlight of the day.
40
Mesut Ozil
Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool
April 4, 2015
An inch-perfect direct free-kick from Mesut Ozil - after the German schemer had won the set piece himself.
He was brought down by Mamadou Sakho five yards outside the D, just right of centre.
It was perfect for the left foot of Ozil, who stepped up to curl his shot around the wall - setting his bending shot well wide of the defenders, and inside the far upright.
It was a superb piece of technique, and perhaps surprisingly, was the only free-kick Ozil scored for the club.
41
Lee Dixon
Arsenal 3-1 Manchester City
March 5, 1996
A classic example of Lee Dixon marauding forward from right back to get his name on the scoresheet.
John Hartson had already fired us ahead with a vicious dipping lob from outside the area before Dixon doubled the lead just before the break.
The architect, not surprisingly, was Dennis Bergkamp – by now two-thirds of the way into his debut season and certainly finding his feet. He had the ball on the left flank and switched it perfectly to the opposite wing, right into the feet of the advancing Dixon.
The right back’s first touch was perfect, teeing up the shot inside the area, which he smashed home.
42
Tomas Rosicky
Arsenal 4-1 Sunderland
February 22, 2014
A goal with definite shades of Jack Wilshere's classic against Norwich City, this team move came later that same season, finished this time by Tomas Rosicky.
Santi Cazorla played the ball from his own half out to Wilshere, who tapped it off to Rosicky.
The next sequence was all one-touch passing, moving forward with intent, through the Sunderland defence. Rosicky to Cazorla to Wilshere, back to Rosicky who had continued his run, into Olivier Giroud backing into his man on the edge of the box, and back to Rosicky on the burst, who finished with a first-time lifted shot over the goalkeeper.
“It was a beautiful goal," Tomas said afterwards. "I think I will always remember it because it was a great team goal. Many players contributed in that move and I would like to call it a typical Arsenal goal because it was the football we want to play."
43
Cesc Fabregas
Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham
October 31, 2009
The clock when Robin van Persie put us ahead read 41:52. When Cesc Fabregas doubled the lead it had moved onto 42:42. There was barely for Sky Sports to show the replays of van Persie's opener before cutting back to Fabregas storming into the box and firing home.
The celebrations inside the stadium had not yet subsided from the first goal, so this strike really raised the roof. 2-0 up in the derby in the blink of an eye.
And what a goal this was from Fabregas. Tottenham kicked off after falling behind, and looked to play the ball through midfield. Van Persie managed to deflect the pass to Fabregas though, inside the centre circle. Then he ran past three players and towards the area, riding challenges, then finding the presence of mind when one on one to slot into the corner from 18 yards.
Cue pandemonium inside the Emirates. There were exactly 50 seconds between the two goals hitting the net, and just 11 seconds of playing time.
44
Ashley Cole
Arsenal 5-0 Manchester City
October 28, 2000
With time running out in the first half, Thierry Henry led a break, only to be hauled down 10 yards outside the area by Danny Tiatto.
He was dismissed for the foul, and Ashley Cole would ensure a double punishment. The free-kick was tapped to him by Dennis Bergkamp, and the left back's low, powerful drive went through the wall and into the bottom corner.
Cole was still only 19 at the time, and this was only his third appearance in the Premier League, but already his second goal.
And although this goal opened the floodgates on the day - we went on to win 5-0 - it didn't trigger an avalanche of goals for the young defender, his next strike for us didn't come until the final day of the season.
45
Thierry Henry
Watford 2-3 Arsenal
April 23, 2000
We were already 2-0 ahead as the game ticked over into first-half injury time and Thierry Henry decided to take centre stage again.
Gilles Grimandi passed to the Frenchman, coming to the end of a stellar first season in English football - just over the halfway line. With all but one of the Watford side between him and the goal, he turned and began motoring forward on an unstoppable run.
He went past two players and towards the penalty box, with defenders back peddling and standing off him. Then onto his right foot inside the area, he arched his shot beyond the full-length dive of Alec Chamberlain and inside the far post.
It was his 23rd goal of the season - and little did we know there was even better to come in the following years.
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