By Myles Palmer
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France 5 Egypt 0
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Henry 2, Pires, Cisse, Kapo
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ARSENE was sitting high in the stand next to Aime Jacquet and Didier Deschamps.
He must have wondered : Who was that striker who headed Cisse’s right cross inches over the bar?
He saw the No.12 get into the box again and power in another header.
When the keeper parried, the striker headed the rebound into the net for 1-0.
The No.12 got deep into the box again, jabbed in another slick goal.
When a Wiltord shot hit the post, another guy in a blue shirt reacted in electric fashion, fastening onto the loose ball at blinding speed and smashing it in for a spectacular third goal.
The Arsenal boss must have wondered: Who are those two?
Can I buy them? How much will they cost me?
Henry and Pires were wimps at Bolton – and warriors in Paris.
One of Arsenal’s biggest problems is France.
In Paris, they had to play for their places in the team.
In Bolton, they didn’t.
They were saving themselves for a friendly against Egypt.
If you drove to Bolton and back on Saturday, and you watched Eurosport tonight, and you saw how Henry and Pires concentrated and challenged and tried, you must feel cheated.
What a weird transformation for The Professor to witness.
What a bitter pill for him to swallow.
If Pires and Henry had shown 70% of the commitment they showed tonight, Arsenal would have beaten Bolton comfortably.
We will never know Arsene’s feelings, of course.
What can he do?
Put on blue shirts and play Arsenal’s away games in Paris?
30th April 2003