Sport 31-10-2002 Arsenal Go Through In Spite Of Losing Streak who: Arsenal what: Lose 2-1 to Borussia Dortmund where: Dortmund when: Last night snippet: "A fourth straight defeat represents Arsenal`s worst run for 19 years," says The Guardian`s Jon Brodkin, "but they at least had something to smile about last night. With Auxerre losing in Eindhoven, Arsène Wenger`s team qualified for the second group stage, albeit not in the style they would have liked." David Seaman again came under scrutiny for the goals in the 2-1 defeat by Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion - but Wenger refused to blame the veteran goalkeeper, says The Evening Standard, "and claimed there was no need for his side to panic." "Arsenal can claim to have played well in defeats by Everton, Auxerre and Blackburn but last night they were poor," says The Telegraph`s Christopher Davies, "lacking inspiration, ideas and defensive stability." "Wenger`s surprising decision to rush the Footballer of the Year Robert Pires back for a first start since March did not work," comments Steve Tongue in The Independent, "and, although using Fredrik Ljungberg as a withdrawn second striker was more successful, Patrick Vieira was again below par." "How the mighty have fallen in the past 12 days," says Russell Kempson in The Times, although he is more charitable about the circumstances than some other pundits, noting that "it was a deflected own goal and a harshly awarded penalty that did for Arsenal this time". [... more]

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