Sometimes Alcohol Brings Stimulation In Big Games

It’s an incredible story that Arsene Wenger probably didn’t want to know. It’s about how one of his players tricked him. Ray Parlour drank 10 pints of beer before a decisive game and got completely drunk but Wenger had no idea.

In 2002 Arsenal was unstoppable because they had superb players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell, and also Ray Parlour.

The Gunners were in the Fa Cup final and on their way to become English Champions. Arsenal won the cup’s final against Chelsea thanks to incredible shot thanks to an incredible shot from Parlour.

The English Midfielder wanted to celebrate the victory as he saw was good for him. On the plane back to London, he ordered a beer from a flight attendant except Arsene Wenger saw him and forbid him from drinking alcohol.

‘I just scored the final’ said Parlour

But Wenger was Unyielding because it was some few days before a decisive game for the title against Manchester United. Drinking was out this question for his players but Parlour was stubborn so he went to the back of the plane to his family where they had beer. So Wenger threatened him. ‘If I see you drinking once more, two weeks wages fine.’

This annoyed Ray Parlour and he gave back the beer but he didn’t give up. The day after the final, he trained well but didn’t go to the massage room session. Instead, he went to a social club in his hometown.

‘I knew that my brothers were there. I decided to go and say hi, without realizing it I drunk 10 pints and I was totally drunk’. Said Parlour.

He drank 10 pints of Guinness and passed out on a table on the social club. He had a hard time getting home a few days before the most important match of the season. The next morning, he was on training like nothing had happened.

2 days later Arsenal Manchester United at Old Trafford and became the English champions. Parlour was simply brilliant on the field and was named man of the match. Arsene came and see after the game and said, ‘You were fantastic tonight. Do you know what it was? I stopped you drinking that beer on the plane.’

Parlour didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth. He didn’t reveal this antidote until 2016 in his autobiography. It was a great story that brings nostalgia to Arsenal fans.

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