More points Garnered?

May 11, 2014

With the excitement of next week and fourth place in the bag would you be upset if Mr Wenger played the U-21 side? It is true the three points are handy and will give us our best points tally since 2007 but that doesn’t give us a trophy does it?

Which would be worse, getting beaten or losing RamZil for the final?

For Mr Wenger it is a damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t situation. If he plays a full first team and anyone gets knacked then the press and fans will question his choices, but if  he chooses reserves and we lose, the same people will talk about loss of confidence and lack of respect.

It is a game when 3 subs are simply not enough. The ideal situation would be similar to an England friendly – start with the experimental side for the first 60 mins and then bring on 7 first teamers for a runabout.

Norwich: Doomed to play Championship football unless they can beat us by 17 goals and WBA lose. Anyone think this is likely? Norwich are one of the few teams that almost everyone likes – well, maybe not like , let’s try not many people dislike. It will be sad to see them go.

Unknown

Neil Adams seems a likeable enough chap. Was it the right decision to sack Hughton? Of course it was, he is tainted. Name me one ex-Spurs man who has done well in club management (and before you start, Alf Ramsey is the exception not the rule).

Will Adams keep his job next season?  Who could have predicted that Sunderland would have garnered 13 points from their last 5 games having taken Nul Point (said in a french accent following last night’s Eurovision) from the previous 5? Had this not happened Adams would have kept Norwich up but I feel like his team Adams is doomed.( BTW, where else can one use the word “garnered”? Can one garner some potatoes?)

Norwich are going down because they cannot score. Defensively they are sound, having conceded just 16 goals at home this season which is 4th best in the PL. Both City and Everton have dropped points at Carrow Rd.

Arsenal: As this game will not impact at all upon our season, will this result in the handbrake being released? I expect Norwich to go down fighting which means our players will have to play with the intensity required to win any PL game.

As to the line-up this is my guess …….

nor v arse

There is hardly any chance Mr Wenger will start this midfield but I would like him to. If Diaby is fit enough for the bench then he is fit enough to start. Wilshire and Ramsey to get a 30 minute cameo and OG 5 minutes at the end.  Job done.

This team has enough to beat Norwich though it requires Sanogo to finally get on the scoresheet. Have a blinder today and Mr Wenger could save €40m on a striker in summer – he obviously rates the young Frenchman but until he turns potential into goals there must be question marks.

Norwich: The town has an interesting history. Originally settled by the Iceni tribe  (of whom Boudicea was a leader). They did not take kindly to the Roman arrival and the Italians gave them a proper spanking before making the area the capital of East Anglia. They left around 450 A.D. along with all their fancy dan Roman friends and the land was taken over by the Anglo-Saxons who named it Norwic. Then those pesky Vikings under Swein Forkbeard arrived (whom we met a few weeks ago on our trip to Cardiff) and razed the city before settling there (not the best introduction to the locals!!). Norwich grew and it was mentioned in the Domesday book (1086) that 98 houses were demolished to make way for Norwich Castle. Norwich Cathedral was built not long after.

200px-Norwich_Cathedral,_spire_and_south_transept

Henry 2 and Richard the Lionheart both gave the city it’s charter and Norwich became the only English city ever excommunicated by the Pope! By this time it was the second largest city in England. It remains a lovely, historic city with some highly recommended tea shops!

So ….. last League pre-match of the season and probably one of the hardest to write. What is there interesting to say about a dead rubber?

My hope is for an entertaining game, a win for the good guys and an injury free end to the season

COYRRG

written by Big Raddy

143 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Erik the Red

Time to say goodbye

May 10, 2014

There has been growing numbers in the Arsenal following suggesting that Bacary Sagna should be given a new contract to his liking rather than the measly two years apparently on the table from Arsenal. There is a fear that at seasons end he will open up discussions with English clubs and chief amongst the takers appears to be Manchester City, we assume his agent has already done a lot of talking in the last 6 months with European clubs.

(As an aside the fact that City are looking at free transfers to bolster their squad would seem to be evidence of FFP showing its teeth.)

Bacary Sagna is 31 and as such a three year contract presents a large risk to the club, even a two year contract looks long when you consider his game is built on pace and strength. Can he continue to perform at the levels we have seen previously as his legs age?

Whilst driving to work yesterday I contemplated the predicament, Bacary is experienced and committed, he is consistent, he knows the Arsenal way, those should be reason enough to keep him.

But at 31 when your legs start to go you need to offer slightly more on the pitch to help those around you, look at the likes of Terry, Gerard, Lampard and even our own Flamini this season, the reason they continue to be renewed and play is because they bring more to the pitch than their ball skills, they bring organisation and leadership, they’ve been there seen it done it, if the match is going a certain way they sense it and help the younger players around them get through.

At 31 I would expect Bacary to be a leader on the pitch, but we don’t see it, more often he appears to be a player that takes the pitch to do his job and his job only he seems unaware that those around him are struggling, he works better with certain players (Theo primarily). I am not questioning his commitment to the cause but it is strange to think as one of the most experienced and long serving squad members he is not considered Captain or Vice Captain material, in fact others who have joined later have usurped him in these roles.

That for me is why it is time to say goodbye to Bacary, he has served us well, and I wish him all the best in the future wherever it be.

Written by Gooner in Exile

107 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Gööner In Exile

An Arsenal Blast from the past …… The birth of the FA Cup

May 9, 2014

Original FA Cup 1872 - No.10 001

Although there are no official records it is thought that The FA Cup was a concept first proposed by Charles Alcock after official business had been concluded at a Football Association meeting on July 20, 1871 – Alcock proposed:

“That it is desirable that a Challenge Cup should be established in connection with the Association, for which all clubs belonging to the Association should be invited to compete”
last blast 1
The FA’s first minute book records that the proposal was approved unanimously. The seven man committee that approved the resolution included the captains of the first final, Charles W. Alcock and Francis Maridin its referee Alfred Stair and the games only goal scorer Morton Peto-Betts. The idea was generally well favoured and at a subsequent meeting on October 16th, 1871 the rules for the competition were drafted. The original committee could never have imagined the time when their concept would become one of the most loved sporting events in England and would be seen by millions of people around the world. Nor could they have foreseen that it would become the forerunner to all knock out competitions including the World Cup, which has a worldwide audience of over one billion.

FA Cup Resolution No.10 001

Fifteen clubs entered the first competition: Barnes, Civil Service, Clapham Rovers, Crystal Palace, Hampstead Heathens, Harrow Chequers, Hitchen, Maidenhead, Marlow, Reigate Priory, Royal Engineers, Upton Park, The Wanderers, Queens Park of Glasgow and Donnington School. It was a somewhat erratic affair with Harrow Chequers, Reigate Priory and Donnington School scratching without playing a single game. Queens Park was given an exemption to the semi-finals due to the distance involved and the cost of travel, sides which drew were also allowed to move on to the next round. Queens Park received public donations which allowed them to travel to Kennington Oval for their semi-final against Scottish pioneers the Wanderers and played to a draw, a lack of funds ruled them out of a replay at the Oval so they were forced to withdraw from the competition.

The Wanderers faced the Royal Engineers in the final which was played at the Oval on March 16, 1872. Two thousand spectators paid a shilling each when the average weekly wage at the time was under twenty shillings. The crossbar was either a piece of tape or rope, teams changed ends after each goal and the field was unmarked inside the touchlines. The Wanderers, who were captained by Charles Alcock, won the game on a single goal scored by Morton Peto-Betts of West Kent, he was a member of the FA committee that had approved the birth of the FA Cup. Wanderers went on to win five out of the first seven FA Cups.

Morton Peto Betts was the scorer of the games only goal and the very first FA Cup Final goal but early reports indicated that the game was won with a “well placed shot under the tape” by A. H. Chequer, however this was actually Betts who played using the pseudonym of A. H. Chequer because he had started the competition as a member of the Harrow Chequer side, who had scratched without playing a game.

Here is a picture of Betts which was taken at Bickley Park Cricket Club in Kent.
Morton Peto-Betts 002

The president of the Football Association, Ebenezer Cobb Morley was the first man to present the FA Cup. The cup presentation took place four weeks after the Final at the Wanderers annual dinner at the Pall Mall Restaurant at Charing Cross.

Ebebezer Cobb Morley No.10 001

Fast forward to May 17, 2014 for the one hundred and thirty third FA Cup Final – the game will be between Arsenal and Hull City. Arsenal is appearing in its record eighteenth Final and has won the trophy on ten occasions, the last being in 2005, while Hull City will be making their first ever appearance in the Final.

This is the last Blast from the Past.
GunnerN5.

 

97 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Rasp

Arsène and Arsenal’s biggest mistake.

May 8, 2014

Our season went up in smoke on January 4th when Theo Walcott was stretchered off during our 2-0 Cup win over That Lot.

Regular readers of the site will know that I am no fan of that continental Total Football nonsense. For me, it’s an outdated throw back to the dope smoking hippy days, and has its home in the Coffee Bars of Holland.

What I mean is this. I get interchangeability and flexibility, but I firmly believe in specialists.

As far as I’m concerned, the moment Theo went off, there was only one course of action. Oxlade becomes his immediate and permanent replacement for every game, with Serge as his back up.

However, what happened was that Arsène did use Ox out wide, but not always. On occasion, he was to be found playing a more central role.

Early yesterday morning, both Arnie and Goonerkam made the excellent point about how different roles for players is part of their development and education. I do agree, and have always said that I believe Ox will ultimately end up more centrally, however, needs must, and the Team should come first.

The loss of Theo left a massive tactical void, that ONLY The Ox could fill. This was not the time for Arsène to muck about. Ox’s development was actually hampered this term in my book, as he did not have the consistent runs in any one position to develop key understandings, as much of our beautiful football is played in small triangles, and telepathic understanding only comes with continuity. Thus, Ox was less effective than he should have been.

Ox played central, so it came as no surprise to me that when shunted back out right, he became unsure, or perhaps simply unused to, his role. He drifted central leaving us lacking the vital pressure release valve.

Thus, to my mind, the biggest loss to our season was not the loss of Aaron, or even Theo, but rather not playing The Ox there as first choice every available game following the tragedy of January 4th.

Written by MickyDidIt89

191 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Questions for the summer ….

May 7, 2014

Through all of the gossip, it is an established fact that Wenger tried to sign Suarez and Cabaye last summer, which demonstrates two areas of the pitch where he thought we should strengthen, but only with the best quality players. His comments about having a busy summer but not needing many new players reads to me like he wants to complete those tasks. It is always pointless to think about whether Wenger will spend big on particular players – when the money is there, he is willing to spend it, but he also doesn’t see the point of spending it on whichever players are the fashion of the moment. He could spend Ozil-like money on a player or two this summer or he might not.

But it is certainly true that we have the resources available, so if there is a chance to sign important players, the funds ought to be there. And it is also true that we have reached a stage in development where we should be above all else ambitious. We are a big club, with big revenues, some excellent players and a great manager – we can and should be getting closer to the oilers and their ilk.

As for what we need, that’s where it gets tough. Not so much because of finances, but because we could end up needing to bring in so many players that the squad dynamics become upset by too much change. Which I guess is one reason why Wenger might refuse to allow a player like Vermaelen to go, despite the obvious justification for a player like him to feel he should move. Another factor might be Mertesacker: he was excellent in the first half of the season but looked more lacking after the new year.

To improve the squad, we need to keep the forwards we have and recruit at least one top quality attacking player, and I would like to think we might go for two (doubt it will happen). Draxler would be great, as would Balotelli. From what I’ve seen (not a lot), Griezmann looks good. Vela is intriguing, and looks a different player to when we had him before – I can’t believe he would really return but he always had talent, so perhaps.

The DM one is the other area we can see might need to be improved (Arteta slowing, Flamini not good enough). Scheiderlin would be the one I would want.

A priority should be trying to convince Sagna to stay – I’m sure every effort is being made, but it is a critical one for a number of reasons: having had a poor season last year, he has been very good this year (with some duff performances in the mega defeats though); he is our fourth choice CB; and Corporal Jenks, love him, but he isn’t close to being good enough to a first pick. Plus having to sign a top quality RB (Coleman, Alves) would cost a lot of money.

We will definitely need to make at least one signing at GK. I haven’t seen enough of Viviano, but perhaps we should sign him permanently to be second pick. Even if we do, will Martinez (on loan at Sheff Weds) be good enough to be third? If we did go into the market, David Marshall at now relegated Cardiff would be good, but who knows if he’d be available. And at CB, will we need a new fourth choice player? Hayden (as suggested), Miquel? Go back for Ashley Williams?

There’s a lot of good in our squad but it’s not good enough yet. The idea of Cesc coming back is a really interesting idea – the trouble is it would require re-engineering the side. We are now built around Ozil (at least to my eye) – could we really accommodate a double engine of Mesut and Cesc? Would it leave us too soft defensively? I would also think it would mean the end of Jack Wilshere being a Gunner – some might think that would be a good thing. Where is LB, by the way? 🙂

All in all, a lot of questions for this summer. More than I’d like, to be honest.

Written by 26may89

84 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Has this season been a success or a failure?

May 6, 2014

Bit of both. We showed fantastic solidity and consistency until January, but throughout the season, we’ve looked more pedestrian than any of us would like. The goals scored column is testament to that. And then when it started to go wrong, it did it spectacularly.

4th place for us does look disappointing, and it is, but nobody foresaw Liverpool’s amazing last half of the season, not even them. My Liverpool mates were still saying in December that they were rooting for Arsenal to win the title, on the assumption that 4th was the summit of their ambitions. I don’t think we’ve gone backwards, and the emergence of Ramsey has been the highlight of the season, but I don’t feel too warm and fuzzy about where we have finished and how we got there. We could and should have done better, even with all the injuries.

Amazing to think that Everton, Spurs and Hull will be in the Europa League next season but not Man United. As the MotD highlights showed, whoever gets Moyes’ old office has an enormous job ahead: a new defence and a new midfield – you don’t get those from LIDL.

City certainly look like champions now. From a footballing point of view, it amazes me how they haven’t won everything in the last four years or so. Says something about a lack of character there that they make it such a competition, despite having so many superb players. But it does look like they’ll win now.

Stunning recoveries from Crystal Pulis and Sunderland, much respect. And it was good to see Roberto Martinez serving such a good apprenticeship for taking over from Le Prof in a year or two…..

Written by 26may89

144 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Lazy Sunday Afternoon ……………

May 5, 2014

With fourth spot cemented one wondered if Arsene would put out a strong team or rest a few players. In hindsight I was glad that he picked the strongest team available even though this was a dead rubber, yet it was blatantly clear how much we miss Ramsey.

Another three points gained, stretching our sequence to four wins on the bounce but as a performance, it was pretty flat.

One has to give the Man of The match to Giroud for his goal that won the game and his general overall play for the whole match. (There I have said it) His energy levels are not questionable but I still think we need another striker to compliment him. I am not sure if Podolski is the man as he didn’t impress as much and if you watch him carefully he doesn’t exert himself as much as he could. Monreal IMO is not the standard required at LB but with Gibbs in and out of the team through various injuries we have no other option unless Vermaelen stays.

There’s no easy way to say this – or an easy way to look at it. Mathieu Flamini cracked in a powerful drive from the edge of the box and Craig Dawson blocked it right between his crystals, that being the only other noticeable event of the first half  😉

Koscielny was as usual solid in defence and Mertesacker alongside him played his part. Sagna didn’t have his best game but showed 100% commitment and if he goes I am sure we all wish him well. The crowd made it clear that they want him to stay.

Källström caught my eye and was impressive in his twenty seven minutes on the pitch.

Özil is a great player but missed the new found telepathy he has with Ramsey. Maybe his thinking is too clever for some of the players, but he will be a huge asset next season and adding goals to his game though not imperative, would make an even bigger difference.

All in all it was a bit of a training session and having just watched Norwich we may well be in for a much more physical game next week as they fight possible relegation, and with the Cup Final approaching we may see changes to the side.

This is what Wenger said after the match.

“I’m happy with the attitude, the behaviour and the consistency of my players,”

“I’m frustrated as well because we were 120 days top of the league. When you look today it’s very tight and then comes through your mind here and there the points you dropped that we should not have dropped.

“The regret as well is at the most important period of the season we had two important players out. We have many players who have only played between five and 15 games. That’s where we want to improve for next season.”

Pinpointing a general lack of goals and his side’s defeats at their rivals as decisive factors he continued:

“I would just say to be brutal in our first analysis is we missed a few goals compared to the teams who scored the most goals and we missed some big away games by conceding two many.

“Apart from that our defensive stability was fantastic, we had 16 clean sheets but in some games we were not at the start of the game and we couldn’t get into them before we lost it. The defensive stability we had the whole season was not reflected in these kind of games.

“If you look at the overall performance of the team we have done until today well in the cup, we have done quite well in the Champions League where we had a difficult group, we played against Bayern with ten men and we didn’t fail anywhere.

“The attitude of the group was remarkably consistent and of quality. But we still have missed something to be decisive in the Premier League at the moment when we were in a good position.”

Pressed on the subject of his future, Wenger once again stressed that he’ll be at the helm come the new season joking:

“Look at me! You will see me again.” (that was aimed at Mr Syrup) 🙂

I think that alone is worthy of discussion.

kelsey

107 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by kelsey

It was 20 years ago today ……..

May 4, 2014

Firstly let’s honour the boss and the team for avoiding Spursday for yet another season and allowing Didit and I an opportunity to continue our gastronomic tour of Europe.

I know all the arguments about 4th not being a trophy etc etc, we have done them to death in the blogs. I just ask this – would Everton, Spurs, MU etc like to swap with us? Would Moyes have been sacked had MU finished 4th?

Which brings us onto today and our final home game of the season against a West Brom side who need the points much more than we do. If WBA survive will Pepe Mel keep his job? I hope so. Yesterday’s results must have boosted WBA’s chances.

Who would you like to see relegated?

I am afraid I have never taken to WBA, don’t like their kit, don’t like their ground or their nickname – the Baggies – reminds me of Australians (cricket lovers will understand). In fact since their halcyon days of Big Ron and the 3 Degrees (look it up!) they have become just another Midlands club – sorry WBA fans but that is how it is. That said, I love that the Three Degrees are to honoured with a statue outside the Hawthorns

Then there is Jeff Astle. Let me explain. The year was 1970 and I was football obsessed. England were World Champions having won the Cup in ’66. We had a formidable team but had to travel to Mexico to defend our cup. England were drawn in a group with the favourites and eventual winners Brazil. This is the famous Brazil ’70 side which included Pele, Jairzinho, Rivelino and Carlos Alberto and is known as probably the finest football team ever assembled. Anyway ….. had we won that tie we would have avoided West Germany in the next round and probably gone on to win the thing again. Instead despite Gordon Banks worldie to save from Pele’s header and Bobby Moore’s unforgettable tackle on the great man, we were losing to a Jairzinho goal. As the game entered it’s final phase Astle came on as sub for Franny Lee. We were pushing for an equaliser and then Astle got his chance to become a hero; Terry Cooper knocked in a cross, the ball fell to Astle 5 yards out from an empty net and he scuffed it. The nation wept. We went on to lose to West Germany.

images

Jeff remains a hero at West Brom; there are the Astle gates into the Hawthorns and the fans still sing his name, but to millions of England football fans his miss heralded the end of England as an International force.

Arsenal: Do we finish the season on a high by sending out a first choice team and playing some risky full out attacking football or give some reserves a run out? Given 17 years of watching Mr Wenger, I will hazard a guess – the former 😀

Confidence must be high, Ozil and Ramsey are fit and firing, we are as injury free as an AFC squad can be, and it should be sunny. WBA have reason for concern.

Bacary must start in what could be his final game at The Emirates. It would be very sad to see him leave as I have a long standing man-love for our braided Frenchman, hopefully he will see the light and signdating. To those lucky enough to attend please sing him name loud and proud – he deserves it after a fine season.

The team almost picks itself. Podolski is playing his best football since his arrival – could it be he is playing for a move or showing AW he doesn’t need to sign another left-sided attacker?

My Team:

a v wb

It would be a surprise to see anyone replacing the above but perhaps Rosicky will be included – he is such a wonderful player and too good to ride the pine.

Sad that Ox and JW are not fit enough to stake a claim for the WC squad but being Arsenal-centric I am delighted. A long beach holiday followed by an uninterrupted pre-seasonshould set them up nicely for our tilt at the title.

20 years ago today a much younger Big Raddy began his day with a pint of lager in an airport pub. It was the start of one the most memorable days of my life. A pre-match drink up in bars all over central Copenhagen, followed by an unforgettable noisy walk to the Parken which is just 400m from where I sit to write these posts. An astonishing defensive display which could have been the pinnacle of the Famous 5’s achievements, and a rare as hen’s teeth Alan Smith goal from outside the area in front of 25,000 very nervous fans led to the lifting of a Euro Cup. It was a magical evening – my first magical Copenhagen evening of many.

Unknown

 

Here’s to the Winners of 1994 ….. could the current Arsenal team emulate their predecessors and win a Cup 20 years later?

Written by Big Raddy

 

 

113 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Erik the Red

In praise of Arsène Wenger but give him the funds to challenge

May 3, 2014

Morning Gooner’s

While reading Arnie’s post the other day, about other clubs Managers, I left a comment Praising Arsene Wenger. Now although I don’t go back on what I said, I believe I should clarify a few things. When I wrote why I like Wenger and why I feel he should stay, it may have given the impression that I am a happy Gooner. Now I am content with him, but that does not mean that I don’t expect expect him to try and do better in the future.

Arsenal supporters expect the team to be up there with the best in the league, and granted Wenger has managed to do that. But all supporters want to see us go that step further, and by that I don’t mean third. This season we headed the league to Christmas, yes the lead went from one to another, but that was because of television fixtures, but realistically we were the leading team.

Many Arsenal fans enjoyed the feeling of that position, and many myself included, also felt we had a chance, sadly that came undone by injuries, but it also brought home to me, the deficiencies our squad had.

Theo Walcott’s injury, left us with absolutely no pace up front. That was a major blow. Aaron Ramsey one player who broke through defences also went out, which left us toothless. Oliver Giroud did his best, but he had to hold the ball up, and had to wait for reinforcements, although Oliver is a tough nut to crack, he certainly lacks the Theo pace.

Jack Wilshere compounded our misery even more, and Koscielny’s short injury added to a depleted team. Our chance went right there, why? Because we didn’t have the same talent as back up. Our record signing also joined the walking wounded, so what were we left with? Our penetrating midfield out, our best through ball passer out, our fastest winger forward out, and our best central defender out.

Holes every where, and the talent on the bench was not up to the replacement standard. Oxlade Chamberlain, Serge Gnabry and Ya Ya Sanogo are players for the future, they just weren’t ready for a season of first team football. Had everybody stayed fit, we could have used all of these players sparingly, but we had to push them forward because we had too.

Wenger in all fairness has had to work on what seems a shoestring budget, he couldn’t have foreseen so many main players going out injured, so had to rely on these youngsters. Inexperienced, they had to take on some of the best teams in the league, if not the world, and all picked up injuries for their thanks.

Not many teams could have handled the amount of injuries that we had, and still have, with some players missing the end of the season. We took a few bad hidings that supporters are not used to seeing. Bad feeling crept in, accusations that the manager had not spent in the winter window, and how if he had brought five or six players in both windows, would have won us the league.

Unhappy supporters who’s pride had been hurt, can be very hurtful, when their Spud and Manc mates take the pee. But when they see the season out, and see what we have achieved, even with all the problems we have had, must see that this season is slightly better than last.

I have a lot of time for Wenger, but I would urge him to go to the board and say to them, I am only human you know, I need help and I need funds, we cannot keep buying kids, we have to have more Ozil’s, and we need them now, before the talent we have at the moment get itchy feet.

Wenger knows as we do, that sponsorship money has come in, yes we still have big debts, but we also have fans by the thousands, that deserve top players. They have had the big defeats, and now they want us to inflict them. Its time for our board to find the funds, as Wenger is needing that help now. We may not win the league next season but at least give us the chance.

Wenger if he signs, has 2 years left, give him the dammed money.

Written by Steve Palmer

170 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by peachesgÖÖner

An Arsenal Blast from the Past No. 12 …… Players with the most club appearances. No. 1

May 2, 2014

Lets have a look at the only four players who have each made over Six Hundred appearances for Arsenal.

We start off with the only player to have played in over Seven Hundred games, David O’Leary; he is also the only player to have played for Arsenal in Twenty consecutive seasons. He appeared in an amazing Seven Hundred and Twenty Two games, from 1973 to 1993, a record that will be extremely difficult to exceed.

o leary

He was born in Stoke Newington, London on 2 May 1958 and moved to live in Dublin at the age of three. David played for Shelbourne as a schoolboy and signed for Arsenal as an apprentice in 1973. He quickly progressed through the ranks at Highbury, playing in the reserves at the age of 16. He made his first team debut  against Burnley on 16 August 1975, and despite being only 17, went on to make 30 appearances that season. For the next ten years he was ever-present in the Arsenal side, playing more than 40 matches a season (except for 1980–81, where he was injured and only played 27). When the former Arsenal manager George Graham was put in charge at Leeds United in September 1996, O’Leary was installed as his assistant. He remained in this position for two years until Graham moved to Tottenham.

David was voted into 21st position in the Arsenal Arsenal all time best players list.

Honours with Arsenal

Football League First Division

Winner: 1988–89, 1990–91

FA Cup

Winner: 1979, 1993

Runner-up: 1978, 1980

Football League Cup

Winner: 1987, 1993

European Cup Winners’ Cup

Runner-up: 1980

Records with Arsenal

Most appearances: 722

Most consecutive seasons 20

Youngest player to reach 100 and 200 games

400 appearances under the age of 26

These are some of his thoughts after Arsenal won the FA Cup replay in 1993.

“We did a lap of honour with the trophy and before I got to the tunnel I thought to myself “‘this is the last time I’ll ever wear the Arsenal jersey again”. It was an amazing night, a brilliant way to end 20 years, but it was such a sad night for me as well.”

It was a night that stretched well into the early hours as the players let off steam after making history. And O’Leary went home with an extra companion when the celebrations finally died down.

“That night – I’ll always remember this – I took the FA Cup home. No one else seemed to be responsible for it so I took it with me.

“My wife drove us home and I remember sitting in the front with the FA Cup in my lap and somebody pulled up at the lights, seconds before it went green, and he looked over and then looked over again, thinking ‘is that David O’Leary with the FA Cup?!’ We pulled away and I still don’t know if that guy thought he was imagining things.

“I remember getting home that night and I thought, if my house gets robbed they are not going to take the FA Cup, so I took the cup up to my bedroom. My kids were young then and the following morning they came in and saw the FA Cup there on the side of the bed.

“That morning I took it to the club and gave it to Ken Friar. I said goodbye to Ken, I actually went to the steps of the old directors’ box at Highbury, had a look out there for the last time, and said to myself ‘hey, it’s been a fantastic 20 years, I’ve been so proud to play here, thanks for putting up with me’.

“Then I walked away, and that was that.”

(Copyright 2013 The Arsenal Football Club plc.)

The player with the second most appearances at Six Hundred and Sixty Nine is Tony Adams, he played for a total of 19 seasons from 1983 to 2002.

tony-adams 1
Born in Romford, London, Tony grew up in Dagenham, signing for Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1980. He made his Arsenal first team debut in November 1983 just four weeks after his 17th birthday and became a regular player in the 1985–86 season, winning the Football League Cup Final, his first major trophy, in 1987.

Alongside Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and Steve Bould, he was part of the “famous back four” that lined up in Arsenal’s defence – they became renowned for the use of their well-disciplined offside trap. On 1 January 1988, he became Arsenal captain at the age of 21 and remained as such until his retirement 14 years later.

Nicknamed “Mr Arsenal”, he was honoured by Arsenal with a testimonial game against Celtic in May 2002 with many Arsenal legends playing, including Ian Wright, John Lukic and Adams’s fellow back four stalwarts, Dixon, Winterburn and Bould. The game finished 1–1 with Lee Dixon, in his final appearance for the Gunners, getting their goal.

In 2004, Tony was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his impact on the English game. A statue of Adams was placed outside Emirates Stadium in celebration of the club’s 125th anniversary on 9 December, 2011. He has also been honoured with the MBE for his contribution to football.

Tony placed 3rd in the Arsenal Arsenal best all time player poll.

Arsenal v Queens Park Rangers - Premier League

Honours with Arsenal

First Division/Premier League: 1988–89, 1990–91, 1997–98, 2001–02

FA Cup: 1992–93, 1997–98, 2001–02

Football League Cup: 1986–87, 1992–93

FA Community Shield: 1991 (shared), 1998, 1999

UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1993–94

Runner-up:

Premier League: 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01

FA Cup: 2000–01

Football League Cup: 1987–88

FA Community Shield: 1989, 1993

UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1994–95

UEFA Cup: 1999–2000

UEFA Super Cup: 1994

Individual Honours

PFA Young Player of the Year: 1987

PFA Team of the Year: 1994, 1996, 1997

Member in The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE): (1999 Birthday Honours)

Overall Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards: (1992-93 – 2001-02)

Fantasy Teams of the 20 Seasons – Premier League 20 Seasons Awards: (1992-93 – 2011-12)

The player with the 3rd most appearances is George Armstrong, he played in Six Hundred and Twenty One games, in 16 seasons from 1961 to1977.

george-armstrong

Born in Hebburn, County Durham, George joined Arsenal as a youth player in August 1961. He made his debut against Blackpool in 1962 while he was still 17 and by the 1963-64 season he had become a regular in the side.

Over his long career with the Gunners, George became one of Arsenal’s most consistent players, and was noted for the quality and accuracy of his crossing and corner kicks, as well as for his tireless running up and down the wing; he primarily played on the left, but was also effective on the right. As he matured, he became one of the few players of the Billy Wright era (along with Jon Sammels and Peter Storey) to become an integral part of Wright’s successor Bertie Mee’s Arsenal side, which ended the club’s long trophy drought.

After losing two successive League Cup finals in 1967-68 and 1968-69, George helped the Gunners win the 1969-70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the 1970-71 League and FA Cup double; he was a regular in the Double-winning team that season, setting up a number of goals for his team-mates, which included teeing up Ray Kennedy’s winning header against Tottenham Hotspur, in the match that won Arsenal the League title. He was also voted Arsenal’s Player of the Year in 1970.

In 1990, before the Iraqi invasion, he returned to England and joined Arsenal as reserve team coach, a post he remained at for the remainder of his life, despite the many managerial upheavals the club underwent.  On 31 October 2000, while conducting a club training session he collapsed after an unexpected brain haemorrhage; he died in Hemel Hempstead Hospital in the early hours of the following morning.

George had a pitch named after him at the Arsenal F.C. training ground, in London Colney

The player with the 4th most appearances is Lee Dixon, Lee appeared in Six Hundred and Nineteen matches in 14 seasons from 1988 to 2002 .

Lee Dixon of Arsenal

Born in Manchester, he was signed by Arsenal boss George Graham in 1988 following the departure of England right back, Viv Anderson, to Manchester United. This was the first time that he had played in the First Division and it took a while for him to be given a first team role at Highbury. Nigel Winterburn had been a guarded success in the unfamiliar role of right back, though Lee did make his debut against Luton Town in February 1988 and played six times in total before the season ended. In the new season, Winterburn moved across to left back, allowing Dixon to take over the No.2 shirt, which he duly did for well over ten years.

He and Winterburn made the full back positions their own for the next decade or so, while Captain Tony Adams and the long-serving David O’Leary operated in the middle. Later in 1988 they were joined by Steve Bould who, like Dixon before him, had been spotted by Graham playing for Stoke City. These five defenders, often playing as a back five together and were the foundation stones of much of Arsenal’s success.

His career at Arsenal saw him collect four league champion’s medals, three FA Cup winner’s medals and a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup medal. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year twice, for the seasons 1989–90 and 1990–91.

His retirement came at the end of Arsenal’s domestic double-winning 2001–02 season, their second in his time at the club.

Lee came in 18th place in the Arsenal Arsenal all time best players poll.

GunnerN5

 

 

105 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Rasp

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »