Has there ever been an International break as boring as this one? There are definitely not enough foreign superstars in our squad to make watching Internationals interesting ……….. well for me anyway. Even the thought of seeing Olivier Giroud in the blue of France wasn’t enough to get me to watch their match.
So, I was tempted to look at the Arsenal History page on Arsenal.com to see what they had included for this day. On this day in 1958, Arsenal beat Bolton Wanderers 6-1. And that was after beating Everton 6-1 three days earlier.
My introduction to all things Arsenal was made when at the age of six I changed Primary schools and was looked after by a little boy who insisted that Arsenal were the best team to follow. His dad had been the captain in the late sixties, a gentleman by the name of Dennis Evans. This small boy and I went to school together for the next 12 years and then lost touch. Until one day I found him …………. or rather he found me at a builder’s merchants. We were 35 years older and one of us still looked the same, according to him 🙂
Dipping into Wikipedia and other research I discovered that Arsenal had a pretty good season 1958-59, finishing 3rd, 11 points behind Wolves and 5 points behind Manchester United. Tottenham finished 18th with Arsenal beating them 3-1 at home and 4-1 away.
These years are described as the ‘dark days’ for Arsenal but I would say that 1958-59 was a bit of a blip looking at the results for that season.
Yaaawn ………… roll on Sunday ……………
peachesgooner
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The personal touch of retelling a chance meeting with someone in the builders merchants after 35 years was very warming, I enjoyed that.
Thanks Peaches. Looking back on things like this makes you realise that we have always consistently been a big club that challenges for the big stuff. It has been so since the 1930’s at least.
There will always of course be periods of less success where we have dropped away a bit from the front runners. We are in one of those now. All of that made me think about that word “entitlement” which is so often used to describe a certain type of fan in others eyes. That spoilt fan that expects everything with no consideration to circumstances that may disallow this. The Veruca Salts of the fan base.
While I agree there are certain fans out there like this I also feel that term is unfairly aimed at certain bloggers at times who express dissatisfaction at the club at certain times.
I have always taken the line that we don’t have a god given right to win all and sundry all the time but the status and size of the club and its long successful history dictates that we are “entitled” to expect the club to be trying, with all possible means within their powers, to do this. The ambition needs to be shown that we are attempting to be the best. If it then falls short so be it.
Up until this summer I think we had a period where that ambition wasn’t evident. When you can go back to the 30’s, 50’s and other periods and see what we were about you just have to say “we are the Arsenal”, and we should be aiming to be the best. I do hope this new attitude at board level is here to stay.
We had decent enough team back then Peaches, but relied heavily on David Herds goals and lost him to Man Utd soon after. Other notables in the side were one of our best ever keepers Jack Kelsey, a very young Terry Neil, Tommy Docherty, George Eastham, flying winger Joe Haverty, and the first overlapping back that I ever saw in Billy ‘Flint’ McCullough who used to pass Haverty and keep on going and usually end up in the North Bank or Clock End as he couldn’t stop. Team was unsuccessful & manager George Swindon was sacked to be replaced be even less successful Billy Wright.
Can I also thank Rocky for yesterdays post that I wasn’t around for. I think I agreed with all of his “not acceptable” points barring maybe one.
It isn’t even one that really affects me directly, as I don’t do it because I don’t have to, in the leaving 5 minutes before the end of the game. Don’t get me wrong I think fans that have easy return journeys shouldn’t be doing it, but I have a measure of sympathy for fans who live further afield that make the effort to attend an evening game.
I think this all depends on individual circumstances. For instance a non retired fan that lives say on the south coast, who has a young baby at home that they may need to chip in with at night, and who has to drop the older kids at school before going to work the next day, and whose train will be missed if they don’t nip off 5 minutes early with the next train being 1 1/2 hours later, shouldn’t have their loyalty and dedication called into question (and breathe).
The other one that vexes me was brought up by Fred I think. Spurs players in your dream team!! I have a competitive dream team league I am in, with financial reward and other things riding on it, so I do have a moral and ethical dilemma when it comes to Kane (the only miscreant in my dream team).
Others in my league have Lloris, Ndombele, Moura, Son, and I must admit to wishing that Kane scores a hat-trick in a game that Spurs lose 10-3 with all of Lloris, Ndombele, Moura and Son either getting straight reds or picking up nasty injuries that take them out for a few weeks, and generally derails Spurs league form, aside from Kane hitting the odd hat-trick in a few games that Spurs go on to lose.
I admit to feeling guilty about wanting Kane to score if it helps.
What an unusual and very enjoyable Post, Peaches.
The historical Arsenal event was well worth knowing, and the fans, then, must have enjoyed the bashing of Bolton, Everton and Spurs – something which, currently, we do not seem to be able to do, to the latter.
But having been lured in to your reminiscences of being a six year old girl, meeting a young boy who was to become your school monitor, and remained friends for the next 12 years, before going your separate ways, only to meet up again 35 years later, as 53 year olds, I was enthralled, but felt just a little short-changed as I needed more from the story.
Was there more to this tale than we have been told, so far, such as – was there an element of unrequited love involved, or did you simply say “I think I recognise you from school, but I’m not sure” and then shake hands and go your separate ways again, having promised to meet once more in 2035, under the Arsenal clock??
You could make this into a fascinating novel! 😀
GoonerB,
You often reveal snippets of your lifestyle that make me realise how much I am missing out on.
” have a competitive dream team league I am in” you nonchalantly throw in to whet our appetites — whereas, sadly, I do not now, and never have had, a competitive dream team league — and indeed have never had even a dream team.
Let’s cut to the chase, and say, Kane bends the Laws of the beautiful game, by stepping across other players and deliberately decelerating, causing them to put up their hands to avoid a collision, and then wrapping his legs around theirs, like an amorous couple trying something different, in order to claim a foul or a penalty, despite the other party having no chance to avoid his amorous overtures.
In every paper I have seen today, he is protesting that he is not a cheat, and does not dive, and that it is simply the case he moves his body in a special way to get the fouls.
He does dive, he is a cheat — end of.
RA ….. of course there’s more to the story but I’m sworn to secrecy except to say that I thanked him for my life long addition to Arsenal and we sometimes bump into each other at Finsbury Park on match days 😉
Excellent, Peaches!! 😁😁
On 1 February 1958, Arsenal hosted reigning league champions Manchester United at Highbury. A massive crowd of 63,578 turned up to see the Busby Babes. They saw what has been described as “the greatest game ever seen” by those who were there. The thrilling game finished 5-4 in favour of the visitors. However, it would be the last time this talented young team were seen in England.
Duncan Edwards (the only time you’ll see a non-Arsenal player in the preview)
Duncan Edwards (the only time you’ll see a non-Arsenal player in the preview)
Six days later, the football world was left in shock as the Manchester United team was decimated when the plane bringing them home from Yugoslavia failed to take off at Munich airport and crashed.
When I read 1958, this match came to mind, my first visit to Highbury.This was the season before your post peaches,we finished 12th.
A very interesting glimpse into your world Kelsey
Roma loanee Henrikh Mkhitaryan says he chose to leave Arsenal in a bid to rediscover his affection for football.
Armenia captain Mkhitaryan made the switch to Stadio Olimpico on a season-long loan last week.
The former Manchester United playmaker struggled to make an impression in 18 months at Arsenal, starting half of the club’s Premier League matches last term.
He featured in each of the first three fixtures this season but felt a move was necessary to reignite his love for the game.
“It was definitely my wish,” Mkhitaryan said at Tuesday’s presentation to the media.
“I wasn’t playing often and I decided to make a change. I knew at Roma I would have had more chances. It will not have been easy for Arsenal, but now I’m here and I have the opportunity to perform.
“England now belongs to the past and I want to concentrate on Italy.
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“Choosing Roma, I don’t feel I’ve taken a step backwards because it’s a great club. It was time for a change of scenery. It’s important for a player to enjoy playing football, no matter where.
“In the last few months at Arsenal I no longer felt the same pleasure.”
Mkhitaryan will be full of confidence for a potential Serie A debut against Sassuolo on Sunday after scoring twice in his country’s 4-2 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Euro 2020 qualifying.
The 30-year-old faced Italy three days earlier and performed well for Armenia in an eventual 3-1 defeat.
“I exchanged a few words with Alessandro [Florenzi] after the Italy game,” he said. “Now the national teams are behind us and it’s important to focus on Roma.
“My aim is to score as many goals and assists as possible to help the team.”
Miki played like a man that wasn’t enjoying it. I like him and wish him well but I think he might have forgotten that modern day football is intense and working hard is a key component. I think Mesut suffers from a similar affliction. Sometimes it takes a change of scenery to re-discover that. Plus i always thought he felt like he only ended up at Arsenal because of Sanchez and as such, didn’t really feel like we necessarily wanted him. The change of manager couldn’t have helped. I also think this is part of an essential re-invention of our team and mentality. I think he’s a great player and has a lot to offer Roma. But for Arsenal, he felt stale and past his best for us.A good move for all. Now we just need to do the same with 3 or 4 others.
I am feeling somewhat lachrymose at the moment after having read Mikhi’s dismissal of his Arsenal experience.
No – seriously, a tear came unbidden to my eye and I had to surreptitiously wipe it away while faking a coughing fit shaking my frame.
Well it was a bit serious – oh, OK, well maybe just a passing irritation, like when a bluebottle lazily circles the jam jar but easily avoids repeated, vicious but ineffective swipes to bring about his demise, resulting in the jam jar going flying through the air, allowing the buzzing bastard to land his feet in the sweet strawberry jam.
The irony of Mikhi wanting to restart his career in Rome kept niggling at my rather torpid brain after a late night watching the Brexit shenanigans.
Brexit/Bercow/Politicians/Humbug — come on — that was a laugh — like a famous British Carry On farce — but taking Mihki in part exchange for Sanchez, and paying him a painfully high salary, and getting only sporadic good performances from him – that was just not funny — it was worth a tear — if only I could have really produced one.
Thank you, Fred! 😳
I have just read another “No No” comment allegedly from a number of Arsenal fans, Rocky, to add to your previous list.
They apparently said — “Hopefully he’s out for the season”. The player they were referring to was Xhaka, who is reported to be carrying an injury.
I am not a great fan of our midfielder, but it is really unpleasant that these people can make such hurtful comments about any Arsenal player — and frankly it disgusts me that when I say “I am an Arsenal fan – a Gooner’ — they will no doubt say the same thing about themselves — and I do not want to be associated with such people.
Agreed RA and I’m no fan of Xhaka.
You are a sensible guy, Mike. 😁
I cannot get Susie Q to write a Post, so, and not that you are second choice 🤪 – maybe you could help out??
On a serious note — you write good ‘football fan’ Posts with tactics, strategies, team set up etc, and always generate a lot of responses.
Failing that, I will have to write one of my science related Posts, which Gooner the B will tell you, makes even him nod off after the first sentence — you have been warned!!! 😜
10pm ITV4
Banks of England
What an entertaining and skillful team Kosovo are. Now we know where Xhaka got his skill!
RA – I’ll give it a shot. It’ll be later tonight my time which means you won’t have it until tomorrow morning if that works. I’ll send it to Rasp?
Barkley dives, the great penalty taking, diving, Kane misses. Justice done!
I have to admit, i punched the air after that penalty save, LBG 😁
Ronaldo has only (😄) scored 4 for Portugal tonight!! Wow!!!
KDB was on fire last night for Belgium (3 assists & a goal) …… Fred, i agree with you, to a certain degree, about some of the games over this break, being pretty good… is it bad of me to want to watch other teams rather than England though?? 🤪
Can’t believe 18 years have passed since 9/11.. my thoughts go out to all the people who lost their lives on that tragic day & to their loved ones
#NeverForget
Fred.. it’s Kompany’s testimonial tonight… Henry will grace the pitch once more 👍
@RA – obviously I didn’t get a post done last night – sorry !!! I just sent one in so hopefully you can use it.
Morning guys …………… just checking where Mike’s post is, back soon. …………….. chat amongst yourselves 😉
Morning all …
… New post …