Friday night kick off. Reminds me of 26/5/89. A similar result would be lovely.
OGS has walked into a perfect situation, any team relieved from the yoke of Merino-dom is certain to play better, especially one which contains so many highly-priced egoists. Dropping Pogba and Martial in order to inspire them was never going to work.
Will we see the blood and thunder of previous MU cup ties? I hope so but very much doubt it. Gone are the days when Arsenal had players who would “get stuck in” though we are better than under Mr. Wenger in the art of sh*thousery, Sokratis, in particular, is Lauren-esque in his attitude. As always, we will need a strong , unbiased, efficient referee
I expect Mr. Emery to start with his strongest team because this is an important game for him. Having beaten a poor Chelsea team Arsenal will want to cement the growing confidence in the squad. After beating Spurs we lost our mojo, we do not want a repeat
Will Mr Emery continue with the midfield diamond which worked so effectively last weekend? MU have so much pace upfront, it would seem the best tactic but perhaps he will revert to a Back 3 given the injury to Hector.
The Corporal, AMN or Licht at right back? My choice would be AMN simply because of the pace on MU’s flanks; Martial, Rashford, Ratface Lingard and the Dog Fancier.
Sanchez is an odd case – I expect him to get a frosty reception but why should he? He scored some wonderful goals for us and for a season or two carried the team, why the hostility? It is not as if Sanchez was a Gooner; he was just a hired hand who left to get more money. I don’t blame him. €400k a week is quite an incentive to leave the Arsenal.
Winning the F.A. Cup is part of the Arsenal tradition, it remains high on our priority list. United are our rivals for a CL place and our long-term rivals in terms of glory. We need to beat them.
Yesterday’s post suggested that the aggressive, no holds barred Arsenal v Man U animosity originated in February 1988 when Nigel Winterburn castigated Brian McClair for blasting a penalty into the North Bank right at the end of a fifth round FA Cup tie with United 2-1 down. Funny as that was, did the seething dislike of one another begin then?
As far as supporters go, the Cockney Reds (London-based Man U supporters) have always been universally disliked by fans of London teams. Between 1967 and 1993, Man U did not win the League title. We won it three times but it was Liverpool who dominated the 70s and 80s.
Arsenal won the title in 1989 with the famous last game of the season triumph at Anfield. That McClair/Winterburn spat had occurred the season before so perhaps it had been that which sparked the mutual loathing. Certainly October 1990 at Old Trafford saw a 21 man brawl, when McClair started kicking Winterburn after a dodgy tackle on Irwin.
As David Rocastle said, “It was our team-mate, our little blood brother, in trouble. They were kicking Nigel like a nightclub brawl. That’s what got us upset. If it was just a bad tackle, you wouldn’t go in like that, no chance. But when I saw them kicking Nigel I ran over thinking, ‘You can’t have this!’ We went in there and we stuck up for each other. At Arsenal we never, ever started any brawls – we just finished them.”
Arsenal won the game 1-0 thanks to Anders Limpar but we were docked 2 points, the mancs docked only 1, even though they had instigated the violence. Arsenal ran away with the League losing only the 1 game all season and the fans enjoyed singing “you can stick your 2 points up your a*se” as the title win was confirmed.
During the early and mid 90s, United dominated the League once Ferguson found his feet. He had been within a cat’s whisker of being sacked (oh, how things might have been). Once a certain Monsieur Wenger transformed the dreadful George Graham mid-90s Arsenal into a team which could compete for the title again, his rivalry with Ferguson was set and became a feature of the late 90s right up to the 2005 FA Cup Final.
Other outfits complained that it had become a two team League with either Arsenal or Man U winning it every season. The biggest games every season were the blood and thunder London/red Manc showdowns. Overmars in 1998, the epic 1999 season (which sadly all went United’s way) and the battle of the midfield titans of Vieira and Keane were all hall marks of that time.
United hated Arsenal’s 2003/4 dominance and several times used tactics more suited to Gorbals street fighting to close the gap in class. Our 49 game unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of grievous bodily harm all over the pitch, a pathetically lame excuse for a referee in Mike Riley and a disgraceful Wayne Rooney dive. If Fergusion couldn’t win fair and square, it was obvious he would do anything in his power to conjure up an advantage.
These days he sits in the stands like a genial old uncle who commands respect and admiration by all those around him. However, Arsenal fans will never forget the beatings our players took, especially at Old Trafford, which were the work of one man alone.
Since 2005, Arsenal slipped and it was only the revolting Robin van Persie who revived the animosity with his ‘listened to the little boy inside’ nonsense.
Are there any players left who might still understand the depths of hatred which caused mild-mannered bloggers like Chary to lose their rag whenever Man U were mentioned? Herrera is a sh*thouser’s sh*thouser but he’d be like that whichever team he played for. Maybe the new, baby-faced United manager would know more about it than anyone else involved tomorrow.
Rooney knew the score, van Nistelrooy would do anything to turn us over, the Neville brothers were manc-versions of the Krays in some of those early noughties games at OT, Schmeichel and Wright squared up over allegations of racist taunts and corresponding two-footed tackles, Keown caused the Dutchman to soil his pants in 2003, Lauren cut Ronaldo in half at Highbury, Vieira made Gary Neville look like a schoolboy in the tunnel at Highbury.
Andy Hooper
Where has all this resentment gone? Swallowed up by Chelsea and Man City buying the League, maybe. Would we want it all back how it was, maybe not. Perhaps with both teams currently more likely to be fighting for the 4th CL slot or Europa football rather than Championships, it has taken some of the edge off it?
What do you think? Are we now looking back at an intense rivalry consigned to history?
One thing’s for certain, when the whistle blows for kick off tomorrow evening, I hope the Arsenal team show the passion and pride they’ve shown in the two big London derbies at the Emirates so far this season and go out to humiliate Solskjaer’s boys with the quality of their football.
Amazingly, out of the 14 times we’ve been drawn against Man U in the FA Cup (it’ll be 15 with Friday’s game), the record stands at 7 wins each. You’ll never guess how the goals for and against stand either – yep, 19 a-piece.
Of course our record is far superior because we’ve won 2 Finals (the less said about semi-finals, the better).
So in the FA Cup (and before Friday’s 4th Round tie) we’ve played the red mancs:
… at neutral venues in 2 Finals and 3 Semi-Finals (1 of those going to a replay);
… in 2 home games;
… and in 7 where we were drawn away.
Maybe just documenting the wins would seem a sensible option 🙂 – so here goes.
———————————————————————————–
10th March 1906 – Man U 2 Woolwich Arsenal 3 – Quarter Final
Venue – Bank Street, Clayton – attendance 26,500
Our first FA cup game against Manchester United was an away quarter-final fixture on March 10, 1906.
The attendance at the game was reported as just shy of 30,000 by The Manchester Courier. Gate receipts totalled £951- and admission was only three-and-a-half pence.
Arsenal team: J Ashcroft; A Cross, J Sharp; J Bigden, P Sands, R McEachrane; B Templeton, B Garbutt, B Freeman; T Coleman, T Fitchie
Hosts United, were third in the Second Division at the time, while Arsenal were in the midst of a relegation battle in the top tier.
Charlie Sager opened the scoring for the hosts within one minute of referee J.B. Brodie’s first whistle. But the United supporters had barely captured their breath before the Gunners were on equal terms. From the re-start, Arsenal advanced and Billy Garbutt forced United keeper Harry Moger to parry into the path of the prolific Bert Freeman, who tucked away the rebound. Around the half-hour mark, Peddie restored United’s lead with a neat, high finish but the visitors went into the break level after Tim Coleman netted from close range.
The second half was all about one man: Arsenal’s first England international, goalkeeper Jimmy Ashcroft. United looked threatening throughout the second half but the brilliance of Ashcroft proved to be decisive. United’s Charlie Roberts was man-marking Tom Fitchie but that gave speedy Freeman space to run and the forward tucked in his second after a splendid dribble, handing Arsenal the lead for the first time in the match.
Despite United’s best efforts to force a replay there was no way past Ashcroft and, at the final whistle, the 28-year-old was carried off the field on the shoulders of his jubilant peers.
30th January 1937 – Arsenal 5 Man U 0 – 4th Round
Venue – Highbury – attendance 45,637
Arsenal were cruising through the Thirties, Cliff Bastin, Ted Drake and Alex James regularly trampling over other teams. We were the FA Cup holders, they were second in Division One, and the following season the Gunners would win our fifth title of the decade.
United, on the other hand, had been bouncing between the bottom of the First Division and top of the second since the end of the first World War. Promoted in 1936, they were bottom of the table when 1937 was ushered in.
A cup shock might have been on the cards but the home team went three goals up in seven minutes.
This result still stands as Arsenal’s largest home victory over United. Bastin opened the scoring from distance before Jimmy Brown put the ball into his own net under pressure from Ted Drake. The third went to Alf Kirchen, and before half-time the rampant home team added a fourth when Robert Trimming Davidson (Con) sent a cross-shot past Thomas Breen.
With regard to the spirit of the competition, United attempted to attack in the second half, but were unable to dig out anything remotely resembling a goal. Drake nodded home a deserved fifth, and the Times had this to say:
The ground was an unpleasant mixture of melting snow and mud, and its surface was very treacherous. The accuracy and speed with which Arsenal carried out their movements was therefore all the more remarkable.
As for United? A journalistic ‘well played’.
Manchester United were outplayed from the start of the game, but they must be given every credit for the way in which they stuck to a hopeless task, and for the spectators and players alike the game was made all the more enjoyable by the fact that never once did the Manchester players attempt to stoop to the employment of questionable tactics. (This was to change in the Ferguson era….ed)
12th May 1979 – Arsenal 3 Man U 2 – FINAL
Venue – Wembley – attendance 100,000
Between the two of them, United and Arsenal have played in 34 of the 133 FA Cup finals. But have only run into each other twice. For 85 minutes of the 1979 final, Arsenal strolled around, Liam Brady purring like a majestic, ball-playing panther. Brian Talbot scored the first goal after 12 minutes, Frank Stapleton added the second just before half time, and as the clock ticked around to five o’clock, the contest looked done.
Then everything went mammaries up. In the 86th minute Steve Coppell slung a free-kick across the Arsenal penalty area, Joe Jordan sent it back into the middle, and Gordon McQueen poked the ball home. And just two minutes later, Sammy McIlroy danced past two stumbling defenders and slipped the ball underneath Pat Jennings.
Supporters heads went down. From the restart, Brady (who later claimed that he was just trying to get the ball out of the Arsenal half and away from his shell-shocked defenders) bustled his way to the edge of the United penalty area, then poked the ball wide to Graham Rix. He chipped the ball to the far post; United’s keeper Gary Bailey, perhaps anticipating a low cross, flapped and arriving at the far post, Alan Sunderland tucked the ball home before running off screaming and clenching his fists.
20th February 1988 – Arsenal 2 Man U 1 – 5th Round
Venue – Highbury – attendance 54,161
The following is the match report from an SBNation article on memorable Arsenal v Man U FA Cup matches
There is, on the face of it, no logical reason why Brian McClair shouldn’t have taken this penalty. He was a decent footballer, he wasn’t likely to lose his bottle or his legs in the course of his run up and, by the time he stepped up in the last minute of this fifth round tie, he’d already scored four from the spot that season.
It was 2-1 to Arsenal when he did. United came into the game in good spirits; they’d beaten Arsenal at Highbury a couple of weeks previously, and were in good away form generally. Arsenal, for their part, were slumping a touch in the league: apart from two cup games against lower-league opposition, they’d won just twice since the beginning of December.
So naturally, Arsenal started like a proper football team and United started like a rabble. The first goal is remarkable for the defensive chaos in the visitor’s ranks: each desperate hack clear only created a greater hole, and by the time Nigel Winterburn clipped a cross onto Alan Smith’s head, there were more attacking players in the six-yard box than there were defenders. This was followed by a perfect corner routine: Mike Duxbury rose and flicked the ball on, then his teammate Gordon Strachan crashed the ball into the roof of the net. His own net.
We can, perhaps, assume that the half-time break brought an early deployment of the Alex Ferguson hairdryer, for United steamed into their opponents after the break. McClair nicked one back with a sweet left-footed volley, and a couple of other efforts were hacked from the line. Then, with three minutes left, Norman Whiteside was tripped in the area by Michael Thomas, and up stepped McClair.
“This defeat amounted to a kind of funeral for Manchester United’s season,” wrote Hugh McIlvanney in the Observer, “and Brian McClair will be remembered as the undertaker.” But as United’s season died, something else was born: in the aftermath of the missed penalty, Winterburn took the opportunity to share some feelings with his dejected opponent. Winterburn has claimed not to remember what he said precisely, though The Sledger’s Handbook by Liam McCann records that he delivered the positively Wildean dismissal: “You’re shit, you are”.
Whatever was said, it stung. Two years later, up at Old Trafford, Winterburn dived into a tackle, McClair dived into Winterburn, and one of English football’s most notable 21-man brawls unfolded. (Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman was the conscientious objector.) Both teams were docked points, and a glorious rivalry was born — one that would rumble through much of the 1990s and 2000s, taking in Martin Keown and Ruud van Nistelrooy, Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, before reaching a farcical nadir (or zenith, if you’re that way inclined) when Cesc Fabregas allegedly lobbed a slice of pizza at Alex Ferguson.
15th February 2003 – Man U 0 Arsenal 2 – 5th Round
Venue – Old Trafford – attendance 67,209
Being able to rest Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp and still stroll to a comfortable 2-0 victory was the curious tale of this fifth round tie.
Goals from Edu Gaspar and Sylvain Wiltord either side of half time sealed the victory but not before Bryan Giggs had missed an open goal after rounding Spunky. This game will be remembered for a fiery start and fairly typical of what became Ferguson’s gruesome attempts to kick Arsenal off the pitch. Jeff Winter had to call the captains together to calm the situation. It’s a shame that other referees since haven’t had the necessary cojones to stamp on Fergie’s bully boy tactics in a similar manner.
21st May 2005 – Man U 0 Arsenal 0 (5-4 on penalties to the good guys) – FINAL
We beat United 0-0. Or rather they should have romped the match but somehow it finished goalless. 9 penalties out of 10 were scored including the decisive last one which turned out to be Patrick Vieira’s final kick in an Arsenal shirt. Paul (Mr Charisma) Scholes succumbed to the baying of the Arsenal fans to miss the only spotkick of the ten taken.
9th March 2015 – Man U 1 Arsenal 2 – 6th Round
Venue – Old Trafford – attendance 74,285
A game largely remembered for the winner scored by Danny Welbeck returning to his home town. 8,000 plus Gooners took over a corner of Old Trafford and had a wonderful evening. Nacho Monreal opened the scoring but his goal was cancelled out by Rooney’s header minutes later.
Danny’s goal was vigorously celebrated by him, the attending Arsenal faithful and millions of Gooners worldwide. Angel Di Maria was aggrieved to be cautioned for diving and was promptly sent off for petulantly grabbing at Michael Oliver’s shirt. (Michael Oliver has been getting his own back on us ever since).
We went on to smash Villa in the 2015 Final and win the Cup for the second year in succession.
Danny, Mesut and Santi, March 2015
This will be only our 3rd home game against United in the FA Cup and we won the first two – I have positive feelings about making it three in a row.
It appears that Hector Bellerin has totally knackered his knee .Minimum 6 months out and most probably 9 months.
In my opinion, an in form Hector is an integral part of our team, he provides something no-one else does … pace on the wing. Not just pace but pace allied to excellent close control and an ability to bring others into the game; for a full back, he is an assist master.
Tackling may not be his strong point but we defend better with him in the team as can be seen by our results when he is missing. Sadly, Catwalk is going to be spending his days traveling between the treatment table, the gym and stupidly expensive designer fashion shops.
Should Mr. Emery buy/loan a replacement or use other members of the squad at right back? Let’s look at the alternatives.
1. Mr Lichtsteiner. As far as I can tell the Swiss Chap has played some role in 17 games, 9 in the PL. Whilst he as been on the pitch we have managed ONE clean sheet (PL). He has yet to perform to the level I expected from a man with his CV and reputation, I like the fellow, he is a master of the Dark Arts, something we have been lacking for many years, but can he really play week in, week out at his age? Does he have the stamina to get forward and back for 90 mins? I doubt it.
2. Mr. Maitland-Niles. Super prospect. Big bloke, strong, energetic, confident, an eye for a pass. In his few games at full back he has yet to make his mark. Let’s face it, the man is a midfielder and is being shoe-horned into a position which he is not qualified for – yet. I know Flamini managed it a few seasons ago but he was an experienced player, AMN (Cons) is not. However, this is a huge opportunity for Ainsley (who calls their child Ainsley??), one he may well take with both hands.
3. Play a Back 3. I have only one word to say about this …. Mustafi.
4. Sign a loan player. Is there anyone out there who is good enough to immediately fit into our team. If he is, then why would a club allow him a loan loan move in January? Clyne might have worked.
My guess is that Mr. Emery’s solution will be a mixture of all of the above (perhaps not a signing). For him, and for The Arsenal the injury to Bellerin is very unfortunate.
The dust has settled on matchweek 23, so what can we take from the proceedings?
……. Unai Emery took a close look at the way Chelsea play and came up with an excellent way of nullifying their threat. Was this completely by design? Answers on a postcard.
……. The loss of Hector just as he was getting back to full match fitness is a blow. We have other options at right back and between them they will have to take up the slack.
……. The Arsenal players knew the significance of the Chelsea game and you could see they were right up for it. This doesn’t explain how they could have been so unaware of the importance of the game the week before in Stratford. Every single game is worth 3 points, lads. Teams that are going somewhere always realise this week in, week out.
Stuart MacFarlane
…… The Liverpool and Man City juggernauts roll on and it looks a two way fight for top spot. I presume we’d all prefer City to win it just because we’ve got used to them buying the title, so another Champs trophy barely makes any difference. The Mickey Mousers on the other hand…..
…… The spuds spawned yet another injury time win. They’ve had no draws so far, even though they’ve probably deserved at least half a dozen. It appears Rodent-in-Chief, Dele Alli, joined Mr Kane in the sick bay with a hamstring (expect him back in 2 rather than an Arsenal 6 weeks). Their luck must run out sometime as their pool of attacking players dwindles. (Mind you, Llorente did get on the scoresheet)
…… Cardiff, our next League opponents, lost heavily at fellow strugglers Newcastle. Colin W*nker said that losing was not the end of the world. They lack quality up front – the opposite to us.
…… After Man City away, our following fixture is on February 9th at Huddersfield. Let’s hope their new manager is installed well before then so we aren’t on the receiving end of a ‘bounce effect’. Sky Sports thought they’d spotted their new chap in the crowd but it turned out his name was John not Jan.
……. The red mancs gained their 7th straight win since OGS took over. The run has to end sometime!
No Mesut in the starting line-up. Could the team raise their performance without him after last week’s dismal showing in Stratford? You Betcha.
First Half
It was Blitzkrieg in that opening period of the game. The only disappointment was having only Laca’s wonderful strike to show for it. We retreated a little just after the goal as if the team couldn’t quite believe it was actually winning in a first half. Pedro’s dink over the keeper was the only real moment of extreme danger, though.
OG came on from the bench and got more respect in a few minutes than he ever did while playing for the Club.
A third goal looked possible on a couple of occasions but wasn’t to be.
Conclusion
A different team performance altogether from our recent away efforts. Everything worked perfectly on the day, so a time to bask in beating our West London rivals.
One shot on target from the chavs in the whole 90. Emery using Ramsey to cut the supply lines to Hazard was a masterstroke. A superb defensive tactical display from the Arsenal and a clean sheet to boot. Not often we say that.
Reuters
Ratings (extra point for everyone for beating the chavs)
Leno – one shot on target from Alonso, saved comfortably, competent elsewhere … 8
Bellerin – such a shame just as he was regaining form and importance … 8
Koscielny – majestic in defence and cunningly brilliant for his goal … 9
Sokratis – shame he couldn’t find the net with his first half header, solid throughout …8
Kolasinac – almost looked an accomplished defender in addition to being a wardrobe on wheels … 7
Torreira – still not sure if he knows 100% what his role in the side is but he worked really hard throughout, tiring a little in the second half … 8
Xhaka – only the odd sloppy pass but generally a rock in midfield … 8
Guendouzi – perpetual motion, which sometimes make him look like a schoolboy chasing the ball over the field, ten out of ten for youthful exuberance … 8
Ramsey – excellent in that first period where we could have run away with it – the pressure’s off for Aaron, so hopefully he can have a massive positive effect on the rest of our season … 8
Lacazette – magnificent finish at the near post the like of which we have seen before from him – tireless and willing … 8
Aubameyang – A couple of belting chances not snaffled up in the first half, though the bicycle kick was unlucky … 7
Subs
Maitland-Niles – a couple of really important challenges – with Hector out, it’s time for him to push on … 8
ElNeny – tidy, and helped in the second half rearguard display … 7
Iwobi – didn’t see much of the ball up top but helped out in his own half … 7
Managers
Emery – does this make up for the West Ham debacle? – yeah , go on then, one game at a time … 9
Additionally we have an FGG assessment of yesterday……..
Without a doubt, my favourite performance of the season.
Obviously we all enjoyed the Spurs game at home, but we’ve just beaten Chelsea without our goalkeeper making a single significant save. Tactically we were absolutely outstanding and you could see that Emery had looked at the opposition and had decided that stopping Jorginho was the way to stop that team hurting us. Ramsey dominated him for 60 minutes and then Elneny came on and stood next to him for the last half hour. We allowed them space out wide knowing that they could couldn’t hurt us with crosses, and the performances of our CB’s was a joy to watch. If we had more players who cared about the job they do as Sokratis then we would win the league. He may not be the best player, but he was absolutely immense today and you can see he cares about defending. We haven’t had a player like that for a while. Everything the Greek lacks in technical ability though, the guy stood next to him absolutely makes up for it. Koscielny oozed class and gave a defensive masterclass in positioning and guile. What a performance.
I’m not going to pretend this makes up for the last few performances, but I can see that with the right players, Emery has the tactical nous to take us forward. We just need the right players to implement what he’s asking.
Absolutely loved that 2nd half and watching the last 15 minutes knowing that Chelsea had zero chance of scoring was a rare treat. Let’s hope it continues.
Interesting to listen to Keown’s comments after the game. He seems really frustrated that Ramsey played so well today but won’t be with the team moving forward. I’ve also seen a lot of comments from Merson recently about Arsenal letting players go on the cheap. Whilst we all agree that certain things have been awful behind the scenes, I don’t understand the total negativity that comes from these people.
Personally, I believe that getting rid of players like Ramsey and Özil will see the club move forward. Emery has his own ideas about the squad and if he believes that the £350k we pay Özil and the probable £200k+ we would’ve had to pay Ramsey can result in us signing 2 or 3 players then I’m with him. Don’t get me wrong, the club could’ve handled the contract situations of Wilshere, Ox, Ramsey, Özil and Sanchez so much better than they have, but in reality, I look at that list of players and wonder how many of them really would be moving our club forward right now. Four of them have been out injured for the last month ffs, how often was that a problem for Wenger’s teams!?
Much of this morning’s speculation will revolve, once again, about Mr. Ozil. This being the case I think we can gloss over that and discuss something else. No, not Brexit or a Wall or even the heat in Australia. Not even the worrying statement from Emery about our economy.
How about we cheer ourselves up in the knowledge that the squad is returning to good health with only Welbz and Holding on the long-term injured list. Emery can pick a solid defence – or as good as he can with the tools available, not that I wish to call Mustafi a tool, but if the cap fits …
My opinion:
The back 3 doesn’t work, one only has to look at our goals against to confirm this, so we have to go back to a more solid 4 and abandon the idea of FB’s as wing-backs, especially with AMN and the Wardrobe. The return of Hector and Nacho should add some backbone.
Some AA’ers doubt Belllerin’s defensive ability, you may be right, but IMO he is amongst our best players.
Quite why Mr. Emery abandoned the deep Xhaka/Terrier combo by sending the little chap further forward is a mystery. Against Spurs they were the key to our victory, surely he will operate the same system this afternoon?
Also, a return to playing one upfront. It appears great mates do not make a great striking partnership. It worked well when we could bring on PEA in the final 20 minutes, his pace terrifying tiring defenders. Why was this tactic abandoned?
Not sure if Mhiki is fit, but we need him back to provide something positive ahead of Bellerin, yet there is no space in the team for both Iwobi and Mhiki if Ozil plays, and Ozil MUST play.
What of Chelsea?. Their manager, David Wagner, is a strange but likeable chap who appears to be doing a very good job with a team depending upon the genius of Hazard allied to the tenacity of the marvelous Kante. The goalkeeper shows the difference between a €60m and a €25m signing, ugly bugger though, our boy is no oil painting but at least he looks human. The midget microphone, Willian always does well against us, hopefully he is crocked.
World Cup winner OG returns to his real home where he should get a rousing reception, thanking him for some unforgettable moments including this …
Look for OG’s pass early in the move
When I lived in London most of my friends were Chelsea or closet Spurs. We always beat them. Always. Who can forget Winterburn’s screamer at the Bridge? As GN5 showed yesterday, those days are well in the past.
Play like we did against West Ham and we will get hammered again, play like we did against Spurs and the points are ours.
Chelsea FC was formed on 10 March 1905 in an upstairs room at the Rising Sun pub, Fulham Road. Among the founding directors were millionaire owner Henry Augustus ‘Gus’ Mears, his brother Joseph, their brother-in-law Henry Boyer, publican Alfred Janes and his nephew Edwin. In 1904, Gus Mears acquired the Stamford Bridge athletics stadium with the aim of turning it into a football ground. An offer to lease it to nearby Fulham was turned down, so Mears opted to found his own club to use the stadium.
The club, the brainchild of another founder, Frederick Parker, would be started from scratch to fill Gus Mears’s ambitious stadium, being built across the road at Stamford Bridge by the architect Archibald Leitch. Scotland international Jacky Robertson was engaged as the fledgling club’s player-manager. In collaboration with Parker, who also engineered Chelsea’s admission to Football League Division Two, Robertson built a squad that included their larger-than-life 23 stone goalkeeper Willie Foulke; the club hired football’s first ball-boys to emphasise his presence.
The first game was away on 2 September 1905 at Stockport County in front of a crowd of 7,000. William Foulke, known as ‘Fatty’ became the first Chelsea goalkeeper to save a penalty, but in the melee that followed a wayward County shot was deflected into his own net by Robert McEwan, resulting in a 1- 0 loss.
Here is our entire league record.
Our overall home record against Chelsea has been positive but we have only won 3 of our last 14 games – W3, D6, L5, GF14, GA18.
Memorable home victories in the Prem
27th December 2010 Arsenal 3 Chelsea 1
Goals from Song, Fabregas and Walcott in the 10 minutes either side of half time blew the chavs away. Petr Cech was in goal that day and our only survivor for tomorrow is Kos.
24th September 2016 Arsenal 3 Chelsea 0
Mesut and the dog fancier ran riot two seasons ago. Sanchez and Walcott scored in 4 glorious minutes at the start of the game and Mesut wrapped it up five minutes before half-time. We could field the same team tomorrow minus Le Coq, Santi, Walcott and the dog fancier, which is quite surprising.
Chelsea are 6 points ahead of us therefore losing would put us 9 points behind with only 15 games remaining – and if Man U win or draw against Brighton we would drop into 6th place. A must win game for sure.
I always enjoy researching the fate of players who have retired or left Arsenal. So many descend into depression, addiction and financially destitution. This is understandable because for most players the knowledge that the pinnacle of their lives is in the past is too heavy a burden. No more adulation, no more dressing room comraderie, no more endorphin-inducing physical training, no more highs of performing in front of thousands of adoring fans, and there is no way back. The bell has rung for you.
For most people their middle to late 30’s is a time of job advancement or life development. For football players, particularly in the less well paid lower leagues, it is a time to re-start life and for many this is an challenge they struggle to meet.
Damn it …. this is not what I set out to write, this is meant to be a post about Kieron Gibbs!
Kieron’s career path was a meteoric rise into the Arsenal first team and then an England shirt. Where is he now? West Brom via Norwich City.
Arriving at AFC as 1 5 y.o. his dreams were fulfilled early. An injury, a loss of form, the arrival of Nacho, led to him being given the Spanish Archer (El Bow). It must have been devastating., imagine his thoughts when he walked out of Mr. Wenger’s office. Thankfully, Kieron seems to have adapted to his new life but how must he have felt on his first week at WBA.? And then relegation? From Arsenal captain (when Kos was injured) and the England team to the Championship in just 2 years.
However, compared to, let us say, Abou Diaby, he has been fortunate. Diaby had the potential to be a world superstar but despite his very best efforts injuries took their toll – he is a free agent today.
I heard a podcast with Tony Cotteee talking about his post-football career and his slide into gambling addiction, which thanks to the wonderful Tony Adams Sporting Chance clinic, he has overcome. Tony said, “how in the remainder of his life will he ever re-create the feeling of scoring a goal in front of tens of thousands (and millions at home)”? He won’t, so how does he come to terms with it and find a purpose for the next 50 years? For Cotteee it has been a job in media but few can achieve this, for others it is coaching at club or ground level.
Damn it – I am back to the “what next” theme! Must be the grey skies above.
This could, and perhaps should, have been a post about the off-field shenanigans at Arsenal, or about the effect of Brexit upon the club but I will leave that for next time. Be thankful it is not another post about Mr. Ozil 😀
So, Petr Cech has announced he will retire at the end of the season. He could still have a big part to play in our season depending on Leno’s fitness.
There are some parallels between Petr’s switch from the dark side and our former keeper Pat Jennings’ move from the bowels of N17 down to the sunnier end of the Seven Sisters Road.
Cech won 4 League titles, 4 FA Cups and 1 a-piece of the CL and Europa cups with the chavs when Abramovich’s money was all conquering in the country. As a credit to him as a man, no Arsenal supporter has ever really held this against him.
In the same way that Jennings was universally respected, Petr Cech oozes decency and a certain statesman-like presence which commands admiring regard both in other players and in supporters alike.
In his early career Petr is reported to have played as a striker before switching to keeper. Perhaps his skills on the deck weren’t quite up to scratch.
Moving from FK Chmel Blšany to Sparta Prague in 2001, Petr soon came to the notice of many clubs abroad including The Arsenal. In fact, he was really close to signing with the Gunners in 2002 but those pesky difficulties in obtaining work permits put the kibosh on the deal. Rennes in France were the beneficiaries and he played for two seasons in Ligue 1.
His career with Chelsea is well documented and, although the trophies won while he was there were all bought with oligarch’s money, he made a massive contribution to the chavs having a defence with an exceptional record. He made 3 penalty saves in the CL final in 2012 (2 in the shootout) and was voted fans’ MOTM.
Petr’s head injury was sustained in October 2006 after a collision with Stephen Hunt’s knee. The resulting depressed skull fracture left him needing to wear the goalkeeping helmet henceforth on the pitch.
Signing for Arsenal in the summer of 2015, Petr’s career took an upturn. No longer having to smear Vic’s vaporub on his top lip to be able to stand the smell of being in the same dressing room as Terry, Ivanovic and Cole etc, must have been a blessed relief to the Czech glove butler. His career sailed to new heights culminating in the FA Cup triumph over his old muckers in the 2017 Final. Although sidelined with injury for that Final, he had played in the glorious semi-final win over Man City.
Reuters
Thanks for the memories, Petr, you’ve always been a top bloke – it was just a shame you couldn’t have joined us in 2002 and become an Invincible. Still, your career turned out ok elsewhere, so I doubt it keeps you awake at night not having been part of such a momentous achievement.
Thanks again – what a great career you’ve had!
My favourite @PetrCech memory at Arsenal is: ______
Posted by Erik the Red 
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