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Arsenal v Sheffield United –  June 28^th.

 

Will the FA Cup, once again, be the salvation of a poor League campaign for Arsenal?

 We have a glorious history in the FA starting in 1927 when we lost to Cardiff- 0-1 when the ball slipped under our Welsh goalkeeper Dan Lewis’ body with only 15 minutes left in the game. Community singing was first introduced in the 1927 final, there was doubt about what the response would be – but it was so enthusiastically received that it created one of the biggest organised choirs of all time as the crowd of 91,206 joined in – it has since become an annual FA Cup Final ritual.

Our first win came in 1930 (a 2-0 victory over Huddersfield) it was known as “Chapman’s Final” as it was a meeting of the two clubs that he had fashioned and inspired to greatness. He had won the League championship three years in a row with Huddersfield in the 1920’s and went on to achieve the same extraordinary feat with Arsenal in the 1930’s. 

The final was interrupted by the roaring engines of Germany’s pride – the giant silver airship the Graf Zeppelin when it flew over Wembley and dipped its nose in a salute to King George V – this was immediately greeted by loud boo’s from the crowd.

We played in two more Finals in the 1930’s – losing 2-1 to Newcastle in 1932 and beating Sunday’s opponents, Sheffield United, 1-0 in 1936, the winning goal was scored through the left foot of Ted Drake who had recently returned to the team after a cartilage operation.

It was Arsenal’s sixth success in League or Cup in seven seasons, but their triumphs did not get the coverage they deserved due to a dispute between Wembley and the newsreel companies – which led to a ban on film cameramen inside the stadium. The companies therefore took to the air in air-gyros but they were scrupulous in remaining on the outside of the stadium.

I will stop right there but I will continue with our FA Cup History if we progress to the semi final.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

And so the Story Goes….

Preston North End confidently asked to be photographed with the Cup before the 1888 final but Major Francis Marindin, the president of the FA, replied, “Hadn’t you better win it first?”  Preston lost 2-1.

Aston Villa and Everton each booked into a “secret” hotel for the 1897 final, only to discover they were staying in the same place – Villa won 3.2.

With the score tied 0-0 at half time Derby County began the second round tie at Lincoln in 1902 by surrounding the ball. They prevented their opponents getting near it, steered the ball into Lincoln’s area, scored and went on to win 3-1.

Portsmouth received 20 pounds a man and shared a bonus of 550 pounds for beating Wolverhampton 4-1 in the 1939 final. They then discovered that the massed bands at Wembley were paid more, Ted (later Lord) Carter wrote in an article in the Tribune entitled “They would have been better off playing the cornet”.

Referee E.D.Smith of Sunderland said on BBC radio before the 1946 final (Derby County beat Charlton Athletic won 4-1) that the odds of the ball bursting were a million to one. The ball burst then and again the following year when Charlton beat Burnley 1-0.

Derby County had not won the Cup before 1946 because, it was said, gypsies had put a curse on then long before for training on their encampment. A Fleet Street reporter, however, had a bright idea. He persuaded the Derby captain to visit a gypsy camp near London, during the week before the final. The curse was lifted in return for silver and Derby duly won the Cup for the first time.

Manchester United had a flap before leaving their dressing room to face Leicester City in the 1963 final. Pat Crerand, their Scottish international wing-half, was missing. He was discovered in the tunnel, wearing only a jock-strap, Singing “abide with me”.

Our current team have a lot of history to live up to – we own the record of most FA Cup wins with thirteen, closely followed my Manchester United with twelve. Three wins and we could increase our record – is it possible with our current squad?

Arsenal FA Cup Final History
#	Year	Opponent	GF	GA	W	L
1	1927	Cardiff City	0	1		1
2	1930	Huddersfield	2	0	1
3	1932	Newcastle	1	2		1
4	1936	Sheffield United	1	0	1
5	1950	Liverpool	2	0	1
6	1952	Newcastle	0	1		1
7	1971	Liverpool	2	1	1
8	1972	Leeds United	0	1		1
9	1978	Ipswich	0	1		1
10	1979	Manchester United	3	2	1
11	1980	West Ham	0	1		1
12	1993	Sheffield Wednesday	2	1	1
13	1998	Newcastle	2	0	1
14	2001	Liverpool	1	2		1
15	2002	Chelsea	2	0	1
16	2003	Southampton	1	0	1
17	2005	Manchester United	0	0	1
18	2014	Hull	3	2	1
19	2015	Aston Villa	4	0	1
20	2017	Chelsea	2	1	1
		Totals:	28	16	13	7

GunnerN5

TA’s Team to smash the Blades

A rest for Mustafi and Bellerin, Ceballos and Pepe would make sense. Big Sok and AMN, Willock and Nelson to start instead. Maybe Kola could start instead of Tierney but the sturdy Scot is the better defender and he is enjoying this run of games. Oh and Eddie to come off the bench this time and score the winner. 🙂 Also happy for Luiz to return but Holding deserves another game after THAT performance against the Saints. Maybe Luiz will start instead of Tierney… But the above would be my preferred team.

Arteta probably needs one more quality signing to complete the Revolution…

Well the club have announced the signings of a number of defenders this week, and this will not go down well with everybody, no doubt. The criticism of Mari is that he does not appear to be fast, and Soares is a ‘cast-off’ apparently…. And then there is David Luiz’s one more year at Arsenal announcement that will have a large part of the fans fuming.

I cannot say to be overexcited but we have to trust Arteta here. He works with the players, is a man with a plan and really does know more about football than you and me together x 10.

The Lego-Man is building something and with Mari and Luiz he has strong characters who can guide our younger CBs whilst doing a job for us on the field too. With the highly promising but still young Saliba finally joining us next season, Arteta will have options to shape his defence; and with so many CBs at his disposal – Mustafi, Chambers, Holding, Mari, Luiz, Big Sok and Saliba – he may well be thinking to go to three at the back.

That is six good players for three CB positions if you ask me. One or two may leave but then Arteta may well promote some youngsters in that case.

With Soares, Bellerin, Tierney and Kolasinac we have double cover on the wingback positions, which is another indication that we are going for a 3-4-3 formation. Saka and possibly Nelson could also play on the outsides of the ‘4’ in the middle of the pitch. Arteta will have options to spare once everybody is fully fit.

Key with a 3-4-3 is to dare to push up most of the game and not sit too deep. If the latter is the case it is very hard for the central midfielders to connect with the three attackers, leaving too much space between the two lines (as we could see yesterday v Southampton). This can partly be resolved with a hybrid nr10/b2b midfielder in the middle of the three up-front but that is asking a hell of a lot from such a player… it would have to be one beast of a player.

The heart of our midfield is of course the key area for Arteta to get right. I expect a signing here as to freshen things up. Or will Arteta promote one of the youngsters? BKers keep telling me Matt Smith may be the ONE…

If it is going to be 3-4-3 then we need a complimentary mix of defensive and attacking skills in midfield. Both players must know how to defend and how to support the attack, and they have to become a machine-like, automatic duo.

Torreira and Xhaka together is somehow not working as well as you (well I) would expect. For me Granit Xhaka is a keeper and I hope he will stay. I really like Torreira too but he somehow has not settled at Arsenal and it would not surprise me if he were to move on. Guendouzi we discussed in a previous post, and I would like him to be the understudy for Xhaka (and not play next to Granit if Arteta can help it).

The one player who should revel in a 3-4-3 formation is Super Joey Willock. Joe has that all-round skills-base to be the complete midfielder. But he is still young and we need experience in that position to really make this formation work. Willock should be the understudy and Arteta may have to buy the final piece in the jigsaw…

I am not worried about our attack at all. Plenty of options there and once they start getting it right, the goals will keep coming.

Any thoughts or suggestions fine fellow BKers (non-regulars are also welcome to comment!!)?

By TotalArsenal.

Southampton 0 – 2 The Arsenal

That was anything but sexy football but a clean sheet and two goals to the good guys cannot be poo-poohed! Arteta had a clear plan today, but the heat prevented the team to really be at their best. We were solid and sat back but were also quick with the turnovers/breaks and dangerous in front of goal. There was a lot of space in midfield at times and we struggled to make use of it, but Arteta just wanted us to be solid at the back and not give space away for the Saints’ eager runners… and it helped us to a result. More on the game later this week, but here are my player ratings.

Player Ratings

Mature Martinez: enthusiastic, focussed and ready to make a top-notch safe when it most mattered: 8 M  O  T  M

Tenacious Tierney: instructed to stay close to Holding as to cover for his un-left-footedness. Energetic and focussed and fought for the shirt: 7

Heavenly Holding: Did Rob need a game like this!! Solid in the air, energetic and really wanted that clean sheet: 8 M  O  T  M

Sensible Shkodran: Benefited from playing next to a good playing Holding and seldom let the team down: 7

Balance-seeking Bellerin: If you wear a mustache you have to play like a man and I missed Hector’s presence on the pitch today. His link up play and passing were below par and he made a few too many unforced errors: 6

Super-disciplined Ceballos: Clearly instructed to stay in line with Xhaka and back and he worked hard to have an impact. Offered little going forward but I was impressed with his discipline: 7

Xuper-Xhaka: A bit rusty with his passing but then now and again he produced a beauty. Gave us shape in midfield which was an improvement on recent games: 7

Sensational Saka: Is there anywhere this young man cannot play? He adds that bit of class to our team at the moment and was a good support to Tierney (and Holding) on the left. Good link up play with Auba too: 8 M  O  T  M

Awesome Auba: Worked hard and was a continuous threat to the Saints’ defence. Unlucky to not be on the scoresheet once again: 7.5

Peripheral Pepe: At times he went missing but still think he did his part… just about: 6.5

Energetic Eddiex3: Got the all important first goal as a reward for his attitude and energetic field play (in hot conditions). Had a goal ruled out too. It just feels like he and Auba could become a golden duo going forward: 7.5

The Subs

Kola: Cannot remember him being on the pitch: ?

Joe: Came on and added energy and drive. Took his goal coolie after once again being at the right place at the right time in the box: 7

Ainsley MN: added energy but not long enough on the pitch to score him: ?

Laca: involved in Joe’s goal and he added a bit of thrust to our tired attack. Should have done better from Saka’s late good cross into the box… but headers are not his thing really: 6.5

Southampton v Arsenal – June 25^th 2020

Southampton was originally founded at St. Mary’s Church, on 21 November 1885 by members of the St. Mary’s Church of England Young Men’s Association.

St. Mary’s Y.M.A., as they were usually referred to in the local press, played most of their early games on The Common where games were frequently interrupted by pedestrians insistent on exercising their right to roam. More important matches, such as cup games, were played either at the County Cricket Ground in Northlands Road or the Antelope Cricket Ground in St Mary’s Road.

The club was originally known as St. Mary’s Young Men’s Association F.C. (usually abbreviated to “St. Mary’s Y.M.A.”) and then became simply St. Mary’s F.C. in 1887–88, before adopting the name Southampton St. Mary’s when the club joined the Southern League in 1894.

For the start of their League career, Saints signed several new players on professional contracts, including Charles Baker, Alf Littlehales and Lachie Thomson from Stoke and Fred Hollands from Millwall. After winning the Southern League title in 1896–97, the club became a limited company and was renamed Southampton F.C.

Southampton was among the founding members of the Premier League in 1992–93, but spent most of the next ten seasons struggling against relegation. In 1995–96, Southampton finished 17th with 38 league points, avoiding relegation on goal difference.

Mark Hughes was fired as the Saints manger after a poor start to the 2018/19 season and in December 2018 he was replaced by Ralph Hasenhuettl who has a record of (W22, D13, L26, Win % 36.1). He signed a new contract until 2024 during the Covid -19 pandemic.

Hasenhuettl recorded his first win as Southampton manger against Arsenal a 3-2 victory on December 16, 2018.

Here is a brief accounting of the game.

Ralph Hasenhüttl bounces on to the pitch. That’s lift-off! The new era is very much under way at Southampton. Arsenal’s 22-match unbeaten comes to a grinding halt on the south coast. Charlie Austin’s late winner lifts Southampton out of the bottom three, while Arsenal stay fifth, three points behind Chelsea, who have just wrapped up victory over Brighton in Sussex. It was a game teeming with great goals – and two wicked deflections – but when it mattered most, Austin had a cool head to apply a fine finish, heading in Shane Long’s lofted cross.

We have only won once in our last eight visits to St. Mary’s (W1, D4, L3, GF9, GA14) so we can expect another tough encounter. Playing in a crowd-less stadium should have a neutralizing effect, although that has not been apparent so far this season.

Arsenal v Saints EPL Away Results
		W	D	L	GF	GA
1	05-Dec-92			1	0	2
2	19-Mar-94	1			4	0
3	19-Nov-94			1	0	1
4	09-Dec-95		1		0	0
5	15-Mar-97	1			2	0
6	23-Aug-97	1			3	1
7	03-Apr-99		1		0	0
8	18-Sep-99	1			1	0
9	19-May-01			1	2	3
10	13-Oct-01	1			2	0
11	23-Nov-02			1	2	3
12	29-Dec-03	1			1	0
13	26-Feb-05		1		1	1
14	01-Jan-13		1		1	1
15	28-Jan-14		1		2	2
16	01-Jan-15			1	0	2
17	26-Dec-15			1	0	4
18	10-May-17	1			2	0
19	10-Dec-17		1		1	1
20	16-Dec-18			1	2	3
21	16-Jun-20
Total :		7	6	7	26	24

This will not be an easy game and we need to show up as a unified, supportive team. Injuries and red cards have put us in a difficult position defensively and our mid- field has not created enough opportunities for our strikers.

After a difficult re-start to the season Mikel Arteta has his work cut out to bring the team together, but I have confidence that, in the long term, he is the right person for the task ahead.

Arsenal v Saints  All time Away Results
	W	D	L	GF	GA
Division 1	8	4	10	30	29
Premier	7	6	7	26	24
Total :	15	10	17	56	53

Overall Southampton has had our number at St Mary’s – we need to change that situation.

GunnerN5

TA’s Preferred Line-Up….

*Xhaka is in full training so I hope he will start… If not it will surely be Guendo

The problems with Guendouzi

This is a controversial and potentially emotional topic, so let me save you the time of reading the post if it may press your buttons with this executive summary:

I don’t think Matteo Guendouzi’s short-term future lies with the club.

I don’t necessarily insist on selling him – however we would receive a hefty sum – we might send him on loan, or try a different approach with his coaching, but currently he costs valuable points to the club competing for CL/EL place. But if you believe that the club should get rid of its ’senior’ midfielders (Xhaka, Ozil) and rebuild the engine room around Matteo, then I couldn’t disagree more.

So now it’s in the open, let me provide some reasoning.

1. I honestly don’t think he plays any better than he did 2 years ago, when he joined from FC Lorient from a bargain €7.2M. That was really cool from a 19-year old, but it is unimpressive from a 21-year-old training with the senior national team.
2. He doesn’t bring much to the engine of the team. No offensive contribution (0 shots, key passes, dribbles against Brighton), and no tackle but a single interception defensively. He has high scores in being fouled (2nd behind Lacazette) and bad touches (poor ball control – 2nd behind Pepe). He doesn’t have Ozil’s vision, Torreira’s terrier personality, Ceballos’ dribbling skills, Xhaka’s shooting power, key passes and tackles, Willock’s muscular figure.
3. He is often dispossessed, and sometimes in quite dangerous areas.
4. Even though he should be orchestrating the transition from defence to attack, he seems to have a tendency to prefer sideway passes instead of more attacking alternatives.
5. I don’t want solely to focus on this post on Matteo’s performance against Brighton, but this player rating sums up his performance: Guendouzi  5/10 | Another below average display. Kept things simple with the ball but just doesn’t do enough and is too easily by-passed in midfield. Scuffle at the final whistle with Maupay – shame we didn’t see that kind of fight from him during the game.
   My problem is that passion and fighting spirit is not enough. They are welcome complements to superior ball control, great vision, joy to watch tackling and passing skills, but in my opinion they don’t make you a regular starter at a CL level club on average foundations.

So far I didn’t say anything new. Let me devote the rest of the post to the last point: that Matteo is either truly ineffective or just a really bad omen on the pitch. Please take a look at this screenshot about Guendouzi’s involvement in Arsenal’s PL games:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matteo-guendouzi/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/465830/saison/2019/wettbewerb/GB1/verein/11

Let me summarize with my key points:

• Our last win when he played was our home game against Bournemouth in early October (under Unai Emery).
• To be fair with him, we had only 5 victories in the following 22 games. But he managed to sit out 2 of them entirely, and played 20 minutes in the other 3 altogether.
• Out of the last 5 games he started we lost 4, and managed an unwatchable 0-0 draw against Burnley.
• From his last 11 games he started and played at least 65 minutes we won none, losing 6 and drawing 5.
• In comparison we are unbeaten in Xhaka’s last 11 full games (won 5 and drew 6). And this is not an unfair comparison either, as Matteo indeed played against Man City, but Granit directed midfield against Man United (H) and Chelsea (A).

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against the boy personally. I’m sure he is a friendly, funny lad, but keeping him on the pitch is – at the moment – way too big of a favor to the opponent. Yes, we are currently indeed short in defensive midfield, but I would rather have David Luiz playing as CDM (yes, the same one that many supporters don’t want to see ever again wearing an Arsenal shirt) then watching Guendouzi gaining experience on our ’expense’.

What do you think?

By PBarany

 

Brighton HA 2 – 1 Arsenal

“Alas,” said the mouse, “the world gets smaller every day. At first it was so wide that I ran along and was happy to see walls appearing to my right and left, but these high walls converged so quickly that I’m already in the last room, and there in the corner is the trap into which I must run.”

“But you’ve only got to run the other way,” said the cat, and ate it.

Kafka, Little Fable.

Another away game and another loss. It all feels so similar. So dire.

This was a harsh one though, very harsh, and we were not helped at all by the poor refereeing, but it is also clear we are not in a good place right now. Not at all. Our spine is as floppy as wet spaghetti, especially now that Leno has also gone off badly injured. We look like a team without believe in the future, with too many players not knowing what their and the club’s next steps are. 

However, may I remind you that we are living in extraordinary times and Arsenal had to restart the season after three months of innuendo with two away games in 67 hours. If we win the next game it will all look and feel different. I think Arteta and the boys are allowed a bit of leeway for a while. Dont’ you? More on this later.

We started well and Arteta had surprised us all with playing Saka in the hole. By far the most lively AND effective attacker, Bukayo brought something we missed against Citeh: attacking unpredictability. He was unlucky not to score or to see one or two of his crosses/passes not converted into a goal, until finally the simplest of assist was converted by the Robbenesque left foot of Pepe.

Auba and Laca had a couple of half-chances each but they lacked the hunger to properly pounce and in the end that cost us 1.5 points. The other 1.5 points were lost by the rubbish defending of our team. A very poorly defended corner let to the first goal; Ceballos was easily tricked by a one-two and the cross from the 18-yards box-line was then co-fumbled behind our own line. Ugly as Seagull crap all over the car-bonnet, painful to watch and totally self-inflicted. We sat back as soon as we scored and thus invited pressure on ourselves when, since decades, our best defence has always been to keep attacking. 

At this stage it was clear that our weakness was once again in midfield. You all know what I mean with that so no more words will be wasted on it. The Seagulls had some nasty albeit ordinary steel in midfield and we did not…

The last goal by Brighton could have been avoided but I also want to give credit to a well executed attack. Fatigue played a part and we missed the quick reaction of Leno on this occasion, but these things happen. Had Auba and Laca bagged a goal each we would not have been affected by this late, late goal.

Yes the referee was poor, a disgrace actually, but we know that the general idea is that Arsenal are a soft touch and everybody without a red and white heart likes it when we get kicked; we have become national entertainment. How are we going to change this? By reestablishing the Adams-Vieira-Bergkamp mentality: boss every blade of grass on the pitch and every non red and white sorry fool on it. I am not talking about going out to hurt players but playing with dominance, focus and determination…. and pride in the shirt and protection of your mates on the pitch.

This has been made all the more difficult with injuries to Leno, Mari (I reckon Arteta had big plans for him), Xhaka, Torreira and Big Sok. So it is going to remain difficult as no team can do well without a solid spine and seemingly unhungry attackers. Can I see an improvement before this season’s end? What do you think?

This nightmare is unlikely to finish anytime soon – the mouse will keep looking to avoid the cat but to no avail I fear – but we as fans need to stay behind Arteta and the team. It is our duty.

By TotalArsenal.

The Seagulls are our second away game in three-in-a-row and we are desperate for a win as to gain some momentum, or should I say lift-off. Seagulls are fine birds, much underappreciated if you ask me. Chiang Yee in his fabulous ‘The Silent Traveller in Edinburgh’ calls them ‘gentlemen of leisure’, and there is no doubt that Brighton is a fine city for leisurely pursuits. However, our boys will have to mean business for 90+ minutes; let the cannon roar and roar and bring those lofty seagulls down and down.

We have to try and forget the damp squib against the Northern Oilers and show what it means to play in that most famous of shirts. The Seagulls are only two points away from safety so we can expect a proper battle tomorrow.

Who is going to play? Well that is the question and as far as I can see there is no clear info re who is injured and who is fit to play. Here is my desired line-up v BHA:

I look forward to seeing Tierney and Bellerin continue in the wing-back positions. With Mari out and you-know-who suspended, I guess it will have to be Holding and Mustafi to play at the back.

In midfield I like to see Willock combined with Xhaka (if fit, which is highly doubtful) or AMN (assuming that Torreira is not fit to play). We need some physical presence there and ability to hold the midfield with some good defensive interventions. Ceballos and Guendo are nice on the eye and they did not have a bad game against Citeh, but they also take very long on the ball and allow opposition teams to (re)organise themselves far too often. I am happy for one of them to play but not both. We also need goals from midfield and Joe is closest of all to get on the scoresheet, so for me he has to play.

Up-front I want Auba central and Nelson and Saka on the wings. That would give us balance and good penetration from the wings. Ozil is unlikely to play and normally I would pick him in my preferred team. But reading between the lines of Arteta’s press conference all is not well once again, and I prefer a player who really wants to play. That must be Laca, so I would play him in the nr10 position, behind Auba. But Pepe in the hole is also a possibility.

With MU and Spuddies drawing tonight, Arsenal have a great opportunity to gain two points on both teams in one go. Now there is some incentive for you boys! Win tomorrow and the Spuds are looking up to the Arse and we are just three points away from the red side of Manchester.

I am not sure what else to say. Let the red and white legs do the talking!

By TotalArsenal.

Football came home again but should it have stayed away for at least a few more months? it was all very low key, except for the showing of respect for the BLM movement and the ten thousands of C19 victims. It always rains in Manchester and so it did last night of course, and in more than one way: cats and dogs a plenty but no fans and no atmosphere. It all felt wrong.

Sorry to be so glum.

There is not too much to say about the game but there were some silver linings above the MC stadium:

1. Leno was our best man and saved us from a total embarrassment with fine, decisive saves throughout the game;
2. Bellerin and Tierney defended the flanks with energy and focus, even though the link-up play with the wide-attackers remains a work in progress;
3. Guendouzi had a good start and Ceballos showed willingness to get stuck in, and he gave us some breathing space with dribbling and passing;
4. Mustafi had an energetic and focussed game and he and Mari started strong;
5. Saka had some quality moments but it looked a compromise by Arteta to play him on the right wing.

This was always going to be difficult game for so many reasons. To start with the journey to the wet North was a bizarre one; that is no way of preparing for a game of this magnitude. Man City are a class apart and the injuries to both Xhaka and Mari totally scuppered Arteta’s plans for the night. Initially, these plans looked promising and they gave me hope. Once Xhaka was taken off we missed a DM-minded player, and even though Guendo and Ceballos tried hard they were no match to the MC midfield. It was really game over after 20 minutes.

Leno did everything to avoid the inevitable, but, as it is a team sport, there is always somebody who can undo all your good work. Luiz, who had come on for Mari, singlehandedly made sure we would go home with nothing and leave the fans with a feeling somewhere between melancholy and despair.

I guess the good thing is that Arteta will use this game to finalise some conclusions he has been working on for the last few months. Next up, in just a couple of days, are the Seagulls. I am sure Mikel will now know who he will start and what his strongest-11, or there about, will look like for the next few months.

TotalAraenal

What do YOU think?

To me it seems a mix of youth and experience with plenty of attacking intent.  Big money man Pepe sits, and we have to hope that full-backs Bellerin and Tierney have conquered their fitness issues.  Eddie (not Alexandre) gets the call as the tip of the attack, though surely he’ll interchange freely with Aubameyang.  And, many will be pleased that both Joe Willock and Bakayo Saka will slot in just behind our frontmen.  Mari and Mustafi ahead of Leno is perhaps a mix of what we don’t know much about (the Brazilian) and some deep worries about what maybe we know too much about.

Here are the full line-ups:

Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Leno; Bellerin, Pablo Mari, Mustafi, Tierney; Xhaka, Guendouzi; Willock, Aubameyang, Saka; Nketiah.
Substitutes: Martinez, David Luiz, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Maitland-Niles, Martinelli, Lacazette, Pepe, Nelson.

Manchester City (4-3-3) Ederson; Walker, Garcia, Laporte, Mendy; De Bruyne, Gundogan, D Silva; Mahrez, Jesus, Sterling.
Substitutes: Carson, Zinchenko, Otamendi, Rodri, B Silva, Fernandinho, Aguero, Sane, Foden.

Anthony Taylor will referee the closed door affair, and fair is what we hope he (and his crew) will be.

It will all be very, very strange indeed and I could use (plenty of) help trying to describe the action.  So, tell me what you think–about the line-up, the game, the talking points (which I’m sure will emerge, if the line-up decisions aren’t enough) and so on and so forth.

Football is back (for better or worse–please watch safely, my friends…) and we’ll see where it goes from here.

Please join me in the comments.  Don’t be shy, Bergkampesque (and Arsenal) need you…

Go on then…

by 17highburyterrace

Number 1 in Arsenal’s Century Club – Ted Drake

 

Edward (Ted) Joseph Drake was born On August 16^th 1912 in Southampton.

Ted started playing football at Winchester City, whilst continuing to work as a gas-meter reader. In June 1931, he was persuaded by George Kay to join Southampton, who was in Division Two. He made his Saints debut on 14 November 1931 at Swansea Town, and signed as a professional in November, becoming first-choice centre-forward by the end of the 1931–32 season. In the following season he made 33 league appearances, scoring 20 goals.

After only one full season, his bravery and skill attracted the attention of Arsenal’s Herbert Chapman, who tried to persuade him to move to North London. Ted rejected the chance of a move to Highbury and decided to remain at The Dell. He started the 1933–34 season by scoring a hat trick in the opening game against Bradford City, following this with at least one goal in the next four games, thereby amassing eight goals in the opening five games. By early March he had blasted his way to the top of the Football League Division Two goal-scoring table with 22 goals.

Arsenal, with George Allison now in charge, renewed their interest and Ted eventually decided to join the Gunners in March 1934 for a fee of £6,500. Saints had declined several previous offers, but eventually were forced to sell in order to balance their books. Ted made a total of 74 appearances for Southampton, scoring 48 goals.

He scored on his league debut for Arsenal against Wolves on 24 March 1934, in a 3–2 win. Although he joined too late to qualify for a League Championship medal in 1933–34, he would win one in 1934–35, scoring 42 goals in 41 league games in the process, this included three hat-tricks and four four-goal hauls. With two more goals in the FA Cup and Charity Shield, Ted scored 44 in all that season, breaking Jack Lambert’s club record, one that still holds to this day.

Ted made his England debut in the infamous ‘Battle of Highbury’ against Italy in 1934, the match was important enough to the Italians that Benito Mussolini had reportedly offered each player an Alfa Romeo car and the equivalent of £150 (about £15,000 in modern terms) if they beat the English team. Drake scored the third goal in an extremely violent, hate filled game which England won 3-2. Drake became a national figure his unwavering bravery being a trademark.

Stan Mortensen said “Drake made hard men flinch and he is absolutely fearless’’.

The following season, 1935–36 he scored SEVEN in a single match against Aston Villa at Villa Park on 14 December 1935, a club record and top flight record that also still stands. Ted claimed an eighth goal hit the crossbar and went over the line, but the referee waved away his appeal. Drake would go on to win the FA Cup in 1935–36, scoring the only goal in the final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUQBz6-K1Fk

Despite being injured regularly (he was a doubt up until the last minute for the 1936 Cup Final), his speed, fierce shooting and brave playing style meant he was Arsenal’s first -choice centre forward for the rest of the decade and he was the club’s top scorer for five consecutive seasons.

With four games to go in the 1937-38 season, Arsenal and Wolves were level on points at the top. The introduction of substitutes was almost 30 years away. Drake was badly injured in a game against Brentford and was carried off the field over Tom Whittaker’s shoulder, Drake regained consciousness, had a deep cut stitched up and was sent back out for the second half. He had a fresh bandage around his head to go with the dirty one on his left wrist. Arsenal lost 3-0, while Wolves won 3-0 at Middlesbrough. It looked a major moment, and it was for Drake he was taken to the Royal Northern Hospital for an X-ray and was kept in. Opponents may not have relished his physicality, but Drake was popular. Newspapers recorded his recovery progress with something approaching awe.

Not all football fans, though, were so enamoured. As a columnist in the Daily Herald pointed out: “Ted Drake’s robust style might not be everybody’s meat, but when a fellow, after taking a five-stitch wallop, and with his hand already in plaster, has the pluck to come out and continue to play, surely it’s bad taste, to say the least, to hoot every time he touches the ball?” “There was even a certain amount of cheering as Drake was carried off, unconscious and bleeding. I didn’t like it.” The injury was bad enough for Drake to miss the next match, but he was back for the one after that, a victory over Liverpool.

On the last day of the 1937-38 season Arsenal were I point behind Wolves – Arsenal beat Bolton Wanderers 3-0 at Highbury while Wolves lost 1-0 away to Sunderland and Arsenal were champions once more.

The Second World War curtailed Drake’s career, he served in the Royal Air Force as well as turning out for Arsenal in wartime games; he also appeared as a guest player for West Ham United later in World War II. However, his career would not last long into peacetime; a spinal injury incurred in a game against Reading in 1945 forced him to retire from playing. With 139 goals in 184 games, he is the joint-fifth (along with Jimmy Brain) all-time scorer for Arsenal.

After retiring as a player, Ted managed Hendon in 1946, and then Reading from 1947. He led the club to the runners-up spot in Division Three South in 1948-49 and again in 1951–52, though at the time only the champions were promoted.

He was appointed manager of First Division Chelsea in 1952. Upon his arrival at Chelsea, he made a series of sweeping changes, doing much to rid the club of its previous amateurish, music hall image. He discarded the club’s Chelsea pensioner crest and with it the Pensioners nickname, and insisted a new one be adopted. From these changes came the “Lion Rampant Regardant” crest and the Blues nickname. He introduced scouting reports and a new, tougher, training regime based on ball work, a rare practice in English football at the time.

Within three years, in the 1954–55 season, Ted had led Chelsea to their first-ever league championship triumph. In doing so, he became the first person to win the league title both as player and manager. However, he never came close to repeating that success and left Chelsea to become reserve team manager at Fulham, later becoming a director and then life president.

He was a gifted all-round sportsman and played county cricket for his native Hampshire in the 1930s he still retained a lively interest in football into his eighties, though excursions from his Wimbledon home to watch matches became increasingly rare as his health deteriorated. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Drake betrayed no trace of bitterness that he had played in an era when material rewards were meagre, a telling measure of a fine footballer and a delightful man.

Ted Drake owns the following records for Arsenal – 

• Most goals in a game 7 against Aston Villa in a 7-1 victory on December 14^th 1935
• Most League goals in a season 42 in 1934-35
• Most goals in a season 44 in 1934-35 – League 42, FA Cup 1, Charity Shield 1
• An amazing most goals per game .76
• An incredible least amount of games – he scored 100 goals in 108 games (.93 GPG)
• (He also has the second highest amount of hat tricks at 11)

Arsenal’s Century Club
#	Player	Years	Games	**	Goals	GPG
1	Ted Drake	1934-45	184	108	139	0.76
2	Ian Wright	1991-98	288	143	185	0.64
3	Jimmy Brain	1923-31	232	144	140	0.60
4	Jack Lambert	1923-33	161	149	109	0.68
5	Reg Lewis	1935-53	176	152	118	0.67
6	Joe Baker	1962-66	156	152	100	0.64
7	David Jack	1928-34	208	156	124	0.60
8	Doug Lishman	1948-56	244	163	137	0.56
9	David Herd	1954-61	180	165	107	0.59
10	Cliff Bastin	1929-46	396	174	178	0.45
11	Thierry Henry	1999-07	377	181	226	0.60
12	Olivier Giroud	2012-18	253	237	105	0.42
13	RVP	2004-12	278	238	132	0.47
14	Alan Smith	1987-95	347	251	115	0.33
15	Frank Stapleton	1972-81	300	276	108	0.36
16	Denis Bergkamp	1995-06	423	296	120	0.28
17	John Radford	1962-76	481	306	149	0.31
18	Joe Hulme	1926-38	374	307	125	0.33
19	Theo Walcott	2005-18	397	370	108	0.27
** Games played to reach 100 goals.

Drake passed away at the age of 82 on 30 May 1995.

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