Morning all.
As the season rolls into its final game, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on what happened 34 years ago. Anfield ‘89.
There will never be another finish to a top flight English like what happened between Arsenal and Liverpool. It is the greatest finish to a league season ever.
Sky might try and portray the Aguero moment as the greatest ending, but that is only because they promote the “football only started in 1992” mantra
Thomas, charging through the midfield…Thomas…it’s up for grabs now!!!!
The usual suspects have popped up recently claiming Mikel Arteta should be sacked having failed to win the league.they have been using pictures of the side in 89, in 91, in 98 and 2004 to show what winners are.
We won the league in 89, correct. But in 1988 we finished 6th, having finished 4 in ‘87. If Twitter and social media was around then, these clout chasing fans would have been calling for George Graham’s head at the end of 88.
And no Graham, no Anfield 89.
In 1990, we then dropped to 4th. Modern fans would have been screaming for Graham to be sacked. “Chelsea would have sacked him, they show ambition and don’t accept 4th place”.
A year later, The Arsenal won the league losing just one game. Almost invincible.
Many of these fans grew up on the early Arsene Wenger era, when it was 1st or 2nd for nearly a decade. I remember talking to mates at a time and we agreed we were spoiled during that era.
8 years of never finishing below 2nd. Three league titles, 1 unbeaten. Four FA Cup wins. Two European finals (both lost).
Football is a very different place right now. We have state owned teams that can afford to pay players more in bonus’s than any other player receives in salary in the league (Haaland is reportedly due to get £27.5m in bonuses from Manchester City this season if they win the Champions League).
We have seen one of the greatest Liverpool sides in history end up with just a single league title, despite continually getting 90+ points. It just shows how hard it is to win the Premier League.
Liverpool’s only league title, and the only time in the last 6-years City didn’t win it – came during Covid. And Manchester City accumulated just 81 points.
We now live in a Manchester City world. They will consistently get 90+ points. And the only way other teams will get a sniff is if they have an off season.
And this season, on course to get 92 points, is certainly not an off season.
Anyone who sets their standard of failure bar as “anything below winning the title” is in for a tough life.
We have won just 13 league titles in 135 years. Those great wins of 89 and 91 were spliced between some poor seasons.
I have always wondered if those claiming to have “high standards” apply it to their own life? Or are they just unemployed, living in a Spanish bedsit.
This has been a fantastic season. A year where fans have grown closer to players once again. The ground has been rocking. Away ends bouncing.
If you are an Arsenal fan and have not been able to enjoy this season, then maybe football is not for you.
And if you are demanding Arteta’s head after he took us to second, well shame on you. Sacking a manager whilst on a journey does not lead to success.
Want another ‘89? Stick with Arteta.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
Spot on. The modern day/SkySports football fan is a real bug bear of mine, soppy little spoilt brats who no next to nothing about the game. Every club has them but The Arse seem to have more than most. I think you`re right about the Wenger era, we attracted a lot of cunts during that period. Tossers who a few years earlier probably looked down their snotty little noses at football fans and called us louts.
Wenger spoilt all of us really, we could all live until we are 200 and we won`t see a better collection of players than what he put together. Players like Seaman, Adams, Campbell, Cole, Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp and Henry only come around every 100 years at a club like The Arsenal. For them all to play together at one time is a complete freak occurrence, it won`t happen again.
As for the future, I think this group of young players will continue to improve their game and we`ve got to keep getting our big signings right. Forget about City for the time being and just concentrate on making ourselves better. There`ll come a time when City drop off and we`ve got to position ourselves to take advantage. I`ll be happy to finish Top 4 for the next couple of years and try to win a couple of domestic Cups and do some damage in Europe.
Up The Arse.
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Noble effort but it’s pointless. Our fellow fans are too far gone into never ending cycle of toxicity. Maybe an valiant effort to avenge our fallen fans against the perpetrators; the media, rival fans and ex-footballers from Man Utd, Liverpool and Totties.
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