Tag Archives: Arsenal FC

1-0 to The Arsenal – A fifth famous scalp

4 Replies

Tonight Arsenal became the first English side to win in Dortmund. This follows up a victory in Germany last year, when Arsenal became the first English side to win in Munich. Arsenal are also the first English side to beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, the first English side to beat AC Milan in the San Siro, and the first English side to beat Inter Milan at the San Siro. And who can forget Paul Vaessen scoring to make Arsenal the 1st English team to win at Juventus in 1980?

The victory was old school Arsenal. Defending. Riding their luck. And 1-0 to The Arsenal. Yes, we might not have had any shots in the first half, but in all honesty, we restricted Borussia Dortmund to not much more than a few pot shots from distance.

Per Mertesacker showed once more that it does not matter if you do not have pace if your brain is quicker than any other player on the pitch. If you can not get past a defender, it does not matter that you are quicker than him, and the way he marshalled and lead his men at the back was reminiscent to Tony Adams in the 90s. Is Per Mertesacker the best centre back in European football? It will be hard to argue against it. Especially when you remember a defenders job is to defend, not to pass the ball around and look pretty.

Another goal from The General that is Aaron Ramsey. Backing up my claim that Per Mertesacker is the best defender in Europe, is there a better midfielder?

Arsenal target Robert Lewandowski has joined another Arsenal target, Luis Suarez, is the pocket of the defence. A poor performance reinforcing my view that he is fairly overhyped. The Polish Andy Cole, is what I nicknamed him a couple of years ago. He needs a lot of chances for his goals.

A victory against Marseille does not guarantee Arsenal progression, as a Dortmund win at home to Napoli leaves us on 12, and both Napoli & Dortmund on 9. It would leave a 3 way shoot out for the top 2 places going into the last day.

After victories against Liverpool and Dortmund, I am finally looking forward to a real test away to Manchester United on Sunday. With 15 games unbeaten away from home, it will actually be disappointing to not win on Sunday.

Just a reminder of those records:

  • Arsenal are the 1st English team to win away to Juventus
  • Arsenal are the 1st English team to win away to Inter Milan
  • Arsenal are the 1st English team to win away to Real Madrid
  • Arsenal are the 1st English team to win away to AC Milan
  • Arsenal are the 1st English team to win away to Bayern Munich
  • Arsenal are the 1st English team to win away to Borussia Dortmund

Up The Arsenal

Keenos

 

The Arsenal and Me – Stephen’s Story

Leave a reply

I came from a family with no interest in football. I was at primary school it was 1971 and cup final time. Everyone was supporting one of the teams and I choose Arsenal for no reason that I can remember. I do remember the final. The only televised game of the year. Crying when we went behind and then Charlie George. How many people became hooked after that lying on their back re-enact ing the goal. That moment shaped my football life. The period after that has been better and more eloquently discussed than I ever could by Nick Hornby in Fever Pitch. Odd Cup finals few highlights and not much success was my childhood. There was of course Liam Brady. The highlight of a mediocre side, a joy every time you saw him play and probably still my favourite all time player. A left foot that could do anything. Only Thierry of Arsenal players since have created that same buzz of excitement in the crowd every time he touched the ball expectantly waiting for him to deliver.

liam

After years of mediocrity came George Graham. My first Wembley final was Charlie Nicholas Littlewoods Cup 1987. What a day that was. It showed we were on the up and finally heading for titles and proper success. In my mind it was the moment we overtook Liverpool and that has continued to this day. Obviously the later frustrations of losing to Luton (terrible day that was) although we laughed about how hopeless Gus Cesar was even on the day.

We all then have great memories of Anfield 1989 and then later Wenger’s early years. Finally league titles.The move to The Emirates has been a joy and a frustration but like Charlie Nicholas Littlewoods Cup perhaps the time has finally come when we will challenge again. Shame that the Birmingham final happened when we were overdue a trophy unlike Luton when it happened after a success.

The greatest thing that Arsenal has given me apart from the stress and the upset is the memories. My first Arsenal game with George Armstrong running up and down the wing in front of me. Getting the train to Highbury aged 15. Standing at Middlesbrough as Martin Hayes scored the winner running terrified back to the car as we thought that we would be murdered, my nephews first game with Ian Wright scoring, standing in the rain at Charlton and my then girlfriend and now wife looking at me saying she loved me and was never coming again, a College night watching Charlie Nicholas (again)scoring at Villa Park in an evening match. There were the joys of Denis and Thierry and despite my move to the North East I have managed plenty of memories. The Invincibles, our last Cup Final with my 3 year old twins lifting pretend Cups and Thierry’s final Arsenal goal at The Stadium of Light. Now we get to see Ozil and Jack Wilshire who I really hope will get fit get better and become a legend. No reason why not.

My first real boss was an Arsenal fan. Came up at the interview and probably helped me get the job. Also made my boss a friend as we often talked football.

My best mate is a United fan and got me a ticket with him for the Old Trafford 8-2 humiliation. After our heaviest post war defeat I managed to run into the back of a United fans car on the way out of the car park. Typical United fan was on his way back to South London. Cost me £1800 in total to watch that. and pay for car repairs. It’s almost funny now and a memory to let my children laugh at me for.

The thing I like most is that if we have a triumph or disaster people think of me. I often get calls after/before big games and when we sit at the top of the league I know that friends and family around the country with only a passing interest in football pass a thought my way. When I die I expect and know that my children will do the same after an Arsenal win and raise a glass my way celebrating. Raise a memory to me.

I have got no less obsessive as I have got older even though I forget about losses more quickly now. I remain impossibly pessimistic.Twitter lets me watch other fans thoughts and laugh at those forever in our shadow and minding the gap more than is probably healthy. But the die has been cast for far too long now. Arsenal and me are stuck together. No doubt about it Charlie George changed my life.

Stephen

If you would like to tell your Arsenal story, click here

 

Arsenal’s new suit’s – A reminder of the class of The Arsenal

5 Replies

When reading about the new suits Arsenal wore before the game against Liverpool, it reminded me of something that happened over 20 years ago. The pictures that came out before the game looked great. Personally I had felt for some time that we are The Arsenal. I think they should wear them for every game as not only do they look the nuts but it a great tradition of ours.

Suits

Anyway, I was talking to a pal on Saturday about this and an incident came to mind from years back.

I have a load of pals from the same small town as an ex-Arsenal player, and needless to say quite a few of them knew an ex-Arsenal player who grew up in the area. One summer, many months ago we had a pre-season friendly. Stefan Schwarz was in the team. One of my pal’s and the former player’s dad came to London for the weekend for the games.

Anyway he got us tickets for the Saturday afternoon, we all went along had a few beers and watched the game. At the end of the game the three of us met the player outside the main entrance where he got us all into the player lounge.

At some point I needed the toilet, so I asked him to show me where to go. We were just about to start walking up stairs when he stopped, turned round to me and said “I can’t take you up there, you’re wearing jeans, no one is allowed upstairs with jeans on”

Although none of the hierarchy were in the stadium at this time, there was no CCTV, and upstairs was more than likely empty, he would not take me up there and you could see the fright in his eyes as if he got caught it would of got a roasting. It showed the respect that the players had for The Arsenal.

In the end he took me in the dressing rooms!

That shows that back then we had class and the players knew it. Hopefully the return to suits is just the start, and the current crop of players will learn to respect The Arsenal, and what it represents.

Andy