Tag Archives: Arsenal FC

The Arsenal and Me – Jools’ Story

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So where do I start? I was born the day before Arsenal beat Liverpool in the 1950 Cup Final, an omen? Well my love affair started back as a nine year old back in 1958/9 season. I was born in Stepney but most of my mates were Spurs fans. The first game I remember was a 2-1 defeat up at Sunderland in the FA Cup. Over the next couple of seasons leading up to 1960/61 I endured my mates gloating at the all conquering Spurs team beating all before them and the double. Little knowing that they would not do it again,still all these years later! Haha. I read all I could about the Arsenal glory days of the 30s period and was mesmerised by the rich history, the marble halls of Highbury and ended up being a walking Arsenal facts kid! Lets face it, it was better to live in the past as the present team then was awful! Not a bad attack, but a terrible leaky defence, propped up by the amazing Jack Kelsey coming to the end of his career. I first saw Jack playing against Man City and in nets for them? The late great Bert Trautmann.

Early 1960s we had McGill and McCullough in defence, tried their best, but to be honest we were bad! We had a superb natural goalscorer in David Herd who scored goals for fun and probably kept us alive in Division One for many a season. Ironically Herd started a trend of our top goalscorers being sold to Manchester United over the years..unfortunately…Herd, then Stapleton, then RVP a bad trend.

We moved on and had a very cultured player in George Eastham and signed another prolific centre forward in Joe Baker from Torino. Joe was short for a centre forward, scored bags of goals full of heart and my favourite image was him squaring up to big Ron Yeats in the Cup at Highbury who was about a foot taller!

We drifted through the early seasons of the 60s I managed to get to a few away games Blackpool against a young Alan Ball. Both Manchester teams, Liverpool after they were promoted. Arsenal appointed Billy Wright as a manager, may have been a great player but awful as a manager. I remember the demonstrations outside Highbury and the burning effigy of him on the Avnell Road.

I actually was one of the 4,500 approx attendance v Leeds at Highbury mid week to see us lose 3-0 I think. Still I think the lowest ever attendance for a top flight game in England. Wright got the push and we got various managers in Don Howe, Terry Neill. We were still a mid table side. I started to go to more away matches…our cup defeat at Peterborough (a newish team in the league!) I went to places like Bolton, Shrewsbury, Cardiff, Swansea( Town then) at the Veitch Field. Along with fellow fans we hitch hiked to places like Newcastle, drinking in their supporters club, was totally pissed and just propped up on the terraces at St James Park, did not even remember the match!

Chased around Leeds by their fans for burning a Leeds scarf we “borrowed” got away on a train to Bradford by the skin of our teeth! During the 60s our ongoing relationship with Glasgow Rangers usually had us playing each other at the beginning of a season in a friendly alternate years at Highbury and Ibrox. A few of us decided to hitch hike to Glasgow for the game! We split up into twos and set out early Friday evening! We managed to get to Glasgow for 8.00am Saturday morning.

We got to Ibrox outside the ground for 9am and whilst walking around looking at the impressive stadium a guy pulled up in a car. Came up and chatted to us, will never forget it, he was the Rangers manager at the time, was so impressed we had hiked up for a friendly, he gave us a full tour of the stadium, showed us the amazing trophy room and gave us tickets for the main stand!

We drew 2-2 amazing atmosphere and we set back that evening. Took us a lot longer to get back, ended up sleeping in a brick kiln in a wheelbarrow outside Carlisle. Did not get back home till Monday morning and my Dad had reported me missing to the Old Bill !! I got a right hiding! I had already been in trouble the end of the last season for going to Burnley despite recovering from chicken pox!

Things were starting to change at The Arsenal the seeds of a good side were germinating and Bertie Mee was moving on up! Two Cup finals stick in my mind, we lost to Swindon Town 3-1 a 3rd Division team in the League Cup Final at Wembley. We were naturally heavy favourites but to be honest they ran us ragged in the mud with their flying winger Don Rogers causing havoc. I remember being in a daze all the way back from Wembley and sitting in The Gunners staring into my beer in a state of shock! The other side of the coin was our amazing come back against Anderlecht in the two legged Inter Cities Cup Final ( UEFA Cup ) we lost in Belgium 1-3 and turned it around 3-0 at Highbury! The place was rocking! George Armstrong our talented winger ran them ragged, our first trophy since the early 50s! Talking of Highbury rocking, who remembers the mid week derby v Spurs during the mid 60s? Ended 4-4 68,000 inside the ground and an estimated 30 plus thousand locked out!

Bertie Mee was the turning point for The Arsenal along with Don Howe’s zonal system they invoked an amazing spirit and assembled a superb side which flowered in 1971. What a team, Radford, Kennedy, Simpson Storey Mcnab, Graham and Tick Tock McLintock to name a few. You played 42 games a season then, no subs, plenty of hard men about and we mixed it with any one but still had the skills to beat the best. That night when Ray Kennedy soared in the lights at the Lane to win the title was unforgettable, the atmosphere was electric. Somewhere on the net is a clear pic of me celebrating on the pitch! We went on to see Darling Charlie put the Scousers to the sword at Wembley, our first double, think we even won the Youth Cup that week! Was an amazing season!
Over the next few seasons we scrapped with Leeds on and off the pitch haha. By the late 70s I was working at the Daily Express offices in Manchester. We got to the final v Ipswich 1978 and the then editor of the Sunday Express promised me a ticket for the match which he delivered! I was over the moon, got down to the match, red/white scarf on, entered Wembley, looked around and to my horrow was surrounded by a sea of blue and white! I was in the Ipswich end!! To be honest the Tractor Boys were fine, good humoured, found it funny and we shared a drink, maybe them winning helped!

As you know two more final followed Manchester United and West Ham, . Could not get tickets but i had fun winding Man United fan neighbour pre the 79 final. Imagine his surprise when he opened his lounge curtains one morning to find a full size Newspaper Poster “Arsenal for the Cup!” staring in on him! He took his time taking it down, not realising the same poster was facing outwards!

As we drifted through the 80s the appointment of Stroller was perfect, he assembled a disciplined (on the field) side, stuck up for his team and showed he was an Arsenal man through and through. If anyone has not watched Fever Pitch, just watch it! Again we were hard to beat and 1989 Anfield showed the true grit and determination of our side. Who were the best? 1971, 1989, 2004, ??? all different scenarios so I prefer to give them equal status!

Rioch was not an Arsenal man but I would always remember him for one thing signing Dennis Bergkamp a true genius!

Wenger?? When he came a breath of fresh air, very innovative, but now?? Maybe we need a change again! His best side the Invincibles, I have a signed framed away shirt, Bergkamp, Henry,Pires,Ljungberg and Gilberto which I treasure.

Favourite players over the years? Baker, McLintock, Graham,Brady, Radford, Kennedy, Adams, George,Viera, Petit, Bergkamp, Overmars,Wright,Storey, MacDonald to name just a few! So many more.

I could go on and on, hope I have not bored you all …too much. UP THE ARSENAL !!!!

Jools
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Defeat and Rain Fail to Dampen Arsenal Spirits

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Despite a home defeat and torrential rain to great the homeward bound fans, the spirit of The Arsenal was certainly not dampened last night, with fans walking under Highbury House in high spirits.

Borussia Dortmund were last years Champions League runners-up and one of the best rated teams were always going to be a tough draw. However Arsenal performed admirably on the night and only lost due to going for the win, conceding on the break to Dortmund’s only shot of the 2nd half.

Whilst it was a negative result, it was a fairly positive performance as Arsenal proved they could compete with one of the best attacking sides in Europe, restricting a side who had scored 22 league goals this season to hardly any shots, and 2 goals, one of which was a poor error by Ramsey, the second on the break.

Arsenal played some brilliant football at times, with Rosicky, Cazorla and Ozil brightening the second half. We once again lacked a bit of pace going forward, and you have to think had either Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain or Podolski been playing, we would have got that second goal.

The group is now extremely tight and you have to think it is most likely that we go to Napoli in the last game level on points with the Italian side, meaning they need to beat us to progress ahead.

On a side night, the German side’s fans certainly won the battle of the fans, however, I did wonder a few times about how manufactured and choreographed they were. With a drummer and 3 orchestral conductors, they lack the spontaneity of a proper away end. The conductors seem to be the norm in Europe, I have never been a fan of them and wonder whether being told when to sign and clap is really that good?

Moving forward to Saturday, we face Crystal Palace. We need to ensure that we get back on the horse and win again. The last time we lost to a German side at home, we entered a negative spiral, according to Andre Villas-Boas. If we enter the same negative spiral now, things will continue looking good for The Arsenal.

On a final thought, if you were one of the fans who got on the back of the side at the final whistle, shame on you. You do not deserve any of the future success we will have.

Keenos

Could Julian Draxler be the man to finally replace Henry at Arsenal?

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Thierry Henry left Arsenal in 2007. Ever since that day, Arsenal have attempted, and failed, to replace what the legend bought the time. Pace, power, height, assists and goals. Whether it be by lack of ability, lack of desire, lack of physical attributes or lack of heart, Arsenal have not, in 6 years, got close to replacing the Frenchman.

First to attempt to replace him was Emmanuel Adebayor. He seemed to have it all. The pace, the power, and the technique. unfortunately, he is footballs answer to Audley Harrison. All the technique and physical ability to be one of the best, but none of the heart or desire.

Robin Van Persie was next up to attempt to replace the great man. He came closer to anyone else, with 59 goals in 2 seasons. However, leaving for Manchester United meant he became nothing in the eyes of Arsenal fans. And at the age of 29 when leaving, and with a history of injuries, it is unlikely he would ever become a true replacement for Henry. More like a short term option. He also did not have the dynamism of Henry.

Next up was Theo Walcott. He took Henry’s number 14 shirt. With pace to burn and a fantastic eye for goal. He could have had it all. Except the stature. 5 inches shorter than Henry, he does not have the ability to play up top on his own.

Finally, Olivier Giroud. The polar opposite to Theo Walcott. All the physical attributes, but none of the pace. Whilst he is important in the way we line up, there is a worry that he does not have the natural gifts to be a game winner. What he does is work well for the team, but when push comes to shove, he does not strike fear into a defenders heart the way Henry did. He is also not an individual game winner.

For 6 seasons, Arsenal have struggled with their forward line, with none of the attempted replacements being ideal, however, Arsene Wenger might be about to sign the man who could well replace him on a long term basis. Julian Draxler is top of his shopping list for summer 2014.

Julian Draxler is a 20 year old German player currently plying his trade for Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga. A midfielder by trade, he is comfortable playing anywhere behind the striker. Left wing, right wing or central. He is a talent. Arguably the most talented under 21 year old in Europe at the moment.

Looking at the German, he seems to have the ideal attributes for Arsene Wenger to turn him into a top young midfielder into one of the world deadliest strikers.

It is well known that Arsene Wenger likes having his strikers ‘learn’ how to play out wide. His theory is that wingers having less space and less time on the ball, whilst also receiving more of the ball then a striker. He is of the belief that playing on the wing when younger is a good learning curve to become a striker in the future. At 20, Draxler will be a year younger than when Henry signed from Juventus.

Looking at the two players, it is clear that Draxler ticks so many of the boxes which Henry also ticked (or tuck?).

At 6 foot 2, he is the same height as Henry, meaning that he has the frame to bulk up and bully defenders. In a world where 1 up top is the favoured formation, the main man has to have the physical capabilities to occupy 2 defenders. Draxler might be 10kg lighter than Henry, but at the age of 20, he has the time to bulk up – he is not a wirey frame – and be fully physically prepared to be the main man up top.

Draxler, like Henry, also has pace to burn. Whilst he might not have the raw pace of Thierry Henry, he is very similar to Gareth Bale, in that he has the ability to run away from players over the longer distances.

One of the most important factors in Henry’s game was his assists. It is something that no other striker has got near to matching. Being able to provide to others as many as you score. He originally broke through for Schalke back in 2011 where, at the age of 17, he became the 4th youngest Bundesliga player, and a week later, the second youngest to start a Bundesliga game, behind Nuri Sahin. Draxler originally started playing in behind the striker, but was often pushed wide left to accommodate other players.

This positioning has meant he has the eye for a pass. Whilst his vision is not Bergkamp or Ozil level, it is certainly better than any other striker in the Premier League at the moment. He has played much of his career on the left wing, similar of Henry at Monaco and Juventus.

On top of his vision, he is also technically brilliant. Whilst Henry had to work on his technique, Draxler is more naturally gifted. He also has fantastic dribbling skills, making him the double threat that only Ronaldo, Bale and Henry have had in recent games. Being able to run with the ball whilst maintaining a high pace.

The main question over Draxler is his finishing. Unlike Henry, he has not spent his entire childhood as a striker. Henry’s trademark finishing was learnt with hours of practise playing up top for CO Les Ulis, US Palaiseau, ES Viry-Chatillon and Monaco, as well as refined at the Clairefontaine academy. Henry was always destined to be a striker.

Draxler does not have the same history. Always a midfielder, he does not have the background of playing upfront. So whether he has the coolness that is ingrained with hours of training at a young age, the instinctiveness that playing upfront from the age of 7, that Henry has is questionable. With just 25 career goals it will be a question mark over his head.

However, comparing both of their early careers, Draxler has shown an equal ability to finding the back of the net:

When Henry was 20, he had played 122 games for Monaco, scoring 27 goals. Draxler, currently 20, has played 122 games for Schalke 04, and scored 25 goals.

Draxler ticks so many boxes that Henry also ticked. And at 20, he also has the time on his hands to become a legend at Arsenal, not become just another player.

Having failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, Schalke 04 are currently sitting 5th, 8 points behind joint leaders Borussia Dortmund & Bayern Munich, with Bayer Leverkusen sitting in 3rd, also on 22 points. Just last year, they had debts over £248m. Add in a rumoured €45 million release clause, Draxler is very gettable.

Yesterday he indicated that he turned down a Premier League move in the summer. Arsenal were the club rumoured to be looking at him, with an offer of £26m plus Lukas Podolski being on the table before he picked up his injury. What is for certain it is highly likely he will join a Premier League side next year after stating:

“I have my favourite team, but I am at Schalke and I don’t want to talk about other clubs.”

Mesut Ozil took Arsenal to another level. Julian Draxler would take us a step further, and would finally be the man who replaces Thierry Henry.

Keenos