By Tony Attwood
The opening sequences of Arsenal v West Ham on BBC TV’s “Match of the Day” yesterday evening included a held shot of the Untold Arsenal “Football should be an Art” banner which has been at the Clock End for several years following donations made by a number of supporters of this site.
The opening sequence appears on the BBC’s highlights website at the moment (although I don’t know how long they keep it there, and probably isn’t available outside the UK). But if you can see it, here it is.
If you have the technical skills to extract just the part where we get featured that would be wonderful – maybe you could put it up as a YouTube video and post me the link (TonyAttwoodofLondon@gmail.com) and I’ll put it on the site for everyone to see.
And indeed that wasn’t the only notice we got, for Ivan Gazidis, the CEO of Arsenal also said in a statement about Mr Wenger, “He made football an art”. (I was in the car when I heard that one – it may have been a variant but it was close to that). I know I mentioned that just the other day but these things don’t happen that often, so I thought I’d write it again.
That banner was initiated by Blacksheep and paid for by supporters of Untold Arsenal – and is of course visible on our home page. The story of the banner and the list of all the Untold readers who kindly supported the cost of the banner are given a the page permanently retained on this site commemorating the initiative.
So we had one of our occasional meetings of the Untold Editorial Team (for want of another phrase) at the Swimmer: Blacksheep, Walter, Andrew, myself and most significantly Carine, now recovered from her illness and fully mobile once again – and for that blessing it was a most wonderful occasion for our little group. The win, and the spot on the BBC were just the icing on the cake. The recovery of a friend is the most important of all of course. It was a great day out for all of us.
And although it was not highlighted by the media, it was a record equalling occasion – equalling the run of six home matches 30 years ago, in which we not only won but scored 3+ on each occasion. Here is the the original run..
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 26 Aug 1958 | Arsenal v Burnley | W | 3-0 | Division One |
| 30 Aug 1958 | Arsenal v Leicester City | W | 5-1 | Division One |
| 09 Sep 1958 | Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers | W | 6-1 | Division One |
| 13 Sep 1958 | Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 3-1 | Division One |
| 20 Sep 1958 | Arsenal v Manchester City | W | 4-1 | Division One |
| 04 Oct 1958 | Arsenal v West Bromwich | W | 4-3 | Division One |
And now
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 11 Mar 2018 | Arsenal v Watford | W | 3-0 | Premier League |
| 15 Mar 2018 | Arsenal v AC Milan | W | 3-1 | Europa League |
| 01 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v Stoke City | W | 3-0 | Premier League |
| 05 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v CSKA Moscow | W | 4-1 | Europa League |
| 08 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 3-2 | Premier League |
| 22 Apr 2018 | Arsenal v West Ham United | W | 4-1 | Premier League |
OK last time around scored 25, and this time a mere 20. But this time we only let in five to the original run of six.
Of course it was also a day on which there was a bit of chortling about Tottenham’s difficulty in winning a trophy in the last ten years, and whether that ten-year spell should be a matter of debate on the nation’s phone ins and in the newspapers. (I suppose one could also debate whether Cups or trophies, but that would seem a bit churlish given that Tottenham have only won the league twice in their entire history).
Certainly, by and large it isn’t much of a debating point in the press – some mention it but not everyone – but it is interesting that even here, where context is so easy to get, those who do speak of Tottenham’s lack of trophies don’t actually give any sort of background at all.
However we know that Tottenham have gone this large number of semi-finals without winning but when I dug out the charts it appears that overall they are not really different from teams like Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers as the table below shows.
| Club | Appearances in semi-finals | Won | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 29 | 20 | 9 |
| Manchester United | 28 | 19 | 9 |
| Everton | 26 | 13 | 13 |
| Liverpool | 24 | 14 | 10 |
| Chelsea | 22 | 12 | 10 |
| Aston Villa | 21 | 11 | 10 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 20 | 9 | 11 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 18 | 8 | 10 |
| Newcastle United | 17 | 13 | 4 |
Everton, as we can see, has lost more semi-finals than Tottenham, so the Tiny Totts are not the worst team at this.
And besides, in the next nine years, if Arsenal don’t make it to any more semi-finals and Tottenham get into the semis every season and then win that semi-final every season, they could be just two behind us. Perhaps if I am still here in 2027 I might remember to look and see if that has happened.
- Arsenal v West Ham. The past matches, the injuries, the teams and scoring 3+ at home
- Arsenal v West Ham. Arsenal at home look very solid, WHAM away less so.
- “He turned football into an art.” Ivan Gazidis notes the Untold banner
From the Arsenal History Society
April 1922: Arsenal and Man U fight against relegation. Only one survives.
I saw the banner and close up, in the preamble to the match. Great effort. Thanks.
I think its high time for another one , or two . One to thank Arsene Wenger for the 22 years of dedicated service , above and beyond the call of duty , and one in support of the incoming new bloke .
How about , ‘ MERCI ARSENE, ET AU REVOIR ‘
and , ‘UNTOLD ARSENAL SUPPORT FOREVER!’
I know that there will be millions worldwide who would want to join us in this noble deed.
The banner is featured in the 13 minute match highlights on Arsenal.com as well, Tony. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the idea and its execution. It makes us Untold regulars very proud to see it.
And it is a reminder of Untold’s unwavering support for Arsene Wenger through the years of unjustified and undeserved criticism from certain fans and media alike. Criticism which, from hints in his post match press conference, look as if they have finally driven him out. All our loss!
Arsenal ruined by blogs and fans moaning. Weak board. Now without Wenger they will certainly get ‘their Arsenal back’. A club noone really gave a shit about outside of Islington. Even the blogs and channels and what else were inspired by Wenger;s Arsenal. Arsenal’s most prestigeous and respected records again during Wenger.
Arsene once more 100% correct. This club is valued and respected far more outside of England abd that the fans and moaning and media essentially made the board push him out. Fuck the fans and the board of Arsenal
One Arsene Wenger
Enjoy the mediocrity Arsenal was known for prior to this legendary football manager.
Season ticket for sale. I refuse to be associated with punks who drive out their most succesful and moronic board/owners who instead of fighting the media and idiotic fans opted to ‘retire’ the manager who took their Albania and turned it into a Switzerland.
You fucking little club with your drunks and your low life culture, Wenger putting you in heights you had no business being there.
How many of the coward wengerouts will come out when Arsenal fails to do the treble in the next season, or decade 😉
I hope all the Wenger players leave Arsenal and i wish the club the absolute worst. Lessons need to be learned. The hard way. The Leeds way, the Aston Villa way. Whenever will you find a manager who cared as much as Wenger i wonder?
Good luck. Football has died.
We have hired 3 and in look for the 4th. Four men to do the job of Wenger and as we all know…where there are too many chiefs…
One of my biggest hates has been the disgraceful lack of honsesty and pure ignorance about 2006 to 2012/3.
In many ways that period was not only Wengers greatest achievement but was also the reason we are where we find ourselves financially. He could have left to pursue glory but he stayed to oversee a period of austerity. He had to buy prospects and develop players only to see them leave for clubs with more money. despite a net spend which for many of those seasons was in the positive (he made money) he still somehgow managed to finish in the top 4. That was quite incredible consistency considering the expectation should have been mid to bottom half of the table. Never gets a mention. Why?
Two main reasons really: 1. Ignorance – some fans and journalists don’t know half as much as they think they do. They genuinely don’t know how difficult Arsenals position was during this period 2. Lies – journalists deliberately ignoring facts they know will undermine their narrative.
Strange that the media prefer to praise Managers who spend heavily and put them on a pedestal, like Pep and Jose while ridiculing a Manager trying to fight with one hand behind his back.
One day someone will write a book on this period in Arsenals history (Tony?) and how a loyal Manager stayed to perform a miracle.
Wenger has been unfairly treated due to this ignorant narrative. I hope one day the truth will be told. The UNTOLD TRUTH.
My only consolation is if it never happened this year it would be next.. And next season would be unbearable.
Wow Pat, just seen it too….
I just realised that we will be celebrating 100 years of top football at Arsenal in 2019. Sadly this will be without Wenger. I must say I just got angry about that idea. If there was one man who deserved to be there it is him.
Walter, this is on the arsenal board/hierarchy and arsenal fans. Truly idiotic. Truly ungrateful. They’ve made their bed…
Thank you Wenger.
However arsenal have had many managers prior to Mr.Wenger and although he might have left at a wrong time, he would still at sometime leave the club and someone else takes over so lets get ready to support the club under the new guy.
Well I would not be surprised if on Friday some owner of a big european football club poped champagne….because he’s just signed Monsieur Wenger…
And many more at other PL clubs because they now expect Arsenal to go the normal way and be a yoyo instead of a proven permanent force.
Any bets ? Monaco ? Real Madrid ? PSG ? Dortmund ? Barcelona ?
As for the way the press treated Monsieur Wenger, it has to do (at least) with 1) him being a foreigner and one of the first to coach at that level 2) him being so damn good at his job, so damn clever at ansewering their biased questions 3) him having not fallen into their trap on his first day in office.
And for the stupid morons calling themselves Arsenal fans, you’ve achieved the most stupid and idiotic act over the psat years and got the one person who saved the club in the barren years so fed up he quit. As for the majority of others (and UA followers are not in that lot) you did nothing much to defend him, showed little support at games, which means you were ok with it.
Well, I do not know who will be up for the challenge, but I bet he’ll be fired after game 10 if he has not yet won the PL, the CL and the FA cup….
How much do you want for your season ticket, Hunter?
No Sir Joe Skills, no support from me. They can rot with ‘their Arsenal back’ and back to normality. pos 7-12 league finishes, maybe an expedition in europe once a decade and maybe even a domestic trophy if lucky. And who would want to play for a club that sacks its greatest ever manager just cause some troglodytes moaned at blogs and media? Pathetic and shows the club’s true ‘class’. Arsenal did not deserve a figure like Wenger. English football did not deserve him. Donkeys and clobbers, how could they ever understand what Wenger did for them?
The ignorants who played with adams and dixon ..all of a sudden being in places and enjoying the company of Barcelonas Bayern mUnchen and Ac Milans thinking it was because of the historical ‘greatness’ of Arsenal, not Wenger’s methods and input? So laughable.
Maybe we can ask those people to move out from Highbury flat as we will need the smaller stadium in the future. Forget 40,000 people on waiting list and forget the millions switching on their tvs to watch WENGER’S arsenal (with capital letters and little letters to signify the difference)
Chris.
Good comments there.
Wenger will be wanted by almost every top club owner.
Our media might be idiots along with some of the fan base but people who know football and how it works financially, think of him as very special.
It is scary to think what Arsene Wenger could achieve if he was given the financial backing some Managers get.
Look at Pep, the media darling, he has spent half a BILLION quid to win the Premier League title. Half a billion! You will never hear it mentioned instead the media will say he’s been successful because he’s such a tactical genius. Like Mourinho.
With money, Di Matteo won a Champions League as a Manager.
Wenger will be very much wanted, I suspect the offers will be flooding in. Good luck to him.
Most of the Wob arguments are supposition, and their own personal emotional reaction based on the idea that their own psychotic understad of the world is that they are the one, and perhaps a shade of tolerance for those who have a similar emotional agenda.
As they twist and squirm against every word, every action to their agenda and lens. Dont get me wrong, I cant see any true objectivity existing, as it would mean observing, without observing.
Much of the deep lack they feel (“must win at all cost, because I cant stand the humiliation”)means that any further understanding of the game, sportmanship, false identity, pride through simple partaking are thrown out of the window. What we tend to be left with, is a vicious fascism ( I dont mean 30s style) but that more “all will see my point of polarity, and no other”. The world just isnt so.
Any concept of joy in drawing or losing, because it was a magnificent game is then thrown out. By throwing out sportman(person)ship then we are left a very unstable situation: people have their emotions controlled by the results of the team they follow. They suffer, and look for scapegoats.
This could be seen as a huge lack of responsiblity, is anyone really responsible for the emotional reactions of others?
But the emotions and lenses of the Wob are set for now. The real problem for them was that Arsenal supplied a longing that hadnt been at the club before,and suddenly lots of peole were attracted to the club that werent there before, and then the factor of the stadium move, and the arrival of Chelsea and City, and when the dog doesnt have its bone, unhappiness and suffering sets in, no amount of reasoning can help.
We kept going and had some great moments, but even the FA cups, charity shields and the latest final dont mean anything ( did you see Citys reaction to winning the Lge Cup?-it say a lot really?) because of the day in -day out away/home record in the League and the frustraion of the CL. Not being in the Cl is a bigger deal than many thought.
Lastly, even if the had the manager they wanted( although these peole wanted Moyes, Coyle Rodgers, Howe and others over the years), we stil have to compete with the amibtion of other clubs,which leves no guarentees?
For myself, it will be important to welcome our new manager and not to shoot arrows at him – trying to hit the Wenger Out Brigade. I trust our board to bring in a qualified manager and am intrigued to see how well he does; I do expect him to gain some success. What will be interesting is whether we keep our Wenger-inspired style of play and ethos at the club.
One might have thought that the news might have a uniting effect, but it seems to have polarised even more.
For my part, the continued negativity in the press is a source of great annoyance.
Henry Winter in the Times this morning was as vicious as he was on Saturday.
I dare say, had yesterday’s game been against a team that wanted to play, not one that parked the bus and were effective only at the end of the long ball, the atmosphere and the spirit might have been different.
As it was, after a soporific first half, there seemed to be no improvement in the atmosphere or the attitude of some fans.
For my part, I cannot see anything other than a slow decline in the future, simply because, unless you are prepared to buy up all the top talent, which we can’t and won’t do, trophies will be out of reach.
I am extremely grateful for the success of the last 22 years and hope that the attacking spirit remains in the team.
I will accept what we get and still support the team with the same fervor as I have done for the last 55 years.
The new leadership must keep to the same values as Wenger said in his statement.
@ AFC Nemesis,
In my youth and young adult life, I supported my swiss local team. Being in expatriation in an ex british colony, PL football was the only one available and after a few week-ends, Arsenal became the team I felt attracted to : the way they played and mostly Arsene Wenger, what he’d started, what I’d read about him.
And so for almost 20 years, I was an Arsenal fan, my week-ends rythmed by the time of the game, by finding a place to watch it if was was not at home. As time went by, my TV subscription following whoever had the PL contract. And when on a mission in whatever african country, I’d always find a friend who had Sat TV and who would welcome me to watch the game. Aresen Wenger and Arsenal were some regular ‘visitors’ on my life.
So now I find myself sad, doubting there will be a repeat. Not that I will not support any new coach and wish well. But, well, this is like a page that is definitely turning. Yet I know that if Mr Wenger takes up another team, I’ll watch them.
And as a bloody foreigner I just shake my head in disbelief when reading all the shit and crap the press is bringing out these days, incapable of admitting that for more then 20 years it was, for most of it, engaged in perverse act of constant destruction of anything Mr Wenger would do, say, joke about. To me this is as close to hatred as it comes. I just don’t get it. But then, I don’t get Brexit either. based on these 2 events and their handling in the press, you get the feeling that the british are engaged in a “let’s go down into a hole while destroying anything good on the way” phase.
To conclude, I was happy the day I discovered Untold, at least there was some sanity here, as far as it gets from the lynching mob. So thanks as well to Untold for being a place that strives for ideas, debate and respect
Nice post @ Hunter 13 & Afc nemesis
Chris, nice comments. I hope it isn’t hatred but there is definitely something going on. Arsene Wenger is judged to different standards to everybody else, I’m not sure that can be disputed. Is it because he took on the English dinosaurs and the want payback or something else. One day we may know the truth. When Arsene said Arsenal is appreciated more overseas, it does say something. Up to others to decide why he is so derided here.
Yes Afc Nemesis. In short : ‘We did not like this frenchman coming over here and humiliating us like that in our national sport, we will show him’
It is no coincidence that Arsenal is respected more abroad. The english do not like being schooled by foreigners in things they consider their own like football. Its why the world laughs at them in world cups and euro tournaments. Watching all that self-entitlement come down crashing against Icelands and Moroccos. Couldnt happen to a nicer ‘football’ nation.
May Russia beat the shit out of them all in the streets and stadiums.
Hunter13. As an English fan I hope not!! But I get your point. I certainly believe this is why a lot of the ex players don’t like him. The ex Arsenal players who played under George Graham certainly seem peeved. Ian Wright seem particularly bitter about something
Yes because Ian wright was told to look after himself and eat healthier and then was upset Anelka was better than him in every conceivable way and instead of ending his career here he went to benfica i think or some small village in england. Something like that. He refused contract extention. Bitter sad little man. Then we did not accept his useless son either and Ian couldnt deal with it. He now makes his money talking nonsense on tv. My russia comments was for the english hooligans, obviously we dont want families and good people to suffer anything.
Total meltdown from a total melt….way to go Hunter!
And you know all this for a fact? Despite the club yearly financial reports? Despite all the assurances from everyone in the club that there’s money? Wow!!!
Lol, hunter has lost it finally. Time to see a shrink
Yeah ok , lets see all you wenger-outs next sumemr without the league title who will youmoan to then i wonder? Or decade.
Arsenal had one golden ticket. Arsene Wenger. And you threw it away. As yuo know golden tickets come once in a lifetime.
Enjoy glorifying pre and meta -wenger mediocrity to spite his achievements, that made Arsenal look an equal to the giants of the sport.
Had a conversation with another Arsenal fan the other day for his opinion on why AW quit. His opinion was this.
The television broadcasters paid a lot of money to the Premier League for the broadcasting rights, in return they expect a lot of viewerships. Arsenal along with Manchester United and Liverpool would probably make up a large portion of the tv viewerships. Due to Arsenals recent poor performances and the negative environment surrounding the club, the tv viewerships for Arsenal’s match probably been decreasing, combine with the images of empty seats at the stadium is not good for the broadcasters and the image of the Premier League. Therefore, the PL is afraid of lost revenue when broadcasting rights are up for renewal. The PL had a chat with the Arsenal Board to advise them to remedy this. Board had a chat with AW and said they no longer can support him. AW disappointed but accept that for the interest of the club he had to leave. The club and AW then decided when to make the announcement, and they believe the best time is now so as to unite the fan base and to honor his contribution to the club. He also said look at the constant negative comments about AW by the tv pundits, it seem as though they wanted to drive him out. This is probably a signal to the PL that they want AW to leave.
I think his conspiracy theory sounds reasonable but I still think AW left because of the new structure being put in place and he doesn’t want to be part of it.
So Polo, in essence, Wenger put them in the money and they sacked him because of the money?
Such a fine club…
CLASSLESS TO THE CORE.
AFC Nemesis, your first post on the comments section is so pertinent & eloquent (2 things you don’t find very often on Internet message boards), i’m going to print it out & frame it. Well said sir!
HUnter13 ~ it is def an emotional period for all of us Wenger fans, but we cant wish bad for the time & effort put in by Wenger no matter how classless these guys were. Arsenal will thrive…bec of the systems put in place by Arsene. Arsene’s success will be in the future sucess of arsenal not in failure….if arsenal fails it will also be down to arsene as per the known journalist (extinct species)
No no forget that, sorry. They made their bed they will sleep on it. Wenger will be fine. A top club will sign him and he will go on and shame us. As it should happen. Wenger owes nothing to Arsenal. Arsenal owe everything they have today from infrastructure to fame/brand name to him. Not the other way round. And i wouldnt want this cesspool of a fanbase to experience any happiness again. They dotn deserve it. Wenger built them a jewel of a football club and theyve fucked it up with their moaning and small minded mentality.
Polo, Wenger made it clear why he left.
Everything else is just people wanting to find a narrative that suits their own agenda.
As for TV viewing numbers etc absolute rubbish mate.
Well we’ll have to wait and see about that
PS: how come the untold guys are separated from the majority? What did they ever do in the stadiums to warrant that accolade?
For your last paragraph, I’m willing to place a bet with you that won’t be the case, like I said before, Wenger didn’t win the league for 14years, we can wait some more. In Wenger’s words “we can live with that”
How did Di Matteo win the champions league with money? He took over(temporal basis) a floundering Chelsea team more than halfway into the season(precisely 4march 2012), immediately changed the mentality of the same set of players, they immediately went on a run overturning a 3-1 deficit in the CL 2nd round, then going on to win both the champions league &FA cup that season. Please how could he have spent money to achieve that when he was only appointed on the 4th of March? Was the transfer window opened specially for him?
You demand respect for your Wenger despite his modest achievements, yet you refuse to accord other managers respect for their own achievements.