Untold Arsenal: Supporting the club, the manager and the team
"I believe the target of anything in life should be to do it so well that it becomes an art." A Wenger
What do Peter Crouch and Luke Freeman have in common? As you know Luke Freeman is 15, has signed for Arsenal, is the youngest player to have played in the “Proper” section of the FA Cup, has played three time for Gillingham and will sign a professional contract when he is (or “turns” as the journalists love to say) 17. …
Kevin Keegan has a tactic. Not scoring. As a tactic the squad have learned it well. They didn’t score against Arsenal. Or come to that against Arsenal. Wenger has a tactic too. Drop a player for the matches at the end of the season, then when he thinks about leaving during the summer hols, tell …
I have a lot of feeling for White Hart Lane – having watched my first ever football match in the Lane. It was Wood Green Town against Dulwich Hamlet at the only football ground that there has ever been in that long and winding road. (Forget the silly stories the popular press – only …
The FA “Cup” as it is customarily called is a competition held in high esteem – mostly because it is an opportunity for little “clubs” who have no chance of winning anything to have their day in the sunshine (or in the case of Wigan’s pitch, mud). We think of Havant and Waterlooville, Hereford, Newcastle …
OK – I know I am supposed to write about things re Arsenal FC that no one else writes about. But in covering this story at least I do give a bit of background on the wife. The story of the way Cole paraded himself to Chelsea while still an Arsenal player, breaking every rule about …
Read More “The family of Mr and Mrs Cole – one time of Arsenal”
Based on current performance, by 2011 Arsenal will have five significant teams: The first team – challenging as always for the major competitions. The “squad” team – back up players who play in the FA Cup and League Cup, plus in lesser European games, and who are available as replacement to first team players who …
This is not a moment to despair. Arsenal have suffered but a handful of heavy defeats under Wenger. The 6-1 deafeat by Manchester United in the league is 2000-1 was the worst, followed by 5-0 by Chelsea in 1998-99. But following each of the heaviest defeats involving 5 or 6 goals against Arsenal have never lost the following …
Tottenham 5 Arsenal 1: So what did we learn? Firstly that coin throwing is still prevalent at the Lane, and no one seems to have any idea what to do about it. The referee saw the matter and failed to take any action, the stewards as always refused to take any action, and based on the …
Six months ago the Red Action news group was not the happiest place in the world. Thierry Henry had gone – and not just gone he had gone for a knock down price in the first week of the transfer window. We had just had two years of coming fourth and not a comfortable fourth …
We all know the story: Arsène Wenger speaks five languages. Which is five more than “Sir” Alex Ferguson. While “Sir” Alex berates Manchester United’s fans for being at a funeral, Arsène thanks Arsenal fans for their magnificent support. When commenting on the Arsenal unbeaten season “Sir” Alex makes bizarre comparisons with the Rangers team he …
The difference between Kevin Keegan and Arsene Wenger is most interesting. Keegan we are informed, hasn’t watched a match in 3 years, since the moment he left Manchester City. Mr Wenger apparently watches about 3 games a day – sometimes more. Keegan has a reputation for cutting the reserve and youth teams (well, that is what …
As everyone knows the prices at Tottenham are higher than Arsenal, and Arsenal are higher than Manchester United. Tottenham is trying to edge ahead, and Manchester United is catching up. And Liverpool are just being nasty. This is the story of contrasts – the difference between the way in which Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and …
Read More “Why the Arsenal pound is worth more than some others”
Arsene Wenger famously once said that international managers were like third rate car thieves. The thief steals the car, runs it until it is wrecked, abandons it, and leaves it to you to pick up the pieces and rebuild it. Although he was speaking long before the 2007 injury to Robin Van Persie, Robin’s case turned …
There must be half a dozen clubs in the EPL whose directors and staff seriously believe they could join the elite and get into the Champions League, year after year. Everton, Tottenham, Manchester City come to mind (although obviously not this season in Tottenham’s case). Maybe Portsmouth and Blackburn share the ambitions too. But as …
Arsenal were poor against Birmingham City FC on 12 January, we can’t get away from that, but what made matters much worse was the appearance once again of the blight that is sweeping the game – time wasting when the ball is out of play. Birmingham were not as bad as other teams – over …
