- Arsenal’s inferiority complex: if we did have one, it’s now long since gone
- Oh what a wonderful evening: and thank you Arsenal, thank you Mr Dunford
Prologue: This summer will see the 100th anniversary of Herbert Chapman coming to Arsenal and transforming the club from being relegation favourites to Champions. We are currently publishing the most detailed history of what happened and how this happened. A new episode has now appeared, and you can find it and indeed the whole series of articles on the Arsenal History Society website.
By Bulldog Drummond
In response to no new players coming to the club in the transfer window Mikel Arteta has said, “We’re going to have to be very flexible in the front line’” and tonight he has another chance to do this.
His statement makes the current situation feel like doom and gloom, which is probably what he wants the anti-Arsenal media to run with, and it ignores the fact that over the last six games, Arsenal have been the second best team in the League. Newcastle whom we play tonight are sixth are sixth over those six games…
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 4 | +12 | 14 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 6 | +8 | 14 |
| 3 | Manchester Cy | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 9 | +9 | 13 |
| 4 | Nottingham Forest | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 8 | +8 | 13 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 13 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 12 |
And if we look at the last ten games we see the two clubs involved tonight are even closer on that metric…
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nottingham Forest | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 11 | +13 | 25 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 30 | 13 | +17 | 22 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 8 | +13 | 22 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 12 | +13 | 21 |
| 20 | Leicester | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 25 | -19 | 4 |
But there is one little twist in the tail. Arsenal’s next match after Newcastle tonight is against Leicester whose position in the last ten games you can see above. Newcastle however have a match against ManC (both clubs are playing away) and there might be an element on their minds which is focusing on the next game rather than this one (which may look to them to be done and dusted)..
And I should add, just to keep the record going and because we normally do, on the last 10 match table the mighty Tottenham Hots who were tipped by the all-knowing journalists to have something of a breakthrough season in this campaign, are 17th. Still… I think that is pretty much what those of us more in the know expected.
Meanwhile as a final thought about transfers and the like we can of course keep a close eye on the two players Arsenal were allegedly trying to buy: Ollie Watkins and Mathys Tel. Both players appeared to be overpriced and by refusing to pay silly money Arsenal have once more sent out a clear message that even if they do want players, it is not (unlike some teams we could mention) at any cost.
And here’s a very nice thought: Ethan Nwaneri is 18 next month, “and needs only two more goals to match Wayne Rooney’s tally of nine senior goals before his 18th birthday.”
On all the metrics in the league Newcatle Un are behind Arsenal – fewer points, fewer goals scored, more goals conceded. But of course they have the luxury of that first leg, so they could try and take it easy. And yet they might well note that across time the clubs are evenly matched, Arsenal having won 85, to Newcastle’s 71.
Between September 2018 and November 2021 the two clubs played each other eight times, with seven of those in the league and one in the FA Cup. Arsenal won each and every one of those games. But what is most astonishing is the scoring within those matches. It was 18 goals for Arsenal and one (yes really, just one) to Newcastle.
But then the foreign money started rolling around, and the Newcastle supporters started wearing tea towels and sheets, and rather surprisingly, things got better. In the last seven games Arsenal have won just two – away in 2003 by 0-2, and at home in February last year by 4-1. Newcastle have won four including of course the 0-2 win at Arsenal Stadium last month. Yet the goals scored in this period have been six for Arsenal and seven to Newcastle and thus do not reflect any sort of dominance.
This time Arsenal need to go 0-2 up just to make the scores even. That is not going to be easy – save for one tiny detail. Newcastle’s last two home games have been a staggering 1-4 home defeat to Bournemouth followed by an equally unexpected 1-2 defeat to Fulham.
Basically, if Bournemouth and Fulham can do it, surely so can Arsenal.
Interesting to note that when Ethan Nwaneri reaches 18 next month he will then be able to get changed pre match in the same changing room as his older team mates.
At the moment he has to get changed away from his team mates due to Child protection regulations where under 18’s are excluded from the senior players changing room.
Tony , I get the impression that Newcastle are primarily focused on the league cup , and a possible Europa league place . Much as ever depends on our speed from the outset we were telegraphing our moves a bit last time we met . i our favour Mikel has flexibility and I think we can and will do this. Just one note of caution I don’t know what the PGMO have lined up for us.
Btw I listened avidly to your discussion on Radio 5 and I thank you for representing our great club so well. Yet again when they played The Angel I was brimming with pride. Given that the last time anyone referenced my streets in Clerkenwell was Charles Dïckens when The Artful Dodger met Oliver it was a long overdue update of all things on my manor for the first 22 years of my life. Thanks again fellow Gunner.
The usual predictable press headlines emerging, eg “after failing to sign a striker, Isak to show Arteta what he’s missing” etc. etc,
With no apologies for all their transfer rumours being proved to be nonsense, now that the TW has “slammed shut”, the media have already started on the next round of predictions / demands for the summer transfers.
Let’s hope that we can draw inspiration from our destruction of MC (and Anfield 1989)