By Tony Attwood
- The simple statistical proof that one referee is not the slightest bit like the next
- The one thing Arsenal have not yet managed to find.
Max Dowman doubles up for Arsenal’s back-ups to beat Ipswich in Carabao Cup
Szoboszlai screamer seals Liverpool’s progress as De Zerbi’s Spurs woes grow
Yep, those two headlines both come the from the Guardian’s football home page this morning.
“We have to shoot more, we have to shoot better and we have to finish better the clear situations,” is what the Tottenham coach (or maybe it was the restaurant car) said after the match and by and large that seemed to cover everything apart from maybe getting more points to get out of the edge of the relegation zone. Talk to a Tottenham fan and it is likely they will say “We won’t go down” and maybe they are right. After all they have come 17th for the past two years and they are still in the Premier League. But you never know.
And the Guardian continued with this (for them rather unusual eulogy)…
“The bad news for everyone else is that Arsenal’s next generation is already here. Two mesmerising goals and an assist in a man-of-the-match display from Max Dowman underlined why the 16-year-old has been compared to a certain Lionel Messi by his manager, Mikel Arteta,… Almost as impressive was the performance of the 17-year-old Marli Salmon, who oozed class in central defence on only the second senior start of his career.”
Go back a few years and who could have imagined a newspaper writing that about Arsenal players – even if they are under age and not allowed to change in the same changing room as the men.
But what I haven’t seen being asked anywhere is how it is that Arsenal produce football genii in their teens while Tottenham spend billions on average players to ensure they get their beloved 17th place in the league.
I think the answer is that the Arsenal management made it clear to Arteta and he made it clear to them, that they could work together if both felt happy about being there for the long haul, and that a rise up the league wouldn’t happen at once.
In fact both clubs won cups early on in their rebuild. The difference is Arsenal recognised the value of the manager and kept him and Tottenham said, “thank you for your cup now be on your way.” (Or words to that effect).
But there is also something else going on. It is not exciting or sexy or clever or anything like that but it is there, endless and remourceless, and Arsenal have had to learn to live with it, expect it, and take it as part of being Arsenal. And I mention it here today because it is not something that Tottenham ever have to contemplate.
In the review of last night’s game, the Guardian contains this gem…
“…before Arsenal infamously lost to Birmingham in the final.”
The final they are referring to was the Carling Cup final of 201 – yes 15 years ago. And it was a shock because Arsenal came fourth in the Premier League that season. When Arsenal are compared with Tottenham now by the media it is not a comparison of one team with another. Tottenham are 17th in the Premier League once again – but the media hasn’t realised this yet. They are still making excuses, still talking up Tottenham as a big club, seemingly on the basis that they have a very big debt brought about by building a very big stadium, which probably in the not too distant future they will not be able to fill while buying very expensive players who can’t. (Play, that is).
Anway, Arsenal sauntered through last night That means Arsenal have played seven games this season, starting with the Community Shield, and have scored 16 goals and have conceded three – two of which were last night.
Should that be a cause for celebration? Well in my house yes it is, but obviously not in the houses of journalists. Although to be fair the Daily Mail, which I only look at for the football, nothing more, (honest), does seem to be going for the record in terms of the longest ever headline with
Mercurial Max Dowman makes a mockery of his opponents in Arsenal’s 4-2 win at Ipswich: Star, 16, further stakes his claim for first-team place – Man United wantaway JJ Gabriel should take note, writes ISAAN KHAN
So why do they put the journos name in CAPITALS? Ah well…. But let us now look forward. The next Arsenal game is Brighton in three days time and that one should be a bit tougher. If you want to get a view of Brighton they are playing at 8pm today away today away to Manchester United. The match is available on Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event and ITV 1. and you might wonder why it is on such a choice of channels when sometimes we have to go all over the place to find an Arsenal game – and indeed when all the commentators will be pro-Man U as ever.
Yes I wonder that too. Especially when Brighton are 5th and Manchester United are 13th. But I suppose it is because Arsenal are a dirty team who cheat and have endless goalless draws. Or something like that.
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