By Tony Attwood
So we have been in 21 finals, one more than Manchester United, seven more than Chelsea and 12 more than Tottenham.
We have won the FA Cup 14 times, two more than Manchester United, six more than Chelsea, six more than Tottenham
In a season in which we had a manager who lasted 18 months, a temporary manager, and then a new manager, that is quite extraordinary, and it most certainly gives me more hope for the future than I have been feeling for some time. Not least because it makes Arteta’s job safe. I was afraid that a poor display in the final, and worse a heavy defeat by Chelsea, would bring out the placard-waving AFTV gangs demanding another managerial change and huge amounts of expenditure on players, neither of which I felt would have helped us.
Now both seem utterly unlikely, and the owners can feel a little more pleased in that we are back in Europe, another season in the Europa.
And yes I have not forgotten I have been saying that I thought a season out of the Europa would mean a chance to take stock and rebuild, exactly as Liverpool did prior to re-entering the Champions League, and then eventually winning the Premier League.
But there are positives apart from the joy of winning. For beyond everything else it gives confidence to the wonderful collection of young players who are coming through and it should make it easier to hold onto them. Plus the one big benefit the Europa gives is a chance for the youngsters to get more games without disrupting the squad that is put out for the League matches.
Of course there is the usual loads of codswallop on Twatter etc, suggesting that Arsenal fans will think they are back at the top and everything is all right. I can’t think that many fans will feel that we are back on a level with Liverpool! But it does give us a bit of extra income and a chance for the young players to get themselves into some extra games, and to feel that they are in a club that is going forwards rather than chopping and changing at every moment. And we still have the record of the longest run of seasons in Europe for a UK club (second in Europe only to Real Mad).
And there is the history and heritage of the club to consider – something that is way beyond the understanding of the card wavers, and those who just demand the expenditure expenditure expenditure. We have just won the last seven cup finals that we have competed in. No club has ever done that before.
It isn’t the same as winning the League, it isn’t the same as winning a European trophy, but it is still worth winning because we entered for it. And a look at the bench will resonate with many youngsters who are at Arsenal and who have not yet made it into the first team squad, and those who are looking at Arsenal from without.
And think what it will mean to Martinelli. He will be looking at this and be realising that this is what Arsenal do. Even in the dark times a slipping right down the league to the lowest position in decades, we can still win the FA Cup, the oldest football competition in the world. So when Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City come tempting Martinelli and Saka with their mega wage packets and promises of BIG things, he’ll know, Arsenal are on the way back.
This is about showing John-Jules, Nketiah, Balogun, Nelson, Martinelli, Smith Rowe, Saka, Willock, Smith, Medley, Bola, Macey and some whom I am sure I have forgotten that even in times of adversity the club can dig in and win a trophy. Now they can be preparing themselves to play Europa League and League Cup games, with some time in the Premier League and FA Cup too if the situation works out that way.
Meanwhile it was fun to hear the Chelsea fans moaning on the radio about the referee, as I drove home. Really, to be moaning about one referee in one match shows how easy they get it. I am not agreeing that Chelsea had a hard time of it from the ref, but if they did, that was one match. They ought to imagine what it is like to have such a situation week after week after week.
And then if they are still annoyed, they should try doing what that fantastic four-man team did for Untold, and analyse every Premier League game for 16 match rounds in a row, and put the whole thing up with video evidence. If they need a guide on how to do it, we still have our 160 game review on line. And with a spot of luck we might have something new to show them next season too. Just keep reading Untold.
So I’d say that to every club, if you are annoyed about refereeing, don’t moan about one match. Do what we do: proper analyses. Back up your complaints with analyses of match after match after match. Stop whinging, do the research.
Now it is time for me to calm down a little, to thank my friends for putting up with me for the game (all very socially distanced) and to prepare the next round of revelations about Fifa. They haven’t appeared in the British media yet, but as ever, once we have explained to them exactly how it is all going, they’ll be in there with their “special reports” and their “exclusives”. Give them about a month.
Meanwhile, seven FA cup finals in 20 years, six of them won. No club has done that before.
* Except biggest score.
Tony,
For me the youngsters should only look at Emi Martinez as an example of what patience could yield.
All in all a fantastic end to a really crazy season. I have been a fan since 1996( back then followed arsenal through newspapers) and have been privileged.
Now hoping for our 14th title soon.
Why do you mention AFTV it just belittle’s you
Tony…………..another reason for the whiners and naysayers that reside in the bowels of the supporter’s dungeon to bemoan that we ¨only¨ won a measly FA cup in 2020 and that we are pure shite, finishing 8th and below Spuds once again. We real Gooners know that everything comes and goes in cycles and it feels to a lot of us that we are starting another ¨cycle¨ of success under Arteta. The players obviously love him and follow his tactical and strategic insights almost to the letter. The youth we are developing will blossom given the exposure they’ll have to international football once again in the Europa league and hopefully our dreadful record of serious injuries will start to disappear. We have Martinelli,Saka, Tierney, Ciballos, Mari, Martinez,Leno, Lacazette, Pepe (who was magnificent today), Reiss-Nelson, Saliba now, Willock, and of course Aubamayeng just to name a few. We aren’t at Liverpool’s level but they will inevitably be surpassed by other big money clubs who spend,spend,spend….something which AFC can’t and won’t do very often. We are in a far better position to develop ionto a solid top tier team once again and hopefully the backroom will support Arteta with both great tranfers and sales, intelligent scouting and monetary infusions where necessary.
amen to that, tony – our future has hale end written all over it
almost 50 years since i first saw arsenal win the cup; my parents had just bought the black-and-white tv set which allowed me to see charlie score the winner and lie spread-eagled on the wembely turf, in the same yellow and blue kit i had seen the team play in rouen a year and a half before (charlie didn’t play, that night)
fa cup wins have had the very same inebriating flavour ever since
black and white; yellow and blue – no cognitive dissonance, folks; the commentators always specified the colors of the team, back then!!
happy celebrations, everyone
Neil, why do I mention them: because they are relevant to the debate in that they are having an influence. AS to whether the mere mention of a group of people belittles anyone, such an approach to discussion, censors and reduces the discussion in an unnecessary way, in my view.
Mihir, agree with you about Emi.
The cup is always special.
And now for some potential schadenfreude…if Wolves were to win the Europa Cup would that not put Sp*rs out of the competition?
It Is a miracle we have won the Arsene Wenger cup despite the way we lost Kos Ramsey .Ozil being sidelined for unknown reasons.
With the Pigmob favouring us a bit made things easy & we got lucky as well with Chelsea faced successive injuries. Not taking anything away from Arteta and his boys.
Don’t forget to thanks Arsene Wenger to have left us with such a wonderful set of squad in , Mustafi Ozil, Bellerin,Xhaka,Auba,
Laca & a youth team set up providing us promising talent every year.
In the end my usual dig at the idiot fans at Aftv Arseblog Legroan who disrespcted our greatest manager ever did they get what they wished for? Where is the League title they promised us will come as soon as Wenger departs. It’s been 2 years and counting…..
I am sure these idiot fans are missing the 4th place trophy but will they ever admit??
I’m starting to love and respect Mikel as much as AW.
This cup win was made possible by the manager. Respect.
The only way is up!
In terms of records I suspect only committing two fouls in the Final must be one. Not bad for the “dirtiest team in the league”. Another is maybe picking up a yellow with only two fouls committed…..but then that was for an “other” offence. Another record of course is that the final was the pinnacle of every referees career as they only ever got to do it once…….but wait they gave it to Taylor for the second time! We’ll get Dean next year no doubt. Taylor certainly will go down as incompetent on this performance though and no doubt pundits and other fans will remind us of how we won the competition because of favourable decisions lol.
One record I love which maybe you haven’t spotted though. You mention that the Spuds have won it eight times. The great thing is, that since they last won it, we’ve won it NINE times 🤣🤣🤣
Now, back that hangover……….
first manager to get a card in the final said the bbc. first person to captain and manage winning team. first team to beat chelsea 3 times in fa cup final.