Arsenal Firing Blanks On Sodden Afternoon

Arsenal 0 – 3 Chelsea

0 – 1 Drogba (40)
0 – 2 Vermaelen (44)
0 – 3 Drogba (85)

A scoreline which did not reflect the match but a result with which few could argue. It is a defeat that is damaging but does not end the quest for the title. The gap is notionally eleven points. Once the home fixture with Bolton has been played, the true gap is known. Until that time, nothing is determined. Winning matches against any opposition is important but losing against the current league leaders does not decide a season’s outcome. Unless of course, at the end of it you trail in up to three points behind.

Prior to kick-off, the question was whether or not Arsenal could compete in midfield; they did so. Neither side dominated that area of the pitch for the whole of the game. The final third proved to be the difference. It is this which may cause concern for Arsene.

Two matches out of the last three against typically English defensive sides, irrespective of the quantity of foreign players, has seen the forward line collectively fail to breach the back four. It is too simplistic to challenge the squad and call for signings in January. Too simplistic to say Eduardo failed to do this, Vela failed to do that, Arshavin the other. They all did not do their things.

The absence of van Persie for several months is something that has to be dealt with. Perhaps tweaking the formation is required to exploit the talent that Arsene has at his disposal. Reacting now by demanding that Arsene must sign another forward in January is kneejerk; nothing more, nothing less. That is not to deny the failings in front of goal, an issue that will be worked on resolving in training. If by the end of December the problem is not solved, two things are certain: one, Arsene will sign someone in January and two, all hell will have broken loose, particularly as the fixtures in that time require victories.

Unquestionably, the pivotal moments in the match came in the five minutes before half-time. Questions were raised about the defence, a big centre back begged for pre-season. The clodhopping monster craved would not have prevented either goal. Twice Cole crossed from the left, playing the ball into an area of the box rather than at the man. Twice Chelsea scored. Once is an avoidable error, twice is carelessness. Having failed to close the opportunity for Cole to cross previously, the expectation quite reasonably is that the midfield / defence block the next occasion it arose. Arsenal failed to do so.

Vermaelen may have been unfortunate in that his clearance flew into almost the same spot as Drogba’s first effort but more at fault was the communication between himself and Almunia. There was no imminent threat from Drogba and the Spaniard would have collected the ball comfortably had Vermaelen not interceded. Was a shout made? If so, why was it ignored? If not, why not? Almunia had a perfect view of the cross and in those situations, it is not an unrealistic expectation for the goalkeeper to issue the commands.

The outcome might have been different had Arshavin not had a goal chalked off minutes after the restart. A loose pass from Drogba to Cech was charged down and the ball broke to the Russian. Time was not on his side yet he required that to shoot home from twenty yards. The ensuing passage of play found the ball on the right and hoisted into the area. Eduardo raised a boot, chest high on Cech, the rebound swept home by Arshavin. A good goal? Seemingly so except that Andre Marriner was entitled to deem Eduardo’s foot as being dangerous play. Alas the absence of malice in the challenge is no excuse to call an exception to that rule.

Other chances were created but not incisive ones. Nothing improved particularly in the second half with the introduction of Walcott for Song. Pairing the Cameroonean and Denilson in the midfield gave more solidity, indicative that Wenger wanted to offer Cesc freedom to roam whilst having the Brazilian there to augment defence and attack. It did not work out that way with little threat from the playmakers.

That is something Chelsea were effective at yesterday, disciplined in denying opportunities. There was no outmuscling, simply outsmarting on the pitch. The third goal sealed the win, flattering to some extent but well-taken nonetheless, power defeating Almunia, who must accept some criticism for positioning since the ball passed almost where he was initially stood before the ball was struck.

There is much to dwell on and no doubt that there is much food for thought. The first team has a week before the visit of Stoke to The Emirates, a well-disciplined side this season. A visit to Eastlands may prove a welcome relief with the Carling Cup squad shorn of first team players.

’til Tomorrow.

RvPs Absence Will Not Stop Arsenal Giving Chelsea The Blues

It seems that Robin van Persie was ill-treated in his jaunt to the doctors recently, the placenta coming from Muffin the Mule rather than the thoroughbred his ankle required. News of his likely absence for the rest of the season places a strain on resources and raises questions as to whether or not Arsene will dip into the transfer kitty in the January sales.

Wenger has time on his side in that respect. Bendtner will return from injury before then with Eduardo looking to fill the central striker role as well. The Croat is in pole position being the natural successor and along with Carlos Vela, one of two fit forwards at the club who would be comfortable playing as the main striker. Until Christmas they have the chance to prove their points. If they fail to do so, Wenger will no doubt seek to bring someone in.

Does the Dutchman’s absence mean that 4-3-3 gets tweaked? I am not sure. The team are now used to the change and aside from the trip to the Stadium of Light, they have adapted well. There were other defeats as well but last weekend’s was the one where they looked out of sorts. Arsene believes that to be a by-product of the internationals; this afternoon we get the answer.

Chelsea are stern opposition. Irrespective of the manner in which they have achieved success – functional, boring, Graham-esque – they have been successful and are not top of the Premier League at the moment by fluke. Ancelotti has continued the move towards expanding their play, helped by the return of Joe Cole and others who were fit, finding form.

Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka both have enjoyed facing Arsenal in the past for their current and previous employers. Anelka, in particular, is showing the consistency of form that he should have done throughout his career since leaving Arsenal.

Whilst not a physical side in the manner of Bolton or Blackburn, they are strong in midfield. Arsenal’s trio will have to work hard to control the centre of the pitch. They have the technique and quality to do so but must remain focussed for the whole of the match not just 90 minutes and then switch off in injury time. Whom that trio will be depends upon William Gallas.

I suspect he will be fit but if not, Song would be the natural successor rather than letting Drogba and Anelka loose on the ponderous Silvestre or Philippe Senderos. The Swiss international’s confidence has been shot to pieces every time he has faced Drogba and coming in from Carling Cup or duty for his country is not preparation for another encounter, even though in those circumstances, Vermaelen would probably be assigned almost man-marking on the Ivorian.

If Song does drop back, a triumverate of Fabregas, Denilson and Nasri should be expected with Rosicky filling in on the right. Wenger observed that some of Walcott’s injuries were inflamed by rushing him back too soon, almost a warning not to expect him in the starting line-up before the trip to Athens. It might be that he is used as a substitute striker this afternoon if required, should the game requiring chasing.

Arsenal enter the match as media underdogs. Chelsea has tried to deflect attention from that, Joe Cole the most recent to proclaim the pressure is all on Arsenal. It is not. Both sides need the win; Chelsea to put a large gap between the two at a relatively early stage of the season, Arsenal to prevent that happening. It is a big afternoon for Armand Traore. Quite possibly, Anelka will be asked to move out to the left to keep the youngster busy, no doubt identified as a potential pressure point in the absence of Gael Clichy.

I would expect the Arsenal side to be:

Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Traore; Denilson, Fabregas, Song; Nasri, Eduardo, Arshavin

With a bench of:

Mannone, Senderos, Eboue, Silvestre, Rosicky, Walcott, Vela

It is not a must-win game for Arsenal, too many remain afterwards, closer perhaps to a must-not-lose. Either way, many believe this to be on the verge of great things. Arsene believes so. Time to prove our faith is not misplaced gentlemen.

Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it. ’til Tomorrow.

Stone Cold Friday: Examining The Gap Between Arsenal And Chelsea?

The next installment from Darius of Stone Cold Arsenal:

As I crossed the river to the north side of London on my way to work some time in early 2005, my attention was grabbed by a huge billboard advertising a computer game. It was impossible to ignore the two characters squaring up and snarling at each other on the billboard: John Terry and Thierry Henry, a creative and intuitive marketing gimmick just before an encounter between Arsenal and Chelsea over the next weekend that effectively said ”bring it on”.

I remember thinking what a contrast in style and philosophy the two clubs have. It is hard to look past the characterization of power and efficiency that in most part lacks finesse on the Chelsea team sheet. It screams sheer brute force of the ”we’re well ‘ard” variety. In contrast, Henry epitomised a scintillating team that oozed class and approached the game with a Wengerball philosophy, daring to exorcise agricultural football out of our psyche.

Not much has changed between the two teams’ values and philosophy four years on. If your argument anchors on success equating to a trophy haul, you could muster a simplistic case that Chelsea have won more than Arsenal in that period. My sense is that success in any aspect of life is rarely a one dimensional issue. The two teams come from very different schools of thought and fans, the media and the footballing establishment will always find an angle to argue a case to support whichever side of the bread they’re buttering.

For me, the key difference between Arsenal and Chelsea anchors around sustainability for the long term and how means justify ends.

When Roman Abramovich rode into town to flex his financial muscle in 2003, the landscape of the game was significantly altered. Legend down Kings Road has it goes that Abramovich decided to buy Chelsea after seeing Stamford Bridge from his helicopter. Talk about impulse buying. Apparently, he also wanted to buy a lot of other stuff but was told they belong to the Queen and weren’t for sale.

Six years later and at a personal cost of circa £700 million to the Russian sugar daddy, Chelsea is the force they are now. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to argue that this model of running anything, let alone a club, is misguidedly profligate which can only lead to short term success and long term instability.

The funny thing is that Chelsea know this very well, and belatedly, are trying to do something about it. Abramovich recently converted £370 million of the total debt to him by Chelsea into equity, a move that was designed to give some credence to the notion that Chelsea is actually a viable business proposition. Any rookie coming off the financial milk train into the city will tell you that Chelsea’s financial statements makes grim reading for a club in structural turmoil, desperately trying to shake off the image of a rich man’s play toy, evolving into a rationally managed company.

If the purpose of Abramovich’s Chelsea dream was world domination, the route taken has to be considered as one of the world’s most expensive (and in my view – most stupid) experiments that is gagging for an exit strategy, saving the Russian face. Trying to turn Chelsea into a viable business as opposed to an unmanageable and over-mortgaged financial juggernaut is not a proposition to be scoffed at.

In comparison, Arsenal is hailed as the model super club not only in the way it carries out its off-the-pitch business and manages its finances, but in the way Wenger has developed a world class scouting, coaching and youth development system that will stand the club in good stead for decades to come. In my recent article – Where Arsenal Lead, Others Will Follow – I touch on the fact that Arsenal are trailblazing the direction in football and it’s inevitable that clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City are looking to emulate what Arsenal has done to guarantee their long term success.

If you consider that running and managing a viable and competitive club within your financial means is a measure of success, then the gulf between the two clubs is almost insurmountable. An illustration of this arduous task is clearly visible in the gap between Chelsea’s first team and any semblance of an underlying youth structure that can competently under study the first team.

In recent times, it has become more fashionable to seek solutions from outside the club as opposed to developing playing infrastructure and personnel. Perhaps the media hyperbole and sensationalism about the obscene amount of money in football fuels this unsustainable trend. The only solution that seems viable for some teams when it comes to refreshing the squad is to buy, buy, and buy, as opposed to seeking resources from the ranks within. Chelsea have depended on this latter strategy to ‘buy’ their squad and pay them ridiculous wages that have no market rationale – all of which have been primarily funded by Abramovich.

The contrast between the perceived success and experience of the two clubs could not be starker as we meet on Sunday at the Emirates. Philosophy aside, there is a belief that the Chelsea team is stronger and more experienced than an Arsenal team often referred to as a ‘young’ Wenger side. This youth label does an injustice to experienced players like Gallas, Arshavin, Rosicky, and Silvestre, all of whom have accumulated a ridiculous amount of game time and experience, and are most definitely not young.

Arsenal’s game is very different from Chelsea’s mechanical efficiency that is hailed by hacks and pundits as the stuff champions are made of. I’m often bemused when Arsenal is slated for doing a professional job and winning a match without breaking sweat, yet when Chelsea have a lacklustre game, they’re hailed as grafters and grinders with the character of champions.

Previous form won’t really play a significant part in Sunday’s game. Both teams know what they have to do and will play to their strengths. The question is which ideal in football will win on the day. Is it the juggernaut and brute force that is the ageing Chelsea team, or the speed and craftiness of a technically gifted pacey team that can make anyone chase shadows around the park if they get into their stride. To borrow PHW’s favourite war cry, ‘Woe Betide’ any team in the world that lets the Arsenal play Wengerball.

Chelsea have no intention of letting us play Wengerball and it will be a sign of maturity to remind Chelsea that being the old and experienced darling of the media gives them no divine right to assume that they’re going to be champions. More importantly, playing our game with confidence and conviction will remind the Chelsea establishment how far they have to travel to become a great club like Arsenal.

’til Tomorrow.

Give Youth A Chance If It’s Good Enough

Kerrea Gilbert has opined that he will be leaving Arsenal in the New Year, looking for a January move to another Premier League club. Having plied his trade in the lower divisions on various loan deals, it is perhaps hardly surprising that he views his future away from the club.

Such departures are nothing new and with Eboue at the top of the pecking order of reserve right backs, the club is well served by those within and out on loan. There have been murmurings that Gilbert has authority issues, incidents whilst on loan have surfaced to reinforce that perception, rightly or wrongly.

With a young squad, the number of departures in coming seasons will increase. The number of players in the first team is finite and as the average age drops, the previously sought promotion route from the reserves to replace an ageing player diminishes. When competing against players the same, or of similar, age ability becomes king. It is frustrating in the mind of the lesser player, even the most magnanimous will have the belief in their own abilities to the extent that they feel that they are more than adequate for first team duties.

Juggling these resources becomes polarised further with the quota systems envisaged by UEFA and the squad limitations similar to those of the Champions League that the EPL wants to impose. Contract negotiations are increasingly becoming public knowledge as agents seek to pressurise the clubs to compromise, wages closer to those being demanded rather than offered. Such matters are not the entirity of a players decision, first team action is high on their list of priorities as evidenced by Fran Merida.

The cycle of young players coming and going is a by-product of the Academy. Recently, the names of over 100 players who had left the club having come through the youth system was circulated. The majority of those have forged careers elsewhere albeit few in the upper echelons of the game. That suggests that Wenger has by and large shown good judgement in this area. An interesting comparison would be between the big four clubs. Accusations that Wenger does not allow English talent to flourish might just be shown to be wide of the mark.

Tacit admission of that came at the weekend with calls carried in Sunday’s papers for Wenger to become the figurehead of the 2018 World Cup bid, or as it is now described widely doomed 2018 World Cup bid such is the media perception of the impending disaster that is looming. Careful, there is a danger Arsene might be considered an honourary Englishman by various hacks in months or years to come.

The World Cup team could do considerably enhanced by his inclusion. Compared to native managers, Wenger has the advantage of being intelligent and able to string a sentence together without resorting to tired cliches to express football ideas. He has sufficient standing within the world of football to be listened to rather than gladhanding with people who scratch their heads afterwards, wondering who the hell he was. More than anything though, it would give him something to do during the interminably dull international weeks instead of fretting about the state his players will be returned to him in.

’til Tomorrow.

Easy Win For Arsenal – We Find The Cost Later

UEFA Champions League, Group Phase
Arsenal 2 – 0 Standard Liege

1 – 0 Nasri (35)
2 – 0 Denilson (45)

A performance and a win that erased the memory, somewhat, of the weekend’s defeat at Sunderland. First place in the Group was secured but a price has been paid with Kieran Gibbs out with a broken bone in his foot and William Gallas’ ankle injury has left him doubtful, at the moment, for Sunday’s clash with Chelsea. The full extent of his injury will become clearer as the days pass and it is premature to write him off just yet.

It was a night he will not remember with any particular fondness as he left the pitch at the interval not to re-emerge for the second half, having departed in a similar facial condition to many of Muhammed Ali’s victims when the Great Man was in his prime. Andrey Arshavin had staples inserted in his head following their collision in the first half. Nothing so namby-pamby as stitches for this boy, just a Rexel for him.

Without being disparaging to Standard, they were poor last night. Despite this, they rattled the woodwork twice which would have put an altogether different complexion on the result and an altogether unfair one as well. Arsenal dominated possession and should probably have been three up before Nasri’s excellent finish as the interval approached.

Cesc and the Frenchman could, and perhaps should, have scored in the opening minutes. Nasri had an excellent chance for breaking the deadlock and you would have to assume that he thought the angle for shooting tighter than it actually was, Bolat some way across from the near post. Instead, a cross came, Vela shot and a chance went begging.

The notable moment before the breakthrough came from a corner. Fabregas’ delivery was good – a noticeable improvement this season, perhaps because there is a genuine threat in the shape of Vermaelen and Gallas. Arshavin’s close range effort was blocked; Vela hit the rebound against the post; Bolat twice denied Gallas before Arshavin had a Bendtner moment, blocking Vermaelen’s drive, the ferocity of which left the Russian seeing double.

With the pressure all one way, a typically continental break ensued with Mbokani striking from the edge of the area, hitting the angle of the bar and post before flying to safety. That was the prelude to Gallas’ second injury of the night. Early in the match, he had suffered a knock to the ankle in executing a block tackle. Limping, he was left to persevere in pain, the old adage of running a knock off being adhered to. Whether that was wise or not remains to be seen although with Silvestre on the bench and Standard offering little, surely caution should have taken precedence for Wenger? Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It would have prevented his clash of heads with Arshavin as they both went for a corner, Gallas heading narrowly over.

Both players required treatment and Standard scented blood with Arsenal down to 9. A goal duly arrived in their net; Vermaelen sent a long pass over the top of the Liege defence, a defensive slip and an exquisite finish by Nasri. Arshavin returned and almost double the lead, shooting narrowly wide.

The result was sealed as half time rapidly approached. Denilson received the ball from Gibbs and shot from distance. Bolat had his angles all wrong and flapping vain as the ball entered the net. It was a good strike but not an unstoppable effort.

In the second half, Arsenal visibly relaxed. Witsel found himself free in the area but Almunia collected the ball as the opportunity withered away. For Arsenal, Vela and Walcott had decent chances as the game appeared to be heading for a gentle conclusion. That was not to be.

Both sides finished with ten men with Liege’s as a result of a red card for a stupid lunge of Gonzalez’s head at Fabregas whilst Gibbs foot was broken needlessly.

It was a comfortable performance all round. Denilson had a good game on his return to the side, offering plenty of support and to an extent freeing Fabregas a little more than normal by covering a bit more defensively. Song was his usual non-expansive self, quietly getting on with the business of minding the midfield, effective on the odd occasion that he chose to stride into the attack.

Up front, Nasri was certainly sharper than at Sunderland although the freedom he was allowed by Liege was considerably more than he will get in the Premier League. Arshavin added an intuitive inventiveness to the attack whilst Vela, I thought, did well leading the line. He will need to time to develop in that role but his link play was good, another sharp stick in the eye for those who believe that you have to be a neanderthal to succeed in that type of position.

The refereeing was pretty abysmal. Eboue did not dive, his knees were clipped by the defender. Perhaps there was an element of doubt in the referee’s mind on that instance. He may have been thinking of his role as Sir Joseph Porter in HMS Pinafore rather than concentrating on the game as Gallas clearly brought down the Liege forward, the referee not far behind.

In the end, all that matters was the result and the cobwebs being dusted away ahead of the Chelsea clash. It is pretty much certain that Traore will replace Gibbs whilst we wait for news on Gallas.

’til Tomorrow.

No Sub-Standard Performances Tonight Please

Standard Liege arrive for a Champions League encounter that they believe will keep their slim hopes of reaching the knockout phase alive. Largely that depends on the Arsenal side which emerges from the tunnel; will it be the out of sorts mob who played at the weekend or have the international cobwebs been swept away in the days since Saturday’s defeat?

The squad is unchanged save for the return of Kieran Gibbs. Wenger may decide to hold off reinstating the young England international to the starting line-up to give his injury the chance to truly heal. Traore did not do anything wrong in particular at the weekend and for the most part was reasonably solid. Tonight would be a chance to add to his experience.

The dilemma that Wenger has over left back is repeated in the forward line. Eduardo needs match time to forge an understanding with those around him having had an interrupted return from various niggles. That said, is it more important to wrap him in cotton wool ahead of Sunday’s encounter with Chelsea? Certainly, I do not believe Wenger can afford to go into that clash with Vela as the only recognised central striker who is fit.

Before he lashed out regarding Theo Walcott’s availability for England next summer, Wenger had identified the Mexican as the reason for not replacing Emmanuel Adebayor, comparing Vela to Robbie Fowler. Whilst there is an element of truth in that, Wenger made no secret of his intention to try and buy Chamakh from Bordeaux. His words yesterday were an undisguised attempt to boost the confidence of his young striker.

The position in the Champions League is such that Wenger can once more make changes with half an eye on Sunday. Denilson and Walcott might be considered for starting places with Nasri in central midfield. Rosicky looked as if he could do with some more playing time to focus on his sharpness, enabling Wenger to rest Arshavin once more. The depth of the squad in midfield is coming through with injured personnel returning to the fold.

Whilst there is an element of forward planning going on, too many changes are equally disruptive, be they forced or unforced. For once Arsene barked yesterday, apparently exploding when questioned about Theo Walcott’s long term fitness. Media inquisitions about the player and his international future based on misguided beliefs about the hereditary nature of his injuries brought forth the most direct criticism of international football from the manager.

He is absolutely right to point out who Walcott’s paymaster is. Football, unlike cricket, does not have central contracts with the national associations paying scant regard to players well-being and next to nothing for use of a prize asset.

Comparisons to industry and commerce are futile since football is a sport, even though the clubs are businesses in the modern age. Even so, the protestations of Blatter and his cohorts that they are purely focussed on the health of individuals, concerned about the number of games played whilst still permitting meaningless friendlies to prevade the footballing calendar.

There are seven months to go before the World Cup Finals begin. Too much time to worry about Walcott’s fitness, especially since he has managed around 180 minutes all season thus far. If he returns to the Arsenal fold and remains fit, let the media worry about whether he will be in Capello’s squad nearer the time. It is however, indicative of the lack of depth in the English game that Walcott is almost certain to play on the right hand side of midfield. The concerns shown now would normally be reserved for a media darling, not a young player who suffered the slings and arrows of managerial indiscretion at the last World Cup Finals.

Back to this evening. Predicting a line-up is difficult with Sunday’s match ahead although the extra days to recover are helpful to the manager. Much will depend on the readiness of certain players following injury but I would start with:

Almunia; Eboue, Gallas, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Denilson, Ramsey, Nasri; Walcott, Vela, Rosicky

That would enable Song, Fabregas, Eduardo and Arshavin to be called from the bench if required. Further, if the match is comfortable by the hour mark, I would have no hesitation in bringing Silvestre and Senderos on, giving Vermaelen and Gallas a bit of a breather. Wenger may view that as too many changes.

Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it. ’til Tomorrow.

Saturday Is Gone & Review: The Pocket Book Of Arsenal

The morning after the Saturday before brings little relief from gloom and despondency in some quarters. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, one result in November a season does not make. Well, unless you are eternally pessimistic which surely makes following any football club an entirely pointless exercise; the bedrock of support at any level is hope. To give up so soon is beyond me.

That is not to deny that the performance was not good enough on Saturday. Some perspective though may be needed. Sunderland drew with a below par Manchester United at Old Trafford and beat an equally below par Liverpool not long ago. Arsenal will have been aware of those results and should have been at their best, aware of the consequences of failing to meet their own standards.

The media reaction exacerbates moods. Chelsea put four past an inept Wolves and are deemed to be world-beaters on that basis, hacks ignoring Arsenal’s win at Molineux. I am not complaining of media double standards since that is all we expect from them. Or should do. A little more independent thought ought surely to put Saturday in the wider sense of a run of games, rather than isolation. If defeats form that run then there is unquestionably a problem. If it is a blip on an otherwise unbeaten spell, is there real cause for concern? Tomorrow and Sunday will give answers to those points.

Having lambasted the performance, the usual sideshows begin with Lionel Messi believing Cesc will be the best midfielder in the world within three years of joining Barcelona, essentially telling Cesc he is crap but Barca can make him better, an unusual tactic in trying to tempt someone to join your employers. Crazy.

Kolo Toure is doing an Adebayor but in a more understated manner, telling the world that there was one person he did not get on with at the club, failed to have an on-the-pitch relationship with and that player denied him playing time since he had the manager’s ear. Still no names but it is pretty safe to assume that it was Cesc…Perhaps KT ought to look at his own form before pointing the finger at others as a reason for his absences, as well as injuries because as I recall, Toure played pretty much all of the time that he was fit.

Anway onto brighter things and a Christmas item for your ponderance:

The Pocket Book Of Arsenal by Kevin Wicher
Published by Vision Sports Publishing

The trivia market is saturated with Arsenal books, the number increasing each year. It is refreshing to have a small book about Arsenal that is not focussed on the weird and wonderful but instead a mini history of the club. Published in a style that covers just about every football magazine since the 1940s, the book bridges the gap between the youth and adult markets quite nicely, steering clear of twee without being too intellectual. A book for the masses.

The book is nicely sectioned rather than being a straightforward run through of the club’s existence, no-one era getting greater importance in the timelines, 1886-1924 being given as much attention as 1925-65, 1996-95 and 1995-2009. Within each segment, the important events are outlined with depth given where necessary.

Nestling comfortably between these chapters are histories of the club crest, The Invincibles, stadia, important goals in the club’s history, managers, tactics used in winning trophies and memorable matches, including the Battle of Highbury, 1934s encounter between the then World Champions, Italy, and England, who at that time deemed participating in such trivalities as a World Cup as beneath them. Forty years later, such things would be beyond them.

This is the perfect introduction to Arsenal Football Club for young and old, both may enjoy the comic strip reminiscent of Roy of the Rovers magazine. A worthwhile Christmas stocking present and a nice accompaniment to The Official History. You can purchase the book herePocket Book of Arsenal, The
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