Arsenal away April 4th 12.45

[Molby]

I'll be going- anyone else?

 

we need some inspirational tactics and man management to get something here

 

our season may have ended already; if so, we'll have it confirmed on Saturday

if not, and we do well, Man Utd have tricky games coming up and although they've improved, they're not that good, as all they did was punish two poor teams (Spurs and then us in the first half)

 

so better treat it as the don't lose at all costs cup final that it is

 

BUT, do we know how to do that?

I don't think we do. I think we're yet to learn that trick, so we should win it to be on the safe side

[Swan Red]

we're in the quarters of the FA cup, and yes I know just how petty I can be

[lfc003]

---------- Mignolet ----------

-- Can - Lovren - Sakho --

Lazar - Lucas - Allen - Moreno

------- Hendo ---- Phil -------

----------- Raheem -----------

 

Subs: Jones,Kolo,Glen,Mario,Lallana,Lambert,jose

[Cobs]

 

 

our season may have ended already; if so, we'll have it confirmed on Saturday

 

it hasn't and we wont

[DJS]

Much as we obviously want to win, even a defeat here and the gap going to 8 points still doesn't kill our top four hopes. Normally, 8 points behind with 7 games left would signal the end but the following two games see United playing City & Chelsea. So it could go to 8 and then very quickly go back to 2 points.

 

Having said that, if we beat Blackburn, our game vs Hull will get postponed so we wouldn't theoretically be able to reduce the gap to 2 points on the weekend of 18th April, as we would've hoped.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Don't lose is the main objective here. Arsenal are weird - at their best they're f***ing good, at their worst they're Monaco at home.

 

They were brutally caught on the break in that game, so we should look at exploiting that.

 

8 games doesn't seem a lot but it really is

[Hassony]

Nah, we lose and we're out of it

 

United will beat City I think, their record against the other big teams this season has been very good

[fred milne]

We need a result to restore belief.

[whitewidow]

We need a result to restore belief.

Yup, with a win, loss or draw, belief will be restored.

[Molby]

We need a result to restore belief.

When I say the end could be confirmed, it's partly that but also if the likes of Hendo, Coutinho and Sterling are struggling to produce top displays due to fatigue, confidence, eye off the ball or whatever

 

we kinda need a perfect storm of tactics, motivation and a bit of luck to come together, rather than the opposite

 

otherwise it will look as if our season is coming to an end, after an unsustainable late rally

 

so overall, a deadly game of cat and mouse

[Will]

Down Memory Lane

 

YNWA takes a look back at some memorable past League encounters at Arsenal as we make our 91st League trip to Arsenal on Easter Saturday, and ninth one to the Emirates Stadium. So far our record reads 21 wins, thirty draws and 39 defeats.

 

Most recently

We lost 2-0 in November 2013, with Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey on target either side of the break. Luis Suárez scored in his third consecutive reds game as we drew 2-2 ten months earlier. He opened the scoring early on, with Jordan Henderson giving us a two-goal lead after an hour. However, Olivier Giroud headed in a free-kick before Theo Walcott struck three minutes later to level the match.

 

We won 2-0 in August 2011 to secure our only victory to date at the Emirates Stadium. Emmanuel Frimpong was sent off before Ignasi Miquel’s clearance rebounded off Aaron Ramsey’s chest for an own goal. Luis Suárez then added a second in stoppage time. We drew 1-1 four months earlier in a game with plenty of late drama. We suffered injuries to Fábio Aurélio, Andy Carroll and Jamie Carragher, with young full-back pairing John Flanagan and Jack Robinson impressing. The home side took the lead in the eighth minute of stoppage time through Robin van Persie from the spot, one of his seven strikes past us to date, but Emmanuel Eboué then shoved Lucas in the back, with Dirk Kuyt converting the late, late penalty to equalise. This was Sotirios Kyrgiakos’s 49th and final reds game.

 

Other recent visits

We lost 1-0 in February 2010, with Jamie Carragher’s injury helping the Gunners to find the space to score through Abou Diaby’s header. We were then denied a very late penalty when Cesc Fábregas handled a Steven Gerrard free-kick inside the area. We drew 1-1 in December 2008, with Robbie Keane grabbing a spectacular equaliser after Robin van Persie had given the home side the lead. Emmanuel Adebayor was sent off for the Gunners but we could not convert our numerical superiority into victory. We were wearing a curious kit combining silver shirts with red shorts and socks.

 

To the Emirates

We made our first trip to the Emirates Stadium in November 2006, continuing our away day blues by being well beaten, 3-0, with the goals coming from Mathieu Flamini, future red Kolo Touré and William Gallas. Peter Crouch played his 200th club League game. The big striker gave us the lead shortly before half time in our League visit in April 2008 that was sandwiched between both legs of our Champions League Quarter-final, with Nicklas Bendtner heading in the leveller from a free-kick. Damien Plessis made his reds bow in this game.

 

Other recent defeats

Luis García grabbed our goal in a 2-1 defeat in March 2006 as Thierry Henry netted two of his nine goals past us, with Xabi Alonso ludicrously dismissed in our final game at Highbury. Steven Gerrard bagged our consolation in May 2005 in his 200th League game in a 3-1 defeat that ensured that Everton finished above us in the final Champions League qualification spot in fourth, although we later had the last laugh over our neighbours. Robert Pires netted the last of his four goals against the reds, with José Antonio Reyes and Cesc Fàbregas also netting. Thierry Henry bagged a treble as we lost 4-2 in April 2004, despite twice leading in the first half, initially through Sami Hyypiä and then Michael Owen. Pires scored the home side’s other goal.

 

Penalty drama

It was a tale of two penalties in December 2002 – first Danny Murphy fought off El-Hadji Diouf to convert after Milan Baroš was felled by Sol Campbell. Unfortunately, Michael Owen then limped off with a hamstring problem before Francis Jeffers dived after brushing against John Arne Riise, and Thierry Henry netted to level the game.

 

Stan Collymore opened the scoring in March 1997, before Robbie Fowler went down in the box under David Seaman’s challenge. He appealed to Gerald Ashby not to give a penalty, for which he later won a FIFA Fair Play Award, to no avail. Seaman saved the kick, but Jason McAteer converted the rebound. The game ended 2-1 to the reds with Ian Wright’s consolation being the last of his seven goals past us. We won this fixture for the first time in five seasons in January 1993, courtesy of a John Barnes penalty. Nigel Winterburn became the first dismissal against us in the Premier League, while David James saved a spot-kick from Paul Merson.

 

Three off

Arsenal won our meeting in August 2000 that was marred by three sendings-off, as Dietmar Hamann and Gary McAllister were joined by Arsenal’s Patrick Vieira, with Lauren and Thierry Henry handing Arsenal a 2-0 win. Hamann’s dismissal was later rescinded.

 

Titi on target

Titi Camara latched onto a typical Steven Gerrard through-ball in February 2000, which was followed by a masterly display of containing Arsenal as we held on to win 1-0, securing our final Highbury clean sheet and last victory there.

 

Red debutants

In August 1987, John Barnes and Peter Beardsley both debuted as we won 2-1, thanks to goals from John Aldridge and Steve Nicol, who scored an extraordinary header from edge of the penalty box. This was Kenny Dalglish’s fiftieth League win as reds boss, coming in his 85th game - still the best record of any reds boss. Back in September 1919, legendary striker Dick Forshaw made his reds debut as we lost 1-0 as Jock Rutherford bagged one of his six strikes past the reds, with Jackie Sheldon having a penalty saved. In December 1909, keeper Augustus Beeby saved a penalty from Andy Ducat on his debut as we drew 1-1 at the Manor Ground, with Jack Parkinson on target. In October 1906, inside-left Bill McPherson scored on his reds bow as we lost 2-1 with David Neave netting the first two of his four goals against us.

 

Our first trip to Arsenal in October 1893 resulted in our record win over the Gunners, 5-0 at the Manor Ground. Harry Bradshaw scored on his reds debut, while Matt McQueen also scored his first goal for us. Duncan McLean, John McCartney and Jimmy Stott were also on target against Woolwich Arsenal, with outside-right Douglas Dick also debuting.

 

Trebles all round

In September 1934, Ted Drake and Ray Bowden both scored hat-tricks as Arsenal trounced us 8-1 on their way to a third consecutive League title, the first of their six and four goals against us, respectively. Alf Hanson grabbed our consolation while Drake had another effort ruled out for a push. Cliff Bastin bagged the last of his four strikes past us, with Jack Crayston also on target. In November 1931, Jack Lambert scored a second-half treble for Arsenal as they won 6-0, three of his seven goals against the reds, with John Charlton playing his third and final reds game. David Jack scored the last two of his nine past us, with Joe Hulme scoring one of his ten.

 

In October 1928, Gordon Hodgson scored a thirteen-minute first-half hat-trick as the match ended 4-4, with Dick Edmed also on target. Hodgson’s first goal was actually his fiftieth for the club, with his third being his fiftieth in the League. Centre-half David Davidson put through his own net, with Len Thompson nabbing a brace and Jimmy Brain grabbing one of his eight goals against us.

 

Seven months earlier, Jimmy Brain struck three times for Arsenal as Harry ‘Smiler’ Chambers played his 339th and final reds game in our 6-3 defeat. Gordon Hodgson bagged a brace, with Henry Race also netting. Charlie Buchan, who had previously registered eighteen strikes against the reds while with Sunderland, also netted for the Gunners, as did Joe Hulme and Jack Lambert. In February 1909, Albert Beney scored a hat-trick as Woolwich Arsenal won 5-0, with Charlie Lewis missing a penalty and scoring, and ex-red Charles Satterthwaite converting a spot-kick. Defender Ernest Peake made his reds bow.

 

Other memorable meetings

Ronnie Whelan broke a bone in his ankle as we drew 1-1 in April 1990, leaving the Irish national side sweating on his fitness ahead of that summer’s World Cup Finals in Italy. He recovered in time to make one substitute’s appearance. John Barnes bagged our goal late on at Highbury after Paul Merson had struck one of his seven goals past us. Alan Hansen played his 200th League game as we won 2-0 in September 1983 thanks to goals from Craig Johnston and Kenny Dalglish. David Hodgson’s first reds strike and a Phil Neal goal handed us a 2-0 win in September 1982. Four months earlier, Ian Rush had scored our first goal in this fixture for five seasons in a 1-1 draw, with Kenny Dalglish playing his 200th League game for the reds and Alan Sunderland netting the last of his six goals against us. Steve Heighway played his 331st and final League game as we lost 1-0 in March 1981, with Sunderland again on target. We also lost 1-0 in our hundredth top-flight encounter in February 1976, including sixteen when they were known as Woolwich Arsenal. John Radford struck the last of his seven goals past us in the final minute.

 

In November 1973, Tommy Smith walked out of Highbury half an hour before kick-off after being told he had been dropped. Emlyn Hughes and John Toshack both struck inside the final fifteen minutes as we won 2-0. TV pundit Jimmy Hill came out of the crowd to fill in for injured linesman David Drewitt as our September 1972 encounter ended goalless. There was also no score in November 1979, with Kenny Dalglish playing his hundredth League game for the reds. We lost 2-0 in August 1967 with Tony Hateley putting through his own net, with Jon Sammels also scoring. Ian Callaghan was on target in his hundredth reds game as we drew 1-1 in December 1963, with Joe Baker bagging the first of his four goals against us. Arsenal’s Derek Tapscott bagged a brace on his debut as we lost 3-0 in April 1954, the first of his six goals past us. The legendary Joe Mercer was carried off with a broken leg after twenty minutes of this game, ending his playing career. Don Roper struck the last of his five goals against the reds.

 

We won 2-1 in May 1947 in our penultimate game of the season, taking us back to the top of the table, despite being behind with only a quarter of an hour to go. Jack Balmer headed us level before a Bob Priday cross was turned into his own net by full-back Wally Barnes. We pipped Manchester United for the title that season by one point, to claim it for the fifth time. Boss George Kay was not present at the match as he was away watching transfer targets, so captain Balmer gave the team talk and the board of directors voted on tactical changes during the match! Forward Harry ‘Smiler’ Chambers bagged his hundredth reds goal as we lost 3-1 in March 1924. Harry Woods netted two of his five goals against us, with Jock Rutherford also scoring for the Gunners.

 

We opened our season in September 1911 with a 2-2 draw with Woolwich Arsenal at the Manor Ground, when John McConnell scored his first reds goal with Sam Gilligan also netting. We lost 3-1 in September 1905 with Bobby Robinson bagging our consolation, and Sam Raybould missing a penalty in our first game of the season. Jack Parkinson broke his wrist in this match, keeping him out of the side for six months. We finished the game with nine men after Billy Dunlop twisted his knee. Tim Coleman scored the first of his nine goals past us, with Jimmy Blair and ex-red Charles Satterthwaite also on the scoresheet.

[David Hodgson]

Nah, we lose and we're out of it

 

United will beat City I think, their record against the other big teams this season has been very good

It has been but they still would prefer not to have the 2 fixtures they've got coming up after Villa.

[Hassony]

It has been but they still would prefer not to have the 2 fixtures they've got coming up after Villa.

 

For sure, but we'd still rather be in their position

[Red Yoda]

 

---------- Mignolet ----------

-- Can - Lovren - Sakho --

Lazar - Lucas - Allen - Moreno

------- Hendo ---- Phil -------

----------- Raheem -----------

 

 

JFW

[Cunny]

must win this for us to have any chance of top 4

lose and mancs beat Villa, we will be 8 points behind United and 9 behind Arsenal

[Will]

Double Agents

 

In advance of our second meeting of the season on Easter Saturday, YNWA looks at the careers of some of those who have represented both Arsenal and the mighty reds.

 

Current double agent

Centre-half Kolo Touré signed from Manchester City for free in July 2013, and has so far made 42 appearances, without yet finding the back of the right net. He had joined Arsenal in February 2002 from ASEC Mimosas in his native Ivory Coast for a fee of £150,000 after a short trial, helping them to claim the League title without losing a game in 2004, as well as the FA Cup and two FA Community Shields, one being at our expense. He moved on to Manchester City in July 2009 for £16m after fourteen goals in 326 games for the Gunners.

 

A true great

Striker Ray Kennedy helped Arsenal to claim the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1970 and then the League and FA Cup double the following year, after being released from Port Vale by boss Stanley Matthews in 1968. He bagged the goal that won the title at Tottenham Hotspur in May 1971, which was amongst his 71 strikes in 212 games for the Gunners. He joined the reds for a then club record £180,000 fee on the day Bill Shankly resigned in 1974. Bob Paisley superbly switched him to left midfield, and he netted 72 goals in 393 reds games, helping us to six League titles, three European Cups, the UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, League Cup and three FA Charity Shields before joining John Toshack’s Swansea City in January 1982. He is now battling against Parkinson’s disease. Shanks himself had guested for the Gunners during the Second World War.

 

Recent double agents

Yossi Benayoun joined the Gunners on loan from Chelsea in August 2011, netting six times in 25 outings. He arrived at Anfield from West Ham United in a £5m deal in July 2007, and bagged 29 goals in 134 reds games, including hat-tricks against Beşiktaş JK, Havant & Waterlooville and Burnley. He was sold to Chelsea in July 2010 for a reported £5m. Nicolas Anelka struck 28 times in 91 Arsenal games before being sold to Real Madrid for £23m in August 1999. After an unhappy time at both the Bernabéu and with Paris Saint-Germain, Nicolas joined the reds on a half-season loan in December 2001. He scored five times in 22 reds appearances, but was not then kept on permanently.

 

Damien Comolli joined Arsenal in 1996, spending seven seasons as a European scout, where he is credited with the discovery of players such as Gaël Clichy, Emmanuel Eboué and Kolo Touré. He left a position at Saint-Étienne in November 2010 to take over as Director of Football Strategy for the reds, and was promoted to Director of Football the following March. However, he left by mutual consent thirteen months later.

 

Michael Thomas struck Arsenal’s crucial second in the 1989 title decider at Anfield and appeared from the bench in their 1987 League Cup Final defeat of the reds. He spent the first seven years of his career at Highbury, notching 31 times in 210 games as he helped them to claim another League title before moving to Anfield in December 1991 for £1.5m. He played 163 reds games, scoring twelve goals including the 1992 FA Cup Final opener, but was an unused sub for our 1995 Coca Cola Cup victory. He moved on to SL Benfica to rejoin Graeme Souness in August 1998.

 

Jermaine Pennant signed for the Gunners from Notts County in a £2m deal in January 1999, becoming the most expensive teenager in English football history, aged just sixteen. He only grabbed three goals for Arsenal, all coming in his first League start as he made just 26 senior appearances, although he only played one other League game from the off. He was sent out on loan twice to Watford as well as Leeds United and Birmingham City, before moving permanently to St. Andrews in July 2005. He arrived at Anfield in July 2006 for £6.7m after City were relegated, and struck just three times in 81 reds games before joining Portsmouth on loan in January 2009, then moving permanently to Real Zaragoza when his contract expired six months later.

 

Striking sensations

Sam Raybould signed from New Brighton Tower for £250 in January 1900. He holds several reds striking records, including being the first to bag a hat-trick against Manchester United, and the fastest reds derby scorer. He was top scorer in four of his seven seasons, helping us to two First Division titles and one in the Second Division, scoring 130 times in 226 games. He ended his career with Woolwich Arsenal after leaving Anfield for Sunderland in May 1907, netting seven goals in thirty games.

 

Fred Pagnam joined the reds from his hometown side Blackpool in May 1914 just as war was about to break out, and so only made 39 appearances, although he scored an impressive thirty times. He was transferred to Arsenal in October 1919, with whom he kept up a remarkable strike rate, notching 27 times in 53 games before being sold to Cardiff City for £3,000 in March 1921. Scottish inside-forward John ‘Sailor’ Hunter signed from Abercorn in 1899 and bagged twelve goals in 45 reds games, moving on to Heart Of Midlothian in May 1902 in a joint deal with Tom Robertson for £300. He struck four times in 22 games for Woolwich Arsenal after signing from Hearts for £165 in 1904, moving on to Southern League side Portsmouth the following year.

 

In the sixties

Keeper Jim Furnell arrived from Burnley in February 1962 for £18,000, playing in several games as we returned to the top flight that year. However, most of his time was spent in the reserves, and so he moved to Highbury in November 1963 for £15,000 after just 28 reds games. He became their number one custodian, making 167 appearances. Inside-forward Geoff Strong signed from Arsenal for a club record £40,000 in November 1964, after 77 strikes in 137 games for the Gunners. He won a League title and FA Charity Shield while at Anfield, playing in a multitude of positions, as well as appearing in the 1965 FA Cup winning side, scoring a total of 33 goals in 201 reds appearances before joining Coventry City for £29,500 in August 1970.

 

Second Division champions

Our 1896 Second Division title-winning side included two Arsenal double agents. Davy Hannah won two League titles with Sunderland before joining the reds in November 1894. He scored twelve goals in 33 games, and later struck seventeen times in fifty games for Woolwich Arsenal after joining Dundee in 1897. Keeper Harry Storer was the first Arsenal player to win representative honours, playing in a Football League XI in 1895. He was suspended by the club for a disciplinary issue in November 1895, and joined the reds the following month for £75 after 41 games. He went on to make 121 reds appearances.

 

Bit part players

Jimmy Carter signed from Millwall for £800,000 in January 1991. He failed to make the grade and left for Arsenal just nine months and eight reds games later, for £500,000. He notched twice in thirty games for the Gunners. Bobby Campbell signed professionally for the reds in May 1954, but only played 25 first-team games in seven years. He was later a coach at Highbury. Scottish forward Andrew McCowie struck eleven times in 35 reds games after signing from Cambuslang Hibs at the end of the nineteenth century, moving to Woolwich Arsenal in 1899 for whom he netted seven times in 33 outings. Outside-right Brian Jackson signed from Leyton Orient in November 1951 for £6,500 and forward Don Woan. He netted eleven times in 133 reds games before joining Port Vale in July 1958. He had been on Arsenal’s books as an amateur before joining Orient.

 

Forward Abe Hartley notched just once in twelve reds games after moving across Stanley Park for £175 in December 1897. He joined Southampton as an amateur the following May, from where he then moved to Woolwich Arsenal, scoring once in nine games. Centre-forward Les Shannon joined the reds in November 1944, but only struck once in eleven outings, moving on to Burnley in November 1949. He was later Assistant Manager to Billy Wright at Highbury between 1962 and 1966. Abe Foxall played just one reds game as a forward in October 1899, after signing from Gainsborough Trinity earlier that year. He later netted three times in 31 outings for Woolwich Arsenal. Tom Stanton signed pro terms at Anfield in 1965, but moved to Arsenal in September 1966 without making the first team. He joined Mansfield Town the following year, having also not made a senior appearance for the Gunners.

[honourablegeorge]

Sturridge, Lallana, Sterling and Lovren all fit, say the independent.

[RP]

Somehow I have never been to The Emirates ... but I'm going Saturday.

 

Weird, I used to go to Highbury every year up to and including our last game there.

 

Anyway ... is there a decent pre-match boozer?

[whitewidow]

Somehow I have never been to The Emirates ... but I'm going Saturday.

 

Weird, I used to go to Highbury every year up to and including our last game there.

 

Anyway ... is there a decent pre-match boozer?

not really on topic but their corp hospitality is very good. proper edible food. no atmosphere in the ground but they have done the whole selling out bit very well.

[RP]

not really on topic but their corp hospitality is very good. proper edible food. no atmosphere in the ground but they have done the whole selling out bit very well.

 

That's great - real 'jumpers for goalposts' stuff (the old phrase, not the annoying Leeds c*** who used to come on here). Arsenal fans must be happy.

[whitewidow]

That's great - real 'jumpers for goalposts' stuff (the old phrase, not the annoying Leeds c*** who used to come on here). Arsenal fans must be happy.

If they've got the bunce to get entertained then I'd imagine they delighted

[RP]

If they've got the bunce to get entertained then I'd imagine they delighted

 

Do you need "bunce" to get entertained? Isn't it the host that needs the "bunce"??

[yellow jumper]

Somehow I have never been to The Emirates ... but I'm going Saturday.

 

Weird, I used to go to Highbury every year up to and including our last game there.

 

Anyway ... is there a decent pre-match boozer?

 

pub options remain pretty much the same. close to the ground i like the bank of freindship, it's an unpretentious old boozer, but with charm, which makes it a bit of a novelty around here, but it'll be packed with arsenal. if you're willing to stray a bit further, to islington say, there's all sorts.

[Tommy Cockles]

The Hope & Anchor on Upper Street is our pre & post match haunt for this. Good 20 min walk to ground but decent little pub & good service.

[whitewidow]

Do you need "bunce" to get entertained? Isn't it the host that needs the "bunce"??

Either or both.