Thanks Matthew. A lovely bit of history but I think in the future people will still wonder how a physical team like Arsenal got through the season without conceding a penalty or receiving a red card.
Cracking read, Matthew. I’ve always hated the turgid “POMO” route one shite, culminating in the twin demons of Jack Charlton and Graham Taylor, as well as later disciples such as Tony Pulis and Hippo Heed Allardyce. Total Football, Jogo Bonito, the Entertainers, Pep’s Barça - they set the standard for me, they were mesmerising to watch.
It’s another reason I’d hate to be one of them lot down the road, where the tactics - not to mention cultural attitudes - have barely changed for 70 years.
That said, I can’t get behind the Jockinese vendetta mentioned later on in the article - a sad, bitter nation who seem happier seeing England lose than their own team winning (despite the rarity of the latter). Their best World Cup moment was Maradona punching it into the net, and they seem unaware or even wilfully ignorant of the irony of claiming to despise the English, whilst half of their team is from south of the wall and are about as Scottish as Idi Amin.
Excellent article on one of my favourite subjects. Read Roger MacDonald’s “Britain versus Europe” published after Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup. Beautifully written, it gives great background to the development of modern European football.
“Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.” - Johan Cruyff.
‘’Herbert Chapman. More legendary than lego-ndary’’ - Matthew Philpotts
lol, correct man. Won three League titles in a row as Huddersfield manager (no cartel clubs then!), and did exactly the same with Arsenal.
Thanks Matthew. A lovely bit of history but I think in the future people will still wonder how a physical team like Arsenal got through the season without conceding a penalty or receiving a red card.
😉
Is that right? I didn't know that. Interesting...
Sadly, yes
Cracking read Matthew - well done
Cracking read, Matthew. I’ve always hated the turgid “POMO” route one shite, culminating in the twin demons of Jack Charlton and Graham Taylor, as well as later disciples such as Tony Pulis and Hippo Heed Allardyce. Total Football, Jogo Bonito, the Entertainers, Pep’s Barça - they set the standard for me, they were mesmerising to watch.
It’s another reason I’d hate to be one of them lot down the road, where the tactics - not to mention cultural attitudes - have barely changed for 70 years.
That said, I can’t get behind the Jockinese vendetta mentioned later on in the article - a sad, bitter nation who seem happier seeing England lose than their own team winning (despite the rarity of the latter). Their best World Cup moment was Maradona punching it into the net, and they seem unaware or even wilfully ignorant of the irony of claiming to despise the English, whilst half of their team is from south of the wall and are about as Scottish as Idi Amin.
Fascinating read, Matthew... although I'm not sure I should have tackled it first thing on a saturday morning.
Oh dear. My brain hurts. I'd better go lie down 🤣
Excellent article on one of my favourite subjects. Read Roger MacDonald’s “Britain versus Europe” published after Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup. Beautifully written, it gives great background to the development of modern European football.