Twenty Years Ago Today

[Peeman]

^ I don't think the 97/98 team was on quite the same level of The Invincibles; we finished with only 78 points at a time when the league was significantly weaker.

Good shout about the 01/02 team though; they had essentially all the Invincible players + a couple other key ones (Adams, Seaman, etc.). I just rate the 03/04 side higher for what they achieved and the style with which they played - plus Henry was at his absolute pinnacle.

The 97/98 team after Chrimbo that year were relentless. Paddy Power had paid out on Manure coz they were so far ahead. We went unbeaten, won 10 on the trot and won the league with 2 games to spare(good call Paddy). If we needed to win the last two games, me thinks we would've won them too.

And then we won the double to boot.


It'd be an interesting group if them 4 teams had to go against each other

[clockender1]

i would put the 88,89,90, 91, 98,99, 2000, and 2002 teams above the 2004 team in terms of watchability.

i watched em all.

[Nos89]

I think people may have forgotten that the 90/91 team only conceded 18 goals all season compared to the 26 conceded by the invincibles and they also scored more goal 74 in 90/91 to the 73 in 03/04. That's why I think they would just edge a game 1-0. Take into account GG would have set out the team to stop the other team whereas , as we all know wenger doesn't do that.

[Nos89]

I think people may have forgotten that the 90/91 team only conceded 18 goals all season compared to the 26 conceded by the invincibles and they also scored more goal 74 in 90/91 to the 73 in 03/04. That's why I think they would just edge a game 1-0. Take into account GG would have set out the team to stop the other team whereas , as we all know wenger doesn't do that.

[VAVAVOOM 14]

I think people may have forgotten that the 90/91 team only conceded 18 goals all season compared to the 26 conceded by the invincibles and they also scored more goal 74 in 90/91 to the 73 in 03/04. That's why I think they would just edge a game 1-0. Take into account GG would have set out the team to stop the other team whereas , as we all know wenger doesn't do that.

Standard of the league wasn't as high.

[arseofacrow]

I think people may have forgotten that the 90/91 team only conceded 18 goals all season compared to the 26 conceded by the invincibles and they also scored more goal 74 in 90/91 to the 73 in 03/04. That's why I think they would just edge a game 1-0. Take into account GG would have set out the team to stop the other team whereas , as we all know wenger doesn't do that.

Standard of the league wasn't as high.

That would include us as well then.

[VAVAVOOM 14]

I think people may have forgotten that the 90/91 team only conceded 18 goals all season compared to the 26 conceded by the invincibles and they also scored more goal 74 in 90/91 to the 73 in 03/04. That's why I think they would just edge a game 1-0. Take into account GG would have set out the team to stop the other team whereas , as we all know wenger doesn't do that.

Standard of the league wasn't as high.

That would include us as well then.

Hence why I don't think the 90/91 side could match The Invincibles.

[flash gunner]

Twenty years ago today Arsenal FC sacked George Graham...possibly the worst day of my 43 years supporting the club. Accepted why the club had to sack him, even if I did feel he was a scapegoat for a culture of that time, and also felt his time was coming to an end anyway as his magic was fading, but he was the man that not just challenged but beat the dominant Liverpool of the time. He put pride and discipline back into my club and lead the club after the two point deduction of 1990.
He set his team up to their strengths and at the end of his reign we were a cup team , great memories of Wembley 1993 and Copenhagen 1994. A great Arsenal manager who I hope history remembers for his achievements rather than his demise .

Agree was devastated at the time but he went on to manage the scum (to a trophy too) and for that reason I fucking despise him


Unforgivable

[TheCook]

Sorry to be a bit morbid, but the day GG was sacked holds different memories for me.

I heard he was sacked and was totally shocked and stunned, as he was really the only manager I knew being just 19 and a match goer for only 5 or 6 years up to that point - but then I went into work at my part time job, to be told that two of the people I worked with had been killed in a car crash the night before - such tragic news totally took mind my off the football bombshell I was still digesting.

[DB10GOONER]

Sorry to be a bit morbid, but the day GG was sacked holds different memories for me.

I heard he was sacked and was totally shocked and stunned, as he was really the only manager I knew being just 19 and a match goer for only 5 or 6 years up to that point - but then I went into work at my part time job, to be told that two of the people I worked with had been killed in a car crash the night before - such tragic news totally took mind my off the football bombshell I was still digesting.

Sorry to hear that, mate. It's real tragedy like that that makes you realise how unimportant football really is, even though there are times it can feel like it's ruining your life or that a cup win is the greatest thing in the world!

My feelings on GG are complicated (do I sound like a chick there...? ).

I loved the man. He was Arsenal through and through. He brought the success back but maybe more importantly he brought the pride back. His time at the club coincided with most of my 20's so I was single and on the piss and going to games and I related to the players like Adams, Rocky, Merse, Smudge etc as they weren't the massively overpaid prima donnas that most modern players seem to be. Those old players always seemed to be lads that had hit it lucky in the game and knew they had. Purely subjective on my part but that's the impression I got.

When GG was done for the bung I was gutted. The fact every fucker in the game at that time was corrupt to some extent and that most managers were taking bungs left and right but ONLY the Arsenal manager was punished really fucked me off, but also fit in nicely with our "they all hate us, fuck them" ethos as fans.

Worse for me was him going to the scum, and winning a trophy with them. I still believe he only did it for the money, and to poke his nose at The Arsenal, the way a jilted lover will shark any bastard connected to the ex that hurt them. So I forgave him that.

As a manager he was our greatest until Wenger. I now would class Wenger as our greatest (2 doubles, the Invincibles, winning all that playing like Brazil 70, at a time when Manure and their money dominated the game far more than Liverpool did in GG's era) but I would never devalue what GG did and achieved. And whilst I view Wenger (well, 97-06 Wenger) as our greatest manager, I will always view GG as my favourite ever Arsenal manager.

[Clash]

Nice post DB10

Graham is my no.1 favourite (and I would say he was the best we've has post war) but I was actually relieved when he left because he had taken us as far as he could.

I never hated him and never will. The big difference with Graham and Wenger is I wanted Graham to go for just a few months before he actually went. With Wenger its been at least 6 years of wanting him out but I can still see him here in another 6 years. I regret to say that as a result of this I now detest the man.

Also, someone mentioned that Graham was the last manager to win us a European trophy. Its is one of only two the club has won and he was on the pitch as a player on the other occasion. George Graham is as big a club legend as there is surely?!

[SteveO 35]

Had such mixed emotions with George. Loved the guy because he was the first manager to deliver real success (consistent trophy challenges and the league title) in my lifetime and put the pride back into a club that was starting to drift into the 'also rans' category before he joined. He built the best defence I will ever witness (that any of us will ever witness) and put that "Arsenal feel" back into the club - backbone, guts, tradition etc. The way he blooded the young fellas and built a team mentality that they would die for each other made the whole thing special and his rule up to 1992 produced some of the best football I've seen Arsenal play (certainly the best to that point after some of the dismal shit at the end of 70s and throughout early to mid 80s)

However, I felt the last 2-3 years of his era produced some of the most boring, one dimensional football I've ever witnessed also and seeing the likes of Jensen, Morrow, Hillier, Selley, McGoldrick etc fill the midfield spots and rely on Wrighty to poach a goal, was leading us back to being a mid-table side once again. I felt the PL era overtook GG and he was happier building a back five from peanuts than he was competing with Man Ure for the likes of Keane etc as other teams started to spend big and he was forever saying the players "weren't available" (sounds familiar now !!)

Years on, we remember all the good stuff (and boy there was a lot to be thankful for) but personally I think he would have struggled to make us competitive in the league again doing it his way. One thing he did ensure was that we could still defend for our lives in a big game - the Parma win in Copenhagen in '94 being the ultimate "they shall not pass" lesson in team defending

[officepest]

No point in re-wording what DB10, clash & SteveO have posted.

Great manager and great memories tarnished somewhat by the arse-end of his reign and by his taking the Leeds and scum jobs.

I wouldn't swap the feeling after we won the CWC for anything.

[TeeCee]

Georges early/mid years were fabulous and gave us success I didn't think I would ever see at Arsenal! However, when he was sacked I celebrated BIG time! The guy should have been sacked for performance related issues, it shouldn't have got to the 'bung'. The last year or so under George was dire beyond belief, I hated how we played, 5 centre backs on the field at one time, Selly, Mcgoldrick, Hillier......jesus we were absolute dross in some areas back then. Rumours of no support from the board aside, George lost it completely and could have relegated Arsenal if allowed to continue. He also pretty much destroyed the youth/reserve team setup we had and it was in tatters when he left. Much like Wonga, he was awesome at one time and stayed on way too long past his sell by date. Wonga has gone exactly the same way, which proves one thing.....the board at Arsenal are piss poor and have been for some time, and have no idea about running a successful football club (on the pitch).

[goonersid]

Also my favorite Arsenal manager, but if it hadn't been for the "bung" I feel results would have forced him out, we were in decline and he had become obsessed by defensive tactics.
I personally breathed a sigh of relief when he went.