As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
...we won an enthralling cup final 3-2, our first trophy in eight years, a period in which we relied on young players and nearly got relegated. The following season we blew the title with 4 games to go, and lost 2 cup finals within a week. We played over 70 games that season. The 79/80 season was very nearly the greatest season in the clubs history but we made the fatal mistake of not building on the foundation of blossoming winning team. The manager Terry Neill eventually left 3 years later through "mutual consent".
The euphoria that surrounds this cup win reminds me of 1979, and it appears that we are not going to learn from our own history. With Wenger poised to sign a new 3 year contract, I've got a horrible feeling the same will happen again. We do have an excellent squad of players but the squad needs bolstering and the manager has shown time and time again a reluctance to do so...this time next year we could be celebrating a triple or drowning our sorrows whilst the club "celebrate" 4th position. We will know by the time we play the community shield how our season will pan out. Enjoy this cup win, as it could be another 8 years before our next one if there is not a change at the top...
Clearly remember the day after the 1979 Final we were linked with Leeds United midfielder Tony Currie ..some sort of signal of intent to push on from our Cup Final win... I think our only signing that Summer was John Hollins..He actually served Arsenal well in his time there.
The 1979 -80 season was a marathon for us, 70 games in which Brian Talbot played everyone of them.
The biggest disappointment for me as a gooner for 36 years is that weve never really been able to build a dynasty,ok I know class is permanent and all that agreed but like said above weve never used our success as a platform to allow us to dominate English football in a way like UTD have done.i know GG was desperate to do just this but again lessons weren't learnt and his own stubbornness and short sightedness cost us on the pitch.AKB'S will argue that Arsene has done this but we all know 4th place isn't a trophy and unless we can win the league again very soon and the CL then his tenure for me will be as 'just another Arsenal manager' as lets face it we are Arsenal and we always win trophies anyway and expect too.This fa cup success again wont be built upon although for me its a case of build on what,we are so far from league or CL success anyway that its a mountain to climb
markyp wrote:The biggest disappointment for me as a gooner for 36 years is that weve never really been able to build a dynasty,ok I know class is permanent and all that agreed but like said above weve never used our success as a platform to allow us to dominate English football in a way like UTD have done.i know GG was desperate to do just this but again lessons weren't learnt and his own stubbornness and short sightedness cost us on the pitch.AKB'S will argue that Arsene has done this but we all know 4th place isn't a trophy and unless we can win the league again very soon and the CL then his tenure for me will be as 'just another Arsenal manager' as lets face it we are Arsenal and we always win trophies anyway and expect too.This fa cup success again wont be built upon although for me its a case of build on what,we are so far from league or CL success anyway that its a mountain to climb
thats why I still believe Herbert Chapman should always be considered our greatest ever manager - we dominated the 1930s like no other Arsenal team has come close to dominating since.
markyp wrote:The biggest disappointment for me as a gooner for 36 years is that weve never really been able to build a dynasty,ok I know class is permanent and all that agreed but like said above weve never used our success as a platform to allow us to dominate English football in a way like UTD have done.i know GG was desperate to do just this but again lessons weren't learnt and his own stubbornness and short sightedness cost us on the pitch.AKB'S will argue that Arsene has done this but we all know 4th place isn't a trophy and unless we can win the league again very soon and the CL then his tenure for me will be as 'just another Arsenal manager' as lets face it we are Arsenal and we always win trophies anyway and expect too.This fa cup success again wont be built upon although for me its a case of build on what,we are so far from league or CL success anyway that its a mountain to climb
That quote is spot on, crying shame, so many so nearlys over 50 decades. Could it be anything to do with being one of many clubs in London, as opposed to the at the time "seniour" club of two in Liverpool (Who dominated in the 70/80s ) or Manure till just now. Thats why the next season or two will be so interesting to watch the mancs will Manure succomb as THE team in Manchester
You could argue that the 1930s we had definately built a dynasty, not many from that era remembers it now.
I know to us there is only ONE team in London, but sucess hoovers talent in and it isnt just about the one manager, Looserpool had 3 in a row that produced better and better results
Could it be that life was so simple then ?
Or has time re-written every line?
And if we had the chance to do it all again, tell me, would we? Could we?
in hindsight we might have gone on to build a dynasty if Wenger had left along with Vieira in 2005 and a new manager had come in and decided not to break up the invincibles...
markyp wrote:The biggest disappointment for me as a gooner for 36 years is that weve never really been able to build a dynasty,ok I know class is permanent and all that agreed but like said above weve never used our success as a platform to allow us to dominate English football in a way like UTD have done.i know GG was desperate to do just this but again lessons weren't learnt and his own stubbornness and short sightedness cost us on the pitch.AKB'S will argue that Arsene has done this but we all know 4th place isn't a trophy and unless we can win the league again very soon and the CL then his tenure for me will be as 'just another Arsenal manager' as lets face it we are Arsenal and we always win trophies anyway and expect too.This fa cup success again wont be built upon although for me its a case of build on what,we are so far from league or CL success anyway that its a mountain to climb
thats why I still believe Herbert Chapman should always be considered our greatest ever manager - we dominated the 1930s like no other Arsenal team has come close to dominating since.
Chapman only won 1 FA Cup and 2 league titles, y'know. He joined in 1925 but won nothing until 1930. He did a lot to lay the groundwork for the success that followed sure, but other people at the club played key roles in that too. For example the famous WM formation that is often creditted to Herbert was Charlie Buchan's idea. I don't think it's right to imply we dominated the 1930's solely because of Herbert. He certainly played a big part in it though.
For me our greatest manager was Wenger 1997-2006. 3 PL, 4 FA cups, including two doubles and the Invincibles. And all the while playing the best football of any Ingerlish team ever and during a time when we actually could not compete with Manure on players' wages.
My most beloved manager is GG. Just a proper old skool Arsenal man that brought the pride back and whose tenure coincided with my youth and travelling to a lot of games and piss ups. Good days.
Gunner Rob wrote:in hindsight we might have gone on to build a dynasty if Wenger had left along with Vieira in 2005 and a new manager had come in and decided not to break up the invincibles...
I reckon the 2004 unbeaten season was a double-edged sword tbh. After that magical season Wenger believed he could do as he pleased and he would succeed. He broke up the Invincibles too quickly and began down the long dark road of The Project, replacing strong, fast, skillful, athletic players with frail, weak, tippy tappy passers. But the game didn't follow and our weak tippy tappy's got outmuscled all over the gaff.
I have fond memories of the 1979 Final.
I was in hospital all during the week leading up to the game having had my tonsils out. I was 11 years old and the childrens ward only had a black and white TV whereas our one at home was colour. I kicked up such a stink to my dad that the hospital agreed to let me out early provided that I did not get over excitied or shout too much.
I was back home before kick-off and needless to say totally forgot about having to be quiet. My dad, who was a lifelong Spuds fan, seriously regretted his efforts to get me home to watch the game.
I was liam Brady during our playground kickabouts after that game. What a legend he was
SPUDMASHER wrote:I have fond memories of the 1979 Final.
I was in hospital all during the week leading up to the game having had my tonsils out. I was 11 years old and the childrens ward only had a black and white TV whereas our one at home was colour. I kicked up such a stink to my dad that the hospital agreed to let me out early provided that I did not get over excitied or shout too much.
I was back home before kick-off and needless to say totally forgot about having to be quiet. My dad, who was a lifelong Spuds fan, seriously regretted his efforts to get me home to watch the game.
I was liam Brady during our playground kickabouts after that game. What a legend he was
Was a 12 year old in school in Australia in a class of 28 kids and a teacher that all supported Manure. After the weeks of shit in the build up, I loved going in on the Monday!
I'll never forget Sundo's face as he wheeled away celebrating the winner. Look at his lips - all he is screaming is "Fuuuuck!! Fuck yeah!! Fucking fuck!!!"
Can't believe I idolised Frank Stapleton back then. Utter cúnt-hog he turned out to be.
Think the thing with Chapman is that he had the structures in place so whatever he won as manager the 30s as a whole were his, only Liverpool with Shankley, Paisley etc has come near that..(in fairness they may have surpassed it) United will have to start fresh with Van Gaal .
An indication of Arsenal's failure to create a dynasty is that since the three in a row only once have Arsenal retained a trophy, that being the FA Cup in 2003.
We all know how players have said "Wenger is Arsenal" and he does the work of more than one man.
But I really do believe that the club will have looked at the Moyes debacle at Man Utd and made notes for how to bring in a new manager when Wenger leaves.
