Goonerholics Forever

On Wednesday evening the Arsenal play SK Slavia Prague for the sixth time in the club’s history. So far Arsenal remain unbeaten against the Czechs, having won three and drawn two of their five previous encounters.

The first meeting took place in our second season at the Emirates, on 23rd October 2007 in the Champions League, and resulted in a mighty 7-0 win. Cesc Fabregas, Alexander Hleb and Theo Walcott scored two each in that win with The Greatest Striker That Ever Lived rounding off the seven. I was there for that memorable evening of Wengerball at its finest. A brilliant performance.

The return leg, a mere two weeks later, produced something of a turnaround and a 0-0 draw in the Czech Republic. Anyone travelling to this week’s fixture will find themselves now heading for “Czechia”. In case you share my confusion, the new moniker is the country’s short geographic name (adopted apparently as long ago as 2016!) while The Czech Republic remains its full formal name. Why have I bothered to go into such detail about the country’s name? Only because while looking up the explanation, I was very surprised to find a similar example much closer to home. France, apparently, is only the short geographic name for that country’s full formal name which remains The French Republic. I have never heard anyone use it outside of a history lesson, far too many years ago. Every day remains, for me at least, a school day.

Our other games against Slavia have proved somewhat all or nothing – a 1-1 draw and a 4-0 win in the Europa League in April 2021, and a 3-0 away win in the Champions League in November last year.

The Opposition 
To give them their proper name, Sportovni Klub Slavia Praha – bless you! – was founded in November 1892 by medical students in Vinohrady, Prague, as a literary and cycling club. It lasted only three years and was succeeded by a new club in 1895. The new iteration was initially focused on cycling, and expanded to include football in 1896. On 25th March of that year, Slavia won their first match against AC Prague 5-0. Four days later they played against Sparta Prague in a 0-0 draw and the country’s main rivalry, which continues to this day, had begun.

In 1905, the Scottish manager and former Celtic player, Johnny Madden brought new tactics and views on football to the club. He managed to set up an early golden age for the club that lasted 25 years. They won their first league title in 1913 and then mirrored Arsenal’s own decade of dominance in the 1930s. In the 1934 World Cup the Czechoslovak team included eight Slavia players. Madden retired from both Slavia and professional football at the age of 66, though he remained in Prague for the rest of his life.

In the 1940s Slavia enjoyed a second period of domination led by Josef Bican from Admira Vienna and produced titles in 1940, 1941, 1942 and 1943 while many Czech footballers were away at war, and then again in 1946/47. The 1950s and 1960s brought a decline in their fortunes. They were relegated twice in the early 1960s but returned to the top flight in 1965.
Since the foundation of the Czech league in 1993 they have won nine league titles – and a host of domestic cups. They mirrored another Arsenal achievement in their 2020/21 title winning season by going undefeated and setting a Czech record for the longest top-flight unbeaten league run of 54 games.

In Europe they have a good record in the Europa League with quarter and semi final appearances in 1996, 2019 and 2021. Their Champions League qualifications came in 2007/8, 2019, 2025 and obviously this season too. They finished last season’s campaign in 34th place.

If you are an expert on European football you may recognise the name of the Slavia manager, Jindrich Trpisovsky, who has been in post since 2017. I didn’t. I also didn’t recognise the name of a single one of their squad and will risk your disappointment by not attempting to go into any detail about them. In a search for famous names amongst their former players I found Vladimir Šmicer, Karel Poborský, Patrik Berger, Vladimir Coufal and Tomáš Souček. Sorry, but that was it. 

They currently lead the Czech First League by 7 points from Mladá and Sigma after 13 games – for context Sparta Prague are a point further behind in fourth place, but we really should be quite confident of beating them – whoever and however they play.

The Arsenal
Although this is a Champions League game, the level of opposition should allow for some significant rotation. The game at Anfield will have taken a lot out of the players and another physical challenge awaits in less than three days when Hull City visit the Emirates. And, after all, those rotated in to my suggested XI include two Spanish World Cup winners, four England internationals and a Brazilian international and an Ecuadorian international. Sunday’s starters can switch to being finishers. 

I don’t think Mikel Arteta will start Tzolis again, so soon after an albeit impressive return from injury, and Madueke has little option but to continue at the moment after a much improved appearance against Liverpool. Konsa and Gabriel seem certain to continue their partnership, with Mosquera to come on if we are comfortable. Hinkapié is a more natural fit with Eze on the left for me, as he is a bit more stable in position while Eze tends to drift inside. There has been mention of a slight muscle injury for Eze but he was fit enough for the bench at Anfield and is expected to be available.

The player I really don’t know what to do with is Viktor Gyökeres. He should be able to bang a few in against last season’s 34th placed team but he even looked lost against Fleetwood Town last week. He came on at Anfield to relieve Kai Havertz but made bad decisions and repeatedly lost the ball. For that reason I’ve left him out and picked Mikel Merino up front as he is technically far superior and has a great scoring record both for us and for Spain. 

All the squad players need to play if they are to find and maintain form. The eleven I’ve chosen would, I think, still be the envy of most Premier League sides, and that is without even considering William Saliba and Bukayo Saka.

And so, I’d start with:

Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hinkapié; Zubimendi, MLS, Guimarães; Madueke, Merino, Eze.

In Other News 
Apparently there will not be any pre-match photographs taken at the Fortuna Arena as the club photographer was badly injured at the weekend. He was taking a group photo at a wedding reception when a huge block of cheddar fell on him. The people in the photo had even tried to warn him.

And, a violinist in the Prague Philharmonic noticed that he couldn’t keep his violin in tune so he asked the conductor of the orchestra if he could help. “Take it to Opporknockety,” said the conductor. “He is a genuine violin expert.” The violinist packed his things and made the trek to the village where the expert lived. Sure enough, Opporknockety fixed the problem and the violin sounded great. A few years later, the violinist noticed that his instrument was once again failing to stay in tune. The violinist said to his conductor, “I guess I’ll have to take it back to Opporknockety.” “No, you can’t,” said the conductor, “Opporknockety only tunes once.

And Finally
Clock End Rider and son, 21CG are travelling to Prague for this one. Safe journeys to them. Enjoy the game wherever you’re watching.

Kick off is 20.00 UK time. TV coverage on TNT Sports.

Come on you Reds! 

November opens with one of our most difficult away trips; a trip that has always been a test of our mettle. 

Since our very first visit in the Second Division in January 1884, as ‘The Woolwich Arsenal’, a 2-0 defeat, we have played at Anfield 111 times, winning 27, drawing 25 and losing 59. It took six visits to win our first point, a 2-2 draw in League Division 1 on 27 December 1909, and a further 5 visits to get our first win, 3-2 on 1 September 1919. 

The Arsenal’s last Premier League victory at Anfield was in September 2012 when goals by Podolski and Cazorla secured a second consecutive victory for a team featuring Mikel Arteta in midfield. Our last five visits have seen a relative improvement in our fortunes at this venue with four draws and a solitary undeserved 1-0 defeat, last season, due to a spectacular Szobozlai free kick. However, in the Premier League era (when socca began, of course) our record at Anfield is disappointing with 5 wins, 12 draws and 19 defeats.

Liverpool were rather a basket case last season and have been described as being ‘in a transitional period’ this season. Unfortunately, over the last couple of weeks, it does look as if Iraola’s methods may be beginning to bear fruit at Liverpool. The ‘dippers had a slow start to the season with draws against Newcastle, Forest and Fulham and unconvincing away wins against Ipswich and Bournemouth before their tame defeat to Shitteh* (albeit handicapped by a harsh red card), since when they have beaten Brentford and Brighton while winning all three of their Champions League games. While none of these wins were comfortable, there is no doubt that Liverpool look a better team than they did last season, with Wirtz and Isak developing an understanding since the Interlull and the Swede scoring six goals in seven Premier League matches. Meanwhile, Jacquet and Araujo appear to have added security at the back. They now sit in fourth place in the league on 15 points with 11 goals scored and 8 conceded; for context Arsenal are 2nd on 21 points with 13 scored and 5 conceded.

Liverpool prepared for this match by resting key players in their Carabao Cup tie with Chelsea while the Londoners played a full strength side whom the Scousers more than matched despite their absentees. Alisson, Jacquet, MacAllister, Wirtz, Barcola and Isak started on the bench while Koumas and van Dijk were rested after 59 and 72 minutes respectively. Wirz and Barcola joined the fray on the hour mark and Isak and MacAllister after 80 minutes but couldn’t prevent the stalemate and penalties. Gomez, Gravenberch and Gakpo played the full match. In contrast to our dispiriting shoot-out failure against Fleetwood the evening before, Liverpool survived a couple of Chav misses to win the tie. Their key players effectively had a low stress warm-up for our visit and are undoubtedly looking forward to it with little trepidation about our blunt forward line. On Friday, Iraola suggested that Munoz and Szobozlai could also be available to face us.

So what about the Arsenal? The outing against Fleetwood Town didn’t exactly prove ideal preparation for a visit to Anfield. In theory, we were able to rest our first-choice goalkeeper, back four, midfield and wingers and give our two underperforming ‘strikers’ an opportunity to rediscover their goalscoring reflexes while giving a few underused legs a run out under match conditions. “The best laid plans o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley!” as Rabbie said or, rather less elegantly, if you prefer mid-20th century American vernacular, “Shit happens!” I will not revisit that debacle as ClockEndRider has more than adequately covered it.

Our squad is already looking slightly ragged despite having been widely hailed as the squad most replete with talent in the UK, only a few weeks ago. Of course, we will be without long term absentees Saliba (back), and Saka (thigh) with possible return dates quoted on premierinjuries.com as 21/11/26 and 2/12/26 respectively. Those are clearly rough estimates rather than precise targets. In his press conference, Arteta reported that Saka has made good progress and could be available to play before the international break. He also stated that Tzolis could be available for this match.

At the time of writing, Rice (thigh), Calafiori (other!) and Madueke (ankle/foot) were listed as ‘late fitness test’ with the first two quoted as having a 75% chance of playing on Sunday and the Madueke with a 50% chance. In his press conference, Arteta observed that Rice and Calafiori trained on Friday and are likely to be ready but Madueke must be re-assessed after training on Saturday.

Of course, we must also add Max Dowman to the absentee list because of the red card for what was, in context, a pretty mild reaction (IMHO) to assault by northern louts particularly to a potentially leg-breaking challenge. The failure of Arsenal’s appeal against the three match ban for ‘violent behaviour’ was to be expected from the powers that be, given the usual response we get from English football authorities. Arseblog nicely highlights the crass stupidity of a system of punishment that gives Max the same duration of suspension that Ryan Shawcross received for his deliberately. violent GBH on Aaron Ramsey.

Arsenal’s goalkeeper and centre backs for this game (indeed, atm for any game!) are clearly a no-brainer. Hopefully all our fitness testees recover fully and make the cut. I think White and, if fit, Calafiori will be our starting full backs but Timber and Hincapié do offer able alternatives though both looked extremely rusty against Fleetwood. Indeed, the latter was SO erratic that Charles Watts suggested that MLS should play at left back in this game if Calafiori isn’t fit enough to start.

If Rice is fit, the second biggest decision for Mikel Arteta is whom to play alongside him and Ødegaard in midfield – I would choose MLS over Guimarães for off-the-ball security (This is Anfield – as the sign says). However, I would replace Rice with Guimarães if the Anglo-Irishman is not fit enough to start and replace him after 45-60 minutes if necessary. Zubimendi will be standing by to replace any of the starting midfielders incapable of going the distance.

Arteta’s biggest decision is who to play up front. Hopefully, Madueke will be fit enough to start but, if not, I would start Havertz on the right of the front three with either Merino or Gyökeres in the centre. Havertz’s recent poor finishing has, for many Gooners, eclipsed his work rate and his ability to get on the end of moves and, if he is not needed to fill a gap on the right, I would definitely start him in the centre over Gyökeres, as I think would Arteta. The Swede’s persistent failure to hold up the ball and his inability to get on the end of crosses reliably, renders him, for me, third choice at ‘centre forward’ behind Havertz and Merino. Unless Tzolis has fully recovered, Eze will surely start on the left and he really must now grab this opportunity to claim that position as his own. Where better to build on his achievements last season against the Spudz than Anfield?

Hence, I expect the following starting XI:

Raya

White Konsa Gabriel Calafiori

Ødegaard MLS Rice

Madueke Havertz Eze

Liverpool’s attack looks threatening on paper but their scoring record this season suggests that, as a team, they are no better at putting the ball in the net than us and their victories this season have really not been as convincing as the score-lines would suggest. Although our attack has frustrated us regularly for months with ponderous build-up play and clunky finishing, we have scored more goals than Liverpool this season. Further, our defence, whilst not looking as secure as last season’s, has been the most miserly in the league to date, despite the leakage of three goals at Brighton. It does seem unlikely that this will be a high scoring match. 

The Holic Pound? The weight of history in this fixture inclines me to predict a low/no scoring draw. Indeed, that is what last season’s Anfield fixture was heading towards until Szobozlai scored his ‘worldy’ from a free-kick, so late in the game that we had no time to salvage a point.

Bet365 offers the draw at 5/2 and Paddy Power offers it at a slightly more parsimonious 23/10. The latter offers exact score odds of 11/1 for 0-0, 5/1 for 1-1 and 10/1 for 2-2. Those odds rather confirm my pre-match instinct. However, if you are of a less pessimistic disposition than I am, you can splash out on 0-1 or 1-2 to the good guys, both offered at 15/2, or, if you are even more optimistic (aka slightly bonkers), you can have 0-2 at 11/1, 1-3 at 14/1 or 0-3 at 20/1.

Enjoy the game, Holics, however and wherever you view it.

Summon the spirit of ’89, fellas!

COYG !

And so to Highbury for our Fourth Round Carabao Cup tie.

No, dear reader, we are not time-travelling, but voyaging to the Fylde, specifically, the northwestern corner of that west Lancashire coastal plain. There, wedged between the Irish Sea and the River Wyre, lies the early Victorian port and seaside resort of Fleetwood, founded by Sir Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood, landowner, baronet, MP and translator of Victor Hugo. 

Barely a mile from the town’s semi-circular North Euston Hotel, which Sir Peter built in 1840-41 to serve rail passengers between London and Scotland who had to switch from train to boat at Fleetwood to complete their journey, as early engines were thought incapable of traversing the Lake District’s fells — Queen Victoria was one such traveller in 1847 — lies Highbury Stadium, home to our opponents on Tuesday evening, League Two’s Fleetwood Town, the Cods.

And, yes, they also play in red and white.

Out of the mud

Highbury Stadium opened in 1939, long after advances in Victorian railway engineering had reduced Sir Peter to penury. It took its name from Highbury Avenue, which ran alongside Memorial Park, where the ground was laid out. 

A novel camber, like that of a crown bowls green, was built from 25,000 pieces of turf to avoid the notorious waterlogging of the club’s old seafront pitch on the site of a former barracks square and swimming pool behind the North Euston Hotel. One local councillor described it as ankle-deep in mud (the pitch, not the hotel). A former player, England full-back Herbert Jones, called it the worst he had played on. Given the general state of pitches in the 1930s, it must have been atrocious.

Highbury Stadium was also a municipal economic development scheme. In addition to providing local youngsters with opportunities to play the game, the town’s corporation wanted to keep their fathers spending their money locally on Saturday afternoons and evenings, rather than in nearby Blackpool and Preston, both of which offered the lure of First Division football. 

The corporation also hoped that the ground would attract First Division clubs for seaside training, putting money in local hotels and attracting more holidaymakers. One model could have been Herbert Chapman taking his Arsenal teams to train at Brighton’s old Goldstone Ground in Hove, with the town using the visits to promote tourism.

The ground cost the corporation £4,000 to lay out, equivalent to £340.000 in today’s money. However, it balked at paying for stands and dressing rooms, saying local supporters should stump up some money, too. In May 1939, the club voted to become a private company with capital of £2,000 to fund the building work. 

However, the 24,000 inhabitants of Fleetwood subscribed only half the hoped-for capital. In July, the corporation provided a further £1,000 towards grandstands and cut the rent by more than half, as part of a £90,000 five-year town improvement plan that World War would soon render moot.

Small-town football club finances were as brutal then as now. To pay its annual rent and rates to its corporation landlord and cover its other costs of playing in the Lancashire Combination, the club would need a match-day gate of £46 at its new home; in its final season at North Euston, it averaged £22 10s (£22.50 for younger ‘holics who may need to google the pre-1950 usage of LSD) and recorded an annual loss of £96.

Thus, it may not surprise you that the club is now in its fourth incarnation since its founding in 1908, with the previous three folding due to financial difficulties. Its amateur predecessor had disbanded in 1899. History is prologue.

Matt Lawlor

Fleetwood’s head coach is Matt Lawlor, who was born five miles south in Poulton-Le-Fylde, as was The Police’s guitarist Andy Summers. 

Now 38, Lawlor has been coaching since he was 26, combining training disadvantaged kids in Manchester with a playing career in non-league football. In 2019, at 32, he hung up his boots and joined Fleetwood as a youth coach. 

He has since held several roles with the club and its Irish sister club, Waterford, including spells as caretaker manager at both. He was appointed Fleetwood’s caretaker head coach for the third time in January, following Pete Wild’s sacking, and was confirmed in the role in March. He is said to be being tactically astute and a strong motivator. He comes across as likeable and grounded. A future at a higher level seems likely.

With early-season defensive resilience deserting them, Fleetwood sit 18th in League Two with 14 points from 13 games after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Exeter City. The trapdoor to non-league football lies just two points below.

The opposition

The Cods’ squad mixes journeymen old pros with flotsam and jetsam from the academies of bigger clubs — Zech Medley, formerly of this parish, was one such before moving to York City in the summer — and young loanees who still cling to the dream. Its average age is 24. Spoiler alert for BtM: there are two full internationals.

Lawlor favours setting up in a 3-1-4-2, although that will likely look like a 5-4-1 for most of Tuesday’s tie. 

Jay Lynch, a 33-year-old Mancunian who came through Bolton’s ranks, is first-choice glove-butler. Lawlor says he hates soft defending and there will be no mullarkey in front of Lynch. Centre-back Toby Mullarkey is on loan at Carlisle United.

The back three will likely comprise Shaun Rooney, a 30-year-old Scot who has won domestic cups with St Johnstone and is in his second spell at Fleetwood after being released by St Mirren in 2024; Rhys Bennett, a 22-year-old who made his loan from Man U’s U-21s a permanent move in January; and Finley Potter, also 22, who joined Fleetwood in 2024 from Sheffield Utd’s U-21s after a year on loan at Barnet. Potter has three England U-18 caps.

The trio have yet to concede a goal in three Carabao Cup ties (v Chesterfield, Shrewsbury and Sheffield United).

Jake Batty, a 21-year-old Scouser who came through Blackburn’s Academy and has three England U-17 caps, will likely play left wingback. His regular counterpart on the right, Lewis McCann, is suspended, creating an opportunity for one of two home-grown youngsters, 20-year-old Crispin McLean and 19-year-old Raff Cirino, Blackburn-born and a two-cap full international for Montserrat.

Another Sheffield Utd youth product, 25-year-old Harrison Neal, is usually the single pivot in Lawlor’s 3-1-4-2, but he will likely be paired with Ireland U-21 international Adam Murphy, on loan from Bristol City. The midfield will be completed by Mark Helm, a 25-year-old who came through two academies, at Man U and then Burnley. There will be no virtue in Fleetwood’s midfield; Matty Virtue moved to Swindon Town in the Summer.

Up front, Ronan Coughlan, a 30-year-old Irishman who had previously played his senior football in the Republic, will likely lead the line. He is the club’s leading goal scorer this season with five. 

Completing the starting XI will most likely be Ched Evans, the 37-year-old club captain with 13 Wales caps, although he has not played international football since a conviction for rape in 2012 that was expunged after he was found not guilty at a retrial in 2016. He was an unused Manchester City sub when we lost 3-0 at the Etihad in 2008.

If Lawlor wants younger legs, he could start Will Davies, a 27-year-old Ipswichian who joined last year from Sutton and is the team’s token Southerner. If he decides to bolster his midfield, the nod could go to Josh Robertson, a promising midfielder on loan from Brighton who captained the Seagulls’ U-21s to the Premier League 2 title last season.

For the bench, Lawlor also has recent England U-18 forward Aaron Loupalo-Bi, on loan from Fulham; Josh Thomas, a former Wales U-21 striker returning from injury; and Danny Andrews, a 35-year-old defender now in his third spell at Fleetwood, his 13th club after 10 free transfers and five loans. Such is life in the lower leagues.

The Arsenal

Naming our starting XI is a mug’s game. This mug’s guess:

Arrizabalaga
Timber, Salmon, Mosquera, Hincapié
Guimaraēs, Zubimendi
Dowman, Merino, Eze
Gyökeres

We should beat a team 85 places below us in the league pyramid, regardless of the side Arteta selects. Conditions will be very windy and possibly wet; Highbury will be full to its 5,327 capacity for the first time in over a decade; Lawlor will have his Cods pieces up for it (Matron!); and cup upsets happen. Yet the gulf in quality should see us through to the last eight by a margin of three or four goals.

Enjoy the game, ‘holics, near and far.