And so to the Stadium of Stone, to welcome the Boehly boys early doors Sunday.
With no wins and only two goals in our last three league matches, it is difficult to recall when we scored freely in the league. Thus, this preview’s sojourn on memory lane takes us to March 8, 1958. Some at this esteemed establishment would still have been in short trousers; many would not have been even a twinkle in their father’s eye. However, on that day, we played what was likely our madcapest (is that even a word?) home game against the mob from the Bus Stop.
It was what the tabloids like to call a nine-goal thriller at Highbury. Jimmy Bloomfield put us 1-0 up, then an 18-year-old Jimmy Greaves struck for the visitors, followed by the equally youthful Micky Block. David Herd equalised, but Greavsie put Chelsea ahead again. Then boom! Goals from Herd, Danny Clapton and Herd again to complete his hat-trick gave us a 5-3 lead before Ron Tindall pulled one back in the 78th minute.
Hanging on for a 5-4 win, Stan Charlton, one of our right-backs you may never have heard of despite his four seasons at the club, sliced an attempted clearance. The ball shot goalwards, but Jack Kelsey (our greatest keeper? Discuss) pulled off what The People’s man on the terraces, James Samuel, called ‘a save in a million’ to preserve the victory. There was still time for Tindall to hit the bar before the final whistle.
Our defenders had not covered themselves in glory all afternoon:
Atrocious covering from the backs Stan Charlton and unsteady Len Wills, plus an unwieldy display by centre-half Joe Fotheringham, let in the ever-dangerous Jimmy Greaves for smash-and-grab goals in the 12th and 48th minutes.
Samuel ended his report with the curious sentence: So the Bonanza was over, and out came the aspirins.
A couple of historical footnotes on the participants that day: Jimmy Greaves and Micky Block both also played in the Chelsea U-18 team that lost the FA Youth Cup final that season, with Wolves turning around a 5-1 first-leg deficit to win 7-6. Almost Spurzy.
David Herd is one of a handful of players to have played in a league match with his father. In 1951, he made his senior debut in the same Stockport County XI in which Alec Herd was seeing out his career. Herd Snr had won the old Division One and the FA Cup with Manchester City and had been a wartime Scottish international.
Two years later, another future Arsenal legend would join that select group: George Eastham. He made his debut for Ards in Northern Ireland, where his father, George Snr, was player-manager.
There is only one other known UK example: Ian and Gary Bowyer at Hereford United in 1989-90. However, Alexei Eremenko, a Russian midfielder who played in Finland, turned out with one of his sons at HJK Helsinki and then with another at FF Jaro.
The opposition
On much the same principle that an infinite number of monkeys given a sufficient number of typewriters (mechanical writing machines, for younger ‘holics) would eventually reproduce the works of Shakespeare, it was inevitable that Boehly’s hoovering up of players on an industrial scale would eventually yield a combination of eleven bodies that would comprise a decent team.
Enzo Maresca arrived from Leicester City last July to take over that Herceulan lottery picking exercise from Graham Potter. He has, however stutteringly, got Chelsea into the top four.
His team employs a 4-2-3-1 positional system quite conventionally: 3-2-4-1 when in possession and, after losing the ball, a high press and then falling back into a 4-4-2 low block. His team plays out from the back, inverts a full-back to provide the extra man in midfield, allowing five to attack, with wingers hugging the touchlines, the 10s working the half-spaces, and the nine aiming to break the lines. Chelsea likes to counter fast; only Liverpool has had more shots on the break this season.
If Maresca has a magic sauce, it is the combination of centre-back Wesley Fofana and defensive midfielder Roméo Lavia. Together, they provided the physical defensive dominance that lets the rest of the expensively assembled high-tekkers scurry up the pitch and be the PL’s second-highest goalscorers.
Chelsea has lost only once when the pair has played this season, their opener against Man City. Maresca’s misfortune is that he has only had both simultaneously for seven matches. Lavia has had three spells out with a hamstring injury, and Fofana injured his hamstring in December. Since then, Chelsea has failed to win over half of its games and has only beaten two sides outside the bottom six.
Unfortunately, both will be available on Sunday for the first time since early December. Fofana played 73 minutes last weekend in the 1-0 win against Leicester, his first game back. Lavia was on the bench but stayed there. Both sat out the mid-week game against Copenhagen.
Fofana’s return will relieve some pressure off Levi Colwill in the heart of the defence. The young England centre-back’s form and scope to carry the ball forward deserted him during Fofana and Lavia’s absence. Tosin Adarabioyo will likely find himself on the bench with Trevoh Chalobah, who returned from loan at Crystal Palace in January.
The cloak of hair beneath which lurks Marc Cucurella should start at left-back but continue his recent role as the inverting full-back alongside either Lavia or Moisés Caicedo. Reece James, another who has missed games because of a hamstring injury, may start at right back. He missed the Leicester game because of illness but came off the bench against Copenhagen. The one-cap France international Malo Gusto would come in otherwise, assuming he passes a late fitness test.
Filip Jørgensen or the putative first-choice keeper, Robert Sánchez, will start in goal. The uncertainty explains why acquiring a fresh glove butler is a summer priority for Maresca.
Up front, Cole Palmer, who is going through a barren spell but is still their leading goal scorer with 14 goals and a club-high six assists, will be in his familiar role as one of the 10s. Argentina international Enzo Fernández will be the other, but deeper, one. However, Maresco has had to juggle the rest of his attack following thigh injuries to Nicholas Jackson and Noni Madueke. Both will be off games until after the international break. Their absence costs Chelsea the speed it relies on for fast breaks.
Two potential replacements, 19-year-old Spaniard Marc Guiu and 22-year-old David Fofana, are also gone in the fetlock. Pedro Neto, a right winger, has been playing as the nine, with Christopher Nkunku, a centre-forward, on the left wing and Jordon Sancho, a left winger on loan from the Red Mancs, playing on the right. Camden-born winger Tyrique George, another 19-year-old, has been getting a few minutes. It’s all a bit makeshift. But needs do as needs must, as we know only too well.
Meanwhile, Mykhaylo Mudryk is still provisionally suspended after failing a urine drug test. A bullet dodged all-round there.
The Arsenal
With the perfunctory dispatch of PSV Eindhoven from the Champions League completed in midweek, the priority now is to stop the league season from getting away. We still need 24 points from our last 10 games to guarantee a top-four finish (beating the Chavs would make it 19 from nine). Every place we finish higher up the table is worth an extra £3.1 million in merit prize money that can be kicked into the summer transfers pot.
Arteta’s selection turns on whether Ben White and Gabriel Martinelli are ready to start a league game. As we don’t play again until April Fool’s Day and Benny Blanco has had no Tuchel tap-up, my guess is that he will start. Jurien Timber would then switch to left back, and MLS can celebrate his England call-up from the bench. Parsing Arteta’s pre-match press conference — always a fool’s errand — I think Martinelli will come off the bench. Sterling is ineligible against his parent club (curb your enthusiasm, please).
Thus,
Raya
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber
Ødegaard, Partey, Rice
Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard
The gentlemen of the turf have us as firm favourites. However, on Sunday, Chelsea will be battling to hold onto a place in the top four and will be buoyed by their midweek success in Thursday night football. We shall need to keep the ball from Palmer and hope Cucurella’s hair wreaks some terrible vengeance on its owner. Yet, a 3-1 home win has a ring to it. I’ll take any result that brings us the bonanza of three points and leaves the aspirins for them.
Enjoy the game, ‘holics, far and near.
Cheers Ned, interesting historical research there.
Arsenal bonanza win with any scoreline will do indeed.
Fine historical research (or totally insane ability to recall historical minutia) on display in this preview by Ned – who else could possibly have an army of monks capable of displaying this level of knowledge?
Cheers, all and COYG
Cucurella’s hair must be destroyed, if not shorn.
Exemplary history-laden preview, Ned. Apologies for the confused authorship, gents. I published in a hurry as the draft came in just as I was leaving for London and I carelessly failed to alter the default authorship. I have taken the further liberty of amending the Drinks above.
I’ll give you 5-1 TTG was at that game. Nailed on Clive was.
Haha, all clear now, bath! I was being reminded of some monks when I was reading the preview earlier, now I know why!
Terrific preview Ned. Great research . I must fail my friend C100. My support for Arsenal began a few months later ( I was only seven )but it was a game I later discussed with older supporters . On my mother’s side ( she was born in Battersea ) there was a swathe of Chelsea fans . Chelsea were a bogey side at Highbury for many years
My one saving grace in all this was that David Herd scored the first goal I ever saw Arsenal score . He was a very good and prolific striker .
I didn’t realise Lavia was so close to a return . I surmised he might be out for the season. All my Chelsea mates are on the fence about Maresca and most tell me ( they may be lying ) that we will win easily . I doubt this because we will struggle to score . I think Martinelli may start on the left but I believe Ned has the defence spot on .
I think it may be an edgy 2-1 to the Arsenal with Declan scoring for the third successive game
Regarding monkeys and typewriters, it’s not clear to me what a sufficient number of typewriters would be for an infinite number of monkeys. Wouldn’t it be an infinite number of typewriters? For any one monkey, the likelihood of their typing the word “bananas” in their lifetime (without breaks from typing) is estimated to be only 5%. I’m also curious as to how many monks (not monkeys) there are?
The usual excellent stroll down memory lane, Ned.
I assume Sterling will be in the squad tomorrow. Would it be possible to tie him to his peg in the Chavs changing room and leave him there ?
And does anyone have a copy of Places to Go / Things to See that they could post / link to for Potsticker ? The poor chap clearly isn’t getting out enough 😉
Apparently the most any monkey has succeeded in almost replicating so far is three of his works – A Winter’s Tail, King Kong Lear, and The Merry Wives of Windsor Safari Park.
Trev, loan rules in the PL prevent Sterling to be in the squad.
I know exceptions to the rules are often being made for the Arsenal, but not this time I think.
However, technically, your question regarding his role may still find a positive answer, I don’t see any argument against it.
Thanks Ned, a great preview as always. Ah Mudryk, i remember the
wailing and gnashing of teeth when we missed out. We have Boehly’s
ego to thank for that one.
I like the 3-1 score too though I’d rather 3-0.
But given the amount of forwards on the
two sides injury lists I suspect 1-0 to The Arsenal
is probably a reasonable bet.
Thanks Ned for another top preview
David Herd was a favourite of my dad’s although Ronnie Rooke was mentioned a bit more often.
Anyway, 3-1, 3-0, 1-0 are all good as any win will do at this stage.
UTA
Absolutely superb preview, Ned. One of my earliest memories of Arsenal v Chelsea is from a Boxing Day game at THOF in the 70’s, when I witnessed one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen at a football match. This was Highbury boy Micky Droy, 6 foot 4, 16 stone of lummox, attempting a back pass to his keeper (Bonetti, probably), and then watching aghast as the ball sailed, from the half way line, straight out of play about 40 yards back into the North Bank. My dad and his mates collapsed in paroxysms of laughter. The entire ground fell about. It rather summed Chelsea of the 70’s up. Happy days. Simpler times…..
I’m rather nervous about this one. I honestly can’t see where our goals will come from. Also, on a scale of 1 to Gary Neville, I absolutely detest Cucurella, whose real surname, changed by deed-poll, is actually Cucaracha. Little known fact. Anyone with that much hair has to be, at best, suspect. I’m not bitter.
Anyway, I hope Lonestar Gooner and family have a great day at TNHOF. I fear the family may, at the game, learn some demotic Anglo-Saxon phrases to take back home to Texas tomorrow. Every days a school day….
Let there be bonanza. Let there not be aspirins.
Thanks Ned for a terrific fact filled preview.
As a much younger person David Herd was the first major upset I endured when the club sold him to Manure – we lost our star goal scorer! Unfortunately the selling off of our prized assets to competition became a regular feature down the years.
Today’s match is between 2 clubs searching for some consistent form – we could certainly do with a win to maintain the gap for next season’s Champion League places ( and higher prize money for finishing second in the EPL won’t go amiss ). The team mostly picks itself
but I would like to see Martinelli given a run out at CF – he has the pace to cause some chaos and get in good positions, just needs to finish more reliably and not a Darwin Nunez replica!
It may be a low scoring match and I’ll happily take a 1-0 win to the good guys. Hoping visiting Lonestar Gooner and family from Texas has a great winningvisit to the HoF.
COYRRR
CER thanks for reminding me of Micky Droy. He really was utter dross.
Thanks for the kind words, all. I got the two uncertain starters the wrong way round. No Palmer for the visitors, and Lavia is again on the bench.
Raya
Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly,
Partey, Odegaard, Rice,
Martinelli, Merino, Trossard.
Bench: Neto, Tierney, White, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Calafiori, Butler-Oyedeji, Nwaneri
Get in! The corner routine is working again
Can’t believe Fofana isn’t booked
Blimey Raya, gave me a heart attack.
Let Chelsea into the game for some reason. Be a nonsense if
they equalize,
Not sure if MA will do anything at half time, we played really well for 35 minutes.
They are fouling Ode all the time and are generally kicky, divey cheats. I hope
Gabriel makes Fernández regret shouting abuse at him.
Anyway, 1-0 to The Arsenal 😄
Léo gets away with a blatant dive.
Fofana is finally booked, should have been off by now.
Time for Nwaneri I think
Need to be careful with three on yellow cards now
Wasting a huge amount of time on a free kick and corner.
Here comes Nwaneri for Gabi M, a straight swap I expect
Tough watch but still 1-0.
Playing it long a lot, I’d prefer to keep the ball a bit more.
KT3 on for Ode so I suppose we want to play out the last
four minutes
One-Nil it is and another winner for Merino, good our corner routine
service has resumed. Three points and on we go.
Chavski were very poor I thought, nothing in attack and Palmer’s
gone cold ( or reverted to normal?).
Neither nine goals nor a thriller, but three points and on we go.
Yeah no bonanza Ned, but no need for aspirin either.
Always nice to beat Chavsea as well.
The GHF Predictathon award for correctly predicting the outcome of the League Cup goes to:
No one.
Instead, the Close-But-No-Cigar award goes to:
21st Century Gooner,
Boff,
CER,
Pangloss,
Sancho Panza,
Scruz, and
Trev.
All seven had plumped for the Mugsmashers.
Almost congratulations, all round
Blimey! I’ve almost won almost something in this year’s Predictathon.
Form is temporary, class is permanent, Pangloss.
@32 Funny and appropriate, Ned.
I read and enjoyed your preview just before setting out on my train less (Spring sunshine on the line at Cheshunt) journey to the stadium. Your comments on Fofana and Lavia had me troubled and so I was relieved when Lavia was announced as a sub not a starter. He came on as a sub very late in the game, far too late to do his thing with Fofana, from which I can only assume that Maresca didn’t read your piece. A good thing!
That was a horrible watch – principally due to the Chavs’ inferiority complex leading them to resort to an extended pub brawl after we had run rings round them for the first half hour – but it was a job well done and a vital 6 pointer against a top-four contestant. To be fair, they started their GBH leavened with constant whining pretty much from the first whistle but it did look like they didn’t come to play football, rather to leave marks on our players. The game proved to be a defensive masterclass and a useful dress rehearsal for Madrid’s visit. Thank goodness for Merino’s fine goal as no-one else seemed to have put their shooting boots on. For all our fine play in the build up our blunt finishing reminded us of our absent forwards.
It was great to meet up with the legend that is Lonestar Gooner (originator of BMBD and MCMBD) and his family, albeit briefly, after the game. Safe journey home, folks and haste ye back! We’ll organise a proper GHF welcome next time.
Pedro is in excellent form and is worth a read:
https://www.le-grove.co.uk/p/arsenal-create-distance-in-2nd-could
The latest update to the GHF Predictathon has been posted. Some small moves bring big changes. You know where to find it…
BtM@33: Fofana and Lavia were on the pitch together for only four minutes, so I will claim the point that Chelsea mostly loses when they are not both playing holds. If Maresca, or any other PL manager, doesn’t avail himself of the wit and wisdom of the members of this fine establishment, the loss is theirs. 🙂
Oops!
Club apologises after minute’s silence held for ex-player who is still alive
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/clydxyv94k8o
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, gramma keeps fighting off dem injuns….
>>>>>>>