And so to the Stadium of Stone on Sunday afternoon, with a horse to get back on after two unfestive league defeats over the holidays. Yet, a new year, a different competition and, hopefully, a fresh start.
History leans to our side. Sunday’s 3rd round match will be our 14th FA Cup tie against Liverpool. We have won eight of the previous 13 and lost five. Two ties went to replays. One, in 1923, was lost. The other, in 1980, was eventually won on the fourth attempt.
Thirteen Titanic contests over more than a century, from which a selection of three:
1913
The first time the two clubs met in the FA Cup was in the Second Round on a very wet February 1, 1913. Liverpool won 4-1. They had much the better of the first half and went into the break 2-0 ahead. We rallied after the half-time oranges. A header by Charlie Lewis, a stalwart of the attack on either side of the Great War, from a cross by outside right George Burrell cut the arrears, but the equaliser would not come. Liverpool scored twice more before heading North to dry out.
The ‘wretched weather’ might explain why the crowd at the Manor Ground totalled only 8,653, the smallest at the 16 cup ties played that day. The Bradford Telegraph attributed it to a poor Woolwich Arsenal team that would finish the season bottom of the old First Division, having won only three of their 38 games (and you think two losses in a row is a disaster!). ‘The Arsenal are doomed,’ it wrote. ‘The last days of first-class football at Plumstead are near at hand.’ Indeed, they were. The final game at the Manor Ground, a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough, was played barely two months later, on April 26, 1913. Our next game would be at Highbury.
The relatively remote location of Plumstead did not help the club’s parlous financial state that prompted the move. The gate receipts for the Liverpool tie were £343. By comparison, eventual Cup winners Aston Villa, who drew the biggest crowd of the day, 50,000, to watch West Ham be beaten 5-0, took in £1,863. The Burnley Gazette marvelled at the ‘phenomenal’ attendances at the cup ties overall with ‘no fewer than seven games bringing in a revenue of four figures’. Adjusting for inflation, watching the game would cost just over £5 in today’s money. That wouldn’t get you a pint now.
1950
The first Arsenal-Liverpool FA Cup game likely to have impinged on the memories of at least the senior members of this fine establishment is the 1950 Final at Wembley, even if they heard tell of it while being bounced on their father’s knees. Remarkably, we had reached Wembley without playing a tie outside London.
Another Lewis, Reg, would be our goalscorer that day. His temporally symmetrical brace from inside left — a one-on-one with Liverpool keeper Cyril Sidlow after 18 minutes and a low drive from the edge of the penalty area 18 minutes after half-time — gave us a 2-0 win and the Cup for the third time, the penultimate trophy of the extended Chapman era.
Again, it was a wet day with a sodden pitch, but unlike in 1913, we were the better team in what one reporter called a grim and thrilling game, but another said never rose to any great heights. We came with a plan, which was to cut off supply to the Scousers’ dangerous wingers, Billy Liddell and Jimmy Payne, leaving equally dangerous centre forward Albert Stubbins to founder in the middle against the ‘Iron Curtain’ of our defence lowered by centre-half Leslie Compton. By the by, Leslie’s brother and TTG mother’s heart throb, Denis, the Brylcreem boy himself, was on our left wing (in the footballing, not the ideological sense).
Neither side played in their traditional red shirts to avoid the colour clash. Liverpool wore white, with black shorts. We wore gold shirts and white shorts. For those who keep sartorial notes, the King wore a black bowler hat and a brown overcoat for his penultimate Wembley final.
Pictures from British Pathé News: https://cutt.ly/wwF0igQh
1980
For a third game to recall, I was tempted by the Double-winning 1971 final, with its iconic image of Charlie George lying flat on his back in the Wembley sunshine, arms outstretched, after beating Ray Clemence from distance for the winning goal. TTG and C100 did such a wonderful job with their commemorative piece (click on the tab above) that I will instead choose the epic three-replay semi-final of 1980, the longest tie in FA Cup history, seven hours of tense, enthralling football.
The first game at Hillsborough ended scoreless. Four days later, the replay at Villa Park was a 1-1 draw after extra time, as was the second replay at the same ground, with Kenny Daglish grabbing a last-gasp equaliser for the Scousers. Between the two replays, we had drawn 1-1 at Anfield in the league and at Highbury against West Brom and beaten Juventus in Turin in the semi-final of the Cup Winners Cup—nothing new in fixture congestion.
On May Day, the teams regrouped on a blustery Thursday evening at Highfield Road, Coventry, for the unprecedented third replay. Brian Talbot settled it after 12 minutes. Frank Stapleton picked a stumbling Ray Kennedy’s pocket on the wing and crossed for Talbot to head crisply past Clemence. The Scousers battled on. We were backs against the wall for the entirety of the second half, ‘defending desperately’, according to Frank McGhee in the Daily Mirror, or ‘composed and resolute’ if you prefer the Observer’s description. Liverpool squandered chance after chance but could have played all night without getting the ball in the net. It was one of those nights when David O’Leary and Big Willie Young stood tall, and Pat Jennings had glue on his gloves.
We went onto our third consecutive final — a record — but lost to West Ham, the last time a team from outside the top flight won the Cup. Four days later, in Brussels, the Cup Winners Cup slipped from our grasp in a penalty shootout with Valencia after the game had finished 0-0. But in Coventry, we had at least prevented the Scousers from doing the double.
2024
It is not inconceivable that Sunday’s victor will similarly prove to have denied the other a double. Equally, the FA Cup may be both managers’ best hope of any silverware this season. Thus, the match will likely be as intense as the league game before Christmas.
That may be what is needed to stir us from the torpor that pervaded the team against Fulham. I would contend that peak Arsenal beats peak Liverpool this season. Yet, it is hard not to argue that, of late, the Scousers are the team nearer peak form.
Availabilities may be the difference. Zinchenko’s calf (late fitness test) and Tomiyasu’s absence at the Asian Cup leave us light at left-back, so it is helpful that Salah will be away at AFCON alongside our own Mohamed Elneny. Klopp will also be without Wataru Endo (Asian Cup) and Dominik Szoboszlai (hamstring). Your match day trivia: the digraph ‘sz’ is the thirty-second letter of the Hungarian alphabet, and not to be confused with ‘zs’, the forty-fourth and last letter. Khmer has the longest alphabet, with 74 letters, since you ask.
Will Arteta rotate to freshen things up? I doubt it.
For us:
Raya
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko/Kiwior
Ødegaard, Rice, Havertz
Saka, Jesús, Martinelli
Neither manager will give an inch. Liverpool will press and counterattack, as they do in away games; we shall attempt to turn a majority of possession into goals. Unless torpidity overtakes us again, I can only see this being won by the odd goal, 2-1 perhaps, and possibly after a replay that neither manager will want.
We shall be in all-white. It will be the third time we have worn our ‘No More Red’ strip in support of the work undertaken by the club to help keep young Londoners safe from knife crime and youth violence.
Enjoy the game, ‘holics, near and far.
Thanks Ned, an enjoyable preview and it’s always nice to remember Willie Young’s finest hour 😃
I’m expecting a couple of changes for this one, although I don’t know who – I hope to see ESR.
An excellent trio of post-war historical perspectives upon which to build optimism after that dispiriting display at the Cottage. I too expect the team you selected as there is no doubt that Mikel and Clop both want to win this game, not only to progress towards a fine piece of silverware but also for the psychological message a victory today will send.
I’m about to saddle up for another not so long drive to visit TNHOF on the first ticket ballot success of the season.
COYG
Cheers Ned. Excellent historical preview. Let’s hope the team is worthy of it later.
Safe drive, enjoy the match, baff (and other attending holics)!
Thanks for the preview.
For those not old enough to remember Willie Young you have missed out on another cult hero.
Back to Timo Werner from the last shouts, I would have thought he would be exactly the type of loan striker we should be after in a January window when options are limited and money is tight.
Very happy to be proved wrong if he does join Spurs.
Thanks Ned for your customary interesting preview,
I am anxious about this one as I rate Klopp as a manager (we should have got him after Arsene) and the Scousers are clearly in a more consistent run of form.
Despite that, I will always back us to win and I think a 2-0 statement is required.
I see Arteta is asking for more crowd involvement – I would have thought a serious rocket up the collective team’s arse may be more appropriate at this time.
In a similar, if not the same, vein …
UTA.
Great and nostalgic preview Ned. My Mum and Dad always coloured up when the 1950 Final game was mentioned . Doing some maths I think it might have been the day of my conception !
I was at the first one of the 1980 games at Hillsborough but succumbed to a severe chest infection thereafter . We were fighting on two fronts with the Cup Winners Cup in our
sights at that time and we ended up at Wembley ( and Brussels) knackered .
Today Jesus is injured (again ) and Zinchenko is unlikely to be risked . I hope we start Havertz upfront and bring in ESR . I have no idea what the score will be but I hope we have regrouped after Fulham. COYG!
Jordan Henderson on loan anyone ?
Excellent entertaining preview. Difficult to imagine any other starting eleven – but as always, I’d play ESR for Havertz. Currently on the M74 southbound. Slow traffic and it looks like I’ll be listening to the first half rather than watching. Absolutely agree that peak Arsenal trumps peak Scousers but we haven’t really seen peak Arsenal this season (although we’ve come close on a couple of occasions). Enjoy the game.
Ned, many thanks for what looks like a great preview. I’m going to have to read it at half time as extra duties are keeping me a bit busy at present.
I’ll happily go with a 2-1 win – don’t want to lose but don’t want to overload our depleted squad either. Jesus now out with a “non serious” knee injury.
Cheers Ned
On the train heading up now. I hope that ESR gets a game. I hope that Ramsdale starts and I hope we send the dippers packing.
Not looking forward to the journey home with the impending tube strike. It could be interesting.
I would take Henderson on loan TTG.
Well Havertz starts up front and Rammy is in goal so some of what was wanted but ESR is still on the bench. Nelson starting too.
Thanks for the kind words, all. Arteta has rotated, so what do I know? Klopp, though, has gone with his strongest available side.
Safe and successful travel to all those going.
thanks, ned. i always learn something new from your posts. imagine the hubbub if we drew and drew and drew with them in this day and age!
smith rowe on the bench, havertz in the middle with ramsdale between the sticks. sad, surprising, and i hope ramsdale has one of the pat jennings days mentioned above.
COYG!
Great pass from Aaron, nearly 1-0.
Many thanks Ned for a great, informative preview.
Let’s see what Havertz can do leading the line. It’s a knockout match so just go for it – no faffing around.
COYRRR
Playing very well, typical cup tie, very fast.
Hit the bar, unlucky
Settled down a bit and they have come more into the game.
Another quite presentable chance after some excellent pressing
More excellent pressing then McAllister body checks Saka. I’d have given us two penalties already 🙂
They hit the bar this time. It would have been a complete injustice if they’d scored.
McAllister is very fouly, the little wanker
Anyone else reminded of the 2015 Final v Aston Villa? Right down to the commentary team endlessly twining on about missed opportunities for Arsenal?
Slightly concerned by the late chance, but generally still pretty confident. It won’t be 4-0, mind…
COYG
Half time, gave them a chasing for large parts of that half.
Crowd sound very noisy on the box,
Two gentlemen from Colarado in the seats next to us. Paid £200 each for their tickets.
We’re playing well. Oh for some clinical finishing. Trent almost made us pay.
Really good first half performance but the lack of a proper striker shows. I’d have Trussardi or Nketiah on for Havertz. But then again, I think I’d have John Hawley on for Havertz.
Saliba is brilliant.
We make and miss a couple more good chances.
Gabi M coming for Nelson who had a good first half I thought.
Saliba is absurdly booked now.
Good save Aaron, then they hit the bar.
Then they get shit lucky
Bugger.
Oh well, precedent isn’t always followed.
So bloody frustrating being an Arsenal fan.
If you put the ball in the net, you win games. Who knew?
As the second half went on, it increasingly felt like we could play all evening and wouldn’t put the ball in the net, whereas, eventually, they would take one of their chances.
Bugger.
We failed to take our chances. We should have been out of sight long before they scored. Liverpool show what can happen when you use free kicks and corners to put quality crosses into good areas. We are really poor at doing that, and there can’t be any excuses for such poor dead ball delivery.
Generally though, we played well. We were up for the game and were better than them.
Personally, I really love the FA Cup, and losing at home to this lot to go out is no fun. But I’ll be able to compartmentalise this one all the more easily if we beat them in the league in a few weeks. Our injuries mean that we are already pretty stretched, so perhaps this is not the year for a deep run in the cup.
No doubt the ‘Season over/Arteta out’ nonsense is already lighting up social media. However, this wasn’t a team that was outplayed or outcoached today, or which had run out of ideas; it was one that couldn’t score when it should have done so at least three times when it was on top.
Lots of good pressing, some great chances created, Ramsdale looked the part in goal (more so than Raya ever has) and Nelson’s contribution suggested that he should feature more prominently/regularly. Unfortunate first goal to lose but the game should have been over by then.
What was the point of bringing ESR on so late? I’m conditioning myself to losing him.
Hopefully Mikel can find a way of encouraging the opposition to give Havertz just a little more time to sort out the direction in which his feet and head are pointing.
Onward.
Ned, a better narrative is ‘opportunity for total focus on the two competitions that really matter’ – would be very nice to see the CL trophy sitting in our trophy room. Hopefully the session in Dubai will focus on how to make leather hit plastic netting.
A perfect day with no tubes after the match was compounded by our being lucky enough to walk up Holloway Road with the celebrating Liverpool fans . To be fair I think the result surprised them . But they were without their two best players and still got through .
I’ve felt we needed a top striker for some weeks but it’s hard to see how we can obtain one . Havertz certainly isn’t a striker . I’m not certain quite what he is . We could have used that £60 million more productively . He’s certainly better than John Hawley CER..but then John is 70 !
Two notes for Arteta – Ramsdale performed much better than Raya has been and he is going to drive ESR out of the club. Introducing him when he did today was pointless . Martin Odegaard has the best work ethic of anyone I can remember at Arsenal since Geordie Armstrong
Arteta out!!!!!
Of course I jest, thanks for the fine preview nbn it was far more satisfying than the end result.
Havertz was winning me over until today as his slow lumbering procrastination does not suit our fast lethal passing moves, I thought he was so lethargic on the ball even I could have taken one of his chances today.
Not happy with the result and we obviously don’t need a striker but at least we can focus on not winning the league or champions league whilst simultaneously breaking all records for attempts without scoring.
Mikel still denying the need for a striker while begging the fans to keep supporting the team, if only it were that easy to turn off loving Arsenal, but I really could go off Mikel especially if he goes straight back to Raya, I thought everything about Aaron was so much better than Raya today and he got unlucky with both goals, btw for a big boy Kivior can’t jump very high.
Every striker has dry spells, but have we ever had a run like this where all our goalscorers are having dry spells simultaneously?
BtM@35: I had a premonition at the start of the season that we will go farther in the CL than in any other competition. The team has the feeling of one built for European competition.
I agree that Ramsdale looked the part today; he didn’t have much chance with either of the goals and pulled off two very good saves. It was heartwarming to hear the cheer for his name when the team was announced.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>