after more than six weeks of preparation, a fourteen day count down, nearly three hours of interviews, and endless Transatlantic coordination GHF.com are pleased to release the first episode of two video conversations with Bob Wilson and Pat Rice about Arsenal’s 1970-71 Double year.
In this episode we have Peter LeBeau and Paul Brooker from GHF.com discussing with Bob and Pat the 1970-71 League campaign, and Arsenal winning the League for the first time since 1952-53.
As this commemoration is in support of the Willow Foundation, if you watch and enjoy the video (or even if you don’t!), donate whatever you can to Willow. Or, check out the GHF.com Auction for Double-related memorabilia, and bid on the lot(s) you’d most like to have! All proceeds from the auction go to the Willow Foundation.
Click on the image below (or on the Youtube link below that) to watch
“Episode One: We Won the League at White Hart Lane”
Or, watch here: “Episode One: We Won the League at White Hart Lane“ (on Youtube). This is especially helpful if you’re having any loading issues with the link to the one the site is serving above.
Let us know what you think in the “drinks” section below!
THE AUCTION: NOW ACCEPTING BIDS
We are also pleased to announce our auction of signed 1970-71 Double memorabilia is now open for bids! For full information, please visit The Double/Willow Auction tab above.
Just a taste…the lots offered are as follows:
Lot 1: A 1971 Cup Final replica shirt signed by Bob Wilson, Pat Rice, Frank McLintock, George Graham & Charlie George.
Lot 2: A 1971 Cup Final programme signed by Bob Wilson, Pat Rice, Frank McLintock, George Graham & Charlie George.
Lot 3: A second 1971 Cup Final programme signed by Bob Wilson, Pat Rice, Frank McLintock, George Graham & Charlie George.
Lot 4: Bob Wilson’s autobiography, ‘Behind the Network’ signed by Bob Wilson & Arsène Wenger.
All proceeds from the auction go to the Willow Foundation.
We have been working hard this past six weeks on a campaign in support of Bob Wilson’s Willow Foundation. All our coming efforts celebrating Arsenal’s Double year of 1970-71 you’ll see during the month of May are the results. We’ve added a donation tile at right, in hopes you’ll find something in your hearts (and wallets!) to share with the good folks at Willow. Let them know how much you enjoy(ed) our efforts. And bid in our Auction, starting Monday 3 May.
On the eve of the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest games in the history of the Arsenal Football Club, when a group of 11 men in red and white had to achieve victory or a 0-0 draw at the home of our local rivals to win the club’s first league title in 18 years, we have a strange build-up to a strange game. It’s been a long time since we have had a meaningless Premier League match. Almost invariably for over thirty years we’ve had something to fight for in the latter stages of the top division. In the best of years, it was the title, often it was to secure the best possible qualification position for the Champions League though latterly it was to secure any kind of European qualification. While the latter remains a mathematical possibility, there are so many teams between us in 11th place this morning and the lowest league position offering Europa League qualification that few believe it achievable.
Mid-table mediocrity was predicted for us in 2012 by American friends who knew Stan’s record stateside and so we have finally achieved his long-term business objective. Low risk self-sustaining investment without the expense of fighting for trophies (“If you want to win championship you wouldn’t get involved”) and safety from an unprecedented plunge into relegation – for this season anyway. It would be nice if the players chosen to start decided that a bottom half finish was an insult to the club and to their own professionalism and decided to play for the badge and their own self-esteem. Will it happen? Do they know what players wearing that shirt have achieved in the past? Do they care? Which Arsenal will turn up?
Arteta chose a starting eleven with an eye on next Thursday, our most important remaining match of this season, protecting key players whilst giving game time to several returning from illness and injury and others who have been underutilised recently. He made 8 changes from the Villareal game last week and 9 changes from the last league game against Everton:
Newcastle kicked off with a win today taking them within reach of PL safety and with the welcome return of Wilson and Saint-Maximin up front but Arsenal started on the front foot. Martinelli found Auba in front of goal in the 6-yard box only for him to be smothered by two defenders but we kept pressing. On 5 minutes Hector galloped onto a Luiz ball over the top of the opposition defence, took it to the bye-line and cut the ball back to Auba in the Toon box. Auba swung but missed. However, it squirmed to Elneny who was waiting on the edge of the box and he fired it into the bottom left hand corner for his first PL goal!
Finally, a good start!
Newcastle United 0-1 Arsenal, Elneny, 5 mins
With that goal, confidence suffused throughout the team in red. Ten minutes in and we were dominating the game with Newcastle confined to a solitary Saint-Maximin dribble and cross from our right which was well taken by Mat Ryan. We were finally looking good to watch. Martinelli jinked down the left and cut the ball back to Auba who flicked it past the near post.
After a quarter of an hour, Newcastle finally had a spell of pressure and Ritchie overlapped on the left and cut the ball back to Saint-Maximin on the edge of our box. He waltzed past two players and his deflected shot seemed to be looping over Ryan into our net. Ryan leapt brilliantly to touch the ball over the bar and subsequently dealt well with the resultant corner. On 19 minutes Xhaka was given a yellow card for a strong challenge on that very Toon player.
At the halfway point in the first half, Newcastle had raised their game to make it a more even contest and our period of domination seemed over. Nonetheless we were moving the ball around well in possession whilst Newcastle relied on swift breakouts through Almeiron long balls to their pacey frontmen.
A square ball from Ødegaard was well struck by Xhaka forcing the Toon keeper into a Hollywood save. Almeiron then headed a firm Elneny header off the line from the resultant corner. Martinelli then curved a shot past the far post. On 30 minutes, Almeiron caught Ceballos whose dying swan impression bought the Barcode a yellow card.
A nice run and cutback from Martinelli then found Ceballos in the box but the Real Madrid player couldn’t sort his feet out for a decent shot. We were again dominating the game with 10 minutes left in the first half, moving the ball through midfield sweetly and pulling the Toon defenders around. Luiz, Xhala and Ceballos were changing the point of the attack with some lovely long passes to feet. Martinelli in particular was probing the opposition defence and a Luiz header from a corner was cleared off the line. Even Willian was lively and made several mazy dribbles from his right-wing position to find more centrally placed players with accurate passes. Meanwhile in our short spells out of possession our defensive organisation was nicely stifling the Newcastle attack
However I began to feel that we might regret not consummating our advantage as the stats showed 12 attempts, 3 on target and 14 touches in the opposition box in the first 40 minutes. Almeiron avoided a second yellow for tripping Ødegard as he ran towards the D. Sadly the Norwegian’s free kick went straight into the wall.
A Newcastle corner in the final minute felt like the script of an oft seen horror movie but fortunately the header went over. Two minutes of added time saw a clutch of free kicks but no more goal mouth action.
HT: Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal
We had dominated almost all of the first half, moved the ball sweetly and crafted a few chances without absolutely peppering the Toon keeper but we deserved our half time lead. Yet after the performances we have seen this season, I had little confidence that the points were secure. Oh for that ’70-71 grit!
Newcastle, who have a record of scoring more goals in second halves, started this second half much sharper and with more pressing, forcing us to play long passes rather than playing our earlier silky midfield passing and movement. Five minutes in, after misjudging a through ball, Gabriel went down in our box with minimal contact from Wilson and was very lucky to get the foul. A minute later David Luiz went down with a pulled left hamstring, a sad end to an impressive return to action, to be replaced with Calum Chambers. The latter had to immediately hook clear a dangerous Ritchie ball into the box.
The game settled down to alternating midfield possession then a foot race between Chambers and Saint-Maximin ended with a poor pass under pressure by the latter with Wilson yelling for the ball in a central position. At the other end, Martinelli was proving our liveliest attacker linking well with our emerging left back, Xhaka. On 62 minutes, Fernandez was booked for a foul on the latter on the edge of their box. Ødegaard found Gabriel’s head with the free kick but his crouching header looped over.
A difficult curling cross from our right was well taken at full stretch by Ryan. On 65 minutes a lovely move led to a sweet cross from Martinelli which Auba met at the far post with an athletic leap to hook the ball into the net.
Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal Aubameyang, 66 minutes
Ryan showed safe hands and good anticipation to catch a deflected cross from his left. Then Bellerin broke into the Toon box on 70 minutes but his firm shot was deflected wide. A spell of Arsenal pressure followed the resultant corner but ended with a long range shot from Xhaka that went wide.
As the last quarter of an hour loomed we seemed to have the game well under control and were camped in the Newcastle half, passing the ball around with an accuracy that had seemed alien to this team earlier this season. On 77 minutes, Pépé replaced Aubameyang and took up position on the left with Martinelli moving to the centre. This seemed to waken Newcastle up and a strike on goal was blocked by Chambers only for Wilson to be flagged offside.
As we entered the last 10 minutes the commentator came out with a rare statement these days, “The Arsenal defence holding firm.” With 6 minutes left Partey replaced Ødegaard and Gayle replaced a Toon defender.
With just over two minutes left, Ryan again demonstrated safe hands by clutching a high cross from his right, under pressure from Wilson. We were again playing it nicely out from defence. As the 90 minutes approached, Schär then got a deserved red card for needlessly diving in and clattering Martinelli’s ankles from behind, halfway inside their half. Our lively Brazilian was limping badly as he got to his feet after treatment. We then played out the 5 added with a consummate display of possession football while the team in black and white ran around fruitlessly. Fortunately there wasn’t an olé to be heard!
FT: Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal
A well-deserved victory that is the fruit of a competent display in our 8th away win, double last season’s tally. There were lots of positives.
Ryan looks a safe pair of hands and worth signing permanently to compete with Leno for first-choice keeper. We saw glimpses of Hector at his best, both attacking and defending. Luiz was excellent both defensively and as quarter-back and would almost certainly have started on Thursday but for the hamstring injury. Gabriel had a largely competent performance defensively and made several incisive forward runs and passes. Xhaka was excellent at left back, coped well with both his early yellow and also with Saint-Maximin and found time to make several excellent attacking contributions. It’s the best I’ve seen the pairing of Ceballos and Elneny play, the former keeping the ball moving in midfield and the latter scoring a lovely goal and making himself available all over the pitch. Ødegaard had a much better game than against Villareal and looked lively. Willian had one of his best performances in red and white, was in constant motion and contributed well both with and without the ball. Martinelli was our liveliest attacker, full of energy, pressing, tracking back and a constant danger in possession. I hope he’s fit for Thursday! It was nice to see Aubameyang leave the pitch with a smile on his face after a well taken goal and a good 77 minutes to get back his sharpness.
On to Villareal.
Coming tomorrow to a blog near you (this one!)
And….. on to the Anniversary celebrations on Goonerholics Forever, starting tomorrow with a video conversation between Bob Wilson and Pat Rice about the ’70-71 league campaign culminating in that game at the Lane on 3 May 1971 and our auction of signed memorabilia (see The Double/Willow Auction tab at the top of the page for details).
Celebrate the Arsenall’s first double at Goonerholics Forever. Watch Bob and Pat’s videos, read the fan reminiscences, bid for memorabilia and most importantly, donate to the Willow Foundation to support their important work.
Bob leaps for victory on winning the league at White Hart Lane. Bob was ever present that season with 56 appearances and a stunning 26 clean sheets! Legend!
We have been working hard this past six weeks on a campaign in support of Bob Wilson’s Willow Foundation. All our coming efforts celebrating Arsenal’s Double year of 1970-71 you’ll see during the month of May are the results. We’ve added a donation tile at right, in hopes you’ll find something in your hearts (and wallets!) to share with the good folks at Willow. Let them know how much you enjoy(ed) our efforts. And watch for the auction, starting Monday 3 May.
Thank you!
The Team from Goonerholicsforever.com
Hello again everyone and welcome to the preview of the next step in our sadly faltering PL campaign. As the title of this piece suggests we are off to Newcastle this week. As I know many of you may not be familiar with the North I have added an image of the bustling town centre*. The last time the Gunners travelled north for a game between two Europa League ties we returned home with three points, three goals and a clean sheet against Sheffield United. A repeat against Newcastle United this Sunday would be very welcome as the mood among the Goonerscenti has been anxious at best recently. Leaving aside the distractions of the super league shenanigans – and I don’t think they are any excuse if you look at the recent results of the other clubs involved – the team have not performed well in our last three games and the fan base is becoming understandably impatient. I think a win at Newcastle would at least give the players a little more confidence, and failing that it would cheer me up!
It is, it must be said, an end of season trip we could probably do without as our final league position of also ran was settled some weeks back and a year (a week?) from now no one will remember this result. However, the situation is what it is and entirely of our own making so I would hope that whoever is selected will stand up to be counted. Speaking of which, I have seen it suggested that we should empty out the reserves cupboard for this one and keep anyone likely to start next week either on the bench or sat at home. Although that is not an entirely unreasonable suggestion I don’t think we will do that just now, firstly because Mikel doesn’t seem inclined and secondly it’s best to keep our noses clean on accusations of weakened sides in the current climate. Who then will play?
The Line Up
It has not been easy to successfully predict our starting XI over the last few months and this game is no exception with decisions to be made in almost every position. I will assume that Mat Ryan starting the other week was a one-off and expect Leno to be in goal. In defence we have the option, I believe, of whether to bring back KT and David Luiz. A risk too far in KT’s case as his probable deputy is Xhaka, whereas in Luiz’s case I don’t, in all honesty, see a lot of difference in quality between Rob, Gabriel, Mari and Luiz. I marginally prefer Luiz and would take the chance to reintroduce him for this game. It could be either Hector or Calum at right-back, depending on Calum’s fitness as he seems the current first choice. At left-back I would personally play Soares but as we haven’t seen him since the Slavia home debacle (was he really any worse than some of the others?), I am guessing he is not an option in Mikel’s mind which leaves us with Granit Xhaka – what is there to say that hasn’t been said? Moving on to central midfield, I expect to see either Elneny or Thomas starting with Dani, who for obvious reasons will not be playing next week. Further forward things will depend a lot on fitness levels, MA was pessimistic about Auba being ready to start and I don’t have any update as yet on Laca’s hammy. Given Auba is still not fully match fit should we really start Laca even if he is fit? Gabi should certainly be ready to go and Odegaard could probably use some match time but the situation with ESR and Saka is unclear. Willian and Nketiah await a chance as, slightly further away, does Balogun.
Having said all that, it is time to put forward a possible XI, although I will drink a decent bottle of Bordeaux during the game if this XI is correct**
Leno
Chambers, Luiz, Marí, Xhaka
Thomas, Dani
Saka, Odegaard, Gabi
Laca
As you will see and to answer my own question I would indeed start Laca.
The Opposition
The Toon, as they are called by the Newcastle United faithful, are safe for another season of mediocre under-achievement and all round meh-ness, thanks in no small way to Joe W. who has popped up with several vital goals for them over the last few weeks. In the interests of research I chatted with a couple of their supporters this week but I’m afraid it mostly descended into an argument about which club’s owner was hated the most. What I did manage to glean was that they have been playing “ok” and you’d have to say that is probably better than us over the last three games. It has also not gone unnoticed by said Northerners that we are exactly the type of mid-table side you want to play if you are trying to move away from the bottom three. They seemed pleased as well that Callum Wilson is set to start. Or at least he is according to the affably incompetent Steve Bruce. We have, I suppose, been warned though as I happily mentioned to them at the time I find it difficult to take their team seriously and expect they will go down next season once we don’t loan them any players to get them out of Durham.
In fact, we have a good recent record against Newcastle and have won the last five in the PL by an aggregate of 12-1, including a decent performance in a 3-0 win at our place in January, as well as dumping them out of the Cup in extra time the same month. Surely, if you’ve done something five times then you can do it six?
The Holic Pound
Newcastle have eked out some results over the last month or so and some caution may be called for in the circumstances. The bookies seem to think so and favour 1-1 as the most likely scoreline. I will not of course be recommending such a score and would prefer to wager on 3-1 to The Arsenal at 18-1. That would be a fair result in the circumstances though a better one would be no injuries ahead of the 2nd leg with Villareal next week.
I wish us all the best of the game and who knows it may turn out to be one of those entertaining end of season clashes where both teams attack recklessly and provide a thriller for the fans – we live in hope, COYGs!!
Noted Without Comment
The absurd and incompetent Mike Dean will referee the game.
* Actually, in the interests of honesty and credit where it’s due it’s Hartlepool and it’s a brilliantly evocative photo taken by John Bulmer in 1961.
** Actually I will drink it if it is wrong too. It’ll be all the more enjoyable if we play well and a consolation if we don’t.
Coming soon to a blog near you (this one!)
Celebrate the 1970-71 Double at Goonerholics Forever. Watch Bob & Pat in conversation, read fans’ reminiscences, bid for signed memorabilia and donate to the Willow Foundation via the tile in the right margin!
Pat Rice broke through, aged 21, in 1970-71, played over 500 games for the Arsenal and as player & coach, he won more trophies at the Arsenal than anyone else. 55 appearances in 1970-71.
We have been working hard this past six weeks on a campaign in support of Bob Wilson’s Willow Foundation. All our coming efforts celebrating Arsenal’s Double year of 1970-71 you’ll see during the month of May are the results. We’ve added a donation tile at right, in hopes you’ll find something in your hearts (and wallets!) to share with the good folks at Willow. Let them know how much you enjoy(ed) our efforts. And watch for the auction, starting Monday 3 May.
Thank you!
The Team from Goonerholicsforever.com
In the first of a two-legged Derby of Basque Managers, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta Amatriain aimed to prove his greater worth than Unai Emery Etxegoien, his predecessor at the club who later took over at Villarreal in July 2020. On his side Emery’s undoubted incentive was to show the Gunners they shouldn’t have let him go after his spell in North London ended in frustration. With the two sides in nearly the same predicament, needing to win the Europa League to qualify for European football next season, and both managers having demonstrated cautious tactical approaches in their respective tenures at Arsenal, the first leg was always likely to be a tense affair.
I got home with 30 minutes to spare, and checked my Spanish language TV channels to be sure I would be able to report on the game, and sure enough Unai Emery was giving his pre-match presser in Spanish, which he is certainly able to speak much more effectively than the English he used to use for the purpose of torturing Arsenal fans who couldn’t understand what he was trying to do or say. Surprisingly, Alexandre Lacazette was not on the Arsenal bench, and Eddie Nketiah was left on the bench in favor of Martin Ødegaard who was notionally our lone striker but he seldom filled that position, and our attacking formation was difficult to discern, not to say ineffective.
Arsenal XI
Leno
Chambers — Holding — Pablo Marí — Xhaka
Partey — Ceballos
Saka — Smith Rowe — Pépé
Ødegaard
Villarreal XI
Rulli
Foyth — Albiol — Torres — Pedraza
Chukwueze — Capoue — Parejo — Trigueros
Moreno — Alcácer
Villarreal came out in their bright yellow home kit, which contrasted nicely with the lush green turf but left Arsenal a bit less noticeable in their dark blue away kit. Both sides started conservatively but in the fifth minute as Villarreal attacked on the right, seemingly innnocuously, Granit Xhaka kept backtracking and gave the right winger (Chukwueze?) all the time in the world to center for Trigueros to score a piledriver from relatively short range. Why did Xhaka retreat so, and where was Trigueros’ marker, we all asked collectively. It looked like Thomas Partey was closer to the goal scorer than any other Arsenal player but I wouldn’t put the blame on him alone. Surely somebody had to put a foot in to prevent them from scoring such a simple and completely undefended goal.
Villarreal 1-0 Arsenal (Trigueros, 5 minutes)
In the 12th minute as Arsenal tried to regain their equanimity by stringing together a few passes, Partey broke up the team’s budding rhythm by sending a simple short pass straight out of touch. Arsenal were without a target or hold up man up front, and their attacks weren’t looking dangerous as Villarreal presented a well-disciplined and organized defensive front. Finally, in the 25th minute Arsenal managed an effort on goal but Bukayo Saka sent a curler high and wide from the corner of the Villarreal box. Three minutes later Partey sent a shot into row ZZ from a central area when he should have at least kept it low and on target. Straight away, Villarreal went downfield, won a corner on the left, sent in a good one, flicked it on where Albiol, the man Partey was supposed to be marking, scored at the far post.
Villarreal 2-0 Arsenal (Albiol, 29 minutes)
In the 33rd minute Moreno almost made it three with a left footed effort just wide of the near post from a dangerous central position. One minute later the referee awarded Pépé a penalty although it looked like he had handled seconds beforehand, and the foul looked like it took place just outside the area in any case. After viewing the replay the referee changed his initial decision citing the handball violation, and the score remained 2-0. The penalty would have been extremely harsh on Villarreal in any case. Saka won a free kick on the right but Arsenal squandered the opportunity by committing a foul on the free kick. A couple of minutes later Saka won another free kick and Ødegaard sent in an in-swinger that Holding headed wide. Leno came out to force a Villarreal attacker wide when he looked like possibly scoring another one for the home side.
Villarreal broke again, and Ceballos conceded a yellow card and central free kick which Leno saved comfortably. That yellow card would figure prominently later on. Partey sent another one straight out of play when trying to switch play in the 45th minute before the half came to an end. Arsenal weren’t looking very good but as a sage remarked at halftime, if the Gunners could score next it would be a completely different game. Nevertheless, Arsenal looked poor and uninspired. I had to nod my head in agreement with what CER said at halftime: “It would be interesting to know what Arteta sent them out to do. Because I see no signs of any plan frankly.“
Villarreal 2-0 Arsenal (halftime)
The second half resumed with Unai Emery making a cautious substitution, taking off one of his strikers, Alcácer, and replacing him with defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin, ex- of this parish. In the 48th minute Pépé’s near post chance was blocked and sent out for a corner that came to nought. Arsenal sent in a couple of crosses to Pépé in relatively promising positions but he wasn’t able to find support at the right moment. But things turned from bad to worse for the Gunners on 57 minutes when Dani Ceballos was sent off for a questionable second yellow after he tried unsuccessfully to recover an errant pass in attack. Leno saved a fierce shot that was headed for the bottom corner within a minute of the sending off but Arsenal won a corner and Holding shot wide with three Villarreal players in front of him. Arteta responded by sending on Martinelli in place of the anonymous Ødegaard.
After 66 minutes Leno tipped another fierce close-range shot over the bar when it looked destined to be the Spaniards’ third. Two minutes later Leno made another low save but this one was a bit easier despite the Villarreal player being well positioned. The question in my mind at this point (70 minutes) was, could Arsenal stay in the tie? But shortly thereafter, as Lady Luck would have it (replays showed minimal contact in my opinion) Saka won a penalty driving into the area on the right, and Pépé drove home the spot kick to the center of the goal, and against all odds Arsenal indeed were right back in the thick of things, but Could they stay there or turn it around still more advantageously?
Villarreal 2-1 Arsenal (Pépé, 73 minutes)
On 77 minutes ex-Spud Capoue ran into Saka in an extremely clumsy challenge, accruing his second yellow and forcing the referee to send him off thus rebalancing the sides at 10 players each. Capoue, the man who initiated the contact, had to be stretchered off but Saka was fine to continue. Villarreal tried to attack down the right, perhaps sensing a weakness in Granit Xhaka’s tiring legs but on more than one occasion in the last ten minutes our makeshift left-back came up with important defensive stops against tricky winger Chukwueze.
On 85 minutes Aubameyang replaced Saka, and promptly earned a yellow card for a defensive challenge shortly before five minutes of injury time were announced. With a minute left Thomas had his best moment of the game, splitting the Villarreal defence with a diagonal ball that sent Aubameyang in alone on the keeper but his shot was saved in a situation where the old Auba almost definitely would have scored.
Near the end of injury time Willian replaced Pépé, and Elneny replaced Smith Rowe, but the referee soon blew his final whistle and Arsenal were left to gasp for breath realizing that they had been very lucky not to lose the leg by a wider margin. Our prospects would look better if Arsenal had spent the season making the Emirates a fortress but they have done nothing of the sort. On the other hand I do not think Villarreal will be feeling overly confident having squandered the chance to give Arsenal a real hiding when the opportunity was there for them to take, so poor were the Gunners on the night. And therein lies the grain of optimism that Arsenal can chew on going into the second leg. At least the Gunners improved a bit in and held Villarreal scoreless in the second half. A second leg like the one we played against Slavia Prague wouldn’t go amiss, but are we capable, and can Mikel Arteta put one over on his Basque compatriot at just the right time?
Coming soon to a blog near you (this one!)
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Arsenal’s first Double at Goonerholics Forever. Watch the conversations, read the recollections, bid for signed memorabilia and donate to the Willow Foundation to support their work with young adults with life-threatening disease.
Bob McNab, Mr Reliable, was quick in the tackle, read the game superbly and was tactically shrewd. He constantly barked out orders to organise that superb defence and still found time to support the attack. 54 appearances in 1970-71.
As far as modes of transportation go submarines generate in me an unnamable hue of emotion, not the least because I never had really stepped into one, forget taking a tour into the depths of the majestic world of underwater mysteries. Growing up I was madly in love with the works of Jules Verne, and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea – with the enigmatic, anti-imperialist, vengeful yet generous Captain Nemo inspiring in any child the romantic dreams of adventure and justice, while raising awareness about the limits of both – planted a seed of fascination, excitement, wonder and also a little fear (think of the chapter when Nautilus was trapped under the Antarctic Ice) about the Nemo’s beloved submarine and hence all submarines.
However, I have never really wanted to live in any submarine, yellow or not, but equally can’t feel too excited about sinking one either. I am more in favor of gently but sternly returning the yellow submarine back to its dock (Base? Bunker? Choose your favorite submarine stowing destination), putting it firmly back in its place.
And we do indeed have a history of taking care of Villareal at the knock-out stages of European competitions. In those days when we always only used to be just in the top four league positions and just manage to get into the later rounds of Champions League, we had beaten them twice. In 2008-2009 season Champions League quarter-final we won at home 3-0 after drawing the first league away 1-1, the great Robert Pires playing in the wrong shirt for the full ninety minutes in that match at the Emirates.
Before that in our last European match at Highbury in April of 2006 Kolo Toure’s goal – Hleb with an assist and not a pre-assist, as he was often accused of (or credited with) – giving us a slender 1-0 advantage in the first leg of the 2005-2006 Champions League semi-final before the return match away at Villareal. The match was heading towards a nil-nil draw when Villareal striker Jose Mari — I believe/hope no relation to our stalwart defender Pablo, who I think grew up in the Valencia region supporting Villareal — fell theatrically to the ground hurt by the shirtsleeves of Clichy. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose etc., etc. … speaking of thespian forwards here, not Gaël’s shirtsleeves (I have no clue about the sartorial peculiarities of our once longstanding left back). Juan Riquelme was already celebrating the goal when his penalty-kick was saved by Lehmann in the 89th minute. And we were off to the final!
While this Arsenal side are nowhere near comparable to the great Arsenal teams of that era, the current version of the Yellow Submarine is comparatively closer to that Villareal team kept away by mad Jens’ outstretched hands. Villareal is currently occupying the 7th position in the La Liga table, with 49 points from 33 matches. In the intervening years they were relegated for one season, and since their return back to La Liga in 2013 their league positions have been 6,6,4,5,5,14,5. Even though their recent league form is less than mediocre, they do boast Mr. Europa League, one Unai Emery, as their manager. How much a nice man by all accounts our previous head coach might be, we can be guaranteed that proving a point against the club that did kind of fire him will give the ex-Arsenal head coach an extra incentive against his younger Basque counterpart. And given the current league form and position Europa remains the only freeway to find their way back to the Hollywood of European football next season. Just like us, you may want to add.
I haven’t watched even a single Villareal match this season so don’t have much tactical insights into our semifinal opponent. But reading this detailed enough analysis http://www.thehardtackle.com/round-up/2021/04/28/villarreal-vs-arsenal-preview-probable-lineups-prediction-tactics-team-news-key-stats/ I notice that Emery has kept his (in)famous “chameleon” approach to formations, but with Parejo, Chukuwuze, Moreno and Alcacer they have a potent enough attacking force capable of scoring different types of goals. Francis Coquelin had left neighboring Valencia to join Villareal this season, but it seems Etienne Capoue generally gets the nod from the manager ahead of him. Poor Francis, from playing with Santi Cazorla and winning FA Cups…
Santi “el mago” Cazorla is of course another connection between these two clubs, Santi having returned back to his old club after recovering from that hideous injury (or rather after recovering from the treatment of the original injury). Having left Villareal at the beginning of this season to join the Qatari league, he is still at the business of making assists, scoring goals, and providing joys to anyone watching him play. I don’t know about others, but I really hope that once he has ended his playing career, he will find his way back to the Arsenal, maybe to even start with as a valuable member in his good friend Mikel’s coaching team.
Mikel seems to have plenty of things to smile about before this match. It seems all of the injured and ill are back and in contention before the match, some of them even noticeably earlier than the expected returned date! I really don’t remember this happening ever in our history. Unless Mikel is bluffing to confuse his opponent … or is he?
This makes predicting the starting line-up more difficult than it generally is. For example, if Kieran Tierney is really fully fit and there is absolutely no gamble involved then I see no reason for not playing him, but on the other hand why not reintroduce him back gently by giving him thirty odd minutes from the bench in the weekend before using him in the decider at home? But then again will we not be better off playing him only in these two Europa matches given their relative greater importance compared to the league matches for this season? But then … etc.
I am assuming David Luiz, Lacazette and Tierney are all just fit enough to be on the bench for this match but not quite ready to be started. However captain Auba has completely recovered from malaria and there is no reason to need to reintroduce him gently. In that case the line-up I would like to see would be:
Leno
Chambers – Holding – Marí – Saka
Partey – Xhaka
Pépé – Ødegaard – ESR
Aubameyang
Saka can fly up the left flank and combine well with ESR with Xhaka dropping deeper to cover for him, as we had done so effectively a few times last season. Defense by all reports is not Villareal’s forte and keeping pressure on them, with the abilities of our highly talented forward line, I think we can score an early goal or two and that will then set us up well for the match.
However, I think Mikel will stick to his recent tactics of using Ceballos as a left sided midfielder, and Dani’s familiarity with the Spanish football also may count in his favor. I think Mikel will start with:
Leno
Chambers – Holding – Marí – Xhaka
Partey – Ceballos
Saka – Ødegaard – ESR
Aubameyang
My hope is that realizing very well that the league no longer provides even the safety net of Europa (though it is still mathematically possible it is highly unlikely) for the next season Mikel and the team will ensure a disciplined yet innovative display and complete focus at every area of the pitch. We won’t manage a clean sheet, but we should be able to score at least a couple of goals past them. Maybe even three, optimist that I am! So, a 3-1 away victory for the mighty Gunners then, with Captain Auba scoring a double and Lacazette coming on as a sub to replace his friend scoring a late third. Big match players stepping up in the season defining games. Enjoy the match wherever you might be watching from.
Come on Arsenal!
And with only 4 more days to go…
One day, our shirt may be sponsored by Spotify though Stan may disagree. However, if you want to see an iffy spot kick, check this one out. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ’70-71 Double with Goonerholics Forever.
An ice cool Peter Storey casually strokes that critical last minute penalty kick just a few inches past Gordon Banks to equalise and force a semi-final replay. 54 apps, 6 goals in 1970-71
