Lessons of history can be interpreted in a number of ways

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
25 Feb	3:00 PM	LC	Chelsea (N)	1	2	Lost

The lessons of history can be interpreted in a number of ways, and each generation is free to make its own mistakes.

The first Double will always be my favourite Arsenal team. They were not the most attractive, because a bunch of hard-nosed professionals, playing in new positions, coupled with a group of youngsters, suddenly promoted from the youth team out of necessity, just clicked.

While even the fans at that time were pleasantly surprised with the progress, we mostly expected that the team would continue to develop, sign a few more "stars" and maybe become a really good team over the next 2-3 years. Not then. Not in 1971 when Leeds were so far ahead of the rest, and when there were so many stronger teams than us.

Why, in 1969-70, we had been lower mid-table. Mediocre was probably an overstatement. Yes we won a bauble: the 1970 version of the UEFA Cup, but we had done it the Arsenal (hard) way. Coming back from 0-3 in the 79 minute of the first leg.

With hindsight the strength of purpose, the teamwork and the will to win that brought that success came out of great hardship. There was the punch-up with Lazio in a Rome street, when the boys waded in to protect one of their own, and then there was the great disappointments of Wembley 1968 and 1969.

In 1968, as now, we had taken on the then mightiest club in the land (Leeds United), and although not the bookies favourites, we were the popular favourites (outside Leeds).

On that occasion we did not play free-flowing football, we got bogged down on a Wembley pitch churned up by the Horse of the Year Show the previous weekend. Leeds themselves could not get their passing game going, but the pitch did not affect their niggledly game.

As a sponsor of Leeds United during their Ridsdale years, I have spent happy drink-fuelled evenings with Reaney, Clarke, Jones and Hunter.

They are proud of their heritage, but candid about their tactics, which included personal attacks, sly fouls and carefully planned "bullying" of the opposition.

They invented "sledging", and took the practice to new levels as an art form. Hunter is particular proud of his playing of one Arsenal teenager, whom he reduced to a surly, sulky bystander, riddled with nerves, by the time they had left the tunnel.

In 1968, as Terry Cooper slammed in a loose ball from 18 yards, through a 19-man phalanx of players, Arsenal attempted to summon a cavalry charge.

The response was derailed by the Leeds players ability to break play up, divert attention, and slow down the momentum of the opposition. Strangle it at birth.

There was at least one mass brawl, and countless other smaller altercations. The match was terrible: the worst I have seen (that includes the desolate mid-eighties), and Leeds are recorded as trophy winners.

Arsenal fought back, and while the following year beautifully set up their revenge in a repeat final – this time against lovely little 3rd Division Swindon. The Horse of the Year show again banjaxed the pitch, while a flu epidemic slaughtered the playing staff. Add the wayward finishing of Sammels and Gould, and the composure of Don Rogers, and you had a 1-3 defeat.

But – there were positives: the defeats, the humiliation, and even the brawl, had an impact. The team grew up.

In the amazing run-in in March and April of 1971, when we reeled in "better" and more experienced rivals over an amazing 9 week finish. We took maximum points, whilst they faltered. We remained focused, while they sought to blame authority, wailed about injustice, and snarled themselves into insularity, and ultimate narrow failure.

Leeds had been the country's top club for 3 years, had played European Cup semi-finals, FA Cup finals, and had been the heavyweight club. We were the upstarts, who had gone from being in 11th position to potentially 2nd in one season. We had no stars, just a work ethic, and an amazing togetherness.

Yet, as we closed in on the title, not even us Arsenal supporters believed we would do it. The players, however, did.

They had fought for each other, and learned to trust one another. They had developed a squad mentality where players could come in and do a job for the team. They had also learned of the "black arts" of slowing down games, closing out narrow wins from the finest.

So, while we hunker down and take the flak from tabloid and broadsheet alike, and while the FA fall over themselves to appear decisive and masterful, try and retain perspective. There is a potential positive outcome.

Kolo Touré should have shown more leadership, and dignity, and I lay responsibility at his door.

Chelsea showed greater cunning, and admirable self-interest. They managed to carve out a winning position in a match that should have been placed beyond their grasp.

Yet Kolo rose to the bait and wasted the little time we had left. At 25 he is the elder statesman, and perhaps showed Wenger that a little more composure is required of an Arsenal captain in the future. But the reaction was fiercely against character, and against type. He will learn.

If the characters of Denilson, Francesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, et. al can develop from this example, as their far less talented predecessors (Kelly, George, Kennedy, Rice, et. al) did, then we will be a truly great team.

In sport, it is the participant who retains personal control, who normally triumphs.

I watched the hugely talented Bjorn Borg as a superbly gifted 16-year-old tennis player. He was frequently the most gifted, most exciting tennis player in the draw; but he was also prone to outbursts against linesmen and umpires, and whilst obviously the most talented player of his generation, he did not start winning tournaments until he learned to channel the aggression of injustice, into pure game-play. He learned to focus the feelings caused by perceived injustice, into something positive. The same can be said of the current world number one, Roger Federer.

The man who is common to both generations of Arsenal players is Patrick Rice. If he can distil the lessons of Lazio (1970) and Wembley (1968) help the young stars of Cardiff (2007), then we can truly move on from here.

While the British media love nothing more than a mass "brawl" to illustrate their crazy hypocrisy with frenzied hyperbole, we need to move on. Take our punishment, and develop a more pragmatic, less emotional response to the "Black Arts". We need to foster the togetherness, and harness it as team spirit.

We lost the cup, won the fight, and lost the peace. Can we use the experience?

User Comments

Joel

Posted on 1 Mar, 2007 at 02:53 PM - Reply

Lovely piece Phil.

Jon

Posted on 1 Mar, 2007 at 02:38 PM - Reply

Great article. Couldn't agree more about Kolo - I was disappointed in his actions. I still think, however, that he will be a great captain after Thierry leaves. He is a born winner, but he has to channel his anger better than he did on Sunday.

The game last night (Blackburn) shows just how much we need him. Gallas is quality, but Senderos is shaky to say the least. Toure is without doubt our best defender.

Nice bit of history thrown in there as well!

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