Comments on: 1-0 to the Arsenal http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/ Exploring football culture around the world Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:05:25 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: izle http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-7402 izle Sun, 31 May 2009 02:42:40 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-7402 SpanglyPrincess, I find it easy enough to say that we’re “better” beautiful losers than Spurs. SpanglyPrincess, I find it easy enough to say that we’re “better” beautiful losers than Spurs.

]]> By: Arseguns http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-6614 Arseguns Sat, 14 Feb 2009 05:42:47 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-6614 This is a good write up, for me I did'nt have the chance to watch Graham's Era, so I will prefer the beatiful football and winning of trophies. www.arseguns.blogspot.com This is a good write up, for me I did’nt have the chance to watch Graham’s Era, so I will prefer the beatiful football and winning of trophies.

http://www.arseguns.blogspot.com

]]> By: Martin H http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-6540 Martin H Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:03:06 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-6540 Everything has to change. This same question could be put to many teams. The changes Arsenal have been through are not black and white and also haven't happened overnight. Everything has to change. This same question could be put to many teams. The changes Arsenal have been through are not black and white and also haven’t happened overnight.

]]> By: Mark Meadows http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-4363 Mark Meadows Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:18:16 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-4363 Do Manchester United have the same philosophy as they did when Fergie took over? No way. These things are always fluid, it is just more remarkable at Arsenal because of the change in manager. Wenger still stuck to the fable back four for a few years. http://blogs.reuters.com/soccer Do Manchester United have the same philosophy as they did when Fergie took over? No way. These things are always fluid, it is just more remarkable at Arsenal because of the change in manager. Wenger still stuck to the fable back four for a few years.
http://blogs.reuters.com/soccer

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-4347 Tom Dunmore Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:41:06 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-4347 It's hard to compare eras, though. Chapman's teams were scoring at that rate at a time when everyone was scoring a lot more goals. We'd need some baseball-style sabermetric analysis to really get at a serious historical comparison of relative goalscoring. Of course, teams can score plenty of goals and still be dull (paging Chelsea). It’s hard to compare eras, though. Chapman’s teams were scoring at that rate at a time when everyone was scoring a lot more goals. We’d need some baseball-style sabermetric analysis to really get at a serious historical comparison of relative goalscoring.

Of course, teams can score plenty of goals and still be dull (paging Chelsea).

]]> By: Brian http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-4340 Brian Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:04:21 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-4340 There's a moment somewhere in <em>Fever Pitch</em> (which was written during the George Graham era) in which Nick Hornby implies that <em>Graham</em> has revitalized attacking football at Arsenal and made the team more fun to watch. I remember being shocked when I read that because of the way those Graham teams are remembered today. But actually, over 460 games, Graham's Arsenal averaged 1.55 goals/game, whereas the previous long-term manager, Terry Neill, averaged just 1.35 over 414 games. So maybe at the time Graham felt like a breath of fresh air. Obviously goals don't tell the whole story when it comes to "beautiful football," but it's interesting to note that Wenger's teams have averaged 1.8 goals/game since 1996, considerably less than Herbert Chapman's in the 1920s (2.14). Probably the most relevant statistic for Arsenal supporters is Wenger's 57% win ratio, by far the best for a long-term manager in the history of the club and the first even to top 50% since the nineteenth century. It's probably easier both to see the football your team is playing as "beautiful" and to endure a spell as "beautiful losers" when you're winning as reliably as that. There’s a moment somewhere in Fever Pitch (which was written during the George Graham era) in which Nick Hornby implies that Graham has revitalized attacking football at Arsenal and made the team more fun to watch. I remember being shocked when I read that because of the way those Graham teams are remembered today. But actually, over 460 games, Graham’s Arsenal averaged 1.55 goals/game, whereas the previous long-term manager, Terry Neill, averaged just 1.35 over 414 games. So maybe at the time Graham felt like a breath of fresh air.

Obviously goals don’t tell the whole story when it comes to “beautiful football,” but it’s interesting to note that Wenger’s teams have averaged 1.8 goals/game since 1996, considerably less than Herbert Chapman’s in the 1920s (2.14).

Probably the most relevant statistic for Arsenal supporters is Wenger’s 57% win ratio, by far the best for a long-term manager in the history of the club and the first even to top 50% since the nineteenth century. It’s probably easier both to see the football your team is playing as “beautiful” and to endure a spell as “beautiful losers” when you’re winning as reliably as that.

]]> By: B.A. http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-4339 B.A. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:54:44 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-4339 SpanglyPrincess, I find it easy enough to say that we're "better" beautiful losers than Spurs. SpanglyPrincess, I find it easy enough to say that we’re “better” beautiful losers than Spurs.

]]> By: SpanglyPrincess http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-4338 SpanglyPrincess Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:29:05 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-4338 I think another problem for the "beautiful losers" philosophy is that I was brought up to laugh at Spurs for this very reason. How then to cope with adopting it for oneself? I think another problem for the “beautiful losers” philosophy is that I was brought up to laugh at Spurs for this very reason. How then to cope with adopting it for oneself?

]]> By: ursus arctos http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-4334 ursus arctos Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:08:27 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-4334 I think a lot of that sense is the result of the ridiculous media hype surrounding the Premier League in the last five years and the over-the-top gushing of the Islingtonite media about Wenger's current team in particular. Neither he nor Arsenal invented the beautiful game. I think a lot of that sense is the result of the ridiculous media hype surrounding the Premier League in the last five years and the over-the-top gushing of the Islingtonite media about Wenger’s current team in particular. Neither he nor Arsenal invented the beautiful game.

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/comment-page-1/#comment-4333 Tom Dunmore Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:23:50 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/04/22/1-0-to-the-arsenal/#comment-4333 I didn't see those Brady or George teams play, ursus, but I don't get the sense the change of philosophy from the pre-Graham era to the Graham era was as stark as comparing Graham to Wenger. But I could be wrong. And though I'm picking on Arsenal above, the point about a Graham-managed Spurs is certainly just as disorientating. I didn’t see those Brady or George teams play, ursus, but I don’t get the sense the change of philosophy from the pre-Graham era to the Graham era was as stark as comparing Graham to Wenger. But I could be wrong.

And though I’m picking on Arsenal above, the point about a Graham-managed Spurs is certainly just as disorientating.

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