Our very own Arsenal Andrew looks to the future
Normally I’d hesitate to write at any length about a Reserves’ match, regardless of the branding, be it U21’s, U18s’s or this new-fangled Next Generation business we’ve been keeping half an eye on. And certainly, as I drove my post-pneumonic self to Barnet’s bizarre mountain slope of a pitch on Tuesday night I entertained notions of a quick in and out and home in time to catch my favourite radio show of the week – Somer Valley’s Stew Black and the Slow & Dirty Train – not least thanks to the early 7pm kick off time.
What transpired was something very different.
As an FA Cup match, we were primed – braced even – for a game that had to be settled on the evening via the unwelcome mechanisms of extra time and penalties. Heaven forbid it went that far as the weather turned treacherous and an ugly storm blew in.
It had been warm in London on Tuesday – equivalent to a cool summer’s evening. The storm, albeit free of lightning and thunder, was the likely consequence of a temperature swing of 15 degrees from just a few days earlier when snow and ice had gripped the capital. Barnet’s old-school stadium is a remarkable, wonderful place. At no other ground in quite the same way do you feel transported back to the game ‘experience’ as it must have been known to our fathers and grandfathers and their families.
Spectators are placed pretty much level with the pitch and close to the touchline – so close you feel you can almost reach out and touch history itself.
Unfortunately, the finances of the club don’t extend too far these day, if they ever did, and the absence of a big screen forces the fan to follow the game rather than muck about with phones and Twitter. It is in fact the footballing equivalent of watching a film with subtitles; one blink and you risk missing the bit upon which the whole event turns. If you could video spectators watching the game at Barnet and compare with one taken at a game ‘blessed’ with a screen, you could be forgiven for assuming two different sports were being played out, such are the differences in the levels of concentration required.
The only real downside to Underhill’s ‘missing’ screen is that without replays it’s much harder for one not intimately familiar with both teams’ players to write a bona fide match report. So this isn’t one.
But it IS, however, a short acknowledgement from this reluctant weather-cowed spectator that what came to pass in the little publicised U18 FA Cup tie between Arsenal and Fulham, was one of the toughest games I’ve ever seen played. Conducted at blistering pace with breathtaking commitment, skill and sheer raw courage by the lads of both sides, it was a match the likes of which I’d be surprised to see again.
The weather was such that, when the ball was kicked into it by despairing goalkeepers from one end in particular, it frequently barely reached halfway, sometimes got picked up by the breeze, examined and sent back towards the kicker in a gravity defying route dictated by a malevolent gale-force wind that clearly had other, more mischievous, ideas.
A breeze this most certainly was not.
And it DID go to extra time in the end.
In the event, two evenly matched sides more or less blew themselves out as the gale subsided close to the two hour mark. An early goal from Arsenal’s Anthony Jeffrey (“AJ!”) was cancelled out by one from Fulham’s Tankovic. That there were three foul throw-ins tell you something about the conditions as the oily ball was blown from the grip of boys, playing like men – nay warriors – and against the weather, as much as each other. I’ve never seen so many go down with cramp as tackles turned into car crashes and the only things missing from this battling vista was, thankfully, any blood or actual thunder.
That Arsenal eventually ran out worthy 2-1 winners was in no small measure thanks to the second-half arrival, following the substitution of star player Serge Gnabry, of the immaculate and cool-headed Austin Lipman.
Things always seem to happen to me at Barnet. Magical, wonderful things.
On my birthday last summer, at this same stadium I found myself sat a dozen seats from Arsene Wenger. No fuss, no security (I’d left my people outside the ground), and with just the presence of Ivan Gazidis by Arsene’s side – I took a picture that can still be seen today on my Twitter page for anyone caring to look; he’d just smiled at my delighted better half as I fumbled for my phone and its camera to record the moment. You can clearly see how thrilled Arsene looks.
Last night I was sat next to a gentleman who texted someone called Austin halfway through the first half. Unusual name that, Austin. He was arranging to meet ‘Austin’ by the substitutes bench at half time, writing a message using enlarged typography intended for those with poor vision. I don’t normally read other people’s text messages but the seats are very close together at Underhill. No, really, they are. Honestly, I don’t.
A few weeks earlier by chance at Barnet during a similar game I’d sat next to the impossibly young looking mother of an Arsenal Under 18’s player – a substitute who didn’t actually get onto the pitch – the delightful and charming Mrs Lipman. Last night by remarkable coincidence in a crowd of several hundred I’d managed inadvertently to sit myself down on a seat close to the halfway line, next to Mrs Lipman’s Dad – Austin’s Grandfather.
From the scale of this coincidence alone, we can see that this lad Austin is destined for great things. Very great things.
Sadly his mum, who was at that point, according to her dad recovering from ‘flu, wasn’t there to see her boy, at the age of 17 years and two months, as he hit a brilliant winner for his side at the end of this toughest of games. She got an excited call from Dad though, when it happened. No, I didn’t listen in.
But her young Austin, with the club, incredibly, since the age of six, was very much the hero of the (2) hour(s).
I wasn’t going to write about any of this, what with the next evening’s big game ahead against Liverpool, we surely would have much bigger fish to fry, wrap and drown in salt and vinegar.
But an hour after the game ended, a photo started to be tweeted and re-tweeted depicting the celebrations of the players immediately following Austin’s Great Strike. It’s that rarest of rare things, a picture that somehow tells a whole story.
This picture is so good, so special, that had I taken it I’d have given it a name all of it’s own.
Joy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35115236@N03/8427452323/
Taken by Arsenal’s brilliant club photographer, David Price.
Austin Lipman’s in there somewhere, I’m told. But in the foreground is another player who has to be one of the brightest young prospects for right back since, ooh, well, Carl Jenkinson.
Pacy, VERY pacy, skilful and fearless, repeated checks on the line up sheet confirmed he definitely is a right sided defender though he played more like an out and out winger.
17 year old Hector Bellerin came Arsenal’s way when Cesc went the other two years back in a largely unnoticed (by me) swap deal with Barcelona. His stunning talent made him, on Tuesday night, this observer’s Man of the Match. He’s also my tip for the role of Next Big Young Arsenal Star – ahead, even, of the always impressive Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld, both huge prospects themselves. He’s that good. His unusual first name reminded me of my reaction upon hearing Robin van Persie’s for the first time and I’ve little doubt he has the potential to make waves of a similarly exciting nature as Robin did, at least before all that transfer trouble blew up last summer …
At the end of the evening and as I battled with the storm’s remnants back to my car, I marveled at how much the cost of the £3 entry fee had given me.
For sure, the game against Liverpool was more ‘important’. But at that moment I doubted whether I could possibly feel quite as connected to the game, the players or the other spectators as I did that evening.
Joy, indeed.
Positively Arsenal 
arsenal : always looking ten years ahead and beyond…
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steww…
http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=cadabra
got one in september….i keep it in the bedroom…kiss it every night..stroke it….cover it in white silk…
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Wow! What a wonderful report AA. You have won me over. I have got to track Messer Lipman and Bellerin. The future is bright. It is red and white!
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Am I seeing doubles? Posted by Steww but written by Andrew. Correct?
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Written by me I’m afraid Shotta – we’ll get it corrected! Glad you liked btw – was a great night!
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Hello, reposted from the previous post, late … and in response to issues raised there. Hope you don’t mind a repeat.
Arsenal fans have different reasons for following this team, amongst other teams, some of them “reserving” their vocal or sustained support for team and players in return for, and to be expressed after, a period of good results. In the meantime, such fans reserve their “right” to sharply criticise or generally wallow in the misery of it all, as they see 7-8 “trophyless seasons” and “many backward steps”, typically pitched of late around “selling our best players”. The worst of this trend, generally of “fan entitlement”, extends to humiliating and rebuking our own current and past players in various ways, including publicly stating how “crap” they are or were.
The sentiments expressed, whether politely using erudite words like “realism” (and typically justified with “Are we now not allowed, as fans, to even criticise?”) or with insults hurled at players and manager are part of the same trend, no matter how often and inventively the polite group tries to distant itself from the anti-support, and no matter how often they begin with “I have always supported Wenger and still do, but ….”
I see it differently, and hence I am very excited by this blogsite. I detest two terms above all, “AKB” and “project youth”. There is no such thing as either, both are meaningless terms of petty abuse. All the former means is that Wenger is a good manager with an outstanding record, and the latter means a tangible strategy to propel and incorporate the inclusion of excellent younger players into team style and tactics, as an advantage to the club. Personally, I have no problem with a critical stance around tactics, players, combinations and all the interesting factors around dissecting perfomances and results. After all, the manager is frequently the most critical of all, and he says it bluntly and sharply. What I object to is losing sight of “identity” by assuming Arsenal is like any other club, or could be, or should be.
Yes, I know there was a pre-Wenger history, and a long-term identity, I was there too at least from the 70/71 double onwards. In my opinion, the best of that identity has been retained in this era; the worst of it has been quietly discarded, and Arsenal has distanced itself from much of the mainstream rump of English football.
If one loses sight of the pioneering spirit of Arsenal in this era, the innovation, it is easy to get confused about everything else, its players, decisions and style. So for me, “identity” (the essential charactestics) is a bigger accomplishment than any trophy, and even than the stadium (although that is tangibly part of the identity).
What if Wenger had never come? Hard to say where Arsenal would be now. But what if Wenger had gone to, realistically, Liverpool for example, or even Tottenham, or Newcastle. Our history, so to speak in its core direction and vision, not detail, might then be their history. Statements like (Invincibles) “Arguably the greatest team ever to grace English football”, or “17 consecutive years in CL” or “On its day, we all know Arsenal is unplayable”. I cannot conceive of the word “Wengerball”, as an identity, or the statement, expressed recently (reference some patches in one or two matches, by a pundit) “Arsenal is back!” (and we know with precision what such a statement means) being attributed to another team!
I cannot predict the future, but I know with certainty that these statements belong at Arsenal, and will continue to do so in this era; and more, that Wenger has his sights on ambitions that would scare the living daylights out of the most vinegary of his detractors. He is building a team to eclipse the Invincibles. The second vintage post-Invincibles failed to win trophies; the reasons are many, much debated and quite complex. We are seeing the third vintage take shape, in the reality of a team in massive player transition now with extraordinary speed and decisiveness (witness the speed of Nacho’s arrrival). I know there are inconcistencies, vexations, lapses. I am saying, look at the consistencies to see what I mean. What a privilege!
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Austin Lipman – I shall mark the name well
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Lovely story Andrew. Just off to examine your twitter account.
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Sorry for the confusion. Andrew’s post, not mine.
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Shotta – we can’t actually correct the attribution to Steww at the bottom of the main post without losing the comments. Rest assured I’ll be taking full credit for his radio show on Tuesday 🙂
Bear with us, we’re all new to this!
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Oi – I clearly credit you at the top of the piece. If people can’t be bothered to read it … (fades off grumbling)
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A wonderful, wonderful read. Thanks Andrew, onwards and upwards!
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Steww very kindly posted on my behalf as I couldn’t fire up my pc earlier.
Still taking credit for the show on Tuesday mind.
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Yes thanks indeed Andrew.Its lovely to get given a little taste of the future.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT ,ITS RED AND WHITE.
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Is he Maureen’s lad?
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ZimPaul (10.15) That’s a brilliant summation of where we are as a club, where many of our supporters are as fans – well worth the repeat.
Wenger’s Third Era – like it. The post-post Invincibles.
Or, maybe, to come – The New Invincibles …
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No George, he’s not.
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It seems the shit is about to hit the fan ,about corruption.
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ZimPaul February 4, 2013 at 10:15 am
and Arsenal has distanced itself from much of the mainstream rump of English football.
and thats why they dont like us.
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ZimP @ 10:15am – Insightful as always. The idea that Wenger is past it and should be politely drummed out of office is so ridiculous (putting it midly) and smacks of short-termism. The man as we know is one of the most gifted technicians in the game and a football visionary to boot. He deserves our full support with this current rebuild.
THE FUTURE (AND THE PRESENT) IS BRIGHT, VERY BRIGHT!
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How so, George?
Shotta – I know I’ve said it before but not a single pal of mine who supports clubs other than Arsenal can understand why ‘we’ want Arsene Wenger drummed out of the club. To many, it appears the AFC fan base is suffering a form of collective hysteria or at least something that feeds off itself but with questionable cause and dubious justification.
Most – if not all other clubs in the world – and the fans of those clubs, would welcome Arsene as Manager in a heartbeat.
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pedantic george at 11:15 am
You are a teaser George. I had to go to the BBC website for more of this corruption business. Now I see why you were on Twitter scoffing at your former ACLF colleagues. I remember those middle-of-the-roaders, with their heads buried in the sand, who absolutely averred that any corruption existed in English football and it was all Arsene’s fault and the “softness” of the players why so many inexplicable decisions went against our team. As they say, stay tuned.
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Great read Andrew. Cheers for that.
Yes indeed George, the shit may be about to hit that particular fan. Who’d have thunk it. Well most people on here probably.
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Well, a lot of us were indeed scoffed at for pointing out the possibility this was going on. Could end up being our sport’s Lance Armstrong moment …
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21319807
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I hate to say “I told you so” but I did.
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Wait till Hunter gets a load of this!
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I have had my bookmaker in Kuala Lumpur on already this morning and he is not a happy bunny I can tell you
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Someone should tell Aman where the Meerkat can be found.
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Suspect Hunter’s already combusted.
Would love to know if our favourite referees have been implicated.
As if …
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arsenalandrew at 11:43 am
But, we are all deluded AKBers. Don’t you know?
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Really enjoyed that write up,well done Andrew!-I know you’ve been raving about Austin & Hector for a little while now,and like you I’m a sucker for an unusual name, I love it when the young-uns come through,right I’m off to find out what all this talk of corruption is.
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Postscript … I do realise only too well that the idea of Wenger building a team “to eclipse the Invincibles” is quite provocative and would be easy to pour derision on, and would be laughed out of town elsewhere. I know where we are in the league table; the run of too many draws that has drained points tally, the defeat to Bradford, the poor return against the 3 “top” teams so far. I know the recent history. But I am seeing other trends, more important to me, and helped by some facts made available from other posters, like goals scored relative to other teams in europe.
I felt this for a few months now, from the wobbly period. The three-pronged attack taking shape so effectively, compared to the over-reliance of last season, and the results (goals scored, and who scored them) and the tactical work underpinning this. The extraordinary British youth contigent being planned and executed (that’s long term) and the importance given to retaining Theo; matched by technically strong incoming spanish players, now three, add Bellerin, four. The actual calibre of all players we are attracting, with information we can see more clearly as games unfold; Giroud being a good example. The decision to retain Diaby and reasoning.
If we had lined up Nacho, and were able to move that fast, I believe the summer incomings may have been also decided already. None of this can be explained by “flying by the seat of our pants” and other “desperation moves” that were hinted at with Park, maybe Benayoun, or Santos. All point to systematic medium-long term thinking and planned transition. What on earth does AW have in mind is all I ask?
Whichever way I answer, I see building the team and the tactics that look to take on the best in England and Europe. Right now we are re-building the foundation. It is imperative we obtain 4th place; it’s part of the plan.
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/match-fixing-champions-league-game-1585390?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
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Looks to me like a story that will rattle on for ages and very little will come of it, (speaking as an ex-newspaper man), although the chavs v barca at the bridge game springs to mind, the one where Drogba went off at one at the end at the tv cameras-gonna be a long week this week with no real football (international friendlies ..pfffft), still there’s Stews radio show tomorrow night,if you haven’t heard it-give it a go.
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I’m not sure Mel, seems like the investigation is very advanced.
It’s worth following Declan Hill’s blog at http://www.howtofixasoccergame.com/blog/
(tThanks to Brady’s Right Foot for the link posted on ACLF). This gives a huge amount of fascinating background detail from a guy closely involved, one way or another, with the whole story.
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http://ergogenics.org/484.html
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All that abuse and sneering we took for simply saying it was naive to imagine it couldn’t happen here.
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Yes ,being told to put our tinfoil hats on Stew.Being told we were just making excuses for our bad play.Pffft.I am not often wrong ,but I am right again!
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Whats up peeps?!
Excellent, Andrew!
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I have always said that if you have big money and human beings you will have corruption. To think anything else is downright naive.
People can say what they want but I have always felt that something is up with United and the PL. The only place It seems to be something that is impossible is with some of the people on ACLF.
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Fully agree. There were some people crazy about it, shouting you down if you merely said it would be possible that something like that could happen in a top league in England. Looks like the chickens will be coming home to roost. To consider that a CL match in England has been fixed is like the icing on the cake, since this means we aren’t talking about a pointless middle of the table end of season clash, we are talking about an important match.
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Where was that Barca vs Chelsea match played? because that was corruption every day of the week.
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@Paul
A home match for Chelsea, so certainly a prime candidate..
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aa although i rate austin and he took his goal well its a little unfair on the other lads bearing in mind he came on really late when both teams were struggling with the effects of the game alex iwobi made a real impact when he came on and the young tarum dawkins also done well.hector is a fantasic talent and you can see he is soon to be knocking on the first teams door but lets not forget his oppo in the same deal who lives with him john toral who has struggled through injury.our other full back in this game also looks one for the future,ormonde-ottewill, with gibbs and jernade meade out he must be cursing our new signing. you didnt really mention that this game went with the slope in all four halves with ARSENAL in total control in the first half and fulham not mustering a chance until the 43rd minute.after such a pleasing first half i thought we were going to be in for a easy night but fulham showed the same domination in the second half and got their deserved equaliser..aj was injured after 65 mins and thats when austin came on.ARSENAL won the toss for extra time and decided to kick uphill this was decisive as having weathered the fulham storm in the first half they then went on to finish the game off in the second. serge didnt really have a good game and missed four decent oppertunaties. apart from the full backs ive already mentioned the players i feel need recognition were isaac hayden at cb, alfred mugabo playing the defensive midfield role, kris olsson playing the creative midfield role and chuba akpom who led the line allnight. jack jebb captined,organised and kept the team going when they were all dying through cramp. all in all a great performance and a great result. it is a good atmosphere at underhill and i too have sat next to boro, pleat,mick hartford and various scouts one of whom was offered our own tom cruise just after he came back from the u.s
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Thought so, Evil. That was a strange match.
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The less I say about the match fixing the better! I’ll save my comments for Untold and save you all the misery. Although I did note with great sadness that it was ok for the ‘Judges’ to run that blog down in another comments section, for a fair while, but it was not ok for others to praise it, even once.
It could never happen here anyway.
To quote/paraphrase: “Those Italians are different, in’t they?”
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I prefer to appreciate that AFC have made more effort then most to steer clear of the muck.
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Especially the excellent Referee watch on Untold is often talked down by people who, on what seems to be ideological grounds, even refuse to visit the website,
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Here’s a quote from that no-nothing numpty Joachim Low, who has only said previously that AW and Arsenal were one of the main inspirations for the new coaching set up/styles in Germany (which is obviously now way ahead of anything here!)
“i like Arsene Wenger a lot, because he stays true to his ideas and has been loyal to the same club for such a long time. With him, young players become stars. That’s worth having a title or two fewer,”
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I watch extended highlights of Youff games on You Tube. There’s a boy named Jordan Wynter, holding midfielder for the U-!8s or the Next Gen, who is going to be a beast. He reminds me of a young Abou Diaby. Kyle Ebecilio is another one who is going to be a hell of a player.
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