I wrote this about Joe a while back. "Joe Mercer “The Good”. His fame is justifiably bright in the assembly of great Arsenal men. He was one of our finest wing halves and arguably our greatest captain. There is that sempiternal image of him on the shoulders of his team mates in 1952, FA Cup in hand. There is also the legendary story of his last game for the club against Liverpool in 1954. Getting on for forty he badgered manager Tom Whittaker to be selected to play against his old Liverpool pals. He did so, but unluckily broke his leg in a shocking collision with team mate Joe Wade. Perhaps he could have asked for no better hap in his mishap than to finish at Highbury, for some say the ovation he received that day still echoed faintly when they closed the old ground more than fifty years on.

Joe came from a football family. His father was centre half for Nottingham Forest, and young Joe was greatly influenced by Billy Roberts, cousin of Arsenal legend, Herbie Roberts. At fourteen he played for the village of Elton Green in Cheshire and as a reward got his fares paid and a bag of vegetables every Friday. At seventeen he signed professional with Everton where he stayed for sixteen years. His falling out with the Blues came when he was injured playing for England against Scotland and Everton thought he was shirking. He had to have his cartilage removed at his own expense. He joined Arsenal as a thirty-two year-old in 1946, on the condition that he could live and train in Liverpool, as he wanted to look after his grocery business in Hoylake. When Tom Whittaker described the signing as one of the most important deals he or anybody ever made for Arsenal, he told no lie.

Joe Mercer was a brilliant footballer, a delightful provider of accurate passes and blessed with fantastic energy and a formidable battling spirit. His enthusiasm was a by-word and even when time began to damage him there was still a lot of the sixteen year-old in his veteran performances. Maurice Edelston wrote of him ‘Two things about Mercer were unforgettable: his smile and his legs. The smile was Joe. It was not a handsome-boy smile, or a big-star smile; there was no affectation in it; it was natural, humorous and warm. It twisted his mouth sideways in his lean face, and the creases of it almost closed his blue close-set eyes. As to his legs, he had to listen to jokes about them from the day he first joined Everton as a boy of sixteen. They were shaped like a pair of brackets, the left rather more bent than the right; he walked with a sagging, plodding motion, and they gave slightly outwards at each step, as if they were made of thick wire. Mercer captaining a team under pressure looked like a farmer, with threshing in full swing and rain in the air – striding about with activity all around him, directing, encouraging, jumping in to help or take over, always near the centre of the work. There was no doubt who was the boss.’ If it happened in football, Joe had seen it. An old crooked tree that gave fruit."

Chelsea were the same, from edge of oblivion to monster within a few months and then England's most successful club of the last 15 years. Yes, agreed City are now on another level of the same ladder all the big clubs climb up, but may not always be there. Who knows the truth about these things, but if United are paying Sanchez £560k a week, then that is not traditional in my book! Also the question of what is football-related expenditure has been blurred to a fog. The days when the gate receipt was paramount have gone, at least for the Premiership teams. At Dartford a drop of 100 in attendance really matters!!

OMOH, thanks for your post about Joe Mercer. He was well before my time as a player, but my Dad spoke of him as highly of him as you do. Noticed you mentioned Herbie Roberts. My Dad rated him very highly too. Always thought it unfair he was remembered less well than the likes of Eddie Hapgood, Clff Bastin and Alex James.

Rumors are Elneny may be off to Galatasaray. Thus freeing up some more space.

Great stuff, omoh. I went to youtube and usually, I'm happy to see the people and teams you all talk about and i was hoping to see highlights of his playing days but this was all I could find about Mercer. At least I have a face with the name.

I have a question. His record at City over a short span of time was nothing short of amazing. I can understand not having him as manager when he left City because we had the legendary Mee. But what about in the mid 70s when there was a vacancy? Did we try to get him? If not, why do you suppose we didn't given he was a former player who had done a great job elsewhere?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGxnAJR0r-E&t=145s

A pleasure to post it. Yes, it is strange how the contributions of certain players in successful sides can be relatively undervalued. I have mentioned often my admiration for Peter Simpson who did so much in that Bertie Mee team, yet is rarely put on the pedestal. Maybe Roberts was like him in that respect?

On Joe Mercer, it intrigues me that he never managed Arsenal. In the summer of 1958 when Jack Crayston called it a day Mercer was the press favourite to take over at Highbury. He was then in charge of Sheffield United in the Second Division. It was reported that Mercer had been in contact with Arsenal, but they could not consider his application as he was not free to take the job. Ironically just a few months later he was able to take over at Aston Villa where he had some success, and then on to City, where he had even more. During a period when Arsenal fell behind he surely would have been a good fit?

Hi AG - thanks for that - some nice photos in that clip, especially the happy looks after winning the FA Cup. On your question, I am not sure if he was ever considered by Arsenal after Bertie Mee departed, but by then (1976) he was in his early 60s, so maybe the club wanted a younger man?

I am not so sure we don't need a player who dishes a bit of dirt for Burnley.

Saliba has undergone an operation on an abductor muscle injury - out for 6 weeks. Welcome to Arsenal!

Lucas Torreira

Plus if we unleash Aubameyang,Lacazette and Pépé they will be pre occupied

Sorry OMOH, but the picture with the FA Cup will have been 1950. 2-0 v Liverpool. Reg Lewis got both goals.

Yes, of course - 1952 was less enjoyable!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDIBD2eLPr4

I deliberately ignored discussing 1952. Wally Barnes injury and all.

Loved the video even though we lost. Found myself winning our side to win despite knowing the result beforehand.

You seem to have forgotten that Liverpool won the CL. I think that is a fairly important point to factor into your otherwise sparkling, concise, and watertight analysis.

I think putting so much on 'winning the league' is wrong. One should be able to enjoy supporting a club even if that club isn't likely to ever win it. Otherwise, it's like thinking the whole point of romance is ejaculation. Might as well just have w&*k or support City ... much the same thing actually.

Still, it must be pretty tough to be a spurs fan.

Quite right, Mcqilkie. One needs to put the past in perspective. It is absurd to overlook City's present plastic horribleness because of grudges against the likes of Liverpool ... who were frankly legitimately good unlike fake City.

What matters is the present... as stated rather well by this often nauseating but also often very funny fellow ...https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2212162822229340

Wonder if some cartoonist will do one showing Özil coming on as a sub with a guard dog on a lead with him, saying this is carrying out security a bit far.

If Peter Storey was still playing, as a teamate, Özil would need no security.

My take on Barnes.
"One of Arsenal’s finest full backs, who in 1943 did not cost a penny signing-on fee. He was known for his anticipation and interceptions, his unflappability and physical power. In his pomp he was as strong and dynamic as any defender might wish to be. He made the game seem as easy as cakes and cream, and even when his knees turned medieval, he drew on his deep knowledge of positioning to retain his high reputation. According to my dad he ‘used his noddle.’ Walley’s parents were born not far from Arsenal Stadium, but because his soldier father was stationed in Brecon on the day of his birth, Walley had a different nationality than the rest of his family. He had the “e” in his Christian name due to a mistake on his birth certificate. Aged four he and rest of his family left Brecon to join his father’s regimental posting in Lebong India. Returning to England in 1928 he didn’t actually go back to Wales until he was twenty-four, and that was to play for Wales against England. Yet he became a renowned captain of his country. Walley only ever saw one top level football match before turning professional himself - Portsmouth v Arsenal in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup - and ironically he was to play for both clubs. Walley was a footballer who glittered when he walked out to play."

The winger on the left for Newcastle was very good. Forgot his name and I will sound like I'm over stating his skill but he seems he could fit into a side today.

Seems we are on the wrong end at times on "special events". I recall (and I'm too lazy to look it up) that the first non English side to win the FA cup (Cardiff I believe) was at our expense. And we are the losing side on the first back to back FA cup winners.

First team to lose a 4-0 lead in a game against said Toon side I think weren't we? I'm open to being corrected. Can't recall if it was a league or cup match.

And didn't Shearer score a hat trick in his debut as a starter in the first team against us? I think he played for Soton at the time but still a Geordie.

What other events were on the wrong side of?

The first team ever to have an idiot American post over 1 million times on a football forum.

My only real memories of him were on Match of the Day and wearing (what seemed to me at the time) a funny hat.

Good on you for being a person who does not hold a grudge and wants to live in the present, but I will hold my grudges and dislikes until it’s all over. F@@k Liverpool, Utd, Spurs and I wish them an unsuccessful season.

I’m with you on this Gaz, although I’d add Chelsea to your list of Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool. If City’s new found wealth stops those four teams winning the league, for me that’s a benefit that comes from it because I don’t see Arsenal under Kroenke stopping them. I’m really not going to get stuffy about how City acquired it and whether it’s fair. If it stops those four from winning stuff, good!

We will see Luiz and Pépé today surely.

Wonder what the line up will be

Great pictures of Edu walking to the game in his suit (looking sharp) across ken friar bridge and mixing with the fans. Absolute PR masterclass and riding the crest of the positive feeling after the transfer window

Van Persie just lied on BT sport and said Arsenal never offered him a new deal so that’s why he left. Total bollocks that Arsenal wouldn’t offer a new deal to a player who scored 41 in all competitions.

Of course they didn’t pull him up on it

Cellabos, Luiz and Lacazette all start. Willock and Nelson keep their places

According to Sky the team is:

Team to play Burnley: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Luiz, Sokratis, Monreal, Guendouzi, Nelson, Willock, Ceballos, Lacazette, Aubameyang

Subs: Martinez, Mkhitaryan, Torreira, Pépé, Chambers, Kolasinac, Martinelli

A few surprises for me. This will be a bloody tough game I think. I pwrsonally would have Torreira on the field to start.

When everyone is fit there is some strength in depth, players not in the squad today, Bellerin, Tierney, Özil, mustafi, Holding, Xhaka, Smith-rowe, saka

The commentator said we haven't won our first 2 league matches in 10 years. Amazingly sad stat.

Good seeing Arsenal legend Freddie on the bench with the coaching staff.

Lacazette!!!!! 1-0

So even if the league turns into a procession year after year you won't mind so long as Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and United don't win?

I'd rather see a good scrap between two or more of those, even if Arsenal are out of the mix, thanks.

Some player name shortcuts:

According to the commentator Guendouzi hasn't scored for us yet.

1 all ...

Saw that coming ...