...and as further proof, he's been playing as such.

In my youth European football consisted of the annual match against Racing Club de Paris. Read all about it in this fine article.

https://blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk/archives/7957

What a brilliant read.

Amazing story and to think that they are now an amateur side.
For some reason it brought to mind great names (but faded glories) from my youth such as Ujpest Dozsa and Partizan Belgrade. Major forces in their time.

Wonderful article omoh. Many thanks, enjoyed the read. It brings up a question. What is your (or others) guess of when Arsenal became the biggest club in London? In the 30s for sure. But approximately when did we become the biggest and who did we usurp from that perch?

It would be 'cool' to play them again.

A preview of the 2024 Republican national convention....

October 1886...or more seriously in 1893/4 when we became the first southern and London team to join the Football League. The next southern team to join was Luton in 1898/9; and then not until 1905/6 did London get members with Chelsea and Leyton Orient. In 1907/8 Fulham joined, and a year later Spurs. West Ham joined in 1919/20. In 1920/1 the League added a third division and that is when more London clubs joined - Palace, QPR, Millwall and Brentford. In 1921/2 the third division was divided into north and south, and Charlton joined.

In all the years since 1893/4 Arsenal have been London's biggest club - we never needed to usurp any other club. From time to time others have been more successful, and while Spurs may be our biggest rivals, they have won comparatively few trophies. Historiccally speaking Chelsea are getting closer to eclipsing us in that regard - possibly by the 2030s.

Although we did fiddle our way into the top division at others expense.

19 years ago today. What a beauty.
https://www.facebook.com/Arsenal/videos/1301889716859253

OMOH, I remember you saying around the time Ashley Cole left us for them that Chelsea had overtaken Arsenal as London’s biggest club. Me and EEG argued with you about it. But if you thought that back then, considering the trophy count of both clubs since, and their reported overtaking of us in fan base size, what has changed your mind?

I think with those under 30 globally Chelsea is bigger. In London, I wonder? I don't live in London so will defer to this forum's Londoners for their opinion.

I choose to ignore that. We have never been relegated. That's the story I'm sticking with.

City has moved up on the AG's most hated clubs list. Congrats to them on this achievement.

1. Man Utd / Tottenham
2. Any club fat ass Sam manages
3. City
4. Chelsea
5. Everton

Few questions for the forum for the sake of conversation to cure lockdown boredom ... (there’s no wrong answers btw)

1) do you believe Josh Kroenke has the necessary qualifications and experience to appoint a manager and technical director of a major European football club?

2) do you believe you will see Arsenal return to a position where we are competing for major trophies whilst Stanley Kroenke is owner ?

3) do you believe if Wenger was allowed to continue after 2018 we would have improved or got worse than our 6th place ?

4) considering your answers to points 1+2+3 do you believe the timing and content of Michael Artetas substitutions are having a major impact to our direction as a club?

Can someone he hasn’t blocked tell him, again, that Arsenal have been relegated? A long time ago, in 1913. But it did happen.

You’ve been blocked though.

See Zech Medley scored Kilmarnock’s equaliser in their draw against Dundee United today.

You stick to that story. Even if it is totally wrong.

This for AG's benefit, as apparently he doesn't seem to research info entirely.

Arsenal was the first club from the South of England to join The Football League, in 1893, and they reached the First Division in 1904. Relegated only once, in 1913, they continue the longest streak in the top division, and have won the second-most top-flight matches in English football history.

Lee Mason once again showing his utter incompetence as a referee. Watch the West Brom v Brighton game later if you haven’t seen what happened.
He disallows a goal, then gives it, then disallows it again.....and no one is still any the wiser why

Update

Tried to remake the beef stew I mentioned a few weeks back

Incorporated the strategy Bernard, granty, decaf suggested and the inclusions like worcs, flour, even chopped apple made it 100 percent better wow great effort lads.

Weird how a few ingredients here and there can make such a massive difference

Would show a picture but it didn’t last long with the kids about !

If you want to see refereeing incompetence re-defined, watch a re-run of Wales v England this afternoon.

Never thought I'd see a ref use several minutes of VAR checks to determine whether a free kick was taken before or after he blew the whistle. If that's what he was checking - it certainly wasn't clear what the reason was, and didn't seem clear to Mason either.

A farce made in heaven, by Mason. How he didn't see or aware that the WBA GK was still lining up his defense prior to the free kick is anyone's guess. The GK was reclining against the post, cool as you like, as though casually smoking a cig outside a bar. Whistle blown, kick taken, GK suddenly wakes up, leaps across goal, too late to stop ball. Mason decides to blow whistle a second time as ball crosses to the net. Absolute confusion follows.
Goal stands, doesn't stand. Obviously Mason wasn't aware that the GK wasn't ready before blowing whistle for the free kick. Realised it too late after the kick taken, blew whistle second time. Ball already was over the line before second whistle blown it looked like. Needed VAR to sort it. So no goal.

All Mason had to do is get both captains together and say ‘I thought everyone was set up so a blew to restart the game, then I realised the gk wasn’t set, that’s my mistake, I’m sorry lads but we’re going to have to take the free kick again’
I don’t know if there is anything actually in the rules saying the ref must allow the defence to set themselves up but surely once he’s said to both teams that no quick free kick will happen and they must play to his whistle he is obligated to make sure both teams are ready when he restarts the game

Watched it live and was utterly baffled by the arrogance and incompetence of the French ref.
We often look at rugby refs and players as exemplar ways to show respect and communication, but I thought the French ref took this too far with his ‘I speak first’ and utter arrogance to not engage in the discussion with Farrell (and I realise Farrell isn’t that popular with the way he speak to refs at times).
Once the ref gives his instruction to Farrell to speak to his team and gather them together he must give them time to re-set their defensive positions. He also totally missed or dismissed that 4 water carriers were on the field and you can’t play when they are.
The second try wasn’t just his fault, but how any of those officials think that was t a knock on is just farcical.

In order to speed up the game I would be more than happy for a time limit of say 30 secs be the minimum time a defence be allowed to set up and after that time a kick can be taken at any time. Players who do not retreat get booked. If there is one rule I like from AFL (Aussie Rules) it is a 50 yard penalty if players do not retreat or do not immediately return the ball to the player who won the free kick. I get sick of players in effect blocking a free kick and nothing happening to them.

Hello Zed,

Thanks for your post. I'm actually well aware of our history and of us being relegated. It's one of the first things any Gooner reads about when they look at our history and sperz fans will remind us at ever turn. Perhaps my answer to Long Time Gooner ("I choose to ignore that. We have never been relegated. That's the story I'm sticking with.")
prompted your post.

The 'that' I am referring to is our being relegated. In jest I said I chose to ignore that. Weak attempt at humour perhaps. I just choose to ignore us being relegated, just like a lot of revisionist history such as America choosing to ignore we lost to you lot in what we call the 'War of 1812'

Anyway, good luck to he boys today.

Cheers

*%^@

"Choosing to ignore things" is a policy that should be used judiciously at best. It's healthy to chose to ignore some unpleasant things: for example, neighbour's barking dog, a snoring spouse, that someone has broken wind at a funeral, Donald Trump Jr, Jose Mourinho.

Ignoring all aspects of reality that causes the least cognitive dissonance, is another matter entirely.

Surely the ref's job is to ensure that the ball is taken on the right spot and defending team has retreated 10 yards. He should only prevent a quick free-kick if either side raises one of these issues. Then the attacking side must wait for the whistle. The ref can blow as soon as he is happy the ball is on the right spot a the wall is properly back. The ref surely does not have to check if the defending team is ready and awake. It's their problem if they are farting around or day-dreaming, surely?

Provided it is kicked after the whistle, the goal should stand.

Happy to see that front four and Cédric. Not sure about Elneny?

What does Martinelli need to do to get a game????

No Martinelli again despite 6 changes and his favorite son Willian gets to start.

Arteta has done his best to *%^@ up Saliba and now appears to be doing the same thing with Martinelli. He wasn't even picking Martinelli before his injury so clearly he does not rate him. He is hardly nurturing his or Saliba's talents.

I've had it with Arteta, he talks the talk but all I see from him is poor man management, questionable team selections, poor substitutions and favoritism.

I want Arteta gone........the sooner the better. There, I've said it.

Wait until after the game. If Willian is poor and is kept on until the 70th minute you have a point.

Surely the most pathetic thing I’ve read here ever. We’re mid table anyway

He can’t even rest a few players here and there now.

An absolute joke. Sort yourself out.

1 Leno
17 Cédric Soares
23 David Luiz
22 Marí
3 Tierney
25 Elneny
34 Xhaka
19 Pépé
32 Smith Rowe
12 Willian
9 Lacazette

Substitutes
2 Bellerín
7 Saka
8 Ceballos
11 Ødegaard
14 Aubameyang
16 Holding
18 Partey
33 Ryan
35 Martinelli

For the life of me I do not understand what Arteta is doing..............

The Martinelli thing is just weird. He’s had plenty of minutes this season and done nothing. He’s a promising lad but it’s not like we are ignoring Messi also clearly he’s struggling since he came back from injury.

A self created stick to beat the manager with. Utter nonsense

Arteta prioritising Europa League

Some necessary rotation, surely? Is this rocket science?