Arsenal and big name signings - a potted history

I HAVE never understood this obsession with the transfer window. Perhaps being an Arsenal fan I have just got used to the fact that we are never going to make the big, exciting signings of clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United.

In fact since I first started supporting the club back in the late 1970s, I can count on one hand the number of really big name signings we have made. So why would anyone think this year will be any different.

The first big signing I can recall was back in the summer of 1976. Terry Neill had just taken over as manager, from Spurs of all places, and he wanted to make a big impression. He certainly did just that with the signing of Malcolm MacDonald from Newcastle.

 

Malcolm MacDonald scored 29 in his first season at Highbury

At the time Super Mac was one of best strikers in the country and it was a great coup for the club. He went on to score 29 goals that season as Neill began building a side that would reach three consecutive FA Cup finals by the turn of the decade. Unfortunately Super Mac was forced to retire in 1979 due to a serious knee injury and missed the FA Cup success that year.

The early 1980s saw our best players depart (sound familiar?) and we were crying out for another signing to get excited about. The summer of 1982 brought one - Tony Woodcock. The former Nottingham Forest striker arrived from Cologne in a bid to fill the void left by the departure of Frank Stapleton a year earlier.

Tony Woodcock running at the Man. United defence in 1983

He was certainly a big name player at the time and a player I had always admired from his Forest days. He was a success on the pitch too, scoring 21 goals in his first season, and 23 in his second. But he could not inspire the team to glory and left four years later having won nothing with the club.

The following summer bought an even bigger arrival. Charlie Nicholas had scored over 50 goals for Celtic in the 1982-83 season and he was the hottest property in British football that summer. But he snubbed Manchester United and Liverpool to come to Highbury. There is no doubt this was a massive signing for the club at the time and excitement was at fever pitch as the season began.

Charlie Nicholas, who never lived up to the hype but always had nice hair

But Nicholas took time to settle and his lack of goals, just 3 by Christmas, contributed to the sacking of Neill in December. Nicholas quickly became the fans favourite but there is no doubt that he failed to live up to the hype on the pitch. His 2 goals that won the Littlewoods Cup in 1987 apart, he often flattered to deceive and left in 1988 as one of football's great wasted talents.

The signing of Nicholas was the last really exciting arrival until that of Ian Wright, 8 years later. Wrighty had come to prominence with 2 goals for Crystal Palace in the 1990 FA Cup final and we were all thrilled when George Graham completed the signing in September 1991.

Wrighty doing what he did best - celebrating another goal

However, his arrival coincided with the decline of the team that had won the title the previous season, and although Wrighy's goals helped us win the domestic cup double in 1993 and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1994, the team became far too reliant on him. Of course he did end up breaking the club's goal-scoring record in 1997 and left a hero after helping us win the double in 1998.

All those signings paled into insignificance in the summer of 1995 however, when not only did England captain David Platt arrive, but also Dennis Bergkamp. This remains the biggest and most exciting signing we have ever made. Bergkamp was a superstar of world football at the time and I remember looking on in disbelief when I saw the pictures of him in an Arsenal shirt on the back page of the Daily Mirror whilst on holiday that summer.

The picture that got me so excited - Dennis Bergkamp in an Arsenal shirt

This turned out to be not only the best signing in the clubs history but possibly in the history of English football as well. Quite simply, Bergkamp was the greatest footballer I had ever seen. Technically he was flawless and he inspired the team to seven major trophies in his 11 years at Highbury. The word legend is used too easily these days but it sums up Bergkamp perfectly.

Since then however, the nearest we have come to genuine big name signings are those of Andrey Arshavin in 2009 and Lukas Podolski last summer. Arshavin had been the star of Euro 2008 and was certainly an exciting arrival. At first he did not disappoint with a series of amazing performances (like the 4-goal haul at Anfield) but it soon went wrong and he left the club this summer after nearly two years in the wilderness.

The jury is still out on Podolski. As a German international of over 100 caps, there is no doubt he was a big name when he arrived, although most of us did not feel that pang of excitement we did for say Nicholas or Bergkamp.

Lukas Podolski, the latest big name signing

I believe he could yet become one of our best ever signings, although I guess there is also a chance he could become the new Arshavin given Arsene Wenger's insistence on playing him on the wing.

So in conclusion, Arsenal rarely sign big names players and when they have done so it has rarely had the desired effect. Bergkamp and Wright apart, the others failed to win a single trophy with the club and were unable to significantly inspire those around them. It has always been the lesser known signings who have shone at Arsenal - Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie etc. so perhaps this time next year we will all be singing the praises of a certain Yaya Sanogo.



Yaya Sanogo - the new Thierry Henry??

With the start of the season less than four days away, that is what I will be trying to convince myself anyway.

Carver and Mingoia give Stanley shock Riverside success

CAPITAL ONE CUP 1ST ROUND
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 ACCRINGTON STANLEY 2
By Ricky Butler at The Riverside Stadium

GOALS at the end of each half from teenager striker Marcus Carver and Piero Mingoia gave Accrington Stanley a shock Capital One Cup victory at the Riverside last night.

But it was only the heroics of goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin that ensured the League Two side held off a late Middlesbrough rally to take their place in the 2nd Round draw.

Stanley boss James Beattie made three changes to the side that had been beaten 4-1 three days earlier at Newport in the Skybet League Two opener and they responded in magnificent style as they came from behind to knock out the Championship side.

“It's a great feeling,” said the former Blackburn, Southampton and England striker. “I said to the lads in the dressing room to enjoy all the plaudits you are going to get and then focus your minds on Saturday (against Portsmouth) which is another massive game."

As for match winner Mingoia, who just a few weeks ago was without a club and facing an uncertain future, it showed the fickle nature of the game.

He said: “That sums up football really. I didn’t even know where I would be a few weeks ago but thankfully Accrington and the gaffer gave me a chance and I just want to give everything to repay the trust they shown in me.

“The boys are over the moon. We had a feeling there could be an upset tonight and we managed to do it.”

Inevitably Stanley found themselves under pressure from the start – Dunbavin called into action to deny Marvin Emnes inside three minutes - but they almost grabbed a shock 6^th minute lead.

Peter Murphy did well down the right and when his cross found Michael Richardson at the far post, the Newcastle loanee’s first time effort was kept out by Middlesbrough goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler. The danger was not quite over as the loose ball fell to Michael Liddle but he fired over the top with his weaker right foot.

However, it was the Championship side that went in front three minutes later. The Stanley defence failed to clear a corner from the right and Jozsef Varga headed on for Lukas Jutkiewicz to round Dunbavin and slot home.

And it was nearly 2-0 moments later when only a brave last-ditch challenge from the outstanding Tom Aldred denied Jutkiewicz a second at the far post.

But Stanley were surprisingly level five minutes before the break thanks to a first senior goal from 19 year-old Carver.

A long throw from the right by Nicky Hunt found the head of the teenager at the near post, and despite the best efforts of Middlesbrough defenders Justin Hoyte and Rhys Williams, the ball was adjudged to have crossed the line.

The second half saw a succession of last ditch blocks from the heroic Stanley defence as the hosts were restricted to mainly long range efforts from Grant Leadbitter.

Beattie threw on striker James Gray – born up the road in Yarm - and winger Shay McCartan in a bid to win it in normal time and it paid dividends nine minutes from the end. Will Hatfield’s corner from the right was flicked on by Aldred and the ball fell invitingly for Mingoia to drill an unstoppable shot past Leutwiler from 12 yards with the aid of a slight deflection.

It was backs-to-the-wall stuff for Stanley after that as Boro threw everything at them. But Dunbavin performed more heroics to deny Ben Gibson, Adam Reach, Leadbitter and Varga to complete a great night for Beattie and his troops.

“It is a great place to come and play," said the Stanley boss at the whistle. "I told the lads that passion overcomes logic and if there was going to be a shock this evening, I wanted it to be here at The Riverside.

“The spirit we have created in the dressing room has built up from the run we had at the end of last season. Middlesbrough threw everything at us but we were magnificent in the second phase of play and that has got us the result.

“A few more performances like this and I can see it being a couple of years before I go grey.”

Beleaguered Boro manager Tony Mowbray was philosophical about his side’s defeat.

He said: “They defended exceptionally well and have scored from two set plays. You can have all the ball in the world but if you don’t take your chances you can get punished and that is what has happened tonight.

“We started pretty well and could have scored 2 or 3 times before we took the lead but we have to take it on the chin and move on.

“We went along way in this competition last year with no benefit, and it probably cost us with the number of games we played, so we’ll put it behind us and move on.”

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2) – Leutwiler 6, Hoyte 5, Williams(R) 6, Gibson 7, Friend 5, Leadbitter 6, Varga 6, Ledesma 5 (Main 72, 5), Carayol 5, Jutkiewicz 6 (Reach 72, 5), Emnes 5 (Williams(L) 78, 5) . Subs not used – Steele, Halliday, Whitehead, Smallwood.

ACCRINGTON STANLEY (4-2-3-1) – Dunbavin 9, Hunt 7, Aldred 9, Atkinson 8, Liddle 8, Clark 6 (McCartan 70, 6), Richardson 8, Murphy 7, Hatfield 8, Mingoia 8 (Wilson 90, n/a), Carver 8 (Gray 70, 6). Subs not sued – Joyce, Winnard, Miller, Windass.

REFEREE: Scott Duncan.

ATTENDANCE: 6,774