The Crow - You can take away a four goal lead – but not our record
Published: 11 February, 2011
ARSENAL
HMMMMMM... so in the end it turns out, after all that, whatever you previously thought, it’s not so easy going through the entire league season without losing a match.
Not easy at all. In fact, it’s almost impossible. Only one team has done it in living memory – and we include the memory of Titanic survivors in that.
Manchester United’s pathetic defeat at Wolves on Saturday just shows that the level of consistency and downright brilliance needed to be invincible league champions is completely different from the level achieved in any other title-winning campaign. For all Sir Alex Ferguson’s victories, he has never done that. This was the closest he has come – and it’s only February.
All of you non-Arsenal fan readers, and the lovely letters to me inside reveal there are a few (see page 31), might just now compute what the fuss was all about when the Gunners achieved immortality in 2004. They didn’t lose a single match. To do what Arsenal did that year was more than just winning lots of games. It was more than having a good team. It was about not slipping up on cold and wet evenings in the Midlands. It was clinical brilliance. Arsenal didn’t just not lose that season. They never looked like losing. They were quite simply the greatest champions since the Premiership was formed. Remember the figures. Played 38. Won 26. Drew 12. Lost O. None. Not one.
Until Man Utd, Chelsea, Spuds or Liverpool achieve such magnificence, Arsenal will always have their own unrivalled greatness. You can take away a four goal lead, it’s not so easy taking away that record.
RICHARD OSLEY
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
AS much as I’ve supported Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes, he has now officially become a liability.
The goal conceded against Bolton at the Lane on Saturday was his fault and I wonder how long the faithful can keep forgiving him.
If we’re serious about our top-four ambitions then he has to go! Come on Harry, let’s get Shay Given here for next season.
Ironically, the biggest cheer of the day came when the Newcastle vs Arsenal score flashed up on the screen.
At that stage it was 1-1 at the Lane with only minutes to go, but then a game that the Gooners were cruising suddenly had a 4-4 score line.
This seemed to galvanise the Spurs fans and they began to roar, which in turn motivated the players and, as they say, the rest is history.
Niko Kranjcar’s magnificent finish gave Spurs a 2-1 win and hopefully a lesson to supporters everywhere that your team needs you probably more than you realise.
Meanwhile, chairman Daniel Levy claims he has the support of 99 per cent of Tottenham fans over his intended move to Stratford.
I’d like to know where that percentage comes from?
Every fan that I’ve talked to or heard speak about this move is against it. Though I must say, having looked at the plans it will be the most magnificent stadium in the Premiership but, as the song goes, “North London is ours, North London is ours, say no to Stratford, North London is ours.”
TONY DALLAS