Book Review – Almost Invincible by Dan Betts
Jun 26th, 2018 by 'holic
I have to come clean at the start and say I am in a very small way a part of this book having been asked by Dan to answer a question for his final chapter. That in itself obviously makes this an excellent purchase! I will try to be as objective as possible in what follows.
The subject matter is the 1990/91 season in which the Arsenal came within an equaliser at Stamford Bridge of beating the 2003/04 vintage to the soubriquet ‘Invincibles’.
However this team was not the clean-cut, chicken and salad eating, non-drinking, technically coached, super fit class of 2004. That was a team with expensively acquired internationals, World Cup winners even, playing a brand of attacking football that was technically superior to their rivals.
In 1991 we had a squad of young home-grown players supplemented with clever purchases by George Graham and drilled relentlessly in the art of safety first football built on the foundation of a solid defence. The squad was packed with characters who liked a pint or several, stood up for each other to the detriment of their points tally that season, and one of whom fell foul of the law in that season.
All of the detail of that you will find in this book to which a number of the squad contributed. David Seaman, Lee Dixon, and Alan Smith and others tell their own recollections of that close to momentous season. Indeed Smudger sets the tone with his foreword to the book highlighting how the arrivals of David Seaman, Anders Limpar, and to a lesser extent Andy Linighan lifted a ‘stale’ squad.
In the pages that follow Dan steers us through the breakup up of the 89 title winners after a disappointing follow up campaign, and how this squad approached the new campaign full of desire and determination. My first thought when reading what is essentially an historical account is will everybody who reads it feel as enthused by it as those fortunate to live through this remarkable season? Effectively only those in their thirties or older will have memories of it. You probably are in you forties at lest, like me (ahem!), if you were going to matches that season. Yes, the younger readers will get a real flavour of our players and that season from this.
There are references to the challenges we would face that season, from strong defending champions Liverpool (they’re still waiting to follow up their 1990 title success), a rampant Tottenham of the Lineker and Gascoigne vintage, and of course Manchester United with whom we seemed to have developed a very real feud. Indeed there is a chapter dedicated to our October visit to Old Trafford. Allow me to pick the salient moments from it’s pages.
“The game exploded…with about 25 minutes left… As Anders Limpar collected the ball, Denis Irwin attempted to tackle the Swese from behind. Nigel Winterburn steamed in to aid his team-mate, and his sliding challenge went in hard on the United man. The fuse had been lit, and within seconds every home player and ten of Arsenal’s eleven were embroiled.”
The consequences of that day were a deduction of two points for us, and one for United, punishments not repeated to this day for on-field behaviour. As an aside it became obligatory for the Gooners to chant at every match that remained that season “You can stick your ****ing two points up your arse!”
We were indeed unbeaten pacesetters up until the year end, but the captain, Mr Arsenal, Tony Adams, would see the inside of a cell after being convicted of driving under the influence. That issue is dealt with sensitively, and how this band of brothers dealt with it as their friend learned a hard lesson. They continued unbeaten until an ill-fated day in February when a Gunners defence denied Adams and the experienced David O’Leary took on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with Steve Bould and Linighan the only fit central defenders.
Chelsea’s sanded mud bath of a pitch blunted our most potent creators, Limpar and Paul Merson. 0-0 at half-time, the match ignited early in the second half and Dan shares with us,
“Gareth Hall…flew into Bould with reckless abandon. It saw Bould take no further part in the game, and his replacement was fresh-faced David Hillier. “
For my younger readers David was a diminutive midfielder and admitted himself afterwards that the Chelsea strikers, Dixon and Stuart “dragged me and Andy round a bit”. Chelsea grabbed a two goal advantage against hampered opponents before the Arsenal’s last gasp response from Smith. Little could we have imagined at the time as we streamed out of the Bridge, bristling and angry, that would be the only defeat of our Football League campaign. Hence the idea, or perhaps even more the need, for this book.
For my contribution to the book head to the chapter titled, Would Football Be The Same? My contribution isn’t why I recommend the book to you. It is pieced together with no little skill and offers an authentic account of what might have become the most significant season in the history of the Arsenal.
The book can be bought from Legends Publishing here for £19.99 plus P&P. It would make welcome reading in the barren (Arsenal-wise anyway) summer months. Good luck with it Dan, it deserves to reach a wider market.
44 Responses to “Book Review – Almost Invincible by Dan Betts”
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Evening Guv’na, another fine tome it appears covering that much under rated season (1990/1991). We had the amazing statistic of just 18 goals conceded in the league – what a fantastic defensive performance. And goals scored 74 – it wasn’t dour at all. Whatever happened to good defenders / defence coaches?
Evening H
We still hold 3 records that will be hard to beat if ever,although City came as close as anyone last season.
Unbeaten season,season in your review above with only 1 defeat,and the unbeaten away season.
Even Utd in their pomp over the Fergie glory years couldn’t crack any of those 3.
I still feel that the Invincible season was our best chance lost,of winning the CL.
If Arsene hadn’t been obsessed by the prospect of matching Fergie’s treble season,he would have rested key players in the FA Cup semi against Utd, 3 days before the 2nd leg CL game at Highbury against Chelsea.
Utd had only the Cup to play for and subsequently committed numerous
on field atrocities in winning 1 nil.
We played Chelsea off the park in the first half, but only had 1 goal to show for it.
Once they levelled the score midway through the 2nd half,there was only ever going to be one winner,as the legs of our boys were gone after the tough battle with Utd .
I am convinced we would have won the CL if we had got past Chelsea.
It still rankles to this day.
This sounds an excellent purchase and it is right that we remember that excellent team. It was very disappointing to lose at Wembley but given our points deduction and Tony’s temporary incarceration ( these magistrates eh!) it was a great season .
I agree with Clive as I usually do , about that CL disappointment. We had beaten Chelsea three times that year and twice at Highbury and were 1-0 up and playing well.
Chelsea then lost to Monaco in the semi.
That team deserved to win the CL that year
Thanks for the review Guvnor.
Loved that team,that season, and that
song.
One of my favourite season reviews to watch!
Smudgers hat trick against Man U near the end of that season was great revenge too 😀
Sounds an excellent read, Guv’nor.
It was quite the season. Crystal Palace were third, for heaven’s sake.
To Uply’s point about a tight defence, we kept 13 clean sheets in 19 away games.
You make that book a tempting read and tempting purchase, Guvna.
What a season that was and what divine justice that we won the league despite the deduction of two points.
I share with Clive and TTG in still having huge frustration about that Invincible CL campaign and the opportunity missed against the Chavs. I would add that we missed a huge opportunity to finish them off at the Bridge when they were a man down but we pissed around with some “Olé football” instead of putting them to the sword. If I remember correctly we nearly threw the league away the next weekend against the Dippers but for a superb hat trick from TH14.
Quite correct Bath.
In fact the scousers led twice in that game,and we could easily have lost 3 games in a week which would been a huge anti climax.
We also had mad Jens to thank for the Chavs goal at the Bridge and their equaliser at Highbury.
You could say he actually cost us 2 CL trophies,after getting sent off in the final against Barcelona.
Ho ho Germany.
Ho bloody ho.
Germany looked like us on bad day: too slow, too narrow, too unimaginative.
Well, at least Ozil will have a longer rest period than usual. Though he played like he was just coming back from a long rest period….
Sackings and recriminations
all round I imagine. I’m enjoying
their failure – if only there was a
word for that feeling.
I’m glad Mexico got through,
they’ve played the most
watchable football in that group.
Someone’s not going to win by penalties…. 😀
I understand that the last time Germany went out in the group stage was 1938. I do hope that they take it better this time. ?
bath@14: 🙂
Bath- heh!??
I see Ozil is being blamed for tge defeat. I listened to mis5 of the second half and he seemed to have more touches than anybody. Still at least he can be back for pre- season!
More touches and did nowt with them, apart from give Hummels a cross even I could have headed in.
Hummels missed it completely with his nut though and shouldered it wide.
@12 OM
‘schadenfreude’ ?
Ozil created seven chances from open play, the most by any player in a single game at the World Cup so far.
I wasn’t very enamoured by what I saw of Germany’s strikers. Gomez is Giroud without pace ? and Werner is David Nugent Mk2. Muller had a poor tournament and the failure to pick Sane was a huge blooper by Loew. Only the Hummels chance was a sitter but in a thirty minute drive I heard Ozil’s name at least twice as often as anyone else’s. It will be fascinating to see what Emery makes of him. He is still an enigma , it seems not just in N5!
It will be fascinating to see what Emery makes of him
If Ozil doesn’t get his finger out and finally show people, week after week, that he’s not a complete fraud he should make a substitute of him. 😉
TTG@19: Does a Giroud without pace even move?
So, if I get what you are saying right, if Germany had been even half as clinical in front of goal as they customarily are, they would have scored at least three times and Ozil would be being hailed as a hero.
There is always one big nation that blows up at every World Cup, usually the defending Champions.
At least we dodged the Jurgen Low bullet.
Yes,
Let’s blame Ozil for Germany’s frailties.
They were mediocre throughout this tournament, and thought they could walk thru.
Emery will get the most from his players but for our fan base will not be enough, and Ozil will be the scapegoat.
But I doubt Low will dodge the bullet himself.
72 shots in 3 games, 21 on target and
only 2 goals seems clear enough.
Xhaka and Licht into the last 16 but Licht
won’t play after a 2nd yellow. Xhaka had
a dreadful first 10 minutes but settled a
bit after that. Licht did well and will be a
miss for Swiss in the last 16 vs Sweden.
If England finish 2nd and beat the Group H
winner then they play the winner of the
Swede/Swiss game. Seems a big if to me
but I suppose it’s possible to make the semis
– 2 rounds further than I expected.
Schar misses the next game for
the Swiss too – I wonder how close
we are to a Djourou World Cup
appearance
Dang, we could have signed Joachim Loew on the cheap today. 🙁 Dang, we’ve missed out on Fellaini again 🙁 Dang, Mesut Ozil only created seven chances which his teammates missed and therefore he is personally responsible for Germany’s WC exit 🙁
Bath @ 14 🙂 🙂 🙂
Whiich is worse, going out of the World Cup on penalties or going out on yellow cards?
Yellow cards s better Ned – at least you went
down kicking 🙂
OM@28: 🙂
Turkish journalist saying Wilshere is going to Fenerbahçe to replace 36-year old Emre Belözoğlu.
Seems a bit far for Jack 🙂
Hopefully, we get some confirmations
on Monday for new recruits.
OsakaMatt @28
Kicking and screaming too, perhaps?
bt8,
🙂
no doubt. And making VAR gestures
to the refs on your way out.
I was invited at short notice to the meeting at THOF on Wednesday night…..partly because it was arranged at very short notice. My mate who goes to the opening of an envelope at Arsenal went and was pleasantly surprised. Wenger never attended these meetings mainly because he would have been besieged with aggressive questions. Gazidis doesn’t duck these questions but in previous years has just prattled on in a way that convinced no one . My mate is an inveterate cynic but he noticed a big change in Gazidis- and the response to him – and said that there was a huge reservoir of goodwill towards Emery who pushed on quite effectively in English.
Interestingly Phil Wall, who is no one’s soft touch and has a very good understanding of the finances of the club also mentioned how he had changed his position on Gazidis, who he can now see as a man thwarted for years and now able to carry out his own plans.
Of course Gazidis’s plans may turn out to be a disaster but the team they have in place looks to be very up for the job. Apparently Mislintat was very sociable and approachable.
I might start going to these functions again!
TTG
I posted in the Bar a few weeks back when Mr Emery was appointed,how impressed i was with Ivan when he was interviewed about his vision for the Club going forward and the new coach,and i was very impressed.
When Arsene ran the show,it was very much a bite your tongue time for Ivan,but with the appts of the 2 new high profile signings in the football dept recently,it clearly showed the balance of power was shifting.
I think in his heart Arsene knew that the tables were turning against him having total control,but i don’t think even he expected not to be charge this coming season.
To say a breath of fresh air is blowing through the halls of the Emirates Stadium,is an understatement,more like a howling gale.!!
Pre season starts on Monday,going to be a culture shock for the players with a whole new coaching setup and style of play to get used to.
Only 43 days to go.
Vlad the Dragon is among the 12 players
released 🙁
I was hoping he’d make it – mostly for
the impaler jokes I must admit.
Argentina creaking.
creaking and cracking but it was a
great game to watch as a neutral
That Kylian fella is a helluva player
19 years old!!!!
sell Kroenke – buy Mbappe
The World Cup begins now that the dross has been eliminated. Great game this arvo and a very interesting one thiscevening. Only Denmark and Japan are a bit meh…..apart from England!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isMjvRpAckU
Torreira must mean Spanish for terrier. You wouldn’t think a guy of his size would have pockets in which to put Ronaldo but he has! That Gimenez hasn’t missed a ball all night
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>