Morning all.
I can only remember two Charlie’s playing for Arsenal, Charlie George and Charlie Nicholas. George was a character who went from watching his team from the stands to playing on the green green grass of Highbury. 1970-1971 was his season, or at least it was in my head. That FA Cup goal and his subsequent celebration is a picture etched on my brain for life.
Charlie Nicholas joined Arsenal from Celtic back in June 1983 for a transfer fee of £750,000, making him at the time the second most expensive export from the Scottish League. Whilst in London though, his lifestyle away from the game attracted attention from Fleet Street’s finest and it wasn’t long before “Champagne Charlie” stuck. Two drink driving bans within two years did him no favours. Five years after joining Arsenal, he headed back across the border.
Arsenal now have another Charlie, Charlie Patino who every Arsenal fan will already know about. Rumour has it, he’s set to play against Wimbledon next Wednesday.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n_5VIdvwZ3Q
Whatever age level a player scores a goal like Patino did against Man Utd just a few days ago, it has to be applauded. I loved this line from TalkSport: “Remember the name, Charlie Patino… because Phil Jones and Dean Henderson certainly will.”
He’s 17 years old, 18 next month and his very slight in build but he’ll bulk up I’m sure as he ages and does more work in the gym. He’s already played with the first team this season albeit in a friendly against Brentford but he certainly didn’t look out of place. The central midfielder, who has the ability to play in the holding role too according to TransferMarket, came to Arsenal from Luton and Arsenal’s scout at the time, Brian Stapeleton, said he was the best youngster he’d seen in all his years of doing his job.
There was a time when a 17 year old probably wouldn’t be considered to make his first team debut against Wimbledon but today’s Wimbledon are very unlikely to be anything like the Crazy Gang. For starters, they wouldn’t get away with and even with just seven fixtures completed, in all likelihood, they’d have seven players suspended, perhaps more but even so, they won’t be rocking up at The Emirates to just take part. They’ll see a big scalp ready for the taking, especially if Arsenal have a stinker on Saturday. Annoyingly, neither of the next two Arsenal fixtures are televised so if Patino does make his debut, many of us will have to watch via a grainy stream.
As for the Burnley game, Mo Elneny and Rob Holding are recovering from injury but the rest are fit according to Arsenal.com. Good.
See you in the comments. No doubt someone will tell me that another Charlie has played for the club and no, I don’t mean a ‘Right Charlie’ – I know we’ve had plenty of them…..
Well I remember Mel Charles less effective brother of Juventus’ Gentle Giant John.. Does that count ?
Morning all
Charlie Buchan, way before my time, but word on the North Bank when I was a kid, maintained that he was a great player, back in the day! Dim and distant memories.
Charlie Patino, is he the next Cesc. It seems as if he’s following in his foot/boot steps!
On the official site we name the squad with 27 players 4 of whom are likely to go to the ACON and 3 at least that were probably intended to have gone by the start of the campaign.
Kola / Cedric / Xhaka / Elneny / Nketiah and Lacazette were all available and of those 6 at least 4 made noises that could have predicated their departure.
Had 4 gone as I believe the club were prepared for, we would have had 23 players and when ACON happened we would have been reduced to 19 plus the Patino, Hutchinsons and any other emerging talent to supplement the numbers.
Arteta’s problem is now balancing the squad with the extras which are surplus to requirement.
Looking at the ACON losing Aubameyang , Pepe , Elneny & Partey probably forced the U turns on Lacazette and Xhaka and in Xhaka’s case forced us into having to pay him extra to stay.
At this point I am beginning to ramble and go round in circles and I suspect so is Arteta at the moment . I*n his deepest darkest mind perhaps he is entertaining thoughts of injuries to ease his decision making . Xhakas suspension possibly came too early for him .
No Potter. 😂
He doesn’t count either Wavy, he’s not in my lifetime. Lol
Now you’ve mentioned him though, the name sounds familiar.
I’d forgotten Aubameyang and Pepe will be off to the ACON but on current form, I doubt we’ll miss either too much. Maybe by then, Martinelli, Balogun and Eddie will be back in the mix. Lacazette too. Partey is the one whose absence hit us hardest I think.
Charles Buchan ‘s football annual , a yearly staple for my November birthday when I was a kid .
Not too sure I didn’t see a copy in the loft last time I was up there .
It might be worth a few bob if I hadn’t drawn all over it .
I had every programme from Arsenal from about 1959 to 1965 but my mum chucked them when i went to Spain , she said they were cluttering up the room and she wanted to use my bedroom to do her ironing.
Don’t forget about Charlie Sail (as we used to call him), but I could be cheating as he normally went by his Spanish name…
I bet you weren’t happy about that Potter…
I’d say cheating Matt, he’s not on Wikki. 😂
Don’t forget Charles Charlie Charles, the captain of the Arsenal of the 30’s when they played Liverpool of the 90’s on the Harry Enfield show.
Good morning all.
Rico are you sure you never saw Charlie Buchan play? He was still around in 1928 you know. 😉
He became a football writer ( we call them hacks nowadays) and a BBC commentator after his playing days ran out.
Or how about Charlie Barley, he played ten games in three seasons in the early 1920s.
Potter you’ve triggered a few memories there.
Programmes I’ve still got all the games I went to between 1961 and 1968, not every game by any manner of means, and one season 65-66 completely missing, I think. The season Wright sold Baker and Eastham. I refused to go again until they sacked the useless article. In fairness I didn’t have that long to wait!
The CB annual, I had a couple of them too. Sadly I’ve no idea of what became of them, shame.
Ah the good old days. The days of the BracewellSmiths and the Hill-Woods et al.
Don’t know that one Matt ,
My fault for going away for 2 years Rico , I was only meant to be away for a month.
Can we count Chucks Aneke or Carlos Vela.?
You’re going back a bit too far for me Adam. Lol
Cicero, I missed him by a year it seems… 😜
Ah, that’s understandable then Potter. I was going say I wonder how much they’d go for on eBay now but probably not much. I’ve one of the boxed plum shirts from our last season at Highbury, nobody wants them. I’ve tried…
Morning rico, crew. Remember seeing Charlie George in one of his very first games, away at Ipswich. Only thing I can remember is he got booked, which upset me at the time!
Morning Andrew, good job you don’t get as upset these days, not with Xhaka in the squad.
Rico, I do! Because it’s often our first foul, after three worse ones from the opposition 😀
Charlie George was and will always be my hero, as for other Charlie’s well there was a few, but way back when and before even my time, yes really Rico… 😄
Good afternoon Rico and all
Charlie the 3rd?? hmmm. We might have had a lot of Charlies in the the team…but I remember only Charlie Nicholas. I had a classmate back when we signed Charlie Nicholas and his name was exactly that…Charles Nicholas. And he used to support Arsenal as well. He took quite a ribbing from the rest of the class (me not included) especially when the scottish one failed to score for quite some time…the day after the game the whole class used to tease him…’how come you missed an open goal’ ‘you were playing the worst team in the league and you couldnt hit a barn door.’ I can assure you that till this day I still cant manage to comprehend how he managed to remain calm and not beat the shit out of someone. Both of us used to attend martial arts and he was quite a good one as well….much more advanced than me….he was already black belt at 13 years of age having been attending since he was 5. And he is still my friend.
Back to Arsenal Charlies. I dont remember Charlie George that much, very hazy memories since I was a toddler when he scored the winner in the FA Cup final. However he was my Pa’s favourite….till Brady came along. I only remember Charlie Nicholas and he was one of my favourites. I did not feel happy when he was offloaded by GG. And I still love the fact that he loves our club a lot.
The other Charlies I dont remember….although up till recently we had big time Charlies in the team…..players who shouldnt have graced the team. but that’s life.
Forward to Charlie Patino…..and in a couple of years time we have the chance that we might see Saka, ESR, Patino, Azeez, Balogun and maybe (?) Nelson plus Balogun in the senior team. And if he puts his head in place also AMN. That is 8 players who are English and homegrown by Hale End. Sends shivers down my spine….old man Wenger would be proud to see so many players produced by the club.
I saw the goal Patino scored courtesy of Potter’s video post and he does remind me of Cazorla with his dribbling skills and the way he runs with the ball. He does not have the grace of DB10 or the panther like nose of TH14. And different than Cesc, although both read the game the same way. He has the confidence of JW10 imo but I still feel that the way he runs with the ball with both feet is similar to Cazorla.
Morning Rico and all
Just watched an interview with Patrick Viera, on Optus sports he spoke so well about how important and vital it was to go out and learn how to coach before applying to coach any premier league club.
He then talks about how he learned from Wenger about earning respect and man management skills, and how to get the best out of different players and then talking to the strikers and finding out we’re they want the ball placed and trying to put it into their game plan. So well spoken.
Devil I watched the video and I got the same feeling that Patino reminds me of Santi especially the way he can go to the ground to tackle his opponents and then get to his feet quickly and take off with the ball, I wouldn’t be surprised if we loan him out in January for some senior experience.
But that’s anger Andrew and yep, I feel that too..
Afternoon Kev, I don’t believe you. 😂
Could it be that Arteta is doing precisely what Viera advocates, learning the job before going back to City as Guardiola’s replacement.
Looking at the way Pep is so quick to back Arteta even with the crap start we had it and all the stories of Pep leaving then deciding to stay for another year or two wouldn’t surprise me if that happened. In a lot of cases money talks over loyalty.
They used to poach our players , why not the manager ?
Then again we could then poach Pv 4 and go from there.
Afternoon Devil, agree on Charlie Nic, he’s certainly remained faithful to Arsenal. Probably why Sky sacked him but kept Merson on.
Hi Geoff. Vieira is certainly one to watch I think. He’s smart taking the Palace job and the route he’s taken so far. I really hope he proves himself in England and that one day he’s sitting in the Arsenal dugout.
Rico Totally agree about Vieira, also another possible coach for the future all though he is not Arsenal is Vincent kompany a very good player and captain know learning his coaching and understands the premier league.
I think there’ll be a few during the years to come Geoff as ex players go into coaching/management.
Of course we shouldn’t forget that Viera was a City player, he has managed clubs that are part of the Etihad empire and is gaining experience of managing in the Premiership. He too could be Guardiola’s successor.
A bit harsh there Rico 😃
Interesting the AUKUS agreement between Australia, Britain and America.
New Zealand meanwhile are cosying up to China.
Kev, is it a good idea to sign up to anything involving the USA while they have that nutter Biden as President? Even Trump is looking good in comparison.
Surely not Kev. Lol
New post up now
Morning all.
Karl Hein has signed a new long term contract.