Andy Cole has joined the chorus of pundits criticizing Mikel Arteta’s goalkeeping decisions this season.
Aaron Ramsdale concluded last season as one of the Premier League’s standout goalkeepers, contributing significantly to Arsenal’s near title-winning performance.
Ramsdale’s performances endeared him to many Arsenal fans, who celebrated the acquisition of a top-tier goalkeeper.
However, Mikel Arteta appeared less content with Ramsdale’s displays and opted to sign David Raya from Brentford.
Raya had long been on Arsenal’s radar, and they secured his services at the start of the current campaign.
Arteta publicly stated that both goalkeepers would have an opportunity to compete for the number one spot, effectively having two primary choices.
Ultimately, Arteta favoured Raya as his first-choice goalkeeper, and the Spaniard has retained his place in goal since. However, Cole expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of Ramsdale’s situation.
The former striker said, as quoted by DAZN:
“I think he’s been hard done by, I really do. He was so good for Arsenal last season and then all of a sudden, Mikel Arteta has gone out and got a new goalkeeper and initially claimed that he had two number ones, which was complete nonsense from day one.
“The way he’s disregarded Ramsdale has been really disrespectful. He’s mugged him off basically.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Raya has proven to be a good goalkeeper, and we need to move on from the decision to field him ahead of Ramsdale.
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Did Cole get paid for his words of wisdom? Or is he looking for a new career as an expert on players at the club he only ever played one league game for, and that as a sub?
So he’s not allowed an opinion Jax?
I’m surprised that you take this stance and what on earth has the amount of times he played for The Arsenal come into it?.
How many times have YOU played for The Arsenal!
And that’s my opinion🙄.
So are you looking for a new career as well then? 🥴
Of course. I could do that, it’s easy😃.
For all the chopping and changing at GK, can’t help but wonder if we should have just stayed with Emi and saved all that money.
I would argue that Emi is as good as Ramsdale at shot stopping, and as good as Raya at distribution. Too bad things did not work out.
The whole issue about wanting to be first choice GK with Emi has played out in an odd way.
Ramsdale was not challenged when he was number 1, and Raya has not been challenged since he was number 1. Not sure what the issue was with Emi wanting to be known as the number 1.
I don’t understand what happened, if someone could explain and enlighten me I would appreciate their effort and knowledge. Because it seems ridiculous since Ramsdale and Raya were made first choice without competition, so what is the difference with Emi?
There is sufficent sample size of matches that have been played for one to draw fact based inferences between the three players. Arteta wants a sweeper ball playing keeper to deliver his 4-3-3 and not a box shot stopping keeper who is there to prevent a goal being scored. Just watch what Raya does as a goal keeper like starting transitions fast, playing in a back four and allowing Zinny to invert. Different profile.
With Emi, he was dissatisfied because Arsenal “kept putting goalkeepers in front of me”. He’d been at the club ten years and still didn’t get the number one job he thought he was worth, and we now know that he’s probably one of the best three keepers in the Premier League and a World Cup winner.
Durand, my friend, is not thr real truth that very many Gooners, myself included , knew all along that MARTINEZ being let go was a huge mistake that would and did cost us enormously, both on the field and in extra money needlessly spent.
It was just ONE huge mistake among many others made by management at that time.
But that was some years ago and we are NOW in an entirely different situation.
MARTINEZ is NOW far older than back then. And we have one still young keeperof quality and another even younger one,also of quality, who willbe leaving this summer, sadly, but obviously, who will at least fetch a serious transfer fee.
I suggest we be content with that and stop raking up the many mistakes made several years ago.
What is the point in discussing what is now virtual “ancient history”, esp given how wonderfully our team is set up in the here and now??
“Ancient history” Jon?
You and I aren’t ancient history and we are over 70 I believe.
This happened after the start of THIS season concerning Raya and Ramsdale.
However I’m in full agreement with you regarding the past – let’s hope we don’t have to talk about ex players and managers verbatim (such as Ozil).
In football terms, KEN,even a very FEW years ago IS, as I said,”virtual ancient history”! I realise that virtual ancient history is more attractive to theorists than to realists such as I, But in my opinion, it IS “virtual ancient history”!
As for your age and mine, we are not WITHIN FOOTBALL, and as such, our ages are irrelevant.
On your broader point, agreeing with my own, about not bringing up the past, I presume as a bright man you also realise, as I do too, that we are ALL on JA, being tempted to bring up past matters all the time, by the shrewd businesman who owns and runs this very site?!!
Jon
I was just curios as to the reasoning behind the decision, and all the money and players spent on that position.
I thought Arteta did not want to “guarantee” any player a starting spot. Yet, we saw that was not the case with others. Whether Xhaka in midfield, Luiz at CB, Saka on the RW, they were automatic regardless of form of carrying a knock.
Consistency being my point, and the sometimes whimsical decisions and then falsely claiming “competition” or some such nonsense.
Just say “He is my starter” which is fine as manager, rather than falsely proclaiming “competition” or fighting for spots and starts.
Durand Some several years ago I used to think as your post does. But I have learned, through increased age and long football experience of watching MANY top class managers and how they operate, that being a tactical genious is not only connected to coaching on the field of play . But ALSO is in how you run the dressing room and how you keep players happy, determined, motivated and succesful.
And onTHAT basis , I suggest it is foolish to even begin questioning MA s geniuis in managing men as he has done And in getting all the former harmful influences in out dressing room OUT for good. Ozil, Auba, Guendouzi, all gone for good neve to return!!
I consider that a thrilling success and thank God wehave MA incharge these days. The evidence of that success can be easily seen by picking up a newspaper and seeing OUR NAME above MAN CITYS AND LIVERPOOLS.
Criticise failure by all means, but only a fool criticises undoubted success, IMO.
Well said Jon, you make very valid points.
I do not mean it as a slight or to insult or offend Arteta, but only as a continued weakness IMHO in terms of his management. Whether it is GK’s, younger players, or not being ruthless enough with underperformers.
Arteta usually gets it right in the end; as we have seen with White moving to RB, Saliba starting, and upgrading from Zinchenko to Timber, and now upgrading striker and hopefully Nketiah moving on.
I think the biggest mistake here is that MA wasn’t brave enough from the very beginning to say that Raya was to be his first choice keeper and Ramsdale was his No. 2.
Instead of rambling on about having two No. 1’s and rotate them, the ONLY time this has happened is when Raya was forced to sit out the game against Brentford, his official club.
I’m sorry that this might infuriate some fans, but Arteta LIED, not only to the fans, but to Ramsdale – a player who had done nothing wrong, in fact he helped win us the CS with his penalty saves.
The debate continues as to who is the better keeper, but MA, as the manager, has the final choice and I back him on that… just a shame that he wasn’t honest on this occasion.
Ken1945
That’s where good man management comes in, one has to able to build trust, jon is not happy with my statement so he comes down on me like a ton of bricks.
I can’t see your statement Gunsmoke, so I can’t comment….except to say that this happened months ago, so it’s NOT ancient history, far from it!!
Ken
This issue of so called “competition” is my harshest critique of Arteta as manager. For years he has discussed “competition” we hear it every Summer and with each new transfer.
Unfortunately, there is no “real” competition in the squad, and I believe Arteta never intended to have any such “Competition” to begin with.
Ramsdale was done the moment Raya signed quite frankly. The talk of substituting keepers during a match was just embarrassing nonsense.
Whether an embarrassing Willian over Martinelli (after a great year under Emery), or Tierney at LB, Balogun vs Nketiah, and now Ramsdale vs Raya, there was never going to be a real “competition” for starts.
Arteta is the manager and it is his decision, I have no problem with that. My problem is the false narrative of “competition” that he repeatedly sells to fans, that never actually happens.
Much rather Arteta say “Raya is my first choice Keeper” as opposed to the misleading false statements of “competition” and substituting keepers during a match.
People flogged Wenger for perceived statements like this, yet all fall silent now. Wonder why? what is the difference?
Are you serious in that last line?? MA has us top of the Prem with a still young and exciting team.
WENGER HAD US CLEARLY DRIFTING AWAY FROM THE TOP STRATA FOR YEARS PRIOR TO HIS, SHALL WE SAY, “EXIT!
Hope that answers your rather naive question Durand!
He didn’t compare the Arsene Wenger and Arteta, he is talking about the blatant double standard. A person of your intelligence understood that very well yet you have feigned not to in order to avert the topic.
And if we have to a make comparison let’s to do it when Arteta has 3 PL and an invincibles, 7 FA Cups of his own players with two doubles, a CL final, global admiration and the state of art stadium. And all that at a fraction of a cost that Arteta has already spent.
You are seriously comparing the legendary, one of the finest in football history to a top of the league position?
HOW LOW CAN YOU SINK IN YOUR DISRESPECT OF THE GREAT ONE?
HH I admire and feel goo dthtya youamong counts othe sstil recere AW. i DO TOO BUT i also saw his weaknesse sin his last few tire year when thgretanes he DEFINITELY at one time possese has cleart,ly left him. I am not given to hero wordship, which is why my straight talking style upsets some who ARE given to it.
But be in no doubt I will always be truly humbled and grateful that our club for a long time, had the very best of a great manager.
But that was then and now is now. Which is what I meant when I said I am not given to hero worshipping past Arsenal stars, whether managers or players.
I am concerned with NOW and the foreseeable future and I want you to know that is how I function , in life as in football.
I see hero worshipping in your Arteta support if we are to speak about that. I have been reading your comments and articles going on a 5th year now here on JA and I see you are an intelligent person (your comments about other posters aside because its irrelevant for this post), a person who would not make such an absolutely ridiculous statement like Herr Dierr below.
I often wonder in your support of Arteta why do you choose to ignore the truth.
You are right about Wenger’s last years at Arsenal. I too accepted his resignation because I also thought at that point we were unlikely to win the PL or CL under him (though my reasons and yours defer, still we have the same conclusion).
You were right about Emery despite being mocked for it here. What happened was not his doing. He was absolutely the right man for the job but since the board decided not to back him there was no reason to keep him.
You are right about Arteta, he is the right man for the job but to refuse the truth and facts about him (such as he hasn’t won anything yet, he is a checkbook manager, he has favorites etc..) speak of hero worship to me.
In your support of Arteta unlike some who believe what they say 100%, I think and see with your intelligence there are some things that you know are false but you choose to stay quite on them or deflect them.
For me, Leno is up there with Almunia as one of the worst goalies I’ve seen play for us. He may have made a few good saves, but he also made a few clangers which resulted in goals. He also had howlers for Leverkusen and Germany.
Martinez done well for us in the EL, where we finished top of the group, but was then dropped for the round of 16 when we got knocked out. When he came back into the starting line up the defence seemed to have more confidence in him and we looked more tight at the back.
As for Ramsdale and Raya, imo there’s not much between them. I prefer Ramsdale, but then I’m not the manager.
HH, Wenger never won 7 FA Cups with his own players. It was 3, starting in 2014. The previous 4 were won with players from previous managers.
So Arsene Wenger didn’t sign a player from 1996 to 2014? 18 years after he joined he still had previous manager players? The invincibles 10 years prior to your starting date were previous managers players?
Were the great Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira signed by Chapman? The invicibles defense of 2004 were George Graham players?
The Arsenal lineup of 2002 had only 4 players from previous regimes.
What a nonsensical statement you have there! And not for the first time I am afraid!
And just to add damage to your arguments, Wenger turned inherited players into world beaters. He didn’t rip off their contracts. He made them win things and made club money after money. Something Arteta couldn’t and will never be able to do!
Wenger went into the bank to deposit for all his Arsenal tenure. Arteta is going to withdraw for all his Arsenal tenure.
I love this thread how the magnificent 6 are scoring own goal after own goal.
The only person who has scored own goal is you HH. Did Wenger sign Bergkamp ? No, he was signed a year before Wenger rocked up and Rioch was our manager then ! The first time won a trophy with only his players was the FA Cup in 2014 !
Also the Invincibles included 2 of George Graham’s players, Keown and Parlour !
Say you ain’t got a Scooby without actually saying you ain’t got a Scooby.
So what? He inherited good players and decided to keep them, play them and add quality additions to play with them.
This inherited players is one of the weakest and unintelligible argument I have ever heard.
The moment Wenger signed for Arsenal all the players were his. He was the one coaching them and they followed his tactics. Where is the invicibles before Wenger? Even the great Alex Ferguson didn’t manage that.
That is what truly elite managers do.
They don’t freeze players because of politics, losing the club nearly a million per week when doing that.
They don’t advertise to the whole world the players they don’t want, making them worthless in the transfer market.
I would have big respect to Arteta as a man manager if he had made the rotten fish follow him as their leader and manager instead of chasing them out.
His still ongoing technique of freezing and kicking out as evidenced by Ramsdale’s treatment made me doubt if our current squad have respect or fear.
So Arteta, when winning the FA Cup did it with his players then ?
If the rotten fish, as you call them, refuse to follow him, he only has one choice, and that’s to get rid of them, for the benefit of the club !
And just to refuse you a room for twisting things what I meant Arteta will never be able to do is not winning trophies but turning previous managers players into titles winners.
Because he has already removed all of them. He didn’t finish the league 2nd in his first half season or won it the following season with inherited players.
Pretty sure the likes of Saka, Martinelli, ESR are still here, even though Arteta never signed them.
Likewise HD, Arteta has won nothing with his own players, but let’s not split hairs when talking about HH’s lost of Wenger’s achievements – I believe Arteta WILL bring success to the club, but, following your line of thought, Saka, ESR, Martinelli, Saliba for example should never be classed as his players then?
Ken, I’ve never said that Arteta has won anything with just his players. Even George Graham won trophies with players signed by previous managers.
We have not won anything yet though Jon. 800 million or more spent, and nothing to show for it.
Top 4? Wenger was mocked for that achievement, even though he did it for 20 consecutive years.
We sat top of the table for 93% of last year, yet collapsed, choked, bungled, bottled, whatever term you prefer.
Let him achieve something, preferably more than one, before its “all hail the king.”
Durand simply to say what you suggest is not how I choose to be a fan. I can easily recognise true greateness in MA and whatever happens this season, the scene is set fair for an extended period of TRUE team success.
I CAN EASILY SEE THAT.
But I dont wish to even try to influence you in how you choose to use YOUR fanhood.
So can you tell me what Durand has said that isn’t FACTUAL Jon?
Not that I want to influence the way you support OUR club.
Ken that is beside the point. My post said nothing about it being factual or not. My POINT was about myself not choosing to bethe sort of fan that Durand outlined.
So your post is totally irrelevant to what I wanted to say.
And I remind you KEN that I say what I WANT TO SAY , NOT WHAT YOU MAY THINK I OUGHT TO SAY.
I TRUST THAT IS NOW CLEAR!
And to be even more clear, there is no way on EARTH that either you or anyone else has the power to influence the way I support the club, which renders your sarcastic last sentence as completely irrelevant too!!
In EXACTLY the same way you can’t influence others Jon, even if you try to belittle them!!
I hope I’ve made MYSELF clear and going back to Durand’s post and your SARCASTIC remark about how Durand chooses to support his club, what did you find in his words that offended you so much?
Goodnight KEN! Yawn!
I can’t see a Arteta – Wenger comparison here Jon, rather a fans comparison and judgement.
So why do fans get angry with Dan Smith whenever he mentions that Arteta lied?
Only those who don’t think rationally get angry dgr8xt!!
We are still at the stage where, if you dare say anything negative about MA, you are described as an “old fashioned thinking fan!!”
It’s Mikel’s choice as to who he selects, but please don’t mislead the fans and / or players by saying something that you have no intention of doing… I call that lying, because I’m a realist and not into this “woke” rubbish.
Thanks Jax for the reply.
I was just curious as to why being guaranteed the first choice Keeper was a problem when Emi wanted the assurances, yet Arteta had no problem guaranteeing Raya his spot.
Hi Durand, perhaps because Martinez made it public that he wanted assurances, while, as far as I am aware, Raya didn’t.
But did he though? I was under the imnpression that , though he did pick RAYA regularly, what was said to both keepers at that time was completely different and did not include a so called “guaranteee” of playing, to either man.
Ken calls that a lie; I prefer to call it sensible tactics and putting the needs of the team above that of ANY one individual.
Which is something I have been actively promoting all the years I have been onJA.
IF only Wenger had done likewise and been more ruthless and less protective of non and poor performers and trouble makers, what a different outcome to his time , we MIGHT have had!
I just thank God we have a manager in MA who is intolerant of laziness and of harmful players. Thank God!!
This post in reply to JAX, ratheR than to KEN.
Actually to Durand, not JAX either.
This kind of nuanced approach is lost on many people. We actually cannot say with certainty that Arteta had decided that Raya was going to be the first choice Gk immediately (given how the season started he probably wanted to observe both first). However, assuming he had, consider what would have happened if, once Raya had joined on loan, he announced to the world: here’s my number one.
DAVID, you are a fellow bright Gooner who can see further than traditional, rather old fashioned, fan “thinking!!
Isn’t the reference to AW “Ancient History” Jon?
You change your position quicker than a cat on a hot tin roof.. when it suits you 🔥🙀
My word, ‘quicker than a cat on a hot tin roof’, this one is new to me 😲
It’s the title of a film from way back, starring Liz Taylor & Paul Numan.
KEN youmay have nothing better to do on this plainly boring night up in Scotland than to try to bait me into a pointless and rather pathetic battle of so called “wits”
Frankly , though you may have little else do, I do have lotscelse besides JA still to do tonight and so will decline but with many thanks for you interest in my opinions.
I however am less interested in repeating past quarrels then you are in reviving them!
4-5 keepers played or signed under Arteta and after 4 years we have probably ended up with the worst of the bunch .
Martinez
Leno
ramsdale
All above Raya IMO
Don’t understand what you mean man…. Both ramsdale and Raya are still with us or are you saying Leno is better than the duo.. And Martinez makes his decision and it’s been so far so good… Or what do you mean?
Yes Leno is better than Raya as is Ramsdale and Martinez .
As Ramsdale will be leaving in the summer we are left with Raya .
Nearly 70 million spent on keepers to be lumbered with the worst of the bunch
My IMO OfC .
You have to Remember Ramsdale was part of the squad who got us back into the CL and got us 2nd place in PL .
Ridiculous treatment of a player who as only been here for 2 years and as the potential to get better .
I’ve seen nothing from Raya this season which makes me think he is superior to the other mentioned
Yes Leno is better than Raya and Ramsdale. To say otherwise is swimming on ridiculousness and enjoying it!
Oh really?
Yes really!!!!!!!!
I disagree.
In previous seasons, Leno’s great ability was being able to pull off extraordinary reaction saves. This season there is a case to be made that Leno’s performances have dropped off. It is highly unlikely that any sensible manager would be going for him ahead of either of Arsenal’s current goalkeepers if all were available.
It can be said that judging Raya this season based on saves alone is difficult as he has the best defence in the country and possibly in Europe in front of him. However, looking back over the last few seasons he has attributes and skills superior to both Leno and Ramsdale. These are important to Arteta’s setup of his team.
Martinez is different and most would probably choose him ahead of the other GKs at this point. Whether he would be superior to Raya in Arteta’s setup though is not as clearcut as one might think.
David I agree with ALL you write. As with most matters on here, is it a pointless and entirely theoretical argument which has ZERO bearing on what counts and what is relevant to NOW.
For the sake of argument, let us assume that both you and I ARE WRONG IN OUR OPINIONS; WHAT DOES IT CHANGE ?
ANSWER IS NOTHING AT ALL AND THERE YOU HAVE REALITY!!
A rational post to what has become an increasingly hostile subject
I can hardly believe that so much ire has been expended
The only thing guaranteed for professional athletes are the terms of your contract. Ramsdale got the same crap treatment Bernd Leno and Emi Martinez got. All three played well and their manager’s reward was to replace them.
Martinez was the smartest of the three, leaving as soon as he had both the leverage and the market value. When Leno went down injured, Martinez stepped in, and he seized his first real chance in an Arsenal jersey and showed himself to be worthy of being first choice. The manager did not agree and he moved on to become a star at Aston Villa and for his country.
Leno, who should have learned from Martinez’s lesson, stuck it out and ended up buried for a season, which hurt his market value and standing as a keeper, as well as his earning power.
Ramsdale is in the same situation as Leno, though he is younger than the German. He was loyal to the club or perhaps he bought Mikel Arteta’s hogwash of “two #1s.” Regardless of why he stayed, it’s been a wasted year for Ramsdale who was becoming widely regarded as England’s clear-cut #1, as well as a top Premier League keeper until he was unceremoniously replaced. Regardless of the reason, Ramsdale now faces a battle to rebuild his reputation and market value. Two things on his side are youth, and the fact that goalkeeper generally enjoy longer careers than outfield players. If he picks the right club and plays to his potential, he might still enjoy a decade as a #1 keeper at a Champions League club.
In many ways, the move to replace Ramsdale with Raya is hard to understand. Raya is older, was playing for an inferior club, and especially early on, showed he had mistakes in him. In the end, Arteta made the call and Ramsdale let himself get pushed into the background. Hopefully, the young goalkeeper realizes his error in trusting the manager and forces a move away in the summer. He is too fine a player to sit and watch football matches.
This ☝️ 👏
Well said paul ,but I would imagine someone will say you have an Agenda or some hogwash crap .
Unfortunately on JA these days if you say anything out of place even though we are top the league you’re opinion means nothing as you must be wrong because Arteta is the second coming and he’s a top notch manager that makes no mistakes.
But great post
I only take issue with your view that Ramsdale was becoming the clear cut England choice. Under Southgate that is very unlikely to be the case and Pickford pretty much always started and will until Southgate joins Man Utd.
Loyalty to players is an interesting subject. Arteta could well be described as showing little loyalty to those he doesn’t favour. Why am I not surprised? It’s a tough business being a top professional sports player and at any time the wheel can fall off. Arteta will have those who are higher up the pecking order and it’s tough on those who find themselves near the bottom.
It’s his job – and Arteta will sink or swim based on results – to deliver those results. As much as I like Ramsdale, and I can only empathise with him , if Raya is better cut out to play in a fashion that suits Arteta’s aims then so be it. Other outfield players have fallen by the wayside and current players will also do the same too, but as long as Arteta keeps us competitive and challenging then who am I to criticise his approach?
Lols
For me, Leno is up there with Almunia as one of the worst goalies I’ve seen play for us. He may have made a few good saves, but he also made a few clangers which resulted in goals. He also had howlers for Leverkusen and Germany.
Martinez done well for us in the EL, where we finished top of the group, but was then dropped for the round of 16 when we got knocked out. When he came back into the starting line up the defence seemed to have more confidence in him and we looked more tight at the back.
As for Ramsdale and Raya, imo there’s not much between them. I prefer Ramsdale, but then I’m not the manager.
This what I respect about you you herr drier )(though I do not agree regarding Leno )
You gave your opinion without bias and that is what it’s all about ,none of this Ridiculous talk of being an Arteta hater ,just good old opinion from a long time fan .
Agree with Almunia HD, but Leno was awarded player of the month on a few occasions I believe?
Furnell comes to mind and I have to add following DK’s love in with you, I admire your knowledge of the club and I’m going to test it further my friend!!
Do you know why The Arsenal had navy blue on their socks way back?
Ken, Leno may have won a player of the month award, but I can’t forget him pushing a free kick into his own net, coming for a cross on the edge of his area and missing it against Liverpool plus the easy catch he missed against Chelsea which resulted in us conceding a late goal which resulted in us losing.
As for the socks, no I don’t know the answer to your question.
At the Bayern game, I got chatting to a fellow older supporter of many years and we were reminiscing as far back as the late 1950’s (I was older than him!!) and he asked me this question I put to you.
Like you, I didn’t know and this is what he told me :
It goes back to the second world war, when Highbury was used as a storage area for troop requirements.
Meanwhile, with the country wanting to keep football going as a moral booster, spuds agreed to us sharing / using their ground to play our games.
In recognition of this, our club issued socks with the distinct colour of spuds navy blue as a ringlet around part of the sock.
I was astounded by this, having never come across this story before, but he was adament it was true and, as his knowledge of the club was as clear as yours, I have to believe it.
Of course I have tried to verify the story, but couldn’t find anything that supported or denied it.
Intriguing wouldn’t you say and we learn something every day about our great club?!
Forgot about Leno – every keeper has mistakes in him and I remember Leno saving us many many times.
At the end of the day, MA makes the decisions – I just think he should have been more open about his decision re. Ramsdale and Raya.
Ken, just searched on the internet and it was Herbert Chapman that introduced the blue socks with white hoops in March 1933, and as you know, that was 6 years before the second World War.
I remember reading many years ago that HC brought in the hooped socks to make it easier for team mates to see eachother when running with their head down with the ball.
Yes, I got that one, but this was, I believe, after the spuds had agreed to us playing on their ground and it was not the hooped socks that he was referring to, but the navy blue of the spuds that was introduced later.
I can’t remember the actual season he referred to, but it was definitely during or after the second World War, which of course rules out Herbert Chapman.
Chapman also introduced numbers on shirts.