Herbert Chapman is arguably the greatest English manager of all time. In this thread I’m gonna to talk about his time with Arsenal. His philosophy and honours.

Chapman was considered one of the very first managers who picked his own team and implemented his own tactics. He was a manager who believed in physical fitness and was one of the very first to introduce diet and fitness regimes.

Chapman led Huddersfield to their first two league titles but then, before they began their third great season he surprised the football world by joining Arsenal.

In the 1925 close season, Arsenal chairman Sir Henry Norris placed an advertisement searching for a new manager to replace Leslie Knighton who had been sacked. At the time the club were struggling in the first division.

He responded to the advertisement, insisting that ‘Gentlemen whose sole ability to build up a good side depends on the payment of heavy and exorbitant and transfer fees needs not ability’.

In his first season he led Arsenal, who had only just avoided relegation the previous season, to finish 2nd, 5 points behind his old side Huddersfield. the striker, Jimmy Brain was the top scorer in the league with 39 goals.

1925 was also the year the offside low was changed. Chapman was the first manager to face the challenge of adapting his tactic to work to the new law.
He plugged the holes in defense caused by the new low by using an extra defender. Their center half became ‘The stopper’.

The day of old 2-3-5 formation was over. Now it was 3-4-3, or “WM” so called after the shape it formed spelled out the letters.
The introduction of a center half to stop the opposing center forward came into effect.

While a holding midfielder was a non-entity, as 2 central midfielder were urged to act box to box players. Meanwhile 2 pacy wingers sit slightly further forward, looking to make crosses inside, with the forward assisted by a playmaker acting in the space between the lines.

After 2 disappointing seasons, Chapman signed Bolton striker David Jack for a world record transfer fee at the time, of £10k. And Alex James and the 17 year old Cliff Bastin in 1929. He wanted to strengthen his attacking lineup.

Chapman was under pressure after spending heavily. He’s had a strong squad. It was another disappointing season in the league as they finished 14th. The football during his era was unorganized. He was disappointed when his team completely dominated a game but still lost heavily.

Chapman led Arsenal to their first ever trophy when they won the FA cup in 1930, beating Huddersfield 2-0. He benched the goalkeeper Dan Lewis who made the mistake that cost Arsenal the title in 1927. He also played Bastin over the regular striker, Hapgood.

In 1930/31 season, Arsenal won the league for the first time. They scored 127 goals, which still stands as a club record to this day. Jack Lampert won the golden boot after netting 38 goals, included 7 hat-tricks. David Jack was the joint second top scorer with 31 goals.

Chapman’s signings worked out. Alex James stood out as a deep-lying inside forward. He became the engine of the team. He wanted a quick counter-attacking system that relied on quick wingers who cut inside from the wing. Cliff Bastin was impressive in this role.

In 1931-32 season the team won nothing. Finished second in the league behind Everton and losing the FA cup final to Newcastle. They missed Jack Lampert and Alex James due to injuries for the majority of the season.

In 1932-33 season Chapman led Arsenal to win the league. Bastin won the golden boot after scoring 33 goals.

Chapman went into 1933-34 looking to retain the title. Beat Liverpool 8-1 in the opening day. They worked their way to the top of the league. Suddenly Chapman died of pneumonia.

His work was left to Joe Shaw and George Allison who saw out a hat-trick with the 1933-34 and 1934-35 titles, and then won the 1936 FA cup and 1937-38 title.

End of thread.

@afcevan @VipArsenal likes and RTs appreciated