Chapman and the number 10 – one solution, but otherwise fill-ins.

Herbert Chapman inherited two number 10s of quality, Ramsey and Blyth, and he used both in his early years at Arsenal.

After that he turned to Bltyhe who had played in a variety of positions for Knighton but was used as a number six by Chapman in his first year.

Here is the table for the players at No 10, and below some details about them.

  25/6 26/7 27/8 28/9 30/1 31/2 32/3 33/4
Neil 26              
Ramsey 16 12            
Blythe   14 19          
Lambert   6 13          
Peel   4 3 24        
Shaw   1            
Brain   2            
Buchan   2            
Tricker     3          
Barley     2          
 

Thompson

    1 16   1    
Jones       2   3    
James         40 32 40 21
Jonstone         2      
Bastin           4   9
Jack           2   1
Parkin             1  
John             1  
Dougall               5
Coleman               1
Bowden               5

Jack Lambert was basically a centre forward, filling in at 10.  He joined in 1926 and played 143 league games.

Harold Peel joined the same year and played both inside and outside left over four seasons, playing 47 games in all.

Reginald Tricker was another 1926 signing and played just 12 games for the club.

John Barley was another player coming in at the same time who never really made it, playing 8 games in 3 seasons.

Len Thompson joined in 1927 but only had one fulfilling year (in 1928/9) when he played 17 games.  He left in 1932 after just 26  games

Alex James was of course the one great number 10 that Chapman got, coming from Preston in 1929 to make 231 appearances

Otherwise we are left with players who played modest numbers of games or who filled in at 10 when Alex James was not available.  Tim Coleman for example played across the forward line but only had one major season – 1932/3 when he played 27 games.

So, one great player, otherwise fill-ins at number 10.

 

 

 

 

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