As Arsenal’s players trudged from the Wembley pitch after losing the FA Cup final to Second Division West Ham, an inescapable fact hung in the air like a bad smell; despite all their efforts during their gruelling 67-match season, there was now a strong possibility that Arsenal would end the season potless.
“I suppose it is true to state that last Saturday’s Cup defeat by West Ham has brought us to the edge of a situation we have dreaded for weeks,” manager Terry Neill admitted, as he contemplated Arsenal ending the campaign empty-handed. “If I know anything about these players, they’ll be so determined to make up for it and when they are like that they are a hell of a force to reckon with.”
Neill had to put a brave face on things. He had no other option. But he, along with many others, must have been mightily concerned at the tired performance of his team at Wembley. Could his players somehow find one more performance in them to topple Alfredo Di Stefano’s Valencia?
The Spaniards were hardly giants of European football. But with players such as Rainer Bonhof and Mario Kempes in their ranks, they had beaten Barcelona home and away in the quarter finals, before cruising past Nantes. Scoring 20 goals on their way to the final, Valencia may have been perceived as being weak at the back. But going forwards they were obviously a threat.
With this in mind, the fitness of David O’Leary became a major concern in the short lead-up to the final. Limping away from Wembley with a calf strain, Neill informed the press that his centre back would be fit for Brussels, although the centre back needed a painkilling injection to get through the match. Midfielder Brian Talbot, who collapsed on the team coach after the FA Cup final due to exhaustion, was also declared fit.
A team that had beaten Juventus away in a memorable semi-final, Arsenal were rightfully seen as favourites. But the danger signs were evident in the West Ham defeat. Beating a giant in the semi-final was no guarantee of success, after all, Arsenal had battled through four clashes with Liverpool before losing to West Ham. Would history repeat itself in Belgium?
During a balmy day in the Belgian capital, the Daily Mail reported that 29 Arsenal fans were arrested prior to the match. On a night of frustration and more agony for the club, those who did make it into the ground were once again taken to hell and back.
In truth, the match was far from entertaining. Valencia seemed content to keep things tight, with a tired Arsenal team patiently probing for opportunities. Shown live on BBC1, it was hardly a surprise when the match limped into extra-time. Those desperate for the 9.15 news would have to wait.
The first chance fell to Kempes, the Argentinian thwarted by Pat Jennings as Arsenal somehow dozed off at a throw-in. Frank Stapleton almost gave Arsenal the lead after 26 minutes, only to see his header cleared from the line by Jose Carrete. But in a scrappy and often tetchy first half, the same man who denied Stapleton was involved in confrontations with Sammy Nelson, Liam Brady and Graham Rix.
Both teams continued to huff and puff as the second half progressed. In a moment that demonstrated the class that was attracting the scouts of top European clubs, Brady jinked in from the right and tested Carlos Periera with an effort from outside the box. At the other end, a surging run from Bonhof saw Jennings make a trademark stop with his feet.
Arsenal came closest to breaking the deadlock, Pereira saving superbly from Alan Sunderland’s downward header in the 78th minute. Inevitably the match drifted into an extra half hour, but neither team seriously threatened. Sunderland did find the net in the second period, but O’Leary was ruled offside in the build-up.
And so to the dreaded penalty shootout; not that it was that feared back in 1980, such was the freshness of the concept. The fact that commentator John Motson repeatedly explained the system highlighted this fact. This may have been the first European club final to be decided in this way, but we would soon get used to this new drama.
“And Pat’s saved it,” Motson shrieked as Kempes missed Valencia’s first spot kick. “What a start for Arsenal.” Brady walked forwards, socks around his ankles. “But don’t forget this is just the beginning of the competition,” Motson explained. Pereira then palmed away Brady’s attempt.
Two star men, two misses. This new approach was obviously no respecter of reputations. After the early blips, both teams found their way, with Valencia moving into a 4-3 lead. Substitute John Hollins stepped up, needing to score to keep Arsenal in it. “If he scores then other players have got to be recruited from the bench, to continue the competition in sudden death fashion.”
Throughout the shootout, Motson rightfully pointed out the fact that Pereira was consistently moving on and leaving his line. Yet Hollins kept his nerve, meaning Motson had to describe at length the sudden death system that was about to take place.
Centre back Ricardo Arias managed to squeeze his effort underneath Jennings. “So, Graham Rix has to score to keep Arsenal alive. If he misses, Valencia win. That’s why Arsenal, taking their penalties second, are under greater pressure until Valencia miss another one.”
In time, football fans would assume the role of body language experts. How many times have you watched someone taking that walk from the halfway line and immediately decided that they are doomed to failure, due to the look in their eyes or the manner in which they approach the penalty spot? Graham Rix is surely an early example of this.
Understandably, Rix looked nervous. But there was something about his demeanour that raised doubts. Reserve keeper Paul Barron clenched his hands, almost praying as Rix prepared to level matters. But his prayers were not answered. Rix’s weak effort was saved by Pereira. Arsenal had lost their second final in four days.
Picking at his boots, Rix gave us an early insight into what it meant to miss in these circumstances. “One could feel only sympathy as the talented winger held his head in despair while the jubilant Spaniards mobbed their goalkeeper,” Robert Armstrong wrote in the Guardian. It was a scene that many Englishmen would get used to.
A debate started as to whether penalties should be used to decide such contests. Some felt there was still room for replays; others advocated the 35-yard/five second shootout used in America; Arsenal Chairman Denis Hill-Wood suggested the corner count as a way of splitting teams, although this would not have helped in Brussels seeing as both teams earned five corners.
Penalty shootouts were here to stay, however, and just two days later, Arsenal had to try and push the pain aside, somehow beating Wolves 2-1 in the league. Four days after that, a 5-0 hammering at Middlesbrough confirmed that Arsenal had missed out on the final UEFA Cup spot. Talk about kicking men when they were down.
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