Alex James 1930-31 thread

by many, 1930-31 Arsenal was considered its best ever version as a team, boasted an incredible tactical innovation, well-coordinated defence and amazing front-line. The master of the system, without a doubt, was Alex James. Let's see how he perform in this season

 

First Divison Match #1
Blackpool 1-4 Arsenal
30 August 1930



"THE WIZARDRY OF ALEC JAMES" - Aegis

"A GLORIOUS EXHIBITION"

Probably the man who will have been most talked of at the week-end by those who saw the game is Alec James. The little Scot was in his most fascinating mood, and he treated us to a glorious exhibition of clever footwork and masterly tactics in developing attacking movements. He glided the ball past an opponent with a subtle flick of the foot, and he kept the other fellows guessing by never doing the obvious.

James knew that his colleagues could fathom his intentions, and they placed themselves for his passes whether they were of the long or short variety.



"JAMES THE WORKER" - Albert R. Booth

Arsenal played a fine forward formation, the force behind it all being Alec James. This James was the best I think I have ever come into contact with...

James was a worker right to the end, fetching and carrying the ball up to the front, He made tackles and took them.

If Halliday had been in the centre shrewd James passes would have found him in position and goals an easy sequel.





WONDER JAMES - Harricus

"James, whose footcraft was wonderful, was outstanding.... He was a prodigious worker too..

 

First Divison Match #2
Bolton 1-4 Arsenal
1 September 1930



"ALEC JAMES AGAIN PAVED THE WAY" - J. N. Sherwood

In every sense of the world the Londoners provided a football feast... the forwards ball control were simply dazzling... Alec James in his sinuous moves...

THE POSITIONAL PLAY OF JAMES, WHO WAS THE GENIUS OF THE FRONT LINE.

Arsenal took the lead after 35 minutes. James paved the way from the half-way line. He got possesion, drew three players, and instead doing the obvious, which was the pass to Bastin, he sent the ball over to the right. Hulme cross, Lambert goal.



"ALEC JAMES DOES SOME DAZZLING WORK" - Broadcaster

I have never seen finer work with the ball than James showed in this match. Three-fourth of the credits for the first goal must go to him.

Alec got the ball inside his own half, dribbled two Bolton men, keeping it under perfect control, and then almost without looking up, swung it out to the other wing, so beautifully placed to Hulme...



"In the last 20 minutes of the game the crowd saw the artistry and wizardry of Jack and James at its best"

 

four days later, on 5 September, "Hawksworth" posted this in the Sports Gossip edition of Holloway Press.

 

First Divison Match #3
Arsenal 3-1 Leeds
6 September 1930



seems like an uneventful game for James. He had an injury towards the end of the game and forced to play outside left.



until James was injured he was elusive without being the super player we know he can be.... - Vagrant.

 

the injury seems to be more serious than was at first thought.

 

13 September 1930

 

First Divison Match #6
Blackburn 2-2 Arsenal
15 September 1930



JAMES SPARKLES - "Broadcaster"

James was not fit either, but he turned out..... full of tricks in the first half. I have never seen him play better. He naturally took command, as he often does.....

He would point the way for the next pass like Napoleon, but he slowed down in second half...



"with James back in the side and displaying his best form, Arsenal were infinitely superior up to the interval"

 

First Divison Match #7
Arsenal 4-1 Leicester
20 September 1930



"Alec James was the outstanding performer on the field, and not since coming to Highbury has he played a better game. He was a schemer and a worker, beating opponents when there did not seem to be any space in which to do it and finding with uncanny accuracy the one colleague the Leicester defenders did not expect him to feed"



THE SUPREME ARTIST. by Trevor C. Wignall

There is no inside forward more delightfully clever than Alex James. It was a joy to follow his movements, and it defeats me to understand even now how he so easily beats the opposing backs with his short dribbles.

There is never any knowing where James will be at a particular moment, but no one is more often in control of the ball..... When James is as he was on saturday, I could watch him seven days a week...

He is the supreme artist, but it is perhaps for the good of football that there are not too many of his magical kind, for if there were we might lose our admiration and wonder when witnessing perfect football



"Alec James beat three Leicester players - without even touching the ball!"



"Alec James in this game was a sheer delight"

 

23 September 1930.

 

First Divison Match #8
Birmingham 2-4 Arsenal
27 September 1930



"James skillful work always being in evidence"

"a free kick cleverly placed by James to Lambert who scored the goal"



James, although clever, was rather easily knocked off the ball.



"Alex James for instance must have been very sore at the end. He started by holding the ball and doing amazing things with it -- He finished by getting rid of it first time -- and no wonder."

 

First Divison Match #9
Arsenal 1-1 Sheffield United
4 October 1930



JAMES's BAG OF TRICKS. by Andy Ducat.



"Anyway, all the midfield scheming was left to James, who struck me as about the trickiest player I have ever seen. I can't compare him to any player of many time because he is unlike anybody --- original in everything he does."



Vulcan : "They had decided that the danger would come from James. Unlike most teams they did not go for James. They let the little fellow do his tricks....When he passed there was nearly always a United man ready to intercept... The result was Arsenal forward line did not show its usual brilliance"



C. W. Webb : "Alec James was just marvellous, and pulled every trick out of the bag to pave the way for a winning goal, but the net refused to be shaken."

Vagrant :



"Waverley" : "Alec James's artistry...."

 

James missed the Charity shield match in 8th October was stated as doubtful for the next league match against Derby in 11th, but apparently he keeps in the team sheet for the game.

 

First Divison Match #10
Derby County 4-2 Arsenal
11 October 1930



not much were talked about James performance this game, but in the second half there was a period where he was turning into demon of footballer.



Corinthian : "After these shock-troop methods... James could scarcely have played a better game in his life than he did during this period. He wandered, as some would write, but he did that with the mind of Napoleon.

"Of all the great things that James did after 0-3, only one in first half... where he gave ideal pass to Bastin"



Charles Buchan : "James was an inspiration. He delighted the huge crowd with his wonderful ball control, and his passes were models of accuracy."



Ivan Sharpe : "James came to life at the vital moment in second half and did some glorious dribbling - besides shooting well occasionally"

 

First Divison Match #10
Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United
18 October 1930



James had no rival on the field as inside forward and his cleverness won the match. - Aegis



Taurus : "we saw occasional flashes of genius from James"

 

First Divison Match #12
Arsenal 1-1 West Ham United
25 October 1930



on Arsenal, James was again the best forward on view, although he overdid the cross-pass to the right wing, where Williams seldom made progress..



Vagrant : "Alec James did some clever things, but did not enjoy himself, because there was usually an opponent on the spot



Hammer : "Alec James was always dangerous with his well directed passes, and gave Bastin more chances than usual"

 

First Divison Match #13
Huddersfield 1-1 Arsenal
1 November 1930



SCHEMING JAMES. by West Riding

"There were no cleverer manipulators of the ball than James and Kelly.... James had more opportunities, and his feinting and ball control were delightful to witness. He beat Huddersfield repeatedly by sheer craft."



Allan Cave : JAMES THE JUGGLER

"Alec James's scheming was a predominant feature"
"It was no uncommon thing for James to bamboozle three or four Huddersfield player"

Harricus :


JAMES'S SKILL.



"The mastermind of visitor attack was Alexander James"



Aegis : "James was in one of happiest moods, and he constantly changed the point of attack as the result od his deft passes. By doing the unexpected he more than once even deceived his partner, who was not ready for the pass. A typical James maneuvre paved the way for Arsenal goal. The Scotsman beat two opponents with close dribbling, then swung round and shot...."

"James and Bastin made the cleverest wing on the field"

 

3 November 1930.

 

First Divison Match #14
Arsenal 5-2 Aston Villa
8 November 1930



HOW THE GENIUS OF JAMES TEMPTED GIBSON OUT OF POSITION AND LEFT BASTIN UNMARKED.

"What impressed me most was the Arsenal's midfield game....James was tremendously strong"

"Billy Walker, although good, was not equal of Alec James"



James was the hero of the match. - P. J. Moss



Harry Lincoln : "James was a shining light"



by "Major Minor"



"Without Jack and James, Arsenal would be an artillery section without guns. The little Scot was in devastating form. He baffled a Villa defence, which has in it the qualities associated with international genius"

Thomas Moult's description on Alec James assist :

 

P. J. MOSS : No More Scottish Caps For World's Best Forward
10 NOVEMBER 1930.





"Alec James, the cleverest forward in the world to-day"

"I was one of a record crowd of 64.000 people watching his scintillating footwork in the game between Arsenal and Villa. He was out by himself as footballer."

 

Bob John, 15 November 1930 :

 

First Divison Match #15
Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Arsenal
15 November 1930





Ivan Sharpe's comments :


P. J. Moss : "I wrote about the genius of Alec James last week. The little man was the right in the picture again. he is making Lambert an england player, now something more than a goal scorer.

"James gave glorious pass to Lambert which resulted in goal



Larry Lincoln :

 

First Divison Match #16
Arsenal 5-3 Middlesbrough
22 November 1930



JAMES BRAINER THAN BRUCE. - Frank Thorogood

"the Arsenal man showed more craft and spent far less energy"


Vagrant : "Jack and James played in a minor key"




Eric Martin :

"James, however, performed much valuable work, and made many good openings, but he did not fill the stage as he usually does"