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It had to end, it had to be the FA Cup and it had to be Danny Welbeck. It was written.
After 11 attempts spanning eight-years, Arsenal have finally surmounted the threat of overcoming arch rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford and there could not have been a better way to do it. It was a simple script followed up with wonderful execution. There could have been more goals but for the magnificent David de Gea, but no one is complaining.
The famous Arsenal are going to Wemberlee.
But this was no ordinary FA Cup quarter-final challenge against a ‘top’ opposition. After the ignominy of the dreadful outings in the red half of Manchester over the last decade, the last couple of years have presented good moments to restore the Gunners right to victory on this ground, as in the days when league titles were won on that ground. The frustration of not beating David Moyes’ team last season still hurts and not managing to dominate a backline of 19-yea- olds at the Emirates in November was even more of a heart ache.
We can now consign all of that to the past as this was as much a victory of mental strength as it was a bold statement of reinvigorated intent. There might still be some rough edges in need of smoothening but there were more than mere traces for us to believe that the Glorious Gallant Arsenal are back.
Arsenal can now turn up against the big teams and let no one question the players’ readiness to fight for a just cause.
Because you don’t win away games against both Manchester City and Manchester United within the space of seven weeks without bearing of some kind of stuff in you, even if you had lost your consciousness sometime between those fixtures thinking you could take it easy against Monaco.
Arsenal can now dig deep and deliver when it matters, as we had already noticed in pressure cookers against West Ham, Crystal Palace and QPR, only that as humans, there will always be the room for some moments of lapses and errors.
Wenger may finally put to rest the plans for a new defensive midfield acquisition for the coming summer as it increasingly has become difficult to imagine some other player showing such robust determination to win a challenge as Francis Coquelin, the lad whose last appearance at Old Trafford was as a debutant in the 8 – 2 drubbing in 2011. Morgan Schneiderlin is fantastic and has great potential but I do not reckon he will be committed towards being the team’s ‘dirty man’. Yet, Coquelin is not even dirty in his challenges, proving so much of a thorn in Marouane Fellaini’s side – United’s biggest threat on the day – that the Belgian had to get his calming orders from the excellent Michael Oliver.
Perhaps this will become a springboard for a big miracle at Monaco, and as well the stepping stone to a firm new Invincible Arsenal. There may still be defeats and moments of disappointment but there can surely be more belief that this team can do the possible wherever we go.
Two Wembley dates will bring us close to the possibility of a second FA Cup triumph in 12 months for the men in red-and-white and on the form of Monday night, who would bet against it?
Driving Arsenal to success?
It was a good win for Arsenal, and having Welbeck score the winner was priceless! Kudos to Le Prof for giving Welbeck the chance to start; it had to be tempting to send in the on-form Giroud against Man U.
Arsenal’s results against the top teams this season are much better. They haven’t lost by more than 2 goals yet; a vast improvement over the 5-0, 5-3 losses last year. The gunners got a result away at Liverpool, won at Man City, drew to Man City at home, split with Southampton, home and away, drew at home to Tottenham, and now won away to Man U in the cup. Even the 2-0 away the Chelsea flatters the Blues. Arsenal were pushing for a goal late, down a man and Costa got a long ball over the top and finished to take the score to 2-0.
Arsenal may not win the league and they may not win Champions League, but this team is performing much better as a unit than it did last season. Welbeck’s engine and ability to come on for Giroud has been important, Alexis has been huge, obviously, and both Cazorla aand Giroud has been very good as well.
Another hearty congrats to the Prof for not being swayed by public sentiment on Ozil. He’s been good for most of his time at Arsenal and very good fairly often, but his playing style is not typically “English” in that he is more of a constant mover and adapter than a burst of effort type of player. He’s so rarely in the wrong position he doesn’t need to sprint to recover.
With Liverpool pushed to a replay, and the other two teams, Reading and Bradford playing a replay as well, only Villa and Arsenal are confirmed. Even if Liverpool scrape through, they’ll need to play a very strong side for the replay at Rovers, which can only help Arsenal in the league.