Rosicky Shines As Arsenal Progress In FA Cup - Match Report

Match Review: Brighton 2 Arsenal 3 - FA Cup - 25.01.14

After what was one of the craziest Saturday’s in the history of FA Cup, Arsenal managed to avoid being one of the giants slain. There was certainly potential for a shock, but we kept the home side at arms length for most of the game, even if we did gift them a couple of goals. With both City and Chelsea falling and Liverpool with a difficult replay to negotiate, the FA Cup is once again a golden opportunity to finish the season with silverware.

I was a little surprised with how much Arsene Wenger chose to rotate, especially given the defeats suffered by City and Chelsea. Szczesny returned in goal, with Chambers and Gibbs coming in for Bellerin and Mertesacker respectively. Flamini, Rosicky, Özil and Walcott also started, while Chamberlain dropped out of the squad altogether. Obviously it’s important to give players game time so that they are ready when required, but I think in hindsight, Wenger might have opted for a strong back line and played Coquelin instead of Flamini.

We couldn’t have got off to a better start though, as we edged ahead within two minutes. Chambers was the architect with a barnstorming run down the right flank. Having embarrassed their left back, he crossed to Theo Walcott, who took one touch and fired into the far corner from an acute angle. Walcott has looked particularly rusty and profligate in the few games he’s featured in this season, but this goal looked like the Theo of old. The perfect settler for any nerves there may have been.

Arsenal had absolute control of the first half. Brighton stood off and let us have all the space we wanted and we took full advantage, dominating possession and stroking the ball round with ease. Our second goal was a combination of Brighton’s poor defending and our ability to open them up. Tomas Rosicky got the assist, playing a stunning reverse pass through a tight space to Mesut Özil. The German took advantage of the space left by an out of position centre back to control and slot the ball home calmly. Having both Özil and Walcott score on their return to the starting line up was the perfect first half for us.

However, Arsenal so rarely take the easy route. Just five minutes into the second half, our lead was halved as some lacklustre defending lead to O’Grady hammering in from the edge of the area. Rosicky made a mess of a clearance, Chambers was beaten in the air and Flamini got the wrong side of the goalscorer as he lashed home. Szczesny didn’t move, whether he had a chance to save it or not is debatable, but to not even try to move annoyed me a little. Maybe I’m being overly critical, but I felt he could have at least made an effort.

Thankfully, one of those who made an error for their goal made up for it in spectacular fashion just ten minutes later. Rosicky was the man who won it back after some sloppy Brighton defending and then danced past a couple of players with his quick feet before delivering a cheeky no-look pass to Giroud on the left. The Frenchmen drew in the Brighton defenders and then popped the ball back to Rosicky to smash a volley home. Magnificent play for Rosicky who showed that fears about his decline were misplaced and he still has a lot left to give.

As the match moved towards the final quarter, Alexis and Akpom came on as it seemed we were pretty safe. However, there’s always time for a cock up with Arsenal and it was Monreal this time, pushing up out of defence at the wrong moment and allowing a ball in behind for Baldock. The Brighton man scooped the ball over Szczesny’s dive and set up a nervy last fifteen minutes. I thought Szczesny was partly at fault for this goal, he rushed out and went flying in, making the decision easy for the scorer. He’s clearly not a happy bunny at the moment and it seemed to bring out his rash, impulsive deficiencies in this moment.

Fortunately we were spared any embarrassment as we kept the ball up the field way and prevented them from attacking by putting them on the back foot. Alexis came close with three free kicks, but also lost the ball a huge amount. On the whole though, we saw out the game well and I don’t think anyone will argue we didn’t deserve the win. At the end of the game Wenger also confirmed that Gabriel Paulista is close to completing his move to the club, having been granted a work permit under special talent rules. I haven’t seen him play at all, but hopefully he’s a Koscielny type signing, rather than a Santos style one!

Arsenal are one of only six teams to have managed to retain the FA Cup before. The Cup is a huge part of our history and an especially important one in Wenger’s reign at the club. The Frenchman has won us five of the eleven FA Cup trophies the club has collected, which is one behind the record of six for a manager (achieved by George Ramsay of Aston Villa). We’re also level with Manchester United for the most FA Cup titles in the competition’s history. Winning the FA Cup this year would bring a raft of records for both club and manager and also just the simple pleasure of silverware. Whilst it’s not a cake walk to the final, the absence of so many Premier League teams means that we have a huge chance to bring another cup home and prove that last year’s triumph wasn’t a glorious flash in the pan.

Teams

Brighton (4-4-2)
Stockdale, Bruno (March 63’), Greer (Y), Dunk (Y), Bennett, Holla (Y), Ince, Calderon, Forster-Caskey (Colunga 82’), Baldock (Y), O’Grady
Subs
Hughes, Colunga, Mackail-Smith, Chicksen, Rea, March, Walton

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)
Szczesny, Chambers, Koscielny, Monreal, Gibbs, Flamini, Walcott (Sánchez 70’), Rosicky, Ramsey, Özil (Coquelin 80'), Giroud (Akpom 70’)
Subs
Mertesacker, Sánchez, Cazorla, Martinez, Coquelin, Akpom, Bellerin

Player Ratings

Szczesny - 6/10 - Did not have a happy demeanour and could have done better for both goals
Chambers - 7/10 - Did well for our opener, but maybe slightly at fault for their first
Koscielny - 6/10 - Had a slightly poor game, perhaps missing Mertesacker
Monreal - 7/10 - Made a mistake for their second but other than that he was solid
Gibbs - 6/10 - Fairly quiet on his return to the starting XI
Flamini - 5/10 - Very out of form and could well be done at Arsenal with Coquelin’s form
Ramsey - 7/10 - Put in a solid, uncomplicated showing
Rosicky - 8/10 - A mistake for their first outweighed by a brilliant goal and assist
Özil - 7/10 - Clearly not fully match fit, but played well and took his goal calmly
Walcott - 7/10 - His goal was a brief flash in a quiet, but competent display
Giroud - 7/10 - Not on the score sheet but got a good assist and his hold up play was great
Subs
Alexis - 6/10 - Profligate in possession, maybe trying a little bit too hard
Akpom - 7/10 - Clearly still raw, but showed some flashes of why he is so highly rated
Coquelin - N/A

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