The Gunners Book A Return Visit To Wembley
Apr 24th, 2017 by 'holic
Good morning. You can spot the Arsenal supporters this morning. We are the ones with a smile wide enough to insert a banana sideways. Of all the good days I have been following the club that was right up there with the best. It helped that my company from lunchtime in the fanzone through to the final trudge up the stairs at Wembley Park station was excellent. However the gritty performance that secured another FA Cup Final appearance will long live in the mind.
The first-half didn’t provide any indication of what was to follow.We went with the back three trialled at Boro and all three, along with the wing backs, looked to be in very good shape indeed. So much so we were happy to cede possession to the blue half of Manchester. That wasn’t a bad idea. Guardiola for some reason erred on the side of caution in his selection and rather than play two wingers he opted to include Yaya Toure.
On a rare foray forward Laurent Koscielny had the ball in the net but our celebrations were cut short by the assistant referee’s flag. Midway through the half Silva felt the full force of a Gabriel challenge and Guardiola was forced to send on Sterling, his second winger. It would prove to be a costly delay. The Gunners wing backs had settled into their role and were looking very comfortable indeed. City were also denied a goal when a cross to Aguero was deemed to have gone behind and swung back in.
If the first-half had been a largely pedestrian affair with both sides showing the other much respect, the second-half was anything but. The Arsenal came out bristling with counter-attacking intent. So what happened next was almost painful. Aaron Ramsey lost the ball as we pushed for the advantage. Aguero was sent chasing the ball in a one on one with Nacho Monreal, the City man’s heavy touch looked to have presented the ball to Petr Cech, but the ‘keeper dallied and Aguero flicked the ball over his outstretched left arm. We were behind.
Invariably the first goal in big matches is decisive. That was a call to the Gunners to show a degree of steel lacking for so long. We produced the response within minutes, and it was the wing-backs who provided it. From the right touchline Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain crossed to the far post where Monreal, arriving at speed, supplied the finish with his swinger. In the stadium it felt as though it would be our day although City would point to two efforts thumping off the woodwork as being unlucky.
The full-time whistle signalled defeat for the ‘holic pound, although the predicted scoreline was delivered in the first-half of extra-time. Alexis, ever the livelier, wriggled into position in a crowded area and stabbed the ball home. Cue pandemonium in the stands as strangers, and not-so-strangers, hugged. It was a moment of euphoria in a second-half of the season that has prompted so much wailing and gnashing of teeth.
The lack of panic thereafter was the final tribute to be granted to an outstanding back five. Rarely has Gabriel looked as assured, Rob Holding looks real value at , was it £3m last summer? Monreal will be the first to admit this has not been a great season for him but he was truly immense. The Ox? Take a bow son, as they say.
What is really interesting is how the events of the weekend will affect the confidence of the two combatants in next weekends North London derby. Tottenham, statistically superior to Chelsea shipped four goals and Spursed it up. We mirrored Chelsea’s victory with less possession and the Final will be a fascinating affair, hopefully.
Until then I’m looking to see how many bananas I can swallow sideways. It’s a good day to be alive.
35 Responses to “The Gunners Book A Return Visit To Wembley”
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A very positive performance which, I have to admit, came as a very pleasant surprise. A great day for Arsene and all Gooners everywhere. Sounds like a great day out. I love these 2-1 scorelines. Enjoy as many sideways bananas as you can manage. Does banana go well with Guiness I’m wondering? A day off in Holic land I’m thinking?
Morning All,
I went to the game somewhat reluctantly and came home elated and exhausted. Even the usual business of getting away from the stadium didn’t dampen the spirits.
I have been very critical in recent weeks of the lack of effort in a team where there is so much talent but the second half and ET display just showed what they can do when they want to. Let’s hope it’s not a one off showing and we can look forward to more of the same for the rest of the campaign. I accept we road our luck but it has been on our side in this year’s competition with a pretty easy draw and an escape at Preston, may it continue just one more game.
Whether it was our game plan or not to allow Citi total possession in the first half it worked, as we somewhat fortunately went in level at half time. The back five held on manfully without any help from our mid field duo who were unable to get a grip of the game. Rob Holding was outstanding for such an inexperienced and under used CD this season and Nacho’s goal had me going wild!
There may be one or two changes on Wednesday night as a number of players ran out of steam towards the end. I’ve been unlucky in the ballot for final tickets in the two recent seasons, perhaps this year we will all have
some.
Sorry don’t know what happened there!
An enjoyable read today 🙂
I hope our new found resilience
is here to stay.
I’ve been saying for a couple of months now that it was only the Cup that was keeping me going in this bad tempered season. Well the Cup delivered in spades yesterday. On a sun-kissed day at Wembley I have to agree with ‘holic that this was right up there in terms of a great day out at the football!
Due to traffic being as bad as I’ve known it (I saw bits of North London I haven’t seen for many years as the sat nav swerved me around the really bad spots – Burnt Oak anyone?) we were later than normal in parking up in the red car park at Wembley. Now this car park was allocated as being for Arsenal fans but it was right opposite the City end! Maybe I’m getting old (actually no maybe there) but the City fans milling around seemed lippier, more aggressive and drunker than usual. Now Wembley is usually the friendliest of places but it did seem unusually edgy. I was quite glad to get round to the Arsenal end and see a few familiar faces!
Into the ground about ten minutes before kick off. We’ve been to Wembley enough in recent years to know where we wanted to be and we had a great view, two thirds of the way back, lower tier, behind the goal. A great crowd around us and as we took our places the sun peeped over the stadium roof onto us and stayed there for the rest of the day.
Like the team, the crowd started a little cautiously, certainly the least raucous of recent semi finals. It was at least 20 minutes before the first rendition of “What did she wear?” rent the air. But, again like the team, we got stronger and stronger as the game went on. In the first half everyone was very worried by how we were standing off the City players. Shouts of “get tight”, “close him down” “go to him” and “get in his face” (all expletive deleted) were everywhere. But we did appreciate the new found physicality. Every five minutes another City player seemed to be on the ground. We’ve been the victims of being kicked to death so many times before that it was good to see the whole team (except Mesut and Oli) channelling their inner Keown.
We were so clearly the better team in the second half that the breakaway goal was a real kick in the balls. But after a 30 second pause the noise welled up again “Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal”! Ox whipped in a great ball to the back post and somehow there was Nacho to absolutely thump it in with his right foot.
Extra time. Welbeck replaced the frankly ineffective Giroud. Danny is such a conundrum. He is really good outside the box and, showing great physicality and will, he forced City backwards and really made a difference. But he did miss two great chances, especially a header that Nacho maybe could have converted. But it was his miskick that fell to Sanchez who knocked it in. I do love a bobbly one.
We had a nervous 11 minutes to live through and the best move of the game from City seemed to leave De Bruyn through on goal. Somehow springheeled Hector got back and diverted it into the side netting. Phew! But then we won yet another header, the final whistle went and, once more, we were victorious at new Wembley. I am learning to love this stadium.
Great plaudits go to Ox, Nacho, and all three centre halves. But overall it was the best performance for many months and a huge sense of satisfaction. Suddenly we have something to look forward to at the end of the season and a reason for playing for in the league.
Walking back to the car park, the Mancs were noticeably quieter. As we got near, an old lady in City colours was leaning on a rail, obviously waiting for someone. As we approached she put her hand on my arm and stopped me. Here we go, I thought. a gobful of Manc abuse. But no. She said “Well done son. Now go and smash those Chelsea bastards in the final for me will you?”
We’re gonna win the Cup!
Best frame of the day was seeing Wenger’s reaction at full-time. It means so much to man…and to me too.
BMBD
COYG and great reports above. ?
Afternoon all. A day off indeed BtM. Much needed too. 🙂
Great both reports from Holic and Countryman, God bless you!
Far from vintage Arsenal but at least we grew a pair and showed we ain’t gonna be kicked around! Well done Ox, Nacho and the rest of the team!
We are in the final!
COYG!
Loved it yesterday and I particularly enjoyed how the fans came together to get behind the team. We responded whenever the City fans got their voices up, I just wish that could continue onto Wednesday night.
Just a shame that so many of us will now miss out on a final ticket but the bbq will be hot and the beers will be cooling – let’s give Chelsea one hell of a hiding you rip roaring reds!!!
The rest of the season is red and white.
But, beware Leicester who are not completely out of relegation fighting.
Lovely complement to Holic’s excellent review, Countryman. Made me feel like I’d been there.
Lonestar @7, me too! 🙂
Whenever we draw Southampton in the Cup we get to the final, so Sunday’s result was never in doubt.
Ttg and ‘Holic: Atmospheric reports. And good to see one of those banana-wide smiles on AW, too.
Lovely summation of events.. and countryman, what a brilliant account! The last few lines are the best and hopefully prophetic too!
F the chavs!
Up The Arse!
😀
ribbon
Lovely stuff Holic, and Countryman.
I decided not to do new Wembley a long time ago for knee related reasons. Well, that and my old Wembley record of 0% success !
Better I do the team a favour by staying away.
Those two reports do make me regret the decision a bit.
The TV coverage is so extensive though, that it is some sort of compensation. Such a shame it was on the ludicrously biased BT Sport, which seems to be on a mission to employ anyone with a scouse accent strong enough to make your ears bleed. Yesterday was the turn of Steeeve MacManamanamanamanaman to co-commentate, a creature who makes a traffic bound tour of North London seem like an all expenses paid holiday to the Maldives.
Not even he could completely ruin the joy shared by myself and daughter as we sat behind a row of table hogging Spuds and Blue Mooners at the venue of choice for BT screenings – which I refuse to pay good money for – as their Arsenal hating antics first grew noisier and then died a muffled death as they shuffled away at the final whistle.
We laughed. And laughed.
And then laughed again. Aloud ? I guess so ?
Great to see us getting stuck in again. It was almost old school Arsenal again yesterday. Long overdue and with the hallmark of Steve Bould all over it. It seemed that Arsene had finally been forced to allow his number two some time with the defence on the pitch, so completely unlike recent Arsenal was it. If that was the case, then credit to Arsene for recognising the need. If not, then well done anyway.
100% effort and a proper fight. They are the minimum requirement.
Yesterday, at long last, we got it again.
A pleasure to read that report Holic,
as much as it was a pleasure to watch the game in the sunshine behind the goal (we must have been a few rows in front of you, Countryman @6 – a pleasure to read your account too),
as it was a pleasure to watch the game all over again late last night (despite the moron McMamananananananananananan – aren’t co-commentators supposed to feign neutrality or at least not display blatant bias?)
as it was a pleasure to see and hear Ian Wright in raptures of delight
as it was to watch the MoTD highlights this morning
as it was to listen to a delighted Martin Keown revelling in our defensive exploits.
I too loved Arsene’s reaction at the end. Doesn’t care enough? Doesn’t do tactics? Doesn’t have it in him anymore? We’ll see.
Now go do it again in every remaining game, Arsenal, especially the final.
Here’s hoping we can have another Goonerholic outing.
Hi Bath
Block 111? That or 112 are my blocks of choice at that end.
Many thanks for the kind comments all. I thought Holic made a masterful summary of the game.
Been sick as a dog all weekend. “Just a stomach virus” according to my GP but honestly thought I was heading for a messy death last night. Yuck.
Despite BT’s best efforts to ruin it. The hour and a half spent away from the sick bed and in front of the match on TV made it all bearable.
Also my daughter’s team made the Bucks Girls Cup Final on Saturday morning – Sent her on to the pitch telling her that if they won their semi final then Arsenal would also win their semi on Sunday – they did and the scoreline ? 2-1
Lovely to feel a bit more confidence in the lads after a season of great lows and not too many highs. The big plus for me was Holding who is someone I really rate. Gabriel deserves all the plaudits he gets.
I just hope we can find two midfielders now !
Thanks for the report Holic…your faith was greater than mine!
Countryman100, we were in block 110 row 11, so below and a wee bit over. We basked in the sunshine and the joy of watching a long-overdue gutsy performance. When the team gives the right performance you can accept a win, draw or loss. Of course I was delighted to accept the first option.
Will you get to the final without relying on the ballot Bath? If not, all the best.
“Ian Wright in raptures of delight” has real rhyming potential.
Watching the Bayern v Real Madrid game last week, Darren Fletcher made a comment about the Germans beating their last opponents 10-2 on aggregate. The prat McManaman asked him to say who that team was and then laughed. He made a specific joke about an English team losing in Europe. I was amazed because it was so confrontational but thought I was being oversensitive. I watched the game largely without commentary on BT but it shames them that they employ someone so biased and frankly I think Wrighty goes the other way. He is do Arsenal biased it must annoy non- Gooners. It’s part of the dumbing down of broadcasting we have seen in recent years.
Former footballers commenting on current footballers have been dumb since time immemorial, TTG. No one is ever as good as those of previous generations.
Chris@28: Those previous generations were journalists, not ex-players. Brian Moore started out working as a sub-editor on newspapers. David Coleman started out as a newspaper reporter and later editor. Kenneth Wolstenholme started out as a BBC radio freelance journalist before moving to television. They understood that football commentary should be a journalistic endeavour, not a bit of dressing room banter.
These Wilshere-to-China rumours seem thinner than rice paper. But can’t see him starting many games at the Ems next season if he comes back and stays.
Sadly, not much change there
NBN as Jack didn’t start many
games a season before he went
to Bournemouth either.
Personally, I thought last season
he should have gone to one of the
Euro leagues like Serie A.
If he didn’t want to go there then
China seems a bit unlikely as you
say.
Keeping both Jack and Santi for
next season seems a risk too far
for me.
Countryman100 @25, sadly not. I am entirely at the mercy of the ballot.
TTG@27, I also noticed that unnecessarily snide McMananananananananan comment at the Real v Bayern match.
There is a distinct difference between the role of a co-commentator who is meant to add a professional footballer’s insight to the commentary in an even-handed manner and the role of a studio pundit invited specifically because he once played for one of the participants. Wrighty makes no pretence of neutrality in these circumstances and was balanced on the panel by Richard Dunne who was likewise extremely partisan in his analyses and comments. I don’t think Wrighty does annoy other fans much. Listen to him on 606 where he is much less partisan than during a match and is constantly complimented by fans of other clubs. Actually I think he is a genuinely nice man and that’s how he comes across on TV and radio and as a result they accept and forgive him his Arsenal passion (even Marshdwellers) whereas McMananananan comes across as a chippy Scouse weasel.
chippy’s a Scouse weasel?
Oh, hang on…
Seems both Arsenal and Chelsea will get 28,000 tix for the Cup Final, 3000 each more than for previous years. More chances for golds at <3 away credits in the ballot. Extra tix for fans at expense of corporates.
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