FA Cup Review

Well that was good... and bad. I think it's safe to say that in the first half nothing really happened, with both teams waiting for the other to do something in what was the footballing equivilent of "you hang up"- "no you hang up!" After that we were finally given the exciting game most people had been anticipating.

As predicted, Arsenal fielded a strong team while Swansea City fielded a slightly weaker than usual eleven. Walcott was slid back out to the right allowing for the return of Giroud to the starting team and Cazorla was moved out to the left allowing Aaron Ramsey a rare start in the centre of midfield. Arsenal started the second half well but went behind to a goal which was delivered by the first touch of Michu after coming on as a sub. Arsenal responded soon after with goals by Podolski, who came on off the bench, and Gibbs. Gibbs' goal in particular was spectacular, a one-two with Giroud who lifted the ball over the defence (not unlike the podolski blooter against Montpellier) back to Gibbs who surveyed the goalkeepers position and calmly placed the ball into the far corner blasted the ball into the roof of the net.

I did feel good seeing Gibbs score such an emphatic goal. All to often I feel Gibbs lets himself down by getting into a great position and then making the wrong choice (passing when he should have shot and vice versa). As the ball was dropping to him you could see wallcott had followed him into the box and was available for the square ball but it was clear he had made his choice and it was very much the right one. Podolski's goal before that was a very instictuous finish which is always nice to see in a team that is often accused of being overly elaborate.

Having praised Gibbs' performance going forward, we should note that his defending was terrible, allowing Swansea alot of joy down the right flank. Some of the best full-backs in the world are the ones who add an attacking threat to a team while maintaining their ability to defend (Dani Alves springs to mind). I just wonder whether Gibbs has the ability to perform both or whether he can only excell at one at the expense of the other. If that is the case, I'd rather my defender was, first and foremost, defending.

Picture by Ronnie Macdonald

Aaron Ramsey played ok in the middle of the park, you can see that the movement and intentions of the player are intellegent but sometimes he is a bit too clumsey to pull things off (tripping over himself and claiming a penalty comes to mind). After going one nil down, Wenger took off Ramsey for Podolski allowing Cazorla to step back into the centre of the midfield and the team really did play alot better. It really was a very apparant change in gear from the gunners which lead to the two goals and the shortlived lead. Teams must really fancy their chances against us when we step into the lead because we seem to very accomadating towards them scoring an equaliser.

The defending for the Swansea equaliser wasn't just bad (god was it bad), but it was very strange. The goal came from a corner which landed at the feat of Ki and was then passed forward to Graham who was given as much space as that guy on my bus who smells like hotdog water. The weird part was how the zonal marking for the corner (yes I know, we all hate zonal marking) didn't seem to have any kind of contingency plan for when the ball falls to someone's feet. The ball was controlled and everyone just looked at it and froze, in their cute little zonal marking formation. Graham then walked passed the queue of Arsenal players and called for the ball. Arteta who was positioned on the post could clearly foresee him receiving the ball but god forbid he left his position at the post in case he flicks it back up and decides to header it in. I don't think the goal is another example of the failures of zonal marking, I think it's an example of the failures of common sense.

Another two goals scored, another two goals conceded, another date with Swansea. Fuck.

Hasta luego Goonitos

The Goonatic