Arsenal 3-2 Aston Villa - Dramatic Turnaround Saves Gunners Blushes
January 29th 2012 19:58
Arsenal are through to the 5th round of the FA Cup, but they didn't get there easily.
The Gunners started well enough, with Shay Given being forced into a superb save from a Thomas Vermaelen free kick, and Arsenal squandering many other first half chances.
Villa weathered the storm and took the lead thanks to a Richard Dunne header in the 33rd minute. Arsenal looked as though they were heading out of the cup on the stroke of half time, when Darren Bent doubled Villa's advantage when his tight angled shot somehow found the Arsenal net.
Arsenal went off to a chorus of boos, a familiar sound at the Emirates this season. Arsene Wenger needed to give a great team talk at half time, because the fans were on his and the team's back.
Whatever he said, it must have worked. Arsenal came out all guns blazing in the second half. Within 12 minutes of the restart, Arsenal were level. Richard Dunne fouled Aaron Ramsey and should have collected his second yellow card. Somehow the referee didn't give him it, but the important thing was, Van Persie scored the penalty. Game on. Walcott ran into the Villa penalty area a few minutes later, and he seemed to have lost the ball. Alan Hutton cleared the ball, but it hit Walcott and found the net. Arsenal were incredibly level, and looked capable of scoring a winner.
It didn't take long to come. Laurent Koscielny burst forward from defence and was sent tumbling in the box by Darren Bent. Arsenal were awarded another penalty. Van Persie found the net again, and Arsenal had turned the game on it's head within 16 minutes of the restart. The Emirates was buzzing, as McLeish could only look on and wonder how his team had let go of a 2 goal advantage.
Arsenal looked more likely to find a 4th than Villa did an equaliser, and they couldn't come back. Arsenal have put themselves in a good position in the Cup now, and face either Sunderland or Middlesbrough in the next round. Those two drew 1-1 at the Stadium of Light earlier in the day. With Man Utd and Man City out of the FA Cup, this could potentially be a Cup that Arsenal can win this year. And if they play like they did in the second half, you wouldn't rule it out. But then again, if they play like they did in the first half, you'd definitely say it's unlikely.
Arsenal avoided a humiliating defeat, and showed character today to come back from the dead. Hopefully this will be a platform for success in the coming months, and it's a step closer to ending the trophy drought that has been talked about in the media for so long.
The Gunners started well enough, with Shay Given being forced into a superb save from a Thomas Vermaelen free kick, and Arsenal squandering many other first half chances.
Villa weathered the storm and took the lead thanks to a Richard Dunne header in the 33rd minute. Arsenal looked as though they were heading out of the cup on the stroke of half time, when Darren Bent doubled Villa's advantage when his tight angled shot somehow found the Arsenal net.
Arsenal went off to a chorus of boos, a familiar sound at the Emirates this season. Arsene Wenger needed to give a great team talk at half time, because the fans were on his and the team's back.
Whatever he said, it must have worked. Arsenal came out all guns blazing in the second half. Within 12 minutes of the restart, Arsenal were level. Richard Dunne fouled Aaron Ramsey and should have collected his second yellow card. Somehow the referee didn't give him it, but the important thing was, Van Persie scored the penalty. Game on. Walcott ran into the Villa penalty area a few minutes later, and he seemed to have lost the ball. Alan Hutton cleared the ball, but it hit Walcott and found the net. Arsenal were incredibly level, and looked capable of scoring a winner.
It didn't take long to come. Laurent Koscielny burst forward from defence and was sent tumbling in the box by Darren Bent. Arsenal were awarded another penalty. Van Persie found the net again, and Arsenal had turned the game on it's head within 16 minutes of the restart. The Emirates was buzzing, as McLeish could only look on and wonder how his team had let go of a 2 goal advantage.
Van Persie scores from the spot
Arsenal looked more likely to find a 4th than Villa did an equaliser, and they couldn't come back. Arsenal have put themselves in a good position in the Cup now, and face either Sunderland or Middlesbrough in the next round. Those two drew 1-1 at the Stadium of Light earlier in the day. With Man Utd and Man City out of the FA Cup, this could potentially be a Cup that Arsenal can win this year. And if they play like they did in the second half, you wouldn't rule it out. But then again, if they play like they did in the first half, you'd definitely say it's unlikely.
Arsenal avoided a humiliating defeat, and showed character today to come back from the dead. Hopefully this will be a platform for success in the coming months, and it's a step closer to ending the trophy drought that has been talked about in the media for so long.
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