After a week away, the Arsenal we know and love returned. In a fitting game to end what has been a pulsating weekend, one which has shown all doubters just why the FA Cup remains such a special competition, Arsenal covered a great deal of ground in their bid to retain the only trophy they have won in the last 9 years.
While results from the previous day’s action showed the folly of assumptions based on reputation, league position, and team value, there can be no doubting this was a major step forward for Arsenal. Four of last season’s Top 7 clubs – the group that have won 8 out of the last 10 competitions – are now knocked out of the completion and if the fourth round was to be played next Saturday, Arsenal have a chance of facing only one club – Manchester United – that currently lies above them.
But before that there was a match to be played and what an incredible spectacle it was. It started with the Gunners showing their class, as Calum Chambers’ stepover and acceleration overwhelmed Joe Bennett. Free on the far side, he managed to fire a low cross into vacant space occupied by, of all people, Theo Walcott. The winger may have just come back from injury, but neither he nor Arsenal were in a mood to refuse such a gift and within 90 seconds the score was 1-0.
Source: Arsenal.com
Emboldened by this fine start, Arsenal played like the proverbial big fish even if the pond, an Amex stadium that would fit in seamlessly to the Premier League, was anything but small. Lined up in a 4-1-4-1, Mesut Ozil, back to health after another frustrating long term injury, showed encouragement back in his fabled ‘No 10 role behind the omnipresent Oliver Giroud, a frenetic and devoted source of energy throughought the 90 minutes; Aaron Ramsey could have ran him and two others into the ground; Not forgetting the real star of the show, the seemingly born again Tomas Rosicky.
The 34 year old – not that you would have guessed his age from watching him – was the source of Arsenal’s second. Finding space off the left flank, he found Ozil’s run with telepathic timing. The German’s quick touch and low angled shot – another timely reminder of his powers – was too much for David Stockdale and in the blink of an eye their lead was doubled; Everything was going to script.
Brighton, however, had no plans of performing this particular piece and a robust challenge from Inigo Calderon on an unusually off colour Lorient Koscielny and a powerful effort from Sam Baldock were stern reminders of that fact. Nevertheless, Arsenal went in at half time ahead and two goals to the good.
It was all going swimmingly, until the old flaws came to the surface again. Kieran Gibbs’s clearance went up in the air more than down the pitch, and it came down near Aaron Ramsey; Sam Baldock bullied the Welshman into chesting the ball into the patch of Chris O’Grady, who wasted no time in bringing his side back into proceedings to the sweet tune of Sussex by the Sea.
However Arsenal had resolution to match their class and a strong response was typified by the standout moment of the match. Rosicky, on the edge of the area having come from deep, looked one way – making the attentions of Gordon Greer and Lewis Dunk irrelevant – and simultaneously laid the ball on a plate for Oliver Giroud, who returned the favour with almost as much quality into his path so he could fire the ball into the net.
Arsenal returned to the control they’d shown in the first half, with some overly premature ole’s ringing out from the away end, and Theo Walcott tested David Stockdale after being found by Oliver Giroud. Things seemed to be calming down as Walcott went off for Alexis Sanchez, and Oliver Giroud was taken off for Chumba Akpom, while Brighton were unable to use their increased possession to threaten Arsenal.
It is to Chris Hughton’s credit that Brighton, who have been on a renaissance over the last month with four wins in their last five (including the notable scalp of Ipswich in midweek), remained undeterred, and a mix up between the below par Lorient Koscileny and Nacho Monreal offered them a last chance. The two centreabcks got mixed up, forcing Wojech Szczesny to come off his line and allowing Sam Baldock to chip cooly. With the Amex roaring, the game on mentality was further embodied when Rohan Ince took the ball of Sanchez in the centre circle and set up one of what would be many attacks as Arsenal dropped deeper.
Mezut Ozil had shown great promise but tired and the arrival of Francis Coquelin, everyone’s favourite defensive midfielder, was a signal of intent although the counter attacking platforms set up were still a big danger and Akpom and Sanchez came close, the latter’s free kick just skimming the bar.
There was the potential promise of more drama when Adrian Colunga’s cross hit Calum Chambers arm at point blank range but he rightfully ignored the call. In between sporadic Brighton attacks Sanchez had another close free kick effort go over, but at the end of this pulsating encounter Arsene Wenger could reflect on a very big step taken forward in his bid for another trophy, the return of key figures, and success on a weekend of failure for his key rivals. A sound weekend’s work.
Brighton: Stockdale; Bruno, Greer, Dunk, Bennett; Holla, Ince; Calderon, Forster-Caskey, Baldock; O’Grady
Arsenal: Szczesny; Chambers, Koscielny, Monreal, Gibbs; Flamini; Walcott, Ramsey, Ozil, Rosicky; Giroud
Brighton subs: Hughes, Adrian Colunga, Mackail-Smith, Chicksen, Rea, March, Walton.
Arsenal subs: Mertesacker, Sánchez, Cazorla, Martínez, Coquelin, Akpom, Bellerin.
William Kedjanyi
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