This weekend, the FA Cup took centre stage as Arsenal took on Everton, Hull faced Sunderland, Wigan traveled to Manchester City and Sheffield United met Charlton. It proved to be a very profitable weekend for Arsene Wenger!
Arsenal 4-1 Everton
I was at the Emirates as the Arsenal faced yet another top six side in the cup as Everton were the latest to travel to North London and try knock out Wenger's men. It was always going to be a tough game for Arsenal and I was very apprehensive ahead of this and feared a cup exit, as Everton have been by far one of the best teams t visit Arsenal this season when they drew 1-1 here in December. Roberto Martinez has transformed Everton into top 4 wanna-bee's to top 4 contenders. Romelu Lukaku was back from injury for the game, but Phil Jagielka was out for Everton and Jack Wilshere for Arsenal. It proved to be a very, exciting game full of chances and end-to-end action. The Everton fans were great all game, loud, lively and provided their part to a cracking atmosphere. I had my Hot Dog, lovely as usual, got my programme and Coke, scarf waving and music booming, my first FA Cup match was going to be good.
Arsenal were quick out of the blocks and the man with a point to prove, Mesut Ozil, put the gunners in front with a delicate pass into the corner. It was all Arsenal for the next 20 minutes as Everton keeper Joel was having a tough time, nearly tipping in a Bacary Sagna cross and having to palm away efforts from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Yet, Everton still threatened on the counter attack with England bright spark Ross Barkley standing out. It was the first time I've seen him live and judging on this, his ticket for the plane might as well be booked now. His surging run created a fortuitous goal for Romelu Lukaku to equalise. His superb run and cross was inadvertently set back by Kevin Mirallas and with Arsenal keeper Lukas Fabianski and Bacary Sagna committed, Lukaku had an empty net to put the ball into. The rest of the half was very tightly contested and closely fought. The second half was very open and was waiting for the breakthrough, I was sensing there was gonna be a winner from this match and Everton were on top with Ross Barkley only inches away from putting the Toffees in front. But the tie turned on a brilliant piece of work by The Ox. He burst past Leighton Baines, who defensively looked very weak, skipped past Gareth Barry, but the trailing leg caught him and Mark Clattenburg gave the penalty. Now, I was praying Mikel Arteta would take charge, he's normally reliable and calm on the spot, this definitely proved it. Not once......... but twice did Arteta have to beat Joel, he did superbly and Arsenal had hold of the quarter final, the relief was huge around the ground. Then a substitution changed the game, the hard working Yaya Sanogo was taken off, he is clearly promising but needs time to improve, and Olivier Giroud came on to a rapturous applause, he was proving a point. He needed to forget about his personal issues and play his football, not long after he got his goal. Lovely interplay down the right channel with Tomas Rosicky and Sagna, Sagna did wonderfully to find his French partner and Giroud clinically found the gap to send the 'Que Sera Sera' chants into full swing, Wembley Way was in sight. Then a slick, fast and devastating counter attack maybe made the scoreline a bit flattering to Arsenal. Santi Cazorla who was also quality all game weaved his way out of a cluster, found Rosicky, who slid in Ozil who first time laid it on a plate for that man Giroud who again was clinical, 4-1, we were at Wembley now. The game petered out to chants of Wembley songs and a sense of belief that this could be the year the trophy drought ends! It was a superb game, two great teams, wonderful players and a Wembley date on the calender.
The Rest
Hull 3-0 Sunderland- (Davies, Meyler, Fryatt)
Manchester City 1-2 Wigan- (Nasri), (Jordi Gomez, Perch)
Sheffield United 2-0 Charlton- (Flynn, Brayford)
The semi-final draw threw up two Premier League versus Championship games as Arsenal take on Wigan and Hull face Sheffield United. Arsenal are clear favorites, but we cannot take Wigan likely, they are one of four teams all season to beat City at their ground, so we need to do the business and get to that final. As for the other tie, it should be interesting as Hull are without January signings Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long, so United may feel they are at a even patch, after all they have dumped Fulham and Aston Villa out already. I predict it to be a Hull vs Arsenal final, hopefully with the Gunners coming out on top, we need this drought done and dusted! COYG
Barclays Premier League
After suffering another blow in their fight for survival, it seems Felix Magath and Fulham need a miracle to avoid the drop, needing six wins in their remaining ten games, despite only winning six games all season!!! A manger merry-go-round at Craven Cottage has caused unease and confusion around the club, with Magath still inheriting signings made by Martin Jol and Rene Meulensteen and trying to fit players who've arrived in January into a side with no experience of fighting at the bottom of the league. Players like Kostas Mitroglu, Lewis Holtby, Scott Parker and Brede Hangeland are being needed to step up for the Cottagers at this point of the season, but it looks very hard for Fulham to get out of this being bottom of the league and four points from safety with teams above them having games in hand. After a real six-pointer against Cardiff, Fulham came out of it, bottom and with a defeat against a rival for survival. A double from Steven Caulker and a Sasha Riether own goal gave victory to the Welsh side. Magath believes six wins will save his side, but being new to the Premier League, most of his side being allowed no time to settle and having the worse defence in the league, it looks bleak for Fulham.
Elsewhere, Spurs capitulated at Stamford Bridge, but did have a referring decision go against them once again. A quiet first half which was dominated by Spurs possession and Chelsea counter attacks. But it all changed in the second half when Spurs went into self destruct, a slip from Jan Vertonghen put him in trouble, he panicked and diverted a pass back to Samuel Eto'o who put it past Hugo Lloris. Spurs didn't recover and things only seemed to get worse for Tim Sherwood. A challenge on Samuel Eto'o from Younes Kaboul was penalised, a penalty was awarded and Kaboul subsequently sent off, Eden Hazard duly converted and Chelsea were strolling. Then Spurs went into complete capitulation, mistakes from Sandro and Kyle Walker gifted two goals for Demba Ba and a 4-0 rout for Mourinho's men sending them seven points clear. Sherwood was not shying away from the sheer destruction of his side calling them, "gutless", "weak" and "too nice". With a North London Derby next, Spurs better shake it off and move on or it could be another embarrassing day. Whereas, for Chelsea, they seem unstoppable, seven clear at the top and with a consistency in the selection. A settled defence in Petr Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill and Azpilicueta, which happen to be the best in the league. After saying Manchester City will win the league this season and Mourinho saying he'd rather have three games in hand than be 9 points clear of Manchester City, I'm starting to think that Jose's mind games are just playing down his side's chances all the time, they must be considered favorites now.
The Rest
Crystal Palace 0-1 Southampton
Norwich 1-1 Stoke
West Brom 0-3 Manchester United
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