3rd Round FA Cup
- Arsene Wenger has been in charge of Arsenal just about 100 days fewer than all 19 other managers combined. Long coat, long tenure. Today was a day that stick-to-it-iveness seems like a good idea. Although, the 2-0 victory seemed farther apart than it did for large parts of the game, the gulf between the two teams was pretty large.
- Arsenal put out a weakened side, though not as weak as they usually do in the lesser cups. No Giroud and Walcott up front in a false 9. No BFG, or Ozil, and Fabianski between the sticks. Of course, Spurs put Adebayor on the field, so there's that...Speaking of the big oaf, he was crap. He didn't even get to the point of attempting, let alone missing a sitter.
- Midfield domination trumps two strikers. Gunners midfielders ran rampant through most of the match. Apart from the man advantage in the midfield on paper, several Spurs players didn't cover themselves in glory on the defensive side of the ball. Yes, I'm talking to you Christian Erikksen, Kyle Walker, Moussa Dembele. Arsenal's midfielders, OTOH, were pressing quickly and effectively.
- Rosicky. Both the Czech and Santi Cazorla were very good today, but Rosicky deserves special mention. He has been bright and lively whenever he's come onto the field this season, and it was a thing of beauty for Gunners to see him pick Danny Rose at midfield and scamper half the field to chip deliciously over Lloris for the insurance goal. What might've been if not for those missing 18 months.
- Was I the only one who's nerves were calmed when the BFG came on at halftime. I love Thomas Vermaelen's intensity, but I always feel he's one challenge or one bad decision away from disaster. The German, however, inspires calm in the backfield and in the viewer.
- We Gneed to see more of Gnabry. The young German was excellent all game long, and his cut inside to draw Walker and the center back before poking the ball through to Cazorla for the opening goal was a brilliant piece of play. The funny thing is that as I was watching the play happen, I was confident he'd make the right decisions and the right pass.
- I also thought Walcott was very good playing up front. He chased the ball, made smart runs (and was punished harshly on a few offsides calls), got some good shots on, and generally made Spurs defensive line look vulnerable. However, seeing him stretchered off was a reminder that we badly need a quality striker in the transfer window. All of the squad's good work to date could be for naught due to the thinness of this squad. Is there good value available?Wilshere, holding ball too long, losting it in middle of the field.
- I'd rather players not taunt the away fans, but after being taunted and pelted with coins, a smiling Walcott reporting the score for the Spurs fans who might not have been able to see the scoreboard was a gentlemanly thing to do.
- Mark Clattenberg is an outstanding ref. I often feel this way after watching games he officiates. He was very good again today, sensible in his approach. He kept the game in control by his authority rather than throwing cards around willy nilly the way lesser referees do. And, he didn't make any players have hurt feelings by cutting mean girl remarks. If he can cut this element out of his game, he will go far. My thoughts and prayers are still with Southampton player Adam LaLa Lallalana and his bruised ego. Speedy recovery, my friend.
