Morning all.
Don’t you just love the early rounds in the FA Cup? It’s hard to believe that Bolton, a Premier League club not that long ago, surrendered a two goal lead against non-league Stockport County last night. Twice! 2-0 up, then 3-1 up before the home team managed to take the tie into extra time. Two more goals scored by Stockport and the place went bonkers as fans invaded the pitch at full-time.
Arsenal have suffered a few shocks in both domestic cups over the years.
Wrexham 2-1 Arsenal (1992)
Perhaps the worst and most talked about in Arsenal’s FA Cup history, certainly during the knockout stages and this one was in the third round against a division four club. George Graham was the manager and the Premier League hadn’t even been born.
Arsenal 1-2 Wigan League Cup Semi-Final (2006)
Arsenal were 1-0 down after the first leg but it wasn’t until the final whistle was just minutes away, that Thierry Henry scored to send the tie into extra-time. A Jason Roberts goal knocked us out and with it, Wigan headed into their first major final in the club’s history. They won it too I think having already been relegated from the Premier League.
Arsenal 0-1 Blackburn Rovers (2013)
Another game Arsenal bossed but couldn’t take their scoring opportunities against the Championship club. Gervinho had the best opportunity to open the scoring but I’m sure you can recall what happened. Rosicky came close but hit the woodwork and Colin Kazim-Richards scored late to knock us out of the FA Cup.
But, if someone asked me which domestic cup loss annoys me the most, it has to be the 2001 FA Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium. Arsenal were in total control of the game really but as opportunities were missed, saved, cleared off the line, it didn’t look like it was going to be Arsenal’s day. Arsenal were denied a penalty for a handball by Henchoz during the first half. Thierry Henry finally gave Arsenal the lead with around twenty minutes left in the game. Ten minutes later, Liverpool were level and the rest as they say, is history.
Not so long ago, 2014 to be precise, Arsenal had to scrap their way through an FA Cup Final of their own against Hull City. It really was a case of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Hull City raced into a 2-0 lead to shock us all and but for a goal line clearance from Kieran Gibbs, Arsenal would have been 3-0 down inside fifteen minutes. We were awful, until we had a free-kick on the edge of Hull’s box. Santi Cazorla hit it with curl and precision. 2-1, which turned into 2-2 when Koscielny bundled the ball home and into extra-time the final went. Then it was all about Aaron Ramsey and his goal which secured Arsenal’s first trophy in 100 years. Or at least that’s how the media made it sound.
So, if by chance there’s anyone reading this, which domestic cup fixture is your favourite, and which is the one that still haunts you today?
See you in the comments.
An EFL statement read: “Reading Football Club has been deducted six points from this season’s (2021/22) points tally, with a further six points suspended until the end of the 2022/23 Season, after admitting to breaches of the EFL’s Profitability and Sustainability rules
That must be a bit of a blow for your mates Rico .
Don Rogers Swindon town on a mud heap caused by Wembley’s greed having the horse of the year show there just before the game.
I came back from Spain for the match and very nearly went straight back again. In those days you had to have your passport stamped as you were only allowed to stay for 6 months and I had done the Andorra trick twice and the local Guardi were not letting that go again si I thought go home watch the final work a few weeks and go back .
However met up with my now wife who I met when she was on holiday and stayed.
It is Potter, expected though. Funny how some clubs get hit and others don’t.
Welcome back Rico, a post well worth the wait. 😉
My all-time favourite has to be the 1971 double sealing FA Cup Final, Charlie George and all.
Potter that has to be down there with the worst, I think that was the most miserable journey home from any football match that I’ve attended.
Ha ha Cicero.
That final and season was the year I started to support Arsenal. Charlie George was to blame. Lol
Afternoon rico, house.
Worst memory was Allan Clarke scoring in the 0-1 cup final defeat to Leeds in 72.Probably because I was just old enough for it to hurt and had started watching at Highbury.
Most memorable win, probably 2-0 up from Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton in the 79 Cup Final. Having been pulled back to 2-2 in the last 5 minutes, I sensed we had chucked it. But then Alan Sunderland scored our last minute winner!
Liam Brady tearing through player after player , from the restart at 2-2 , that’s how I have it etched. Best ever. Tho ditto with Rico on Charlie George too.
Worst for me was League Cup final against Birmingham omg surely we couldn’t sink lower.
Carling cup final 2011.
Dreadful day at Wembley. Rain all day and we got soaked. Lost 2-1 to Birmingham after a mix-up involving Kos and our goalie very late on. The police controlling the flow along Wembley way to the station ensured another soaking. Got home very late. Pissed off and feeling quite ill.
Ghastly from beginning to end.
Afternoon Andrew, the Alan Sunderland Final was something else.
I’ve tried to erase that League Cup Final from my mind. To this day I never know how we lost that. Saying that, I think Arsenal’s approach was wrong, after all, who turns up at Wembley for a Cup Final not wearing a suit and tie?
Two Cup ties spring to mind, probably because I was there, the worst, or one of them because if I listed them all it would just be too depressing, but my one and one visit to the County Ground, Swindon. Arsenal were a defensive shambles and we were soon losing 3-1, then Liam Brady took hold of the game with two spectacular goals and got us back to 3-3 only for our shit defence to concede again and we lost 4-3. It was a long ride home to East London on my motorbike I don’t mind saying.
One of the best was an FACup tie at the City Ground where a rampant Nottingham Forest had us penned in for most of the game, but then up popped Frank Stapleton to win it 1-0 with a brilliant header, that was a brilliant ride home, on a train, because I could have a nice kip.
Morning Rico and all
Loosing any FA cup hurts
Big match coming up, this should give us a good look at we’re we are
Good afternoon all, not long to kick off. The only team news I have read, from Charlie watts, is Tierney will be chosen to start rather than Tavares. Apparently Tierney did very well for Scotland and is fully match fit and Arteta thinks his greater experience will be necessary against the Liverpool threat.
Also Partey will face a pre-match fitness test.
Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Saka, Partey, Lakonga, ESR, Lacazette, Aubameyang.
Plus Tavares of course.
Getting caught central midfield
And the cheat scores
Did VAR look at the mane elbow
Am I on my own
Hi Potter it was getting very lonely on here.
He goes down as easily as Grealish and has a dirty streak a mile wide down his back. Oliver has booked him and if Mane keeps it up Oliver will have to send him off.
I wouldn’t bet on it
Come back Tierney all is forgiven
Get Tavares off for his own sakes
Now we know where we stand . Still need improvement
We’re being ripped apart, no pressure on their defence our midfield is totally ineffective and the defence is falling apart. I feel really sorry for Ramsdale he’s been left exposed by his teammates.
It looks like JM was right about Tavares, he’s had a stinker.
Well if your around Rico, I have no idea what you can write about debacle.
Strong midfielder and a strong mobile centre forward needed before we can compete with the pressure Liverpool put us under . Lokonga and Tavares needed help from more experienced players and apart from Lacazette they didn’t get it . I don’t blame them particularly they made mistakes but they were forced into them
It’s work in progress and we are not there yet.
Really Cicero, haven’t you seen players have stinkers before and then go on to have stellar careers, like David Seaman and Tony Adams and Lee Dixon, you’ve gotta cut our youngsters some slack.
I wouldn’t worry too much about today’s cock up, not many teams will leave Anfield with anything this season, this game will be forgotten in a few weeks.
What worried me more was how ineffective our four attackers were, how many shots did they have, Lacazette when it was offside whilst Lokonga and Partey both had a shot at goal but Aubameyang was useless, the game passed Smith Rowe by and Saka despite a few runs at goal was pretty much snuffed out. Lacazette worked hard as usual and I was surprised when he was taken off but he never looked like causing Liverpool any sleepless nights.
None of the forwards offered enough respite for our defence, none of them could consistently hold onto the ball and give us some breathing space, you defend from the front and we failed to do that after half time.
Anyway, move on to the next game…
Young players making horrible errors under immense pressure, pressure created by a very good football side.
That’s the story in a nutshell, imo.
Our lads will learn from this.
I utterly detest the antics of scumbag footballers and it’s great to see Liverpool have their share.
Disgraceful stuff but hey, I’m sure their fans are happy.
Did not see the match, but we all new Liverpool would win the only question was how much they scored against us, the 4 goals could hurt us in goal difference at the end of the season, but most importantly now is how we respond next match
Morning
New post up now
Man of the Match for me was Ramsdale, without his efforts Liverpool’s score would have been in double figures.
Aubameyang was back to being Mr. Anonymous.