Picture Arsene Wenger walking the plank with his hands tied, ball and chain around his feet, being prodded nearer to his murky FA Cup fate. Wenger claimed there was barely anything he could do but name an under experienced side for the clash with Stoke, and as much as it hurts now, it could have ached even more had Arsenal started their stronger team only to see them limp off. It’s been the trend all season – now imagine watching Jay Emmanuel-Thomas against Richard Dunne, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry.
It isn’t that Wenger doesn’t care about the FA Cup; after all, his track record in the competition since arriving in England is good. The Frenchman has four titles to his name and only fell at the semi-final stages last season, so it would be quite damning to question his admiration for the worlds most famous domestic competition.
And before the patriotic English claim Wenger doesn’t share their passion for the FA Cup, perhaps they should take a look at record low attendances after the fourth round and point a finger back. That’s fine if ticket prices are extortionate for a visit by lower league opposition, and if that is indeed the case, then perhaps ‘devoted’ chairmen should reconsider the cost of a seat compared to the cost of maintaining our beloved cup.
Anyway, isn’t that what Arsenal FC did with ticket prices for League Cup matches? Some years £10 has been a rounded entry fee, but at £20 Arsenal fans still are not complaining. Because of it, Arsenal have boosted the profile of a tournament once labeled the ‘Mickey Mouse’ cup while treating the neutral fan to a mouth watering taster of their youth development program.
In the next three weeks, Arsenal play Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, another justifiable reason for Wenger to rest some key players if the Gunners are to regain the Premiership crown after five blank years. With ten players sidelined through injury there would always be at least three fringe players making a run-out.
The fixture pile-up though, began last week when Arsenal played Bolton twice in four days after adverse weather conditions had postponed the home leg a week previously. Owing to 21st Century technology, the Emirates had no problems putting the game on; however, local council chooses to live in the Victorian ages and had the final say in calling the game off due to ice and risky travel circumstances.
Still, just because the likes of William Gallas, Thomas Vermaelen and Andrey Arshavin were rested doesn’t guarantee wins in Arsenal’s forthcoming games. Wenger’s reasons to name a very youthful side against Stoke though look understandable, and to be fair there seemed few groans from Arsenal fans who firstly enjoy seeing the academy’s progression and secondly have a belief they can show up lower Premiership opposition.
Unlike the comprehensive victory over Liverpool in the Carling Cup earlier in the season, Arsenal’s Young Guns couldn’t put on a repeat, outmuscle by Stoke from start to finish. Mostly, it was a mixture of naivety and hesitancy from the new blood, together with sloppiness from the more qualified for the day, who more was expected of.
Wenger was happy to name Mikael Silvestre in the back four and spoke about his experience alongside Sol Campbell as a strong platform for Francois Conquelin and Armand Traore. Silvestre rarely demonstrated any know-how, instead, wandered around like a player would with very little playing time under his belt, holding no bearing on the nervy teenagers around him.
Denilson, Theo Walcott and Carlos Vela all had tired games too and failed to stand out against Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Craig Eastmond (both 19-years-old). Arsenal had won plaudits for a brave battle yet lost out to Stoke’s fatigue late on when two goals from neat wing play sealed Arsenal’s cup fate.
On the plus side, Campbell looked as stalwart as I remember him, feasting on and dominating Stoke’s long ball game, passing the ball from defense with ease and looking surprisingly close to full fitness, all considered. A win would have been preferred but in a season where Arsenal’s priorities lie on league triumph, you sense this defeat will be quickly forgotten with three points at Villa Park come Wednesday. If so, Wenger will step back from the plank. All hands of deck, Arsenal.
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