Arsenal were told by Joe Cole that ‘the fates are conspiring’ after drawing Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-final, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
After beating Mansfield Town, Arsenal will visit St Mary’s in the FA Cup quarter-final, avoiding a tie against Premier League opposition.
While Manchester City and Liverpool will meet along with Leeds United and West Ham, both Chelsea and Arsenal drew teams from lower leagues, Port Vale and Southampton.
Of course, it’s Arsenal’s draw that is being spoken about with regard to having an ‘easy’ route to Wembley.
What the discourse fails to mention is how rare it is for the Gunners to be drawn a less strenuous tie.
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Joe Cole’s reaction to Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter-final draw missed key information
When Cole pulled the ball from the pot to confirm that Arsenal will face Southampton, he said live on TNT Sports, “Arsenal are getting a lot of good draws… the fates are conspiring.”
The comment was one that appealed to opposition fans, who believe that things are simply going Arsenal’s way this season, which ultimately dismisses the work Mikel Arteta’s side have put in.
What it also fails to acknowledge is how a ‘good draw’ is a real rarity for the Gunners, particularly in the FA Cup.
As Opta’s Tom Ede shared on X, Arsenal have drawn lower league opposition up to the FA Cup quarter-final for the first time in 74 years.
You’d have to rewind to the 1951/52 season to recall the last time Arsenal drew lower league opposition in the third, fourth, fifth and quarter-final in the same FA Cup campaign.
The ‘fates are conspiring’ comment was not needed, especially when analysing the other ‘good draws’ Arsenal have had this season.
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Arsenal’s route to the Champions League final is tough, but desirable, with the pathway being Bayer Leverkusen, Bodo/Glimt or Sporting CP and then a Barcelona or Atletico Madrid semi-final.
It looks like a favourable tie, but let’s not forget that it was earned.
A top-of-the-league phase finished seeded Arsenal into the more favourable half of the Champions League draw, a pathway that saw earned results rewarded.
Ultimately, in every competition, draws can look favourable and then upsets happen, as no game is a guaranteed win, giving Arsenal the incentive to block out the noise and get the job done.
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