You would be forgiven for thinking that some pundits (and some Arsenal supporters) assumed that it would just be a case of the Gunners simply showing up at Wembley, coasting through 90 minutes and it would be more or less a foregone conclusion that Birmingham would roll over and we would pick up a cup at the end of the afternoon.
That was never going to be how it was. This was one of the biggest days in the Blues’ history and it was inevitable that they would be up for the game and be a far tougher prospect than they may be on a week-by-week basis. Credit and congratulations to them, they played well and with a lot of heart. However, the game was lost by Arsenal because of an accident and not because they were overwhelmed by their opponents.
Admittedly, the Gunners’ overall performance was frustratingly below par and certain players did not rise to the occasion. However, in the last twenty minutes, as Arsene Wenger’s men laid siege to the Birmingham goal, it seemed that there would only be one winner if the match went to extra time. It was no coincidence that Ben Foster, the Brummie’s goalkeeper, was named as man of the match. Football can be a cruel game though and it was the freak mix-up between Koscielny and Szczesny that settled the tie. It was a dreadful mistake and, sadly, it happened so late in the game that there was no time for a reply.
This incident and, indeed, the defeat gave ammunition to certain sections of the media and the Arsenal fanbase to start hysterically moaning, criticising and complaining that Wenger should have bought in the window, that we need a new defender and that we need a new goalkeeper. Players have always only ever been “as good as their last game” but, these days, because of the saturation coverage that football gets in the press and on the internet, reaction is so much more extreme. One week you are a god, the following week you are an amoeba and the next match coming up is always the biggest and most season-defining game of the year.
Two weeks ago, Laurent Koscielny’s performance against Barcelona was rightly praised. That night, he was lauded the answer to Arsenal’s central defensive conundrums in the absence of Thomas Vermaelen. Following the Birmingham match though, we apparently need a new central defender again. He was culpable for the mix-up that gifted Obafemi Martins with the winner but he doesn’t become a bad player just because he makes one error. It was a gutting way to lose but let’s not lose sight of the fact that it was down to a freak mistake.
The Carling Cup Final actually reminded me a lot of the 1995 Cup Winners Cup Final when Arsenal faced Real Zaragoza in Paris. That evening, Arsenal were warm favourites to retain the trophy they had won the year before. However, they were out of sorts on the night and fell behind. John Hartson equalised reasonably quickly and, like Sunday, it was a case of “next goal wins it”. 1-1 at full-time, the match went into half-an-hour’s extra time. As the minutes ticked away a penalty shoot-out looked increasingly likely - and if it came to that, we had David Seaman who had won the penalty-shootout for Arsenal against Sampdoria in the semi-final.
But it didn’t come to that. Seaman, the man we had all assumed would be the hero of the hour, got caught off his line in the last minute of extra-time by a speculative 40-yard effort from Nayim. Again, it was a freak mishap. Again, there was no time to reply. Again, it was a gutting way to lose. However, as a fan, you just have to swallow it and move on. No one thought Arsenal needed a new goalkeeper just because Seaman had made one mistake. He got us to the final that year - just as Koscielny helped get us to the Carling Cup Final this year with his headed goal against Ipswich in the semi-final.
Arsenal were largely on a hiding to nothing on Sunday. Had they won, they would only have been doing what was expected and, after all, “it’s only the Carling Cup”. However, them losing is suddenly a big story. Whatever. It was an upsetting way to lose but players and fans alike have just got to take it on the chin, move on and focus on the other things that can still be achieved this season.
And there is plenty to still achieve this season. Last night saw the Gunners ruthlessly dispense with Orient in the FA Cup replay which now sets up a quarter-final tie with Manchester United. The victory came courtesy fine hat-trick from Nicklas Bendtner and further goals from Marouane Chamakh and Gael Clichy. In the post-Carling Cup fallout, it was positive that Bendtner and Chamakh both found the net as their confidence in front of goal will need to be on the up whilst they deputise for the injured Robin Van Persie in the coming weeks.
Saturday sees the visit of Sunderland to Ashburton Grove and, with United dropping points at Stamford Bridge in the week, this will be an opportunity for the Gunners to close the gap at the top of the table. Injuries to Van Persie, Walcott and Fabregas won’t make matters easier but it’s a squad game and it’s time for some of the second-string players to step up to the plate and show their worth.
Source: David Young, ESPN Soccernet on 3 Mar 11
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