All reason pointed towards gloom. Few inside the stadium would have backed Arsenal to rebound from another punishing spell on the ropes. As Arsène Wenger admitted: "When you don't win, belief goes."
But against all expectation, the players rallied during the interval in the bowels of the Emirates Stadium, found reserves of courage to disprove the doubters, and scored three goals in a frenetic seven‑minute burst to tip this compelling Cup tie on its head.
Theo Walcott, one of those who comes most under scrutiny at times like this, was quick to suggest that there can be more to this team than meets the eye. "It just shows we have got characters in the dressing room even though no one thinks we do," he said pointedly.
The Arsenal manager had suggested that his team required a performance to get their crowd back onside but, with nerves frayed by recent events, just what they needed was to go a goal behind. And just to make them feel even better about themselves it was assisted by typically passive defending.
Villa had already come close to a gift in the 21st minute as Lukasz Fabianski pelted off his line to meet a 50‑50 ball against Darren Bent. The Arsenal goalkeeper missed, and the Villa striker was centimetres away from a clean connection in front of an unguarded net.
It was not long before the visitors profited from Arsenal's aerial hesitancy. Just after the half‑hour they eased in front when Robbie Keane found space to angle in a cross which invited Richard Dunne to leap highest, and with most conviction, to thump in a header. The two old Irish team-mates, who knew each other's game inside out, were thrilled.
In an instant the home tension‑ometer ratcheted up a few notches. Then on the stroke of half‑time the mood worsened. Arsenal again found little resistance as Villa launched an electric counterattack. When Stephen Ireland helped the move on to Bent, the England forward lashed in an angled shot.
Although Fabianski parried, Bent steered the rebound in from an even tighter spot. Villa's noisy contingent, who benefited from the chairman, Randy Lerner, laying on 70 coaches for this expedition, erupted. "The first half was blinding, brilliant, international class," said Alex McLeish. "But it's never over, is it. I said to the boys at half‑time there's 45 minutes to go."
Arsenal were reeling. They had enjoyed a decent amount of possession, even testing Shay Given a couple of times. Thomas Vermaelen whacked in a shot from 30 yards and Oxlade-Chamberlain took aim from long range. Effort was not really the problem for Arsenal. Quality was. They emerged after half‑time accompanied by an anthem by the aptly named House of Pain.
Could they muster the fortitude, and the finesse, to recover? Recent form would suggest absolutely not. Yet in an dazzling turnaround Arsenal transformed 0-2 into 3-2.
Per Mertesacker and Aaron Ramsey both glimpsed chances before Robin van Persie was able take control by getting into shooting territory.
Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Alex Song carved Villa open with a threaded pass to Ramsey, who was felled by Dunne. The defender, who had already been cautioned, was fortunate not to receive double punishment as a clear scoring opportunity was denied. Van Persie stepped up to slot his kick low and true past Given.
Arsenal were level when Walcott cruised past Stephen Warnock and saw his dinked shot repelled by Given on the line. Alan Hutton attempted to clear, but only shunted the ball against the winger and in.
Astonishingly, moments later Arsenal were in front. Laurent Koscielny galloped upfield and left the chasing Bent in his wake, which takes some doing. Bent was lured into a clumsy challenge and the referee awarded his second penalty. The ever confident Van Persie crashed his second effort high into the net. He ran into the arms of the substitute Henry.
Wenger, who has felt aggrieved about the non-award of some clear penalty appeals for his team in recent games, was pleasantly surprised to see Michael Jones deliver two. "That was one of the positives of the day," he said wryly.
Villa staggered around for a while, unable to take in quite what had happened, and then refocused. Stilian Petrov was a picture of frustration when his move was intercepted by Mertesacker. Ciaran Clark nodded in a header which Fabianski smothered. Van Persie retreated to help and blocked off Keane. McLeish was incandescent about an offside decision that went against his team. "To say I am disappointed we did not see it out is an understatement."
Arsenal reclaimed control and a gutsy mission was accomplished.
Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 29 Jan 12
