After a 2-1 away victory at Eastlands, Arsenal's youth team appeared to be in the driving seat going into the second leg of the FA Youth Cup semi-final at the Emirates on Wednesday night.
Over 9,000 fans turned up to see the young gunners play, a somewhat disappointing number given the record attendance at the same stage of last year's competition against Liverpool.
Those that did turn up however were treated to another Arsenal masterclass as Steve Bould's men made a very good City side look very ordinary.
The tie was effectively over after half an hour. In their first attack of the game, captain Jay Emmanuel-Thomas floated a sumptuous ball over the top for Sanchez Watt to chase in the first minute, some hesitation from the City defence meant the young Englishman was through one on one with Joe Clegg in the City goal. Watt calmly sent the 'keeper the wrong way and celebrated in true Arsenal style with a touchline dance.
Arsenal's players were quick to every ball with Emmanuel Frimpong putting in challenges at every opportunity and the diminutive Jack Wilshere was starting to find space in the midfield. The most well-known man in the Arsenal side then doubled the home teams advantage from the penalty spot in the twentieth minute.
Watt was brought down by the city goalkeeper after a misunderstanding between him and defender Reece Wabara. Wilshere stepped up to drill it in the bottom corner, although Clegg managed to get a hand on it low down to his left.
Wilshere was to have a say in Arsenal's third. His corner from the Arsenal right was met firmly at the back post by Kyle Bartley, the young Englishman added to the goal he scored against Tottenham in the previous round. It was 3-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate after only 29 minutes of play.
It was all too easy for Arsenal, and they didn't need any extra help from the City defence, but it duly arrived. Two minutes after Bartley's goal, Watt capitalised on some horrific defending to slide in his second and Arsenal's fourth on the night. Clegg passed to Wabara on the edge of the City box, the defender seemed to get it stuck under his feet and Watt took easily dispossessed him to put the ball under the despairing Clegg.
Arsenal looked like they could score at every opportunity. Emmanuel-Thomas had too much pace and power for City to handle, Wilshere was orchestrating play from the middle of the park and Francis Coquelin and Frimpong were controlling midfield.
Frimpong was maybe a bit too eager at times though and earned a yellow card for a succession of fouls.
City's players did not give up however and they almost pulled one back when the lively Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni seemed certain to score, only for Craig Eastmond to get there ahead of the Liberian striker.
Nimely-Tchuimeni and Slovakian Robbie Mak were starting to cause problems in the Arsenal defence but James Shea thwarted city on a number of occasions.
Ironically it was an injury to Nimely-Tchuimeni which led to City's goal. The Liberian's replacement, Jack Redshaw burst into the penalty area in first half stoppage time, he pulled the ball across to Ahmad Benali who fired past Shea.
With Arsenal in emphatic form, the crowd surely expected ore in the second half, but in all truth it was 45 minutes to miss. City put more pressure on the Arsenal backline, but Shea saved Arsenal's blushes by saving a number of attempts. Redshaw should have scored ten minutes after the restart but he shot well-over when it seemed easier to score.
Wilshere who was on the end of some petulance by City right-back Kieran Tripper earlier in the half, found space outside the area and curled an effort towards goal but it was always rising, and sailed just over the bar. It was to be his last contribution of the game as Luke Freeman replaced him with 10 minutes left.
Bould had also replaced Frenchman Gilles Sunu, who had a quiet night by his standards, with the prolific Benik Afobe and also took left-back Thomas Cruise off and replaced him with Cedric Evina in a like-for-like swap.
Arsenal saw the game out and can look forward to a meeting with either Liverpool or Birmingham in the final, which will give fans another opportunity to see this impressive group of youngsters in action, as one leg will be played at the Emirates.
Over 9,000 fans turned up to see the young gunners play, a somewhat disappointing number given the record attendance at the same stage of last year's competition against Liverpool.
Those that did turn up however were treated to another Arsenal masterclass as Steve Bould's men made a very good City side look very ordinary.
The tie was effectively over after half an hour. In their first attack of the game, captain Jay Emmanuel-Thomas floated a sumptuous ball over the top for Sanchez Watt to chase in the first minute, some hesitation from the City defence meant the young Englishman was through one on one with Joe Clegg in the City goal. Watt calmly sent the 'keeper the wrong way and celebrated in true Arsenal style with a touchline dance.
Arsenal's players were quick to every ball with Emmanuel Frimpong putting in challenges at every opportunity and the diminutive Jack Wilshere was starting to find space in the midfield. The most well-known man in the Arsenal side then doubled the home teams advantage from the penalty spot in the twentieth minute.
Watt was brought down by the city goalkeeper after a misunderstanding between him and defender Reece Wabara. Wilshere stepped up to drill it in the bottom corner, although Clegg managed to get a hand on it low down to his left.
Wilshere was to have a say in Arsenal's third. His corner from the Arsenal right was met firmly at the back post by Kyle Bartley, the young Englishman added to the goal he scored against Tottenham in the previous round. It was 3-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate after only 29 minutes of play.
It was all too easy for Arsenal, and they didn't need any extra help from the City defence, but it duly arrived. Two minutes after Bartley's goal, Watt capitalised on some horrific defending to slide in his second and Arsenal's fourth on the night. Clegg passed to Wabara on the edge of the City box, the defender seemed to get it stuck under his feet and Watt took easily dispossessed him to put the ball under the despairing Clegg.
Arsenal looked like they could score at every opportunity. Emmanuel-Thomas had too much pace and power for City to handle, Wilshere was orchestrating play from the middle of the park and Francis Coquelin and Frimpong were controlling midfield.
Frimpong was maybe a bit too eager at times though and earned a yellow card for a succession of fouls.
City's players did not give up however and they almost pulled one back when the lively Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni seemed certain to score, only for Craig Eastmond to get there ahead of the Liberian striker.
Nimely-Tchuimeni and Slovakian Robbie Mak were starting to cause problems in the Arsenal defence but James Shea thwarted city on a number of occasions.
Ironically it was an injury to Nimely-Tchuimeni which led to City's goal. The Liberian's replacement, Jack Redshaw burst into the penalty area in first half stoppage time, he pulled the ball across to Ahmad Benali who fired past Shea.
With Arsenal in emphatic form, the crowd surely expected ore in the second half, but in all truth it was 45 minutes to miss. City put more pressure on the Arsenal backline, but Shea saved Arsenal's blushes by saving a number of attempts. Redshaw should have scored ten minutes after the restart but he shot well-over when it seemed easier to score.
Wilshere who was on the end of some petulance by City right-back Kieran Tripper earlier in the half, found space outside the area and curled an effort towards goal but it was always rising, and sailed just over the bar. It was to be his last contribution of the game as Luke Freeman replaced him with 10 minutes left.
Bould had also replaced Frenchman Gilles Sunu, who had a quiet night by his standards, with the prolific Benik Afobe and also took left-back Thomas Cruise off and replaced him with Cedric Evina in a like-for-like swap.
Arsenal saw the game out and can look forward to a meeting with either Liverpool or Birmingham in the final, which will give fans another opportunity to see this impressive group of youngsters in action, as one leg will be played at the Emirates.
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