Arsenal 2-1 Hull City, Tuesday 17 March 2009

The emphatic 4-0 win over Blackburn at the weejend gave Arsenal fans hope that the team were coming good at just the right time, just as well with a FA Cup quarter-final against Hull on the agenda tonight.

A win at the Emirates would put Arsenal through to an all London semi final against Chelsea at Wembley on April 18th, the first taste of the ground for most of the Arsenal squad.

Hull had beaten Arsenal at the Emirates earlier in the season, with midfield maestro Geovanni proving to be their main tormentor and scoring the winning goal. The little Brazilian again proved to be a slippery customer tonight, pulling the strings as Hull almost pulled off another major shock.

It was ex-Tottenham player Nick Barmby though who was to provide the most telling contribution for the visitors, putting them into a 13th minute lead.

Arsenal fought back though and managed to pull level through top scorer Robin Van Persie, before a controversial goal by William Gallas put the Gunners through to the semi final.

Arsene Wenger made a few changes to the team that beat Blackburn. Manuel Almunia still suffering from a rash challenge by El-Hadj Diouf was replaced by Lukasz Fabianski in goal, Kieran Gibbs replaced Gael Clichy at left-back, while Johann Djourou replaced Kolo Toure. In midfield Abou Diaby came in for Denilson while Carlos Vela and Robin van Persie replaced Nicklas Bendtner upfront with AndreyArshavin moving to the right wing in place of Samir Nasri.

The opening stages of the match saw both teams sparring, creatingopenings but nothing of note to trouble the two goalkeepers.

The thirteenth minute was unlucky for Arsenal though as Bacary Sagna cleared a hopeful punt upfield, but only as far as hhhdfhg who threaded a ball to Nick Barmby. Johann Djourou closed on the veteran but his block deflected the ball wickedly over Fabianski, one nil to Hull, again.

The crowd rallied behind the team, but as has been the custom in recent months, every move which broke down was greeted with a collective sigh.

Arsenal kept probing for an opening but the Hull defence stood firm. Arsene Wenger patrolling the touchinline started to become agitated at the length of time it took Hull players to take free-kicks, goalkicks and throw-ins, met by the crowd with eardrum-bursting whistles.

It could have been two on dffdgfd minutes as Geovanni, lined up a freekick twenty yards form goal. His curling effort was acrobatically tipped over by the young Pole.

Arshavin looke the most likely to create a chance, and his shot ot on fgddgg minutes was cleared by Anthony Gardner.

Hull could have added to their lead soon afterwards as Kamil Zayatte's header looped agonisingly over the bar from a corner.

But as half-time approached Arsenal, and Arshavin in particular started to turn the screw. He first had a shot cleared and then placed a volley a foot wide of the post.

Arsenal continued their pressure in the second half, without creating many chances. Arshavin thought he was free as he approached a loose ball in the penalty area, only for Sam Ricketts to produce a terriffic challenge to thwart the Russian.

Abou Diaby then came close to equalising, he met an Arshavin header, but could only aim it at the man on the line, Song reacted to the rebound but could only steer it wide of the post.

Van Persie seemed isolated upfront and Wenger soon made some changes. Niklas Bendtner whom Wenger praised for his performance against Blackburn took up the target-man role, replacing Carlos Vela, with van Persie dropping just behind him. Samir Nasri came on for Alex Song who had an effective game but offered less of an attacking threat than the Frenchman.

The substitutions brought Arsenal and Van Persie in particular to life. Now with much-needed support, the Dutchman first fired a free kcik at goal which Boaz Myhill could only thrust out a flailing arm to tip around the post, and then he planted a header onto the bar.

The crowd sensed a goal was coming and it soon did.

On 74 minutes, Bendtner picked the ball up on the byline on the right hand side of the penalty area, and crossed low for Arshavin, the Russian, unseflishly pulled the ball back and Van Persie lashed the ball into the net.

The fans went crazy and they could sense a winnner, and it almost came soon afterwards, but ironically for Hull. Geovanni raced onto a through ball and shot past the advancing Fabianski, but he could only find the side netting.

It was to be Hull's last major chance and soon Arsenal did have their lead.

After sustained pressure, William Gallas, so often Arsenal's saviour with crucial goals popped up again to put Arsenal through to the semi-finals.

Nasri took a free kick from the edge of the area and Johann Djourou leapt to meet the ball, his header deflected off Myhill's glove and went to Gallas, who looke dto be in an offside position. The Frenchman didn't worry though and calmly nodded the ball into the empty net.

It could have been three afterwards, as Bendtner, then Eboue could have scroed but 2-1 was enough to send Arsenal through to an all-London semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley, job done.

Arsenal 4-0 Blackburn, Saturday 14 March 2009

After another goalless performance in midweek Arsenal fans could have been forgiven for expecting another 0-0 draw at the Emirates yesterday afternoon. The 11/1 odds for a 0-0 must have been tempting for many, particularly as they faced a Blackburn side manged by their nemesis, Sam Allardyce, who always kept things tight with his Bolton side in previous years.

However, the celebrations of Wednesday night's penalty win over Roma must have given Arsenal a lift as they crushed a poor Blackburn side with a rather fortuitous own-goal from Andre Ooijer, a wonderful strike from new-boy Andrey Arshavin, and two from Emmanuel Eboue.

Arsenal fans didn't have to wait long to celebrate their first Premier League goal at the Emirates for over three games. Nicklas Bendtner's clever turn and pass on two minutes put Walcott clear on the right, his ball eluded Alex Song but Andrey Arshavin nipped in. His shot was going wide but it hit Blackburn's Dutch international, Ooijer and rebounded into the net.

With the pressure off, Arsenal could now relax. Bendtner, Arshavin and Walcott were causing trouble in the Blackburn defence, but Blackburn had a few chances of their own.

Soon after being on the receiving end of a El-Hadj Diouf lunge, Manuel Almunia was called into action to make a wonderful save from a looping Morten Gamst Pedersen header.

But it was Arsenal who were making all of the running. Bendtner, wearing his pink boots, leapt at the far post to meet a Sagna cross but he couldn't get his effort on target and it drifted wide of the post.

Arsenal came even closer a few minutes later, Samir Nasri, Arsenal's free-kick taker in the abscence of Robin van Persie, curled a free-kick onto the bar. The young Frenchman almost scored again minutes later, but his shot was saved unconvincingly by Paul Robinson.

Pedersen then managed to wriggle free of the Arsenal defence but Bacary Sagna did enough to put the Norwegian off.

As the whistle blew to signal the end of the half, Blackburn's players must have been thanking their goalkeeper for keeping them in a game they really should have been out of.

Arsenal started the second half as they finished the first. Walcott, proving to be a constant thorn in Blackburn' side, raced down the right and shot across the goal, unluckily for him, his effort went well wide.

Seconds later, Walcott again was clear on the right, and his inch-perfect cross was met by Bendtner - the Dane however didn't make enough contact and it went wide.

Walcott then had another shot of his own. Unmarked in the penalty area, the England international's scissor kick was too close to Robinson who made a good reaction save to thwart his England colleague.

Nicklas Bendtner then missed two more guilt-edged chances adding to the crowds nervousness, but shortly afterwards, Andrey Arshavin settled their nerves.

The £15 million January buy, went clear on the left, cut inside the area near the byline, jinked his way past Simpson and fooled goalkeeper Robinson by shooting high into the net from a tight angle. If the first goal was luck this was certainly sheer brilliance.

Arshavin then gave Bendtner his best chance of the match, after a good run by Walcott, the Russian released the striker but he could only shoot well over when one-on-one with Robinson. You sensed that today was not his day.

Surely the most bizarre incident of the game followed soon afterwards. Pedersen ran onto a through ball on the left of the penalty area, with Bacary Sagna gaining ground but still a couple of yards away, the Norwegian dived. Clearly there was no contact and the referee didn't give a penalty, but he wasn't booked for his efforts.

Soon afterwards he was substituted along with Walcott and replaced by Carlos Vela and Abou Diaby. Samir Nasri who had another good game for the Gunners was also replaced by Emmanuel Eboue.

It was to be the Ivorian who made the game safe. After failing to connect to an Arshavin cross, Eboue then made it 3-0 with three minutes to go.

Arshavin shot straight at Robinson from inside the box, but Eboue raced in to touch it into the net, the often derided midfielder couldn't hide his delight and ran into the corner to dance with the fans.

Soon afterwards he had his second. Carlos Vela's pace and trickery was too much for Martin Olsson who pulled him down inside the area. Eboue grabbed the ball and placed it on the spot - like most of the penalties taken earlier in the week, he coolly placed it past the goalkeeper into the net.

The final whistle went soon afterwards.With Arsenal looking more and more like their old selves and moving up to fourth in the process, the ground was finally filled with optimism after a number of recent stale performances.

Time to give Jack Wilshere a chance?

A lot has been written about Jack Wilshere since he burst onto the scene during the pre-season tour of Austria last July.

Calls for him to be put into the team from the moment he tormented Michel Salgado and Christophe Metzelder during the Amsterdam tournament, were in truth, rather far-fetched.

We have all been excited by his rapid rise to the first-team squad, but he has not been ready to play a big part.

His match-winning performance against Stoke reserves, in which he scored another wonder goal; a curling effort from the edge of the area with the outside of his left-boot; and notched up another in the second half has shown that he needs to be used more by Mr Wenger.

With Theo Walcott out injured, the timing is perfect for him to make an impact. He came on against Cardiff at the weekend for a 10 minute stint in place of Abou Diaby, but he hardly had a touch of the ball.

With a number of home games looming, Wilshere could be given more opportunities and I would not be surprised to see him a cement a permenant place in the matchday squad.