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MOTD- Wigan 1-1 Arsenal (2-4 pens)

By on April 12, 2014

Arsenal are in their first cup final for four years, with perhaps their best chance yet to end their run of nearly nine years without silverware. Yet cries of “Wenger out” are still coming thick and fast upon The Gunners’ manager Arsene Wenger; mind, some of those criticisms might be unwarranted – Arsenal actually dominated most of the FA Cup semifinal with 63% of possession and eleven times more than the number of shots on target recorded by opponents Wigan. However, the fact that Wenger’s side only scored one goal from open play with twenty-seven shots, the same amount as Wigan bagged with just eight shots, is completely the fault of none other than Wenger.

It isn’t as if Wenger’s five-man midfield setup failed to create any chances, exactly the opposite in fact, but trusting in Yaya Sanogo, their one recognized forward in the starting line-up who is still yet to score in Arsenal colors, was the kiss of death for Arsenal’s already shaky finishing. Their only goal of the match came through the best of luck, yet Wenger will take it anyhow, for it has relieved the heavy pressure he bears. And at a point when a loss could have led to the end of his Arsenal reign, the win, if combined with a final victory over Hull, might just be enough for Arsenal to attract a top notch striker who can bring the club back to the top of English football.

At least a forward who could net more of Sanogo’s missed chances, which began to grow in number only six minutes in as he headed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross from the left straight at Wigan goalkeeper Scott Carson in a magnificent position at the near post. Bacary Sagna was the next to waste a brilliant opportunity for Arsenal when a corner from the right was flicked into his path at the far post, where he sliced a half volley inches wide of the far post from an acute angle. Sanogo then poked a low effort out off the legs of Carson after Lukas Podolski’s through ball from the left had put him one-on-one with the goalkeeper, yet despite dominating possession Arsenal failed to find the breakthrough as the first half neared its end.

But meanwhile, just fifteen minutes into the second period, Wigan took the lead with just their third shot of the match. Mind, it came from the penalty spot following Per Mertesacker’s late challenge on Callum McManaman; nevertheless Wigan were up as Jordi Gómez coolly tucked the penalty past Lukasz Fabianski into the back of the net. Arsenal, though, just couldn’t do the same in hitting the back of the net. Sagna headed the ball onto the outside of the post before Kieran Gibbs’ powerful header across goal from a lovely chipped cross from the right was barely tipped towards safety by Carson, who then watched on as Stephen Crainey somehow managed to get back to hack it off the line.

Yet the equalizer would finally come. From the remains of a corner nine minutes from the end of regulation time Oxlade-Chamberlain sent a wayward volley into the ground and towards the right-hand post, where Mertesacker was waiting to turn it into the bottom corner. Another goal would have sent Arsenal into the final, but they failed to find one and the match went on to extra-time. Even in extra-time if there were to be another goal it could likely be the winner, but again Arsenal failed to find another goal. Sanogo nearly had one on the turn near the edge of the box, only for Carson to parry it away, and Oxlade-Chamberlain came even closer with twenty minutes to go as his screaming outside-of-the-foot effort from the edge of the box rattled back out off the inside of the right hand post, but the result of the semifinal match had to be resolved by penalties.

Wigan went first in the shoot-out, only to miss their very first spot kick as Fabianski guessed the right way for Gary Cadwell’s low shot toward the bottom left post. Fabianski came out on top again for Wigan’s second penalty, easily saving Jack Collison’s poor effort, yet Arsenal, who made a mess of finishing all night, bagged their first two spot-kicks with Mikel Arteta and Kim Källström both tucking their shots into the back of the net. While Wigan’s Jean Beausejour chipped his penalty past Fabianski and James McArthur also scored, Giroud and Cazorla’s goals from the spot sealed Arsenal the win. Wenger would have just hoped that Arsenal could have finished when they weren’t under the boatloads of pressure that come in a penalty shoot-out.
Man of the Match: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.