Arsenal News

Arsenal now RED HOT favourites to win FA cup! But will we?

Arsenal fans will be hoping that the bookies have got this one right, as the men whose job it is to predict the most likely outcomes have installed the Gunners as favourites to win the FA cup again in May, retaining the trophy that we won last year at Wembley to end the nine year wait for silverware.

The Gunners bucked the trend of the weekend by managing to overcome lower league opposition in the fourth round, although it was a bit nerve wracking at times. I said before the game that Iwould be happy with a draw which would see Brighton have to come to the Emirates, but a clean win is obviously much better and makes Arsenal the highest ranking side certain to be playing in the next round.

Man United and Liverpool are now our two biggest rivals for the trophy but they both have replays to get through and we have a clear reminder this weekend that these cup clashes can easily go against the odds. So what do Arsenal need to do to make sure that Arsene Wenger becomes the most successful FA cup manager of modern times by winning a 6th?

Focus and concentration in each round is vital and the players are really starting to remove any doubt that they have that issue under control. The draws are important as well, even though we had many tough games on the road to Wembley last season. Keeping our squad injury free as much as possible is a major factor in my opinion but I wonder if the taste for silverware that the players got last season will prove to be the really telling factor. What do you think?

Posted by

Tags Liverpool Man United Wembley

45 Comments

  1. To get to Wembley, we have to win 4 rounds now. No easy games, so use the team set-up and mentality we had at City in each round (+ in all key EPL games).
    Decide the top XI and define bench according to opponents. We’re now getting everyone fil + Gabriel provides defensive cover.
    Use winning FAC as a key focus, but success will naturally spill over into good results in EPL and ECL.
    We’re starting on a winning run let’s just keep it going
    C OYG

        1. No he hasn’t!!
          I just got excited that we’re on a bit of a roll, key players hitting form at right time, others coming back from injury. Our key games are Spuds (a), Monaco (h) in Feb, Monaco (a) in March, LiverBirds (h) in April, Manure (a) and Chelski (h) in May – with LOTS of winnable games in between.
          A good FAC draw tonight and we could be onto a second half of this season that’s as good if not better than the first half of last season. That will generate a similar level of £$£$££ to buy in summer as we did this season
          COYG

        1. he says alot of random stuff- hes in the right place.
          justarsenal…where people go when no one else will have them

    3. Think you’re getting a bit carried away with that “Plan B” style used vs City.

      That’s not a system we need to be using vs 90% of the teams we face, it’s more a system for being solid AWAY FROM HOME vs top teams. We have an identity as a free flowing, attacking, football playing team. It’s essential to mix it up, as shown vs City, but it’s not cause for abandoning how we play football as a club….it’s just a plan B.

      There’s only two ties I think we would adopt those tactics against left in the cup, United AWAY, Liverpool AWAY. We’re good enough at home vs almost anyone to play our way and win.

    5. You know what fans of other clubs think about us.. “Arsenal never got relegated from the 1st division and their fan’s biggest worry is getting the top 4 finish”.. this is from a fan from tier 2..
      We must be happy for what the club and Arsene has achieved over the years.. we are coming back again guys.. Winning last year’s FA cup was essential, bcoz we need to put in a statement.. Its only time, we get our hands onto PL & CL trophy.. Stay calm Gooners.. Wenger will get us through..

    6. This is a ridiculous statement. You want us to play every game from here on out DEFENSIVELY. I’m not saying we were not fabulous against City (we were) but most teams will not come out at us like City did. Most teams are happy with draws against Arsenal. Certainly lower league teams will not commit forward in the same way City did in a cup tie. Football is about playing to your strengths and exploiting the weaknesses of your opponent. If we are the better footballing side, allowing the game to become one of attrition is NOT the way we will win games; it opens us up to the 1-0 defeat far too easily especially if one player in the back line has a mediocre game.

      The mentality is a different kettle of fish. Playing as a unit, with discipline and fight is ALWAYS a positive. If we can keep up this hunger for the ball and this drive we can play one of 3 ways and vastly increase our chances of winning any game: we defend from the front, we defend deep or we play with a dynamic switch mentality (you pressure when you first lose the ball, then drop off if you don’t win it back quickly enough). Between those styles of play you can beat anyone if you set the right tone for the match.

    2. Leave it out and stop making things up, you are getting more desperate by the day. I’ll guarantee you haven’t seen a minute of his time at Saprissia, Puntarenas, Loriente, Real Betis, Olympiacos nor one of his 17 goals in 122 appearances. Hardly average never mind “good”.

      1. Love your attitude.. Would love to smash them in their *****.. Their stupid fans think, they are better than us just bcoz they are above us in the table and they got that lucky win at emirates..

  6. One word for “little mozart” today! “Awesome”! He is like a vintage wine as the years go by, he gets better! Coyg!

  7. Szczesny is still a big concern for me, he doesnt look confident and solid! David ospina in between the sticks for me! Coyg!

  8. Let’s not forget we had 2 players coming back from injury, Flamini, Per and Bellerin rested.

    Not too bad but going forward we need to make sure we are more solid at the back. As said above it was good to see Theo & Oz coming back with a goal, they still are way short of sharpness.

  9. Pace, speed, passing one-two passing, dribbling, acceleration fantastic finish. What a player ROSICKY wonderful performance.

  11. I still think United are favourite because they are ahead of us in the PL. Falcao is a talented striker that just needs to find his form.

    That’s not to say, we can’t beat. Of course we can. We can beat Liverpool too.

    However, let’s take it one match at a time

    With any luck we may not face either United or Liverpool on the way to FA Cup glory

    1. We’re the holders mate. PL is a different comp, we are undoubtedly favourites for the FA cup. And sorry, but I’d happily play either…United are pony and Liverpool are just behind them.

  12. I’m hoping for one of the big teams like Bradford. Then we can really kick on from there.

    #Nowilsherelikelastyearandweshouldhopefullywinagain

  14. Szczesny still hasn’t improved despite being first choice keeper for the last 3 season. He is still
    very inconsistent and nervy character.

  15. This is not the sort of pressure we need. It’s all about who we draw next, how they play and how we play. In some ways I’d rather draw Palace or Leicester next than a lower league team. We know what to expect from pl teams and there is less opportunity for a banana skin. Let’s just enjoy the moment, look forward and hope that wenger may have one last signing up his sleeve this week 🙂 coyg!

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors