What a Draw! Arsenal v Liverpool FA Cup Final looking good!

Arsenal are definitely now on course for a repeat of last years FA Cup win after the Gunners broke their nine-year jinx at Old Trafford last night, with Danny Welbeck scoring a fairy-tale winner against his old club. While we were all still celebrating that historic win, Arsenal fans were given another boost when the draw for the semi-finals were made and we were given the easiest route to the Final after being paired with either Bradford or Reading in the next stage of the competition.

Bradford are definitely the surprise package this season, but if they can get past Championship side Reading then they should hold no fears for the Gunners at Wembley in the middle of April. And the Berkshire side have also had a steady route to this position and are yet to meet a Premiership side this season.

ARSENE WENGER SAID: “We will be favourites but we have tricky memories from last year. It was our hardest game in the whole run. Let’s prepare well. What is important is to focus now on the Premier League. On Saturday we play West Ham and then the Champions League, we’ll see what happens. It’s a long way away now.”

The main thing for us was to avoid Liverpool until the Final and we got our wish, although the Scousers will hardly have an easy game against Aston Villa to get through. The Villains may be just above the relegation zone but have performed admirably in the Cup so far, knocking out fellow Premier League strugglers in West Brom and Leicester to get this far.

Obviously Liverpool are on a great run themselves in the League and are closing in on Man United and Arsenal in the race for the Top Four, but with the confidence Arsenal have shown in their efforts to defend their trophy means we could be in for a classic feast at Wembley in May whoever our opponents are in the Final!

VIDEO – Danny Welbeck’s winning goal at Old Trafford

Tags Bradford eading Liverpool

18 Comments

  1. One game at the time. I’d say focus on West Ham because games at home will be huge. Liverpool plays at Swansea and Manure and Spuds will play together. Either way these 3 points are absolutely vital. We need points now because we have 2 big games at home (Liverpool and Chelsea) where everything is possible.

    1. Not to mention we still have to play Bradford/Reading before we reach the FA Cup final. The match won’t be some walk in the park either.

      One. game. at. a. time.

  2. Let’s not think our place in the final is a done deal yet. Respect the opposition and play them out of the park at Wembley. Liverpool are not qualified either, they failed to beat Blackburn and it should be a clear reminder we need to focus on each of our remaining games.

    I can’t see us catching Chelsea yet but they will have a few difficult games. Let’s keep hope and also do a job on Monaco as we have nothing to lose.

  3. We should learn from Monaco draw – No 1 is easy…..and Braford/Reading have nothing to loose, having made it so far in FA Cup is already a bonus to them…..its a good thing last nights game was Man U (we didn’t underestimate them and played our hearts out and WON)…

  4. Presuming alot there. Pool still have to beat 2 teams. Blackburn away, and Aston Villa who have managed to score a couple of goals recently… as if remembering that they are playing football and not rugby.

    We also don’t know who we will be playing yet so can’t even prepare yet. We are favourites, rightfully but that doesn’t mean we have won yet. We still have to take this very seriously.

  5. We should not disrespect reading/Bradford

    If we are not on our game, they can beat us. Remember what happened to Chelsea and City.

    Also, Liverpool drew at home so must win away. They could lose too. Aston Villa could make it to the final.

    The final could be Bradford v Villa lol
    We are favourites but in FA Cup that doesn’t mean much.

    My point is that we should take each game as they come and not look to far ahead.
    Lets focus on West Ham

    I want to Win the FA Cup AND finish as high as possible in the PL (higher than 4th).

    After a miserable first half of the season we could end the season with some happiness.

  6. We can’t lose at Wembley. It is the closest ground to ours in atmosphere or lack thereof. We just need to run circles around these championship teams and put a Coq on them should that fail.

  7. Whoa whoa whoa. Do not jump the gun on this.

    Bradford 1 – 1 Arsenal (3 – 2 pens)

    That was 1 season ago. Granted it was carling cup, we didn’t put out our first team, we were playing away and didn’t have the motivation BUT it happened. Arsenal can not take it for granted we’re in the final. Add to that: we can’t take for granted Liverpool are gonna get there. It could be Bradford Blackburn in the final still…just unlikely. The FA Cup has had MANY upsets this year. Let’s not make ourselves another one.

    1. It was actually 3 seasons ago (somewhere in December 2012). In Jupiter years, yes, it may be only 1 season ago. I remember Vermaelen missed the decisive penalty (but he was the one to actually score the equalizer). Was a very sad evening. Not because we lost (although one can feel that) but because of the whole $hitty atmosphere around the game, team, club etc.

      1. My apologies, 2 seasons ago (2012 – 2013 season is 2 seasons ago). Clearly lost track of a year there! My point still stands.

    2. and wasn’t Reading that crazy 7-5 game where we went down the by 4 goals in the first half? That was few seasons back as well, but still insane.

  8. Remember we lost the League Cup final to relegated Birmingham CitY so anything can happen.

    I believe when reading/Bradford rolls along we should be RUTHLESS. We should not put out a weaker team. We should put out our BEST team.
    Don’t give our opponents any chance.

    Last night United used de Gea, they didn’t use a backup Keeper. We used Szczesny and to be honest he wasn’t on best form. My point is Van Gaal put out the best players he thought could win.

    We need to have a ruthless mentality. Always do our best and everything to Win. Rest and celebration comes in summer.

    Just my opinion

  9. except for the GK position and DM and CF i think ours” backup” players are very closed if not as good as our starters but i understand you would want ospina to be played in the cup game but how do the others keepers show their good form ??

  10. Rather them in semi than final. For a final, they will be even more up for it.
    But I guess the same can be said for us. Arsenal should be feared in the Cup this year

  11. Gotta love the BBC headline “Arsenal avoid Liverpool in FA cup draw”. B&**cks headline on two fronts; the disrespect to Blackburn and surely “Liverpool avoid Arsenal” would have been equally appropriate – perhaps more so bearing in mind we are the holders, just put out Utd away and they have still to make the semis. Dreadful, dreadful journalism.

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