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Cypher-
01-03-2005, 11:16 PM
Manuel Almunia was Arsenal’s hero after they beat Sheffield United on 4-2 penalties in this FA Cup Fifth Round replay at Bramall Lane.

The drama of spot kicks came after a goalless 120 minutes. Michael Tonge and Jon Harley had gilt-edged chances in the opening seconds of each half but, apart from that, it was all Arsenal.

Francesc Fabregas hit the bar and substitute Quincy gave new impetus as the visitors dominated for much of the game. But arguably the closest they came was when Jeremie Aliaidiere forced a fine save with his first touch after six month out with injury.

And so to penalties. Andy Gray scored for Sheffield United, as did Lauren for Arsenal. Then Phil Jagielka scored at the second attempt. Vieira responded in kind. Almunia saved from Andy Liddell and Freddie Ljungberg put the visitors ahead. Crucially Almunia saved again from Jon Harley and it was up to Ashley Cole to finish the job.

He kept his cool and Arsenal were through. They meet Bolton in the next round.

Arsène Wenger had few options in his squad after nine first-teamers were ruled out through suspension or injury. For the record, the absentees were: Thierry Henry (Achilles), Sol Campbell (ankle), Dennis Bergkamp (suspended), Jose Antonio Reyes (suspended), Robin van Persie (suspended), Robert Pires (ankle), Gilberto (vertebrae), Edu (hamstring) and Justin Hoyte (ankle).

Among a number of changes, Freddie Ljungberg was asked to act as a makeshift striker and, alongside him, 17-year-old Arturo Lupoli made his first start outside the Carling Cup. Ashley Cole was employed on the left flank with Francesc Fabregas, back from suspension, on the right. They were unfamiliar positions for both. Lauren returned at right back and Kolo Toure dropped to the bench.

For Sheffield United the major question mark surrounded the hip the goalkeeper Paddy Kenny had picked up at Plymouth on February 22. In the end the Irish international did start.

Arsenal could have trailed after just 39 seconds. Andy Gray found some space on the right and fed Tonge at the near post. The midfielder hacked the ball high over the bar from point-blank range.

It was a shot across the bows for the Arsenal youngsters but they recovered their composure and began to knock the ball around with confidence soon afterwards.

However clear-cut chances were thin on the ground. Their best move came in the 17th minute when Fabregas and Lupoli exchanged passes on the edge of the area and Ljungberg sliced a shot wide of Kenny’s left-hand post.

Patrick Vieira smacked an optimistic effort wide a few minutes later. It was never going in but it was close as we were getting. Arsenal had the lion’s share of possession and spent most of the game in the Sheffield United half. Turning that advantage into goal-scoring opportunities was proving more difficult.

We can only hope for better from both side in the second half.

Six minutes before the break, Vieira escaped down the right and Kenny spilled his pacy cross for second. He’d recovered by the time Lupoli slid in to apply the finishing touch.

As in the first half, Sheffield United had a very early chance after the restart. Forty six seconds in, Nick Montgomery crossed from the right and, after Liddell miscued, Harley scuffed a shot towards goal. Almunia held on with ease.

Again, it was not a portent of things to come. Quincy, who had replaced Lupoli at the break, outpaced the home defence and his cross-shot forced Kenny into low save.

In the 56th minute the Dutch striker held off the attentions of three defenders before breezing to the byline and sending over a high cross that Kenny could only touch to Fabregas at the far post. The 17-year-old collected, steadied himself and fired low toward goal but the keeper thrust out a foot to block.

The Spaniard would go even closer four minutes later. Vieira drove forward and Fabregas fired in a rasping shot from the edge of the area. His effort clipped the cross bar on its way over.

Kenny was starting to be overemployed. In the 68th minute Quincy’s clever inside ball sent Ljungberg clear in the area but the keeper blocked his effort and, with 10 minutes left, he dived low to smother a Fabregas shot at the near post.

However Arsenal could not maintain their dominance and Sheffield United tried to nick the game at the end. Pascal Cygan blocked Gray’s effort from close range as the big striker look to pull the trigger from close range then, in the dying seconds, Almunia tipped over dramatically from Harley’s far post header. The game was really starting to warm up but the deadlock just would be broken. Extra time would be necessary.

Both sides cancelled each other out during the first half of extra time but in the opening moments of the second period a corner found Cygan at the far post and his drilled shot flashed across the face of goal.

In the final minutes Aliadiere replaced Flamini for his first action since the injurying knee ligaments in the Community Shield in August. His first touch was to control Toure’s wild free-kick his second was a drive at goal. Kenny pulled off the save of the game and a fairytale return went begging. The keeper also saved Cole’s free-kick on the line.

Arsenal continued to look like the only team who could force a winner but it just would not come. We went to penalties and Almunia did the job as the visitors went through.

Fabregas beats the challenge

REFEREE

* Phil Dowd
(Staffordshire)

ATTENDANCE

* 27,595


ARSENAL

* Manuel Almunia
* Lauren
* Philippe Senderos
* Pascal Cygan
* Ashley Cole
* Mathieu Flamini
* Jeremie Aliadiere 113
* Cesc Fabregas
* Kolo Toure 90
* Patrick Vieira
* Gael Clichy
* Fredrik Ljungberg
* Arturo Lupoli
* Quincy Owusu-Abeyie 45

SUBS

* Stuart Taylor
* Emannuel Eboue


SHEFFIELD UNITED

* Patrick Kenny
* Derek Geary
* Chris Morgan
* Leigh Bromby
* Jon Harley
* Andy Liddell
* Nick Montgomery
* Phil Jagielka
* Paul Thirlwell
* Michael Tonge
* Alan Quinn 98
* Andy Gray

SUBS

* Danny Haystead
* Paul Shaw
* Steve Kabba
* Simon Francis


(Courtesy of arsenal.com)

bladesbcrew
02-03-2005, 09:00 PM
i was at the match so dont try n tell me stats as if you was there. i was also at the match at highbury. but yet agen that **** wenger goes through. we defended superbly but we lack up front. but atleast we can concentrate on the play offs. and so my fa cup dream is over. but ill b there at cardiff on saturday. i bet all the part timers that went last nite dont even think about taking a 5 hour trip 2 wales

JackHb (Admin): Do not avoid the filter by typin ...... in between the letters and do not swear!

danny1541
02-03-2005, 09:45 PM
Thats nice :/ Arsenal did play well but not that well :S
@ Blade
Lol u seen rubbish football in your time then son ( Not sayin going to a leeds match is ace)

bladesbcrew
03-03-2005, 06:13 PM
2-0 this season at bramall lane pal? was u there. ill be at elland road next month anyway

Mined
03-03-2005, 06:14 PM
Rofl, it was close, arsenal should of lost >:P

danny1541
03-03-2005, 06:58 PM
Yeh i will be there lets hope its a good day :) fopr both teams unless we play rubbish as usual

bladesbcrew
04-03-2005, 04:58 PM
be about 30 of our lads comin through. weve sed wer gona rip ur seats out like u did 2 us 2 seasons ago. so be ready for seats flying everywhere

danny1541
04-03-2005, 06:41 PM
Lmao Marlon king is coming for you if you do that

bladesbcrew
04-03-2005, 07:41 PM
you heard of service crew danny?

-Soro-
04-03-2005, 10:06 PM
Magnificent... LOL!

danny1541
05-03-2005, 12:11 PM
you heard of service crew danny?


Yeah dude i go on their web sometimes.. why?

Luayminator
05-03-2005, 12:17 PM
Why are they magnificent, cuz they only just managed a draw against sheffield ?

danny1541
05-03-2005, 12:27 PM
Why are they magnificent, cuz they only just managed a draw against sheffield ?


Ye i had the same view :P

Cypher-
05-03-2005, 04:39 PM
Cheeky gits, :P you all know how good the gunners are. The problem with most fans these days is the fact they are jealous of arsenal. Take chelsea fans, deep down they know they couldnt win the league if they didnt have so much money and Arsenal has already proved that they can win it without the help of almost half a billion english pounds. Next Take Manchester United, they are jealous of Arsenal because Ferguson likes to dominate the premiership and the team and him both know they will not dominate it with the likes of Thierry Henry and Jose Reyes running through their defence. For all the other teams in the league, they are remarkably jealous because of the style and flow of football arsenal play with. Its none of this awkward hitting the ball and running nonsense, its controlled style and flare something that most teams will never have.

P.S. Blade***** that article was from arsenal.com if you could read :) so do not be rude, I was not thinking i was there. I wouldnt waste my time travelling down to such a desolate sport of the country.

danny1541
05-03-2005, 09:17 PM
I admit arseanl are good but they are playin poor this season thye have proved what they can do to other teams but there not showin it now and nobody is jealous of arsenal if so how would you know...?

Cypher-
06-03-2005, 01:03 AM
They arent exactly playing poor, but the defence are letting us down with campbell. The way i can tell that fans are jealous by the way some idiotic morons start chanting "same old arsenal, always cheating" for no apparent reason other than they cant say anything else. Also theres a small matter of winning a league unbeaten?

Luayminator
06-03-2005, 03:43 PM
Blaah Blahh .. Whatever.

Cypher-
08-03-2005, 07:13 PM
See? You dont have a comeback now cause you know im right lol :P

Vause
08-03-2005, 08:36 PM
your all obssed with sports lol

Cypher-
09-03-2005, 01:52 AM
Nah im just obsessed wth arsenal :D

Davisman
20-03-2005, 01:44 PM
Look im frm Sheffield and I support da blades!!!!!

Woot woot u couldnt beat us when we were away to u!

Good match though, the odds were on you!!!!! :D

Cypher-
22-03-2005, 01:49 AM
lol the blades fought bravely and were put to the sword indeed. :P Unlucky we eventually went though though aint it ;)

Davisman
24-03-2005, 09:49 AM
Well well done if u live in London and if u dont y support Arsenal!!!! :D

Luayminator
25-03-2005, 04:01 AM
Arsenal were the invincibles.. until Man.Utd beat them 2-0 , then Liverpool 2-1 , then united 4-2 , then bolton 1-0 ... DISGRACE THEY ARE !

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