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Arsenal 4 Cardiff City 0. Match Report

Last updated : 17 February 2009 By Michael Morris
It was deja vu after all. We should have beaten Spurs a couple of years ago in the F.A. Cup but took a 0-0 and got whalloped 4-0 at their gaffe in a replay. Tonight, history repeated on the other side of North London as Cardiff City never showed up at The Emirates and were lucky to only lose 4-0, it could easily have been double that. It could have been worse ... I could have gone!

I've been consistent that I wanted us out of the cup and I'm pleased we came through with no bookings and no injuries. I always thought Arsenal would see us off with few problems while some ran away with unrealistic expectations.

However I never expected us to be so poor. We looked overawed from very early on, never got tempo, lacked all intensity needed to tackle Arsenal head-on and were naive all over the pitch. I can't explain why we barely showed any passion for it all night. However you know it's a bad night when 2 of your only 3 shots at goal were a mobile phone and a trainer, both thrown by City fans.


Some players with big reputations never turned up at all. The only players who could leave that pitch with credit were Tom Heaton and Kevin McNaughton in my view while Darren Purse did ok. The rest were so sub-standard compared to what we know they can do, they will have nightmares over that.


I felt sorry for those City fans who went but many were there for the experience as it's the league we really need that big away support now and I bet a few of them won't be there for that.


Thoroughly disappointed by City tonight, they let us and themselves down, but I'd rather see it there than anywhere else because, let's be honest, Arsenal isn't even our biggest game this week.


For the record, City were forced to change keepers and give England Under 21 man Tom Heaton a start while Peter Enckleman recovers from an operation. Gabor Gypes was available after his hamstring problem but Dave Jones took no risk and gave Darren Purse a game although Joe Ledley remained captain while new signings Dimi, Chopra and Quincy were all ineligible.


CARDIFF CITY: Heaton; McNaughton-Purse-Johnson-Kennedy; Burke-Rae-Ledley-Parry; Bothroyd-McCormack. Subs with McPhail absent injured were Sak-Capaldi, Whittingham, Eddie Johnson, Comminges, Scimeca, Blake


With several injuries, The Gunners were still able to name a fearsome line-up including Eduardo back after a year out with a horrendous broken leg but only 6 of the permitted 7 subs.


Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna-Toure-Gallas-Gibbs, Nasri-Song-Denilson-Vela, Eduardo-Bendtner. Subs: Almunia, Van Persie, Ramsey, Wilshere, Clichy, Bischoff.


More than 7,500 City fans assembled in the magnificent Emirates Stadium in a crowd of 57,237 but it soon became clear that the 50,000 home fans were going to enjoy the football while Cardiff, subdued from first to last whistle, resembled training cones. They were as yellow as the shirts they wore as Arsenal, far too easily, passed in and around them and strolled past them was comparative ease.


City had 3 major let offs before Arsenal opened the scoring just past 20 minutes. All too easy as City were collectively caught out of position, a ball was chipped up from the by-line and EDUARDO planted a header past Heaton who had already made 3 superb stops.

By 35 minutes, that lead was doubled as Roger Johnson let BENDTNER go at corner and he placed a free header past Heaton.


Cardiff were so lacklustre in that first half, it was shocking to watch. Maybe it was summed up by them winning corner kicks on each side only for Burke and Parry to hit daisycutters as City couldn't put two passes together and were second best everywhere you looked.


City improved a little after the break but were still completely inadequate. Bothroyd had our only shot at goal, a 25 yarder straight at Fabianski while Arsenal added two more as Rae needlessly bundled over Vele for a penalty that EDUARDO converted for a double and VAN PERSIE wrapped it up in the dying moments. They also hit the woodwork twice, had bad misses and were denied by more Heaton saves.


The final shot count was 23 to 2 in favour of Arsenal and it was 13 to 1 on target.

Gutted by City's display which, at times, lacked passion and pride and that's hard to take coming from a side who have shown those qualities in abundance all season long.


Hoping the boys put this behind them fast - onwards and upwards starting at Wolves on Sunday please. They need to show a big reaction, that's for sure.

Report from FootyMad

A brace from the fit-again Eduardo fired Arsenal into the fifth round of the FA Cup as they comfortably saw off last season's beaten finalists Cardiff City 4-0.

Further goals from Nicklas Bendtner and Robin van Persie ensured that the Gunners will play host to Burnley in round five.

The return of Eduardo to the Arsenal first-team almost a year to the day since breaking his leg heightened the expectancy for an already electric FA Cup atmosphere.

Arsenal looked much sharper from the opening whistle and should have been three goals up within the first seven minutes.

The first opportunity feel to Nicklas Bendtner on four minutes after Bacary Sagna sent over a cross on to the head of the young Dane, but the Gunners striker headed the ball fractionally wide with the keeper well beaten.

Within seconds Carlos Vela accelerated through the middle before despatching a fierce drive that Tom Heaton could not hold. The Cardiff goalkeeper parried the ball into the path of Bendtner, whose shot he saved.

Heaton was again on hand to deny the Gunners after seven minutes with a point-blank save from William Gallas, whose shot from an acute angle was blocked by the Cardiff keeper.

Eduardo was looking sharp and dangerous and with 20 minutes on the clock, Vela got to the by-line on the left side of the area before crossing into the area, where the Croatian striker headed the ball home to spark a glorious celebration.

The Gunners doubled their lead on 35 minutes through Bendtner, who rose highest to head home Samir Nasri's cross from the left.

A combination of Heaton and the post prevented the Gunners from going 3-0 up on the stroke of half-time. The Bluebirds keeper first blocked Vela's shot, then the rebound fell to Bendtner, who hit the post.

When the ball bounced back to the Dane his effort was goalbound, but Heaton was on hand to make another timely block.

Arsenal were awarded a penalty on the hour after Gavin Rae hauled down Eduardo. The Croatian stepped up to take the kick himself, sending Heaton the wrong way to make it 3-0 before running to hug Arsenal fitness coach Tony Colbert, who has been instrumental in the striker's comeback.

Substitutes van Persie and Amaury Bischoff both went close with shots from acute angles on the left edge of the area, but again Heaton was on top form.

There was little he could do however in the 89th minute when van Persie raced on to a through-ball from Bendtner before firing right-footed into the left corner of the net.

A fifth goal should have followed a minute later, but van Persie was denied by the left upright and referee Mark Halsey brought the game to an end seconds later.

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