With the Brentford game fresh in our minds allied to all the on-line angst that came with it, we all really needed a bit of a pick-me-up, something to readdress the growing fan base anxiety and nothing really picks you up quite like the good old FA Cup.
Bearing in mind Man City had struggled to a 2-0 win over Salford the day before, relying on an early own goal and an 82nd minute winner it was a calming thought that Wigan Athletic, at home, had for us all the ingredients of a stress free afternoon, and it didn’t disappoint.
With two away games later this week coming, Arteta needed to utilise his resources to the maximum and so he made 8 changes from his G-Tech starting XI. In came Kepa, White, Saliba, Calafiori, Norgaard, Myles, Jesus and Martinelli. The bench was slightly better stocked than I’d expected or hoped for as I was thinking that two or three academy lads might make the bench but only Marli Salmon got the nod. That was until Calafiori picked up a problem meaning Myles, who had been set to play in midfield, reverted to his left-back spot with Bakayo coming into the starting XI. 17 year old Northern Ireland wing-forward Ceadach O’Neill was added to the squad.
Wigan lined up with a back-five and four in midfield but in those early minutes Saka playing inside right, Madueke, Martinelli and Jesus just tormented them as they created space and used their movement to disorientate the League One side. On 8 minutes Myles pushed forward and chanced his arm with a long-range drive that just sailed over the bar.
Eze was gliding around and linking play whilst looking like the player we all wanted him to be when he joined last August and it was from one of his lazier guided passes that we opened the scoring on 11 minutes. Ebs knocked a beauty into some space and Madueke just opened the throttle, leaving his marker in his slipstream as he gracefully slid the ball passed the stranded Wigan goalkeeper.
It looked oh so easy even though we know it’s not, but this team is so good. On 19 minutes, Norgaard, who was playing a kind of a sweeper role, found Eze who again used his special laser passing ability to find Martinelli with a perfectly weighted pass and Gabby just accelerated away from his markers and buried the ball inside the far post. A comprehensive move and a comprehensive finish, just the ticket.
Wigan were struggling and Arsenal looked likely to score a hatful when 4 minutes later the Gunners pretty much finished the job. Madueke skipped down the right flank drawing defenders to him then switched the ball to Saka who took it to the byline before cutting it back where Jesus got a slight touch and the ball pinballed off of a Wigan defender and via the goalkeeper into the net. Owngoalinho strikes again!
On 25 minutes Norgaard sent in a delicious long pass to Martinelli whose shot was blocked by the Wigan goalkeeper. Jesus picked up the rebound but he was crowded out. Then two minutes later Saliba slipped a short pass to Norgaard who just looked up and surveyed the spaces in front of him before hitting an inviting long pass to Jesus. The Brazilian controlled the pass perfectly before lifting the ball over the goalkeeper and that was that pretty much and all before the half hour mark.
Wigan then abandoned their back-five and went to a four moving an extra body into midfield in order to stifle the service from there and I guess it worked. Arsenal didn’t score for the remaining hour but we didn’t really need to as the tie was won, even so there were quite a few more scrambles around the Wigan goal and a couple of chances for them.
On 35 Kepa made a smart save when Wigan striker Joe Taylor got through on goal but that was as good as it got for Athletic. Mosquera, who played the left side to Saliba on the right got up well to a cross and but for an outstretched head would have scored our 5th.
Half-Time 4-0.
Gyokeres replaced Saka at the break but only because Bakayo was only ever going to play 45 and the siege continued.
Ben White knocked a lovely pass in for Viktor and his shot looked goal bound, only a slight touch from a Wigan defender deflected it onto the near post. On 60 Martinelli set up Eze who just drifted serenely into the box but put his shot wide. Around this time Arteta took off Saliba and gave Marli Salmon a good half an hour along Mosquera, making them possibly one of the youngest centre-back pairings in the clubs history. Trossard also came on for the impressive Madueke and it was Leo who tricked his way into space and drove a low cross into the box on 68 minutes, whereby a Wigan defender somehow cleared it over the bar. On 79 minutes Ben White went off with a knock, fingers crossed, to be replaced by Zubimendi and from a Leo pass it was Zubi whose cross was met powerfully by Martinelli, unfortunately straight at the goalkeeper who saved. Shame about that one.
Eze had a couple of late flings at scoring but he must have left his shooting boots at home and Tommy Setford came on for Kepa on 87 and made a fine claim under pressure when a high cross was driven into the box. Tommy doesn’t look like someone who you can push around and that’s great news.
I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t see O’Neill and possibly if Ben White hadn’t needed to go off then maybe we would have done so but that’s football. But plenty of our squad players had good outings which should give them all a lift for the weeks ahead.
So a good boost for the squad for next Wednesday with hopefully a home draw in the 5th round incoming – and of course……
We march on.
**By Kev.**