Arsenal fans will enjoy bragging rights over their rivals yet again as the Gunners easily eliminated Tottenham from the FA Cup on Saturday, 2-0. Goals from Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky led Arsenal as Spurs' lack of any type of cohesive midfield never really allowed them to challenge their rivals on the day.
Arsenal vs. Tottenham, 2014 FA Cup: Final score 2-0, All Gunners at the Emirates
The Gunners advanced in the FA Cup and claimed bragging rights over their North London rivals yet again.
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The first 10 minutes nearly went by without a clear-cut chance for either side, but in the 9th minute Spurs finally came through. Christian Eriksen picked up the ball and raced by Bacary Sagna with only the goalkeeper between him and the goal. Eriksen waited too long, though, giving Lukasz Fabianski time to close the angle, forcing the midfielder's shot wide into the side netting.
Theo Walcott answered back with Arsenal's first good chance of the match in the 12th minute, firing a shot from distance that was parried away by Hugo Lloris. The Gunners missed two more good chances in the following minutes, including a lovely effort from 18-year-old Serge Gnabry, who curled a shot from 18-yards out just over the crossbar.
Walcott came close again in the 25th minute, getting free behind the Spurs defense thanks to a lovely quick pass from Cazorla. Lloris was on top of things, though, blocking the Arsenal winger’s low shot away for a corner.
A goal seemed inevitable for the Gunners as the half progressed and it arrived in the 31st minute.
The build-up came from the right side on a break as Gnabry cut inside, waltzing past Michael Dawson, who looked as if his saving throw against a snare spell had failed horribly. Kyle Walker cut across from the left in a desperate attempt to cover the space at the top of the Spurs box and Carzola took advantage. He raced in behind Walker into the vacated space and Gnabry found him with a perfect ball, allowing the Spaniard to smash a shot past Lloris to make it 1-0.
Spurs somehow managed to keep the game close until a stunning mistake by Danny Rose in the 62nd minute blew up their chances.
Rose, under pressure from Rosicky near the midfield line, gave the ball up, allowing the Arsenal midfielder to race forward on the break. Despite a spirited attempt to recover and disrupt the play by Spurs players, Rosicky was able to get his shot past Lloris and double the Gunners’ lead to 2-0.
Arsenal was forced to play the final eight minutes or so of the match with 10 men after Walcott was stretched off. Arsene Wenger had already used all three subs but Tottenham were unable to make a miraculous comeback late despite the advantage.
Between the missed chances and shots just wide or over the bar by the Gunners, Spurs are extremely lucky to have not lost by four or five goals. It wasn’t a good day at all for Tim Sherwood’s team.
Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Vermaelen (Mertesacker 46’), Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta (Özil 75’), Wilshere (Flamini 71’), Rosicky, Cazorla, Gnabry, Walcott
Goals: Carzola (31’), Rosicky (62’)
Tottenham: Lloris, Walker, Chiriches, Dawson, Rose, Lennon, Bentaleb, Dembele, Eriksen, Adebayor, Soldado (Chadli 63’)
Goals: None
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