Arsenal 3-0 Ipswich Town - Carling Cup

Arsenal are in the Carling Cup Final.

Arsène Wenger’s side will play West Ham or Birmingham at Wembley on February 27 after producing a storming comeback in the Semi-Final second leg on Tuesday night.

Ipswich Town had pulled off a famous 1-0 win at Portman Road a fortnight earlier and, for an hour, looked capable of completing the job this evening.

But a wonderful strike from Nicklas Bendtner broke their resistance in the 61st minute and then, almost immediately Laurent Koscielny’s header gave Arsenal the lead in the tie for the first time.

When Andrey Arshavin set up Cesc Fabregas for a third with 13 minutes left the party really began.

This will be Arsenal’s seventh League Cup Final. The first time they won the trophy was 1987, when a young side came from 1-0 down to beat the mighty Liverpool.

That victory kicked-off a run of major honours for George George’s team in the seasons that followed.

There is a similar youth and exuberance about Wenger’s current crop and it has often been argued that one trophy will be followed quickly by many more.

Arsenal have a chance to open the floodgates at the end of February.

Try telling the 60,000 people packed into Emirates Stadium before kick-off that this was ‘only’ the Carling Cup. A trophy was within sight and both sets of fans – red or blue – clearly wanted it.

Wenger’s team selection screamed the same thing. Fabregas and Robin van Persie were retained. The only changes saw Denilson, Bendtner and Arshavin return in place of Alex Song, Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott.

At the heart of defence, Johan Djourou made his 100th appearance for the Club.

Ipswich had properly installed Paul Jewell as manager since the first leg. They arrived with a 1-0 lead, 9,000 vociferous fans and a nothing-to-lose attitude.

That was apparent straight from the kick-off when the ball was rolled back to Grant Leadbitter who tried to beat Wojciech Szczesny from the halfway line. The shot landed on the roof of the net.

Arsenal responded with urgency but nothing of consequence in the opening 15 minutes. Van Persie volleyed wide and Fabregas tumbled in the area after being touched by Gareth McAuley. Referee Mark Halsey waved play on.

Ipswich were more than holding their own at this point. Often Arsenal ‘settle’ after an early goal – this evening they did not get one.

In the 11th minute, Clichy fouled David Norris on the Arsenal left. Leadbitter swung over the free-kick and McAuley nodded over with Szczesny stranded. The keeper had come for the ball but had only collided with Sagna in the process. Both needed lengthy treatment - the keeper recovered and played on, the right back did not. He walked groggily around the touchline and was replaced by Emmanuel Eboue.

This Semi-Final had been labelled ‘a doddle’ ever since it has been made but virtually all the evidence in the first 120 minutes was to the contrary.

Midway through the first half, Arsenal did hit the bar when Van Persie met Bendtner’s cross at the far post.

Just before the half-hour, Marton Fulop dropped a Fabregas free-kick. Bendtner collected the rebound but his shot was blocked.

By now Arsenal were starting to crank up the pressure and, as a consequence, the Ipswich defence started to creak. In the 36th minute, Wilshere clipped a pass into the path of Fabregas who cushioned it with his right and flashed a shot across goal with his left.

In the last seconds of the first half, Van Persie and Bendtner ping-ponged chances across the area as Arsenal sought the lead on the night and parity in the tie.

The home side wore some furrowed brows as they walked down the tunnel at the interval. They had been the better team overall but, as at Portman Road, the defensive organisation of Ipswich had thwarted them.

It was more of the same after the restart. Arsenal were dominant in terms of territory and possession but just could not break down their opponents.

And then, in the 61st minute, Bendtner summoned up a goal of rare quality.

It all started with Wilshere spotting the Dane on the left and finding him with a raking, crossfield ball.

Bendtner took it on the outside of his right foot with such delicacy that the ball fell into his path. However there was still much to do. The 23-year-old raced through, cut inside Carlos Edwards and curled a low shot into the far corner.

It was Bendtner at his best.

Finally the Ipswich defence has been breached and, three minutes later, another followed.

Arshavin fired over a corner from the left and Koscielny thundered home a header at the near post. The visitors had shown Champions League poise all evening but their defending on this occasion was definitely Championship standard.

The dynamics of the game had now changed but Ipswich were not spent yet. Substitute Jason Scotland broke away down the left and forced Szczesny into a low stop at the near post.

However, with 13 minutes left, Arsenal made sure. Fabregas broke forward and fed Arshavin, whose wonderfully weighted return ball allowed the Spaniard to fire home through the legs of Fulop.

Late on, Norris headed over and Djourou nearly nodded past his own keeper. But these were minor skirmishes in a battle that had already been won.

Arsenal are going to Wembley once more.

Arsenal 1-1 Leeds United - The FA Cup

A last-minute penalty from Cesc Fabregas prevented Arsenal becoming the subject of an FA Cup Third Round shock on Saturday.

It looked like Leeds were going to become the first lower League opposition to knockout the North London side in 15 years until substitute Theo Walcott was hauled back and the Spaniard scored from the spot.





The goal heralded a frantic finale in which Arsenal might have grabbed a winner, mostly notably when Kasper Schmeichel saved Denilson’s piledriver.




However, Leeds were worthy of a draw. The visitors were under pressure before they took the lead in the 53rd minute when Robert Snodgrass scored from the spot. But they responded well and might have killed the tie when Wojciech Szczesny saved superbly from Luciano Becchio.

This was a belting Cup tie – a throwback to Arsenal-Leeds games from a decade ago.





And now Arsène Wenger’s side know the size of the task they face at Elland Road on January 18/19.

As early as Thursday, the manager had told Arsenal TV Online there would be “many, many changes” – he did not disappoint.



There were nine in total. Only Alex Song and Johan Djourou were retained from the 0-0 draw against Manchester City on Wednesday night.





But there were seven common players from the 2-2 draw at Wigan just before the New Year. As at DW Stadium, Marouane Chamakh and Nicklas Bendtner were both chosen but it was the Dane who was pushed out wide.




The most significant starter was Kieran Gibbs, who had been out with an ankle injury since the win over Partizan Belgrade on December 8.




However, Aaron Ramsey was the on the bench. It was his first appearance in an Arsenal first-team squad since suffering that horrific broken leg at Stoke on February 27.

Szczesny took the gloves for the fourth time this season. The young Pole seems to be specialising in big games right now. His debut had come at Old Trafford in December and – perhaps it was just Third Round day, perhaps it was the 9,000 fans Leeds brought to Emirates - but this game felt almost as important.

Simon Grayson’s side arrived in fifth position in the Championship with designs on returning to the top flight. The statistics told us they were the second highest scorers and conceders in the division. Perhaps the perfect combination for a Cup tie.




And Grayson brought back Sanchez Watt, on loan from Arsenal, to help with the former.




The opening ten minutes were all bluster. Leeds were full of energy but did nothing with it.




Arsenal’s first chance should have put them ahead. In the 11th minute, Tomas Rosicky, who was captain for the day, curled a defence-splitting pass into the path of Andrey Arshavin. The Russian was clear but never quite had control. He did get a decent shot away but Schmeichel stood up well to block.



Seconds later, Szczesny raced out to prevent Becchio going through. The ball bounced up dangerously but Denilson kept a cool head to pass his way out of trouble.



Gradually Arsenal roused themselves and, by the half-hour, were firmly on top. In quick succession, Arshavin’s shot was turned aside by Schmiechel, as was Denilson’s drive, then Sebastien Squillaci’s scrambled effort was hooked off the line. Finally Chamakh’s header was booted away by Becchio.


Suddenly it was all Arsenal. 


In the 33rd minute, Arshavin tossed a corner into the heart of the area and Chamakh rose highest to make a clean, firm contact. Had it not gone straight at Schmeichel, Arsenal would have been in front. 


The home side struggled to keep the same intensity before the break but they were still asking all the questions.


In injury time, Bendtner broke down the right and fired an angled shot towards the near post. Schmeichel made an ungainly save.


It was more of the same after the restart. In the opening seconds, Song raced down the left only for his cross to escape its intended target. Ditto Bendtner on the right a couple of minutes later.


At this point, the stats said Arsenal had enjoyed 68 per cent of the possession. So it was pretty unarguable that the penalty came against the run of play. But the decision was clear.

Max Gradel cut in from the left and went past Denilson, who clipped him. Szczesny got a hand to the spot-kick from Snodgrass but could not prevent it going in.
 


Wenger’s response was immediate. Fabregas replaced Song. 


Leeds had been defending deeply since the interval but now they were penned back. On the hour, Emmanuel Eboue’s dangerous cross was touched away from the waiting Chamakh by Andy O’Brien’s flick.


But the visitors were now playing with more confidence when they did break and Becchio could have added a second in the 63rd minute. The Argentinean met a Snodgrass corner at the near post with a spiteful header. Szczesny thrust out his right hand to turn the ball aside.
 


Walcott replaced Chamakh with 23 minutes left. Arsenal’s attacking trio was now Arshavin on the left, Bendtner through the centre with the Englishman on the right. Fabregas was operating in the hole.


The home side were now fully in pursuit of this tie – and it did not help their game.


For the first time, Arsenal began to look a little ragged. While, to their credit, Leeds were still looking for a second. The closest they came was when Snodgrass fired a free-kick just wide in the 71st minute. 
 


Shortly afterwards, Wenger played his last card – Carlos Vela for Rosicky. 
 


Arsenal were gambling going forward. Bendtner headed over and Arshavin’s shot was blocked but this was starting to look ominous.
 


Four minutes from time, Arshavin flicked Walcott through on the right but his attempted chip was too close to Schmeichel.


Just after that, Arsenal thought they had won a penalty when Walcott was clipped by Alex Bruce. In fact Bendtner was called offside.
 


In the final minute Walcott did win a spot kick when Bradley Parker pulled him back. Fabregas converted the penalty. 



Bendtner might have won the tie in the final seconds but blasted wide. With almost the final kick Schmeichel saved wonderfully from Denilson's long-range effort
.

That would have been harsh on Leeds, who thoroughly deserved another chance. 
 


Elland Road will be rocking if the replay is anything like this pulsating game.