That really couldn’t have gone better, it’s always better when it’s a come back. A come back in a game is great, but when that game makes the season into a come back, ah, that is sweet.
We looked very much second best for the first 20 minutes. They were all over us like a rash, making chances for fun. Or so it seemed to me from behind my sofa. I feared the worst, but seriously, what do I know?
Ceballos, who had been brushed aside in the build up to their goal, and the rock that is Xhaka, got a grip of the midfield and we came back strong. The attitude was perfect, we used the space in behind, with long balls into space at every opportunity, a ploy that saw us draw level when Aubameyang got on the end of one and was hauled down in the box. I’ve seen Liuz sent off for the same offence, but it was just a yellow. The explanation was that he tried to win the ball, he didn’t, it should have been a red. All the same we dominated the game until half-time and could easily have gone in ahead.
Chelsea worked their way into the game in the second half, but just when it looked like we might struggle to hold them, Hector, full of vegan energy, powered through the midfield and the ball ended up at Aubameyang’s feet, a jink and a left-foot chip and it was 2-1.
I never felt we would lose from that point.
No need for me to pap on, you all saw the game, it was a good game and we thoroughly deserved our 14th FA cup victory. It sees us back in Europe and gives more power to Arteta’s elbow.
By the way, some of the performances of our players were epic.
Speak soon.
COYG
Pedantic George
Positively Arsenal 
When you look at both teams route to the final they both absolutley earnt their place but obviously once see just how dirty chelski were, we deserved it more.
While I can believe pundits and other fans might have thought the ref done us a few favours I cant believe any ARSENAL fan thought that, maybe its the years of having a shit deal.
Auba could of had a cup of tea and still got his shot away before rudiger got to him so there was defiinelty a sending off there. Cellballos was assalted off the ball and the ref see it and give a free kick so once again the only descision was a red there as well.
People were arguing about the second booking for kovertic however he was out of control and reckless for the first and if this wasn’t a final he would of gone for that. he then could of received a second booking for multiple foulls so by the time he was late on Xhaka for a second time he had to go no doubt.
All through the game they wer kicking pulling pushing and trying everything but playing football they deserved nothing. I dont understand talented sides go to such tactics when they could just play football but thats lampards fault and maybe learn’t from maureen.
Alonso’s knee into Pepe’s hip was late and dangerous and we got nothing for it but we all know what an animal he is, the fact three officials were close to the incident proves PGMOl are still not looking at fairly.
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arse_or_brain the CB should have been sent off for the penalty foul regardless of where any other CFC defender was, the penalty was for him pulling PEA, and so not a genuine attempt to win the ball, which is a sending off offence. Just as David Luiz was sent off for same thing by the same Ref this season for pulling a shirt.
you fell for the old commentator trick of highlighting something unconnected to the actual offence, namely him not being the last man, and ignoring the real thing he should have been sent off for. its like the old bullshit of “he touched the ball so not a foul”, utter bullshit, only spouted so as to help write the narrative they want to tell.
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It is amazing that the “dirtiest team in the league” managed just 2 fouls in the whole game.
The foul that ended up with the red card was innocuous, on its own, but the culmination of a number of fouls, including one nasty one just after the yellow card.
Nevertheless. perhaps this game was the “evening out” that people always promise.
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well jigsol isn’t it funny that at no point after his first booking did any of the pundits or commentators say, as they do when its any AFC player carrying a yellow, that he should have been sent off once he committed another foul, and he committed a few before he got sent off, in fact the second yellow could very easily have been for a build up of fouls
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First one would probably have been a red for Granit in any other game
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Expect you’re right, a-or-b, and that I’m so conditioned to dire reffing against us when it isn’t nearly as bad I’m sort of grateful.
Unnerving thing is my faith’s been destroyed so completely that on a number of big incidents in game I can believe same situations could see different decisions, against us, with no pundits et al making a fuss.
Red for Azpi/Luiz of course, but also it being given as free kick instead of pen, many of the free kicks and bookings they were given let go, Martinez penalised for handball, soft free kicks against us, etc etc.
So while it wasn’t the sort of nearly everything going our way some teams get benefit of most weeks, it surely was hell of a lot better than normally is, and underlines just how big an obstacle it typically is with Dean, Atkinson et al doing their thing
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Very odd experience seeing all the Chelsea fans go on in a manner not so dissimilar to how I do when a real number has been done on us.
I think they believe it, maybe to same degree I believe it with us. Bonkers. I haven’t fallen into doubt or worse about what’s real or isn’t, but it’s uncomfortable territory; or, once weirdness of it pushed aside, it’s really fucking ludicrous and aggravating.
It’s the phenomenon that provides pgmol with plenty of their cover : all fans, including Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs, behave like this when they lose a big game and there’s any big decision that goes against them. So if ever a team really had a case…so easy to point to that and say nonsense.
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There is a podcast up
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Quite amusing so many connected with Chelsea blaming Xhaka, and Arteta for getting their player sent off, conveniently forgetting Giroud feigning serious spinal injury after Luiz brushed against him.
Chelsea were unlucky with their injuries, we certainly know all about that, but the rest they got from the ref, it seems under no orders from Riley, was thoroughly merited
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