Arsene Wenger says Arsenal’s patience paid dividends as they overcame Hull City 4-0 to secure an FA Cup quarter-final clash with Watford.
The Gunners took 131 minutes to break the deadlock against Steve Bruce’s high-flying Championship outfit, however, after Olivier Giroud’s opener, just before half time of last night’s replay, they eased to victory with three further goals in the second half.
Reflecting on Arsenal’s first win since 14 February, the boss praised the manner in which his players asserted their technical quality.
“In the first half we needed patience because they played very deep, similar to when we played at Emirates Stadium,” he told Arsenal Player.
“The patience was important and to keep the ball moving and to get them tired and find the opening without being exposed to counter attacks.
“I would say our technical quality and mobility gave them many problems. We played at a higher pace technically and as long as we could maintain that they were in trouble.
“We had a difficult period at the start of the second half and then after that our technical superiority took over and we scored some convincing goals.
“We have another challenge on Sunday against Watford and hopefully we manage to do it again. Everyone loves this competition but it is difficult to be unbeaten and when you are beaten you are out.”
Wenger was also pleased to see strike duo Giroud and Walcott net two goals each. “Giroud had gone a while without a goal and that will help him tonight,” continued the boss.
“He became [the father] of a young boy last night and that will certainly give him euphoria. Walcott scored which is good as well.
“I made the decision to play him [Giroud] and he wants to always play and all the other players want to play and that is quite normal. People are sometimes surprised that players want to play. Believe me, you don’t play at that level if you don’t want to play.”
It was really rather lovely to see two players who have struggled recently scoring a brace each. As they both seem to score in ‘spurts’ it bodes well for the last few games of the season now their respective droughts are over. Fancy them both to put Watford away on Sunday, let’s hope the injuries aren’t too bad. (I know…)
The league is anything but over. If the team can string some wins together, you never know. I expect Leceister to falter; Spurs will soon get it tough – Lpool, United, Chelsea etc. City is my little worry but we play them later when all our guys come back…we can win that game.
Yesterday was impressive with Campbell making a strong case for the coming games.
Elneny and Coq partnership looks solid.
Just give it a go
It’s nice to hear Wenger is pleased, we can turn things around with ease, we’ll bring home the cup, this team’s on the up, now let’s watch Tottenham fall to their knees
I think “great ease” would have worked better… get that syllable count up to the right number.
I reckon West Ham away is our toughest fixture remaining. But yeah City, Everton and even west Brom at home are not going to be easy to take three points from. When you are 8 points behind with 9 games to play you have to feel dropping more than 3 or 4 points would be title over and even then requires leicester to lose almost half their games which would constitute a melt down they show no signs of having. I know it’s hard as a fan but sometimes I have these lucid moments where I can’t help but acknowledge… Read more »
Leicester are running on confidence at the moment. Their shot/goal ratio is stunning. But if (A very big ‘IF’) Newcastle can get a result against them then it could shake their confidence. If Newcastle sit back and force them to have the ball, and then get something on the break… well it’s a possibility!
They’ve then got a few games on the trot that could easily be nil-nil games.
Confidence is so important in this game.
Or they could win all their remaining games 4-0…
The one thing we have learned from this season is no game is a sure thing for any squad. There have been so many strange results for all squads that you just can’t predict anything.
Its easy to fantasize scenarios, but I do get the feeling that Leiceister will have a 2014 Liverpool season in which towards the very end they will falter. The only thing however, is that with Liverpool I was having a laugh, but with Leiceister I will genuinely feel bad for them because if anything, those boys deserve to win for the performances they have put in throughout the season. As for our end, we really need to go on a winning streak of at least 5 games now (easier said then done) before we get a draw or god forbid… Read more »
Not the prettiest football we’ve ever played but who cares?….this is what the term “efficiency in front of goal” is all about. Same keeper, was mr unbeatable in the first fixture……put through the sword now with better finishing.
more of this please!..without the injuries, of course
People who didn’t watch the game shouldn’t be decieved by the score line. We got the opener thanks to a massive gaffe by their skipper (almost Arsenal levels of self destruct). That changed Hull’s game plan and meant they couldn’t sit back and frustrate us. That didn’t stop them from almost getting back in the game on two occasions before half time. There was a big heap of help with the first goal, and walcott got lucky the defender got a telling touch on his cross (taking nothing away from an excellent finish by Giroud). By this point the game… Read more »
Basically what you’ve described above is football. A moment of chance is capitalized on by an attentive, hard-working player from a beleaguered team who puts it away with a calm, composed finish. The team builds confidence and builds on the turn of fortune. I don’t think there are too many superlatives. They’re mostly quite tempered, really. Everybody knows the expected difference between the clubs, and in the end the Arsenal shrugged off a very poor run of form, regained composure, and took the control of the match we hope for and on paper expect. This despite several challenges like the… Read more »
This game really highlighted the quality we have in the squad.
To be honest I wasn’t very sure of Iwobi but he proved himself out there didn’t he. He shows alot of creativity in the middle of the park.
Walcott still doesn’t do it for me but I’m happy to see Giroud net two, hopefully he does the same in the prem.
I’m trying my best to imagine arsenal holding the title but it seems a bit far fetched now, nevertheless I’m happy with the win and atleast we win the FA cup and walk away with some silverware.
The main thing i took from this is that, finally, we got some favourable deflections
And it’s about fuckin’ time! I hope we didn’t use them all up.
Purple patch here we come!
It was a good game yesterday. I guess all the players and fans felt good. The goals Wallcot scored yesterday, over shadowed his bad touches yesterday. He could not even take any player on. Some of his crosses were poor. He was a lucky boy yesterday with the goals… I guess he will start running his mouth now about how he is going to conquer the world. Iwobi and Elneney impressed me last night. I hope the boys will put up a good show on Sunday.
Elneny and flamini you mean?
Coq didn’t play he was ineligible for last nights game due to red card vs Spurs.
It’s good to see giroud getting goals.
Don’t really care much for Walcott, he’s waste of money, time and squad space imo.
Was really impressed with Elneny, the guy seems to be coming into the game more and more, bodes well for future. His dipping volley from just outside the box was great, he’s got excellent long shot, another day that will go in.
Always look forward to these matches when you get to see some of the young players get their chance to play alongside some of the veterans (unlike the Capital One Cup match earlier when it was almost all young kids), it gives them a much greater chance for success to have the veterans out there with them. It’s nice to see a player like Iwobi getting a chance at his young age when so many that have looked like future stars never really had an opportunity due to all the senior players in front of them.
Personally, I am not pleased when the patience does lead to more goals than the opponent until the 90 minutes are over. This has happened alot lately.
I mentioned before that we have been a bit rushed finishing and inpatient.
I think that’s the key difference here.
The opener had a bit of fortune in it but we kept at them and the second finish sealed it for us.
Funny how people choose to see what they want to see. Coquelin-Elneny? Flamini I suppose is to blame for yet another clean sheet. 😀 Elneny did well but again there is much exaggeration to his impact. He was generally tidy on the ball and is growing into the team. His strike also illustrates the sort of function Wenger may have brought him in for. But he is still a bit off pace sometimes and turned too easily and physically he needs to get stronger. I think he is more a box-box alternate to Ramsey (particularly now that he is injured)… Read more »