Ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter-final against Everton, Arsene Wenger has reflected on the ‘magic of the cup’ pinpointing the prospect of a day out at Wembley as a driving factor for the excitement he experiences when the competition reaches the latter rounds.
The Frenchman has won football’s oldest knockout tournament four times since arriving at Highbury in 1996 and while his early success hasn’t been matched in the last nine years, he spoke passionately about the joy of fulfilling boyhood dreams.
“The magic of the cup is when you get close to the end of the competition – the dream becomes more real,” he told Arsenal’s official magazine.
“We all had that dream as kids, we were educated by seeing people lifting cups. That became our dream and to make it come true is one of our targets. That’s what the cup is about – when you are a young boy you dream to lift the cup.
“I’m lucky enough to have won the cup in every country I’ve worked in, and that magic moment when you realise “it’s ours” is something very special. It makes everybody happy. Of course in the early stages of the competition, the focus is not exactly the same, but the closer you get to the final, the more the dream comes alive.”
Comparing the experience of cup football with the week-to-week grind of the league, he continued:
“The league is a slow process, you gradually get there and then you think, ‘We have finally done it’. Whereas the FA Cup is an explosion – an immediate satisfaction. Everyone is on the same wavelength in the same game.
“It’s more sudden, more explosive and that’s a big difference. It’s more of an occasion, a special day out, going to Wembley, and it’s a matter of pride for everyone at the Club. It can also be a special occasion for families too – they can go to a final and support the club they love.”
As we all know the last time Arsenal played in the final back in 2005 we beat United on penalties, amazingly since that memorable afternoon in Cardiff the best we’ve done is a run to the semi-final in 2008/09.
Win against the Toffees on Saturday and we’ll secure a day out at Wembley, just our third at the new incarnation, and put ourselves within touching distance of a trophy for the first time in a while. Surely that’s motivation enough for both players and supporters come the weekend…
If we get to the finals we will win it! You heard it here first!
We will get to the finals and we will win it! You heard it here first!
If we get to the finals we will win it! You
heard it here third!
Ok then! We’ve won it!
Win on Saturday and we’ll get to the Finals!! You heard it here first!!
We’re going to win. I swear I heard that somewhere…
Seriously hope the lads can do it.
A team and club of Arsenals quality should be winning trophies.
FA Cup is a great cup to win, I know we all wanna win the EPL and The Champions League, but we haven’t won anything for some years now, and I think we have to start small and build our way up to those bigger cups.
A Lil bit of topic-
My dream ARSENAL XL for next season:
-Wojciech Szczesny
-Coleman-BoSS-BFG-Gibbo
-One AaroN-FLameStar
-SpeeDdemon-AssistKing-Reus
Mario mandzukic
Its hard to disagree with me, maybe Ambidextrous for Assistking? TbH i would prefer any in that middle. Or mario balotelli for Mario mandzukic? Some might say why not draxler for reus? If you watch both players then you’ll twig, Reus is a better player anyday anytime! This is just my dream(albeit realistic) Arsenal XL for next season!
I suppose “assistking” stands for St.Caz.
Yiu’re not a “Mesut ahht” kinda guy perchance?
Oh, I see you’ve included Ambidextrous as well. I retreat,
On a more serious note, would Mandzukic really constitute an upgrade on Giroud?
Love Balotelli. (although’d rather prefer to admire him from a distance.)
Hes a head banger… he’d be cool to support
Imagine defending him after he.. i dunno .. ate vertonghans ear.
Him and Podolski in an attack would be madder than a bag of squirrels
Put down the laptop. Pick up the colouring book and crayons.
Clearly he did the opposite to compile that post.
Id be happy with fa cup and 3rd in EPL this season.
and a bag of crisps
Dream on….
Can we call JOEL CAMPBELL back from loan?? Is he eligible to play for us this season??
To the tune of Queen:
We are
We are
(motivated to)
Sack him!
Repeat…
Anyone see Joel Campbell’s goal last night whys this man not in our plans for this year ??
cuz we’re nutz, innit?
If only wengers words could match his actions we should have been out of sight by now, maybe needing 5wins and a draw from our remaining games to win the title.. But no! Wenger talks “A” and his actions are “B” example! He said we would be proactive(A) in the transfer window, and then we left it late(B) to sign anyone! This has to change this summer.
Jesus I haven’t read that much shite in years….
From sacking the manager to making up some of the worst nicknames ever…fucking Gibbo??
We had “Rozza” the other day… It’s like we turned into Liverpool fans or something.
Really? when is the next away game? i need a mask and house breaking kit.
I love my team so much i want to steal and sell their stuff
We seem to raise our game for the FA cup, find it very comforting that we stuffed sp*rs and beat off the Pool to get here…one step away from Wembley! #Coyg
League title is priority. Anyone can win the FA cup as Portsmouth and Wigan have proved in recent years.
So…. what should we do with this bird within grasping distance?
do we ignore it for that nicer bird in the bush over there ..
Wenger has won more doubles than singles so lets assume he knows how to prioritize.
Dust off your magic hat so…
The bloody zipper on his magic hat has been fecked like his jacket….
who puts a zipper on a magic hat? its like having a handbrake on a football team.
In Arsene we trust
Fuckin hell. Wenger looks like John Inverdale in that photo!
Hmmm…let’s have hope in winning every competition we are still in, COYG!
I’d love to win the cup, seeing Rosicky winning a trophy at Arsenal would be terrific!
When we get to Wembley….will be desperate for tickets…Red member for ages..anyone know if there will be a tranche for us little ones?
Dream on comment was in reference Previgo. I mean madzukic?! Go home
Ohh Arsène Wenger’s magic, he wears a magic hat and when he saw the double, he said I’m having that !
Had this feeling since we signed him that Kallstrom will score the winner in the final.
However, Mystic Meg I am not.
I am.
Oh good, this weeks lotto numbers please. I’ve gone 8 years without winning a tenner, plenty of clean sheets along the way.
Wilshere out for 6 weeks! Hairline fracture! Ffs, Agger you prick! Why tackle like that in a friendly!!!
Now lets win the FA cup we might be a little bit off pace in the title race based on our current form and as per the league standing is concerned but all will start to change when we reach the semi-final on saturday….the momentum will surely rise
Consolation prize for me…if we win it.
great, a shiny trophy which is F All really when you consider it doesn’t even earn you a spot in the CL. Some domestic prestige based on nostalgia which will surely do the team’s confidence good or remind us of our place in this time and age.
The big prizes have eluded us.
I suppose better this than a struggle for fourth again.:(