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Not a cynical GAD attempt, rather an exercise in writing a match report. What with the recent arsenal.com contest...how hard could it be?
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In a match that was billed by everyone, not least Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri, as the first part in a make-or-break double header between these two London sides, Arsenal breezed past with such ruthless aplomb that the world's best player wasn't missed at all - surely an omen for next weekend's Premier League fixture.
Indeed, it was the latest of Wenger's winger-cum-strikers that stole the show, a brace that dispelled the uneasiness caused by Thierry Henry's bruised foot. One criticism, the only credible one really, leveled at the Gunners this season has been that they rely too heavily on the Frenchman. A ridiculous claim, of course; any team would miss a player with the pace, flair and all around ability of Henry's, but just as they did in this round last season against their title rivals, the North London side rolled on without their best player thanks to what will inevitably be their record signing, Jose Antonio Reyes.
Parallels are already being drawn with recent greats to grace Highbury - Bergkamp and Henry both took a while to settle in with the frenetic pace of the English game, but in his first FA Cup game, let alone start, Reyes has undone the fruitless frustration of his first three performances and won over the red segment of the capital. It was in the 56th minute that the 20 year old Spanish international picked the ball up after a corner. Where on his debut against Manchester City the new number nine slowly creeping towards the edge of the box, ball at his feet might have been met with a quiet rumbling of anticipation, a first few unremarkable hours of football meant that the old cynics just watched on in silence as he shifted the ball out of his feet and let fly with a sizzling shot that brought the stadium to its knees. Cudicini stretched magnificently but could do nothing about it, injuring himself in the act and giving way moments later to Neil Sullivan. The spark from nothing that quality players often bring was predictably the catalyst for change, the new boy transforming into a supremely confident marksman which meant that the ex-Spurs 'keeper's first touch was to half-parry the second strike from Reyes, with Terry behind him unable to keep out the youngster's second goal.
However, this five minute turnaround was just that. In the first half, Chelsea were the hungry, scrapping team that belies their massive bank balance, with 'flair' players such as Mutu and Makalele scrapping for every ball, often coming away the victor. Scott Parker, despite being largely wasted on the right, managed to give as good as he got with Patrick Viera for the first forty five, and with Sven Goran Erikson watching, the £10m signing did no harm to his claim for a place. Nor did John Terry, who defended resolutely and restricted Arsenal to pot shots from the far left, first from Pires and then a couple from Reyes and the forward bursting Ashley Cole. The one real chance for Arsenal was inevitably after a quick break, but unfortunately it was not Henry, not even Bergkamp or Reyes, but Gilberto Silva uncomfortably shuffling towards the goal, dallying as he reached the box and allowing Terry to slide round and save the day. Chelsea looked the more determined, especially with their Highbury hoodoo, and it paid off when Jens Lehmann's hashed clearance found its way to Adrian Mutu, one of the few Russian revolutionaries to become a real fan favourite for the Blues. Facing down Kolo Touré, the forward twisted and turned, before letting fly with a sizzling left footed strike that left the German keeper with no chance. By that time, they were actually unlucky not to be two up, as Jesper Gronkjaer was inexplicably found offside as he headed home, the Arsenal backline making a real hash of their offside trap. Even Hasselbaink was level, and a passive player at that - another example of the growing confusion over the law, or just another bad decision? As with the goal off the bar against Watford in the third round, Chelsea may not have had the rub of the green but they still managed to finish at half time the nailed-on favourites, especially with no Thierry Henry for the opposition.
As the two teams headed into the tunnel, there was no doubting the game's mood. The tough midfields and dedicated defences were adorned with six yellows, three for each side, but the referee's dominance didn't see the flurry of reds that everybody expected after Sol Campbell's booking in the opening ten minutes. On the contrary, the second half saw the wild lunges replaced with calculated, determined tackles and more free-flowing football. Both sides showed off their quick, slick, one touch play but it was the home side that pulled ahead. As Chelsea did in the first half, Arsenal arrived at the ball first and won the 50/50 challenges. The only real regular on the bench, Edu, was brought on for Ray Parlour after getting a knock, and this move that saw Gilberto shifted onto the right effectively changed the game. Possession was being retained much more effectively by Arsene Wenger's men, and after a sustained period of pressure a corner and eventually the equalizer came about. Viera grew in stature, his long legs now striding past challenges from Parker and Makelele, with a wicked through ball that saw an incisive run from Reyes rewarded with a second, the winner.
On a day where millions of Abramovich's money sat on the bench, some of the more experienced players struggled in the second half. It's a fine balancing act for Ranieri, who remained pragmatic in defeat, claiming that he has delayed the post-game talk with the team until after the international programme in midweek, suggesting that the likes of Lampard and Gallas, alongside new boys Scott Parker and Wayne Bridge, will get a slightly longer talking to, especially with the mental blow coming just six days before a crucial tie at Stamford Bridge that could effectively end Chelsea's title dream. The day before, Henry's loss was monumental, a crushing blow that spelled the end of Arsenal's three year unbeaten FA Cup record: now, for Chelsea fans, it's the worrying prospect of fresh legs on Saturday.
===== ======== ========= ======== ========== ======== ========
In a match that was billed by everyone, not least Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri, as the first part in a make-or-break double header between these two London sides, Arsenal breezed past with such ruthless aplomb that the world's best player wasn't missed at all - surely an omen for next weekend's Premier League fixture.
Indeed, it was the latest of Wenger's winger-cum-strikers that stole the show, a brace that dispelled the uneasiness caused by Thierry Henry's bruised foot. One criticism, the only credible one really, leveled at the Gunners this season has been that they rely too heavily on the Frenchman. A ridiculous claim, of course; any team would miss a player with the pace, flair and all around ability of Henry's, but just as they did in this round last season against their title rivals, the North London side rolled on without their best player thanks to what will inevitably be their record signing, Jose Antonio Reyes.
Parallels are already being drawn with recent greats to grace Highbury - Bergkamp and Henry both took a while to settle in with the frenetic pace of the English game, but in his first FA Cup game, let alone start, Reyes has undone the fruitless frustration of his first three performances and won over the red segment of the capital. It was in the 56th minute that the 20 year old Spanish international picked the ball up after a corner. Where on his debut against Manchester City the new number nine slowly creeping towards the edge of the box, ball at his feet might have been met with a quiet rumbling of anticipation, a first few unremarkable hours of football meant that the old cynics just watched on in silence as he shifted the ball out of his feet and let fly with a sizzling shot that brought the stadium to its knees. Cudicini stretched magnificently but could do nothing about it, injuring himself in the act and giving way moments later to Neil Sullivan. The spark from nothing that quality players often bring was predictably the catalyst for change, the new boy transforming into a supremely confident marksman which meant that the ex-Spurs 'keeper's first touch was to half-parry the second strike from Reyes, with Terry behind him unable to keep out the youngster's second goal.
However, this five minute turnaround was just that. In the first half, Chelsea were the hungry, scrapping team that belies their massive bank balance, with 'flair' players such as Mutu and Makalele scrapping for every ball, often coming away the victor. Scott Parker, despite being largely wasted on the right, managed to give as good as he got with Patrick Viera for the first forty five, and with Sven Goran Erikson watching, the £10m signing did no harm to his claim for a place. Nor did John Terry, who defended resolutely and restricted Arsenal to pot shots from the far left, first from Pires and then a couple from Reyes and the forward bursting Ashley Cole. The one real chance for Arsenal was inevitably after a quick break, but unfortunately it was not Henry, not even Bergkamp or Reyes, but Gilberto Silva uncomfortably shuffling towards the goal, dallying as he reached the box and allowing Terry to slide round and save the day. Chelsea looked the more determined, especially with their Highbury hoodoo, and it paid off when Jens Lehmann's hashed clearance found its way to Adrian Mutu, one of the few Russian revolutionaries to become a real fan favourite for the Blues. Facing down Kolo Touré, the forward twisted and turned, before letting fly with a sizzling left footed strike that left the German keeper with no chance. By that time, they were actually unlucky not to be two up, as Jesper Gronkjaer was inexplicably found offside as he headed home, the Arsenal backline making a real hash of their offside trap. Even Hasselbaink was level, and a passive player at that - another example of the growing confusion over the law, or just another bad decision? As with the goal off the bar against Watford in the third round, Chelsea may not have had the rub of the green but they still managed to finish at half time the nailed-on favourites, especially with no Thierry Henry for the opposition.
As the two teams headed into the tunnel, there was no doubting the game's mood. The tough midfields and dedicated defences were adorned with six yellows, three for each side, but the referee's dominance didn't see the flurry of reds that everybody expected after Sol Campbell's booking in the opening ten minutes. On the contrary, the second half saw the wild lunges replaced with calculated, determined tackles and more free-flowing football. Both sides showed off their quick, slick, one touch play but it was the home side that pulled ahead. As Chelsea did in the first half, Arsenal arrived at the ball first and won the 50/50 challenges. The only real regular on the bench, Edu, was brought on for Ray Parlour after getting a knock, and this move that saw Gilberto shifted onto the right effectively changed the game. Possession was being retained much more effectively by Arsene Wenger's men, and after a sustained period of pressure a corner and eventually the equalizer came about. Viera grew in stature, his long legs now striding past challenges from Parker and Makelele, with a wicked through ball that saw an incisive run from Reyes rewarded with a second, the winner.
On a day where millions of Abramovich's money sat on the bench, some of the more experienced players struggled in the second half. It's a fine balancing act for Ranieri, who remained pragmatic in defeat, claiming that he has delayed the post-game talk with the team until after the international programme in midweek, suggesting that the likes of Lampard and Gallas, alongside new boys Scott Parker and Wayne Bridge, will get a slightly longer talking to, especially with the mental blow coming just six days before a crucial tie at Stamford Bridge that could effectively end Chelsea's title dream. The day before, Henry's loss was monumental, a crushing blow that spelled the end of Arsenal's three year unbeaten FA Cup record: now, for Chelsea fans, it's the worrying prospect of fresh legs on Saturday.
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Not a cynical GAD attempt, rather an exercise in writing a match report. What with the recent arsenal.com contest...how hard could it be?
===== ======== ========= ======== ========== ======== ========
In a match that was billed by everyone, not least Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri, as the first part in a make-or-break double header between these two London sides, Arsenal breezed past with such ruthless aplomb that the world's best player wasn't missed at all - surely an omen for next weekend's Premier League fixture.
Indeed, it was the latest of Wenger's winger-cum-strikers that stole the show, a brace that dispelled the uneasiness caused by Thierry Henry's bruised foot. One criticism, the only credible one really, leveled at the Gunners this season has been that they rely too heavily on the Frenchman. A ridiculous claim, of course; any team would miss a player with the pace, flair and all around ability of Henry's, but just as they did in this round last season against their title rivals, the North London side rolled on without their best player thanks to what will inevitably be their record signing, Jose Antonio Reyes.
Parallels are already being drawn with recent greats to grace Highbury - Bergkamp and Henry both took a while to settle in with the frenetic pace of the English game, but in his first FA Cup game, let alone start, Reyes has undone the fruitless frustration of his first three performances and won over the red segment of the capital. It was in the 56th minute that the 20 year old Spanish international picked the ball up after a corner. Where on his debut against Manchester City the new number nine slowly creeping towards the edge of the box, ball at his feet might have been met with a quiet rumbling of anticipation, a first few unremarkable hours of football meant that the old cynics just watched on in silence as he shifted the ball out of his feet and let fly with a sizzling shot that brought the stadium to its knees. Cudicini stretched magnificently but could do nothing about it, injuring himself in the act and giving way moments later to Neil Sullivan. The spark from nothing that quality players often bring was predictably the catalyst for change, the new boy transforming into a supremely confident marksman which meant that the ex-Spurs 'keeper's first touch was to half-parry the second strike from Reyes, with Terry behind him unable to keep out the youngster's second goal.
However, this five minute turnaround was just that. In the first half, Chelsea were the hungry, scrapping team that belies their massive bank balance, with 'flair' players such as Mutu and Makalele scrapping for every ball, often coming away the victor. Scott Parker, despite being largely wasted on the right, managed to give as good as he got with Patrick Viera for the first forty five, and with Sven Goran Erikson watching, the £10m signing did no harm to his claim for a place. Nor did John Terry, who defended resolutely and restricted Arsenal to pot shots from the far left, first from Pires and then a couple from Reyes and the forward bursting Ashley Cole. The one real chance for Arsenal was inevitably after a quick break, but unfortunately it was not Henry, not even Bergkamp or Reyes, but Gilberto Silva uncomfortably shuffling towards the goal, dallying as he reached the box and allowing Terry to slide round and save the day. Chelsea looked the more determined, especially with their Highbury hoodoo, and it paid off when Jens Lehmann's hashed clearance found its way to Adrian Mutu, one of the few Russian revolutionaries to become a real fan favourite for the Blues. Facing down Kolo Touré, the forward twisted and turned, before letting fly with a sizzling left footed strike that left the German keeper with no chance. By that time, they were actually unlucky not to be two up, as Jesper Gronkjaer was inexplicably found offside as he headed home, the Arsenal backline making a real hash of their offside trap. Even Hasselbaink was level, and a passive player at that - another example of the growing confusion over the law, or just another bad decision? As with the goal off the bar against Watford in the third round, Chelsea may not have had the rub of the green but they still managed to finish at half time the nailed-on favourites, especially with no Thierry Henry for the opposition.
As the two teams headed into the tunnel, there was no doubting the game's mood. The tough midfields and dedicated defences were adorned with six yellows, three for each side, but the referee's dominance didn't see the flurry of reds that everybody expected after Sol Campbell's booking in the opening ten minutes. On the contrary, the second half saw the wild lunges replaced with calculated, determined tackles and more free-flowing football. Both sides showed off their quick, slick, one touch play but it was the home side that pulled ahead. As Chelsea did in the first half, Arsenal arrived at the ball first and won the 50/50 challenges. The only real regular on the bench, Edu, was brought on for Ray Parlour after getting a knock, and this move that saw Gilberto shifted onto the right effectively changed the game. Possession was being retained much more effectively by Arsene Wenger's men, and after a sustained period of pressure a corner and eventually the equalizer came about. Viera grew in stature, his long legs now striding past challenges from Parker and Makelele, with a wicked through ball that saw an incisive run from Reyes rewarded with a second, the winner.
On a day where millions of Abramovich's money sat on the bench, some of the more experienced players struggled in the second half. It's a fine balancing act for Ranieri, who remained pragmatic in defeat, claiming that he has delayed the post-game talk with the team until after the international programme in midweek, suggesting that the likes of Lampard and Gallas, alongside new boys Scott Parker and Wayne Bridge, will get a slightly longer talking to, especially with the mental blow coming just six days before a crucial tie at Stamford Bridge that could effectively end Chelsea's title dream. The day before, Henry's loss was monumental, a crushing blow that spelled the end of Arsenal's three year unbeaten FA Cup record: now, for Chelsea fans, it's the worrying prospect of fresh legs on Saturday.
===== ======== ========= ======== ========== ======== ========
In a match that was billed by everyone, not least Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri, as the first part in a make-or-break double header between these two London sides, Arsenal breezed past with such ruthless aplomb that the world's best player wasn't missed at all - surely an omen for next weekend's Premier League fixture.
Indeed, it was the latest of Wenger's winger-cum-strikers that stole the show, a brace that dispelled the uneasiness caused by Thierry Henry's bruised foot. One criticism, the only credible one really, leveled at the Gunners this season has been that they rely too heavily on the Frenchman. A ridiculous claim, of course; any team would miss a player with the pace, flair and all around ability of Henry's, but just as they did in this round last season against their title rivals, the North London side rolled on without their best player thanks to what will inevitably be their record signing, Jose Antonio Reyes.
Parallels are already being drawn with recent greats to grace Highbury - Bergkamp and Henry both took a while to settle in with the frenetic pace of the English game, but in his first FA Cup game, let alone start, Reyes has undone the fruitless frustration of his first three performances and won over the red segment of the capital. It was in the 56th minute that the 20 year old Spanish international picked the ball up after a corner. Where on his debut against Manchester City the new number nine slowly creeping towards the edge of the box, ball at his feet might have been met with a quiet rumbling of anticipation, a first few unremarkable hours of football meant that the old cynics just watched on in silence as he shifted the ball out of his feet and let fly with a sizzling shot that brought the stadium to its knees. Cudicini stretched magnificently but could do nothing about it, injuring himself in the act and giving way moments later to Neil Sullivan. The spark from nothing that quality players often bring was predictably the catalyst for change, the new boy transforming into a supremely confident marksman which meant that the ex-Spurs 'keeper's first touch was to half-parry the second strike from Reyes, with Terry behind him unable to keep out the youngster's second goal.
However, this five minute turnaround was just that. In the first half, Chelsea were the hungry, scrapping team that belies their massive bank balance, with 'flair' players such as Mutu and Makalele scrapping for every ball, often coming away the victor. Scott Parker, despite being largely wasted on the right, managed to give as good as he got with Patrick Viera for the first forty five, and with Sven Goran Erikson watching, the £10m signing did no harm to his claim for a place. Nor did John Terry, who defended resolutely and restricted Arsenal to pot shots from the far left, first from Pires and then a couple from Reyes and the forward bursting Ashley Cole. The one real chance for Arsenal was inevitably after a quick break, but unfortunately it was not Henry, not even Bergkamp or Reyes, but Gilberto Silva uncomfortably shuffling towards the goal, dallying as he reached the box and allowing Terry to slide round and save the day. Chelsea looked the more determined, especially with their Highbury hoodoo, and it paid off when Jens Lehmann's hashed clearance found its way to Adrian Mutu, one of the few Russian revolutionaries to become a real fan favourite for the Blues. Facing down Kolo Touré, the forward twisted and turned, before letting fly with a sizzling left footed strike that left the German keeper with no chance. By that time, they were actually unlucky not to be two up, as Jesper Gronkjaer was inexplicably found offside as he headed home, the Arsenal backline making a real hash of their offside trap. Even Hasselbaink was level, and a passive player at that - another example of the growing confusion over the law, or just another bad decision? As with the goal off the bar against Watford in the third round, Chelsea may not have had the rub of the green but they still managed to finish at half time the nailed-on favourites, especially with no Thierry Henry for the opposition.
As the two teams headed into the tunnel, there was no doubting the game's mood. The tough midfields and dedicated defences were adorned with six yellows, three for each side, but the referee's dominance didn't see the flurry of reds that everybody expected after Sol Campbell's booking in the opening ten minutes. On the contrary, the second half saw the wild lunges replaced with calculated, determined tackles and more free-flowing football. Both sides showed off their quick, slick, one touch play but it was the home side that pulled ahead. As Chelsea did in the first half, Arsenal arrived at the ball first and won the 50/50 challenges. The only real regular on the bench, Edu, was brought on for Ray Parlour after getting a knock, and this move that saw Gilberto shifted onto the right effectively changed the game. Possession was being retained much more effectively by Arsene Wenger's men, and after a sustained period of pressure a corner and eventually the equalizer came about. Viera grew in stature, his long legs now striding past challenges from Parker and Makelele, with a wicked through ball that saw an incisive run from Reyes rewarded with a second, the winner.
On a day where millions of Abramovich's money sat on the bench, some of the more experienced players struggled in the second half. It's a fine balancing act for Ranieri, who remained pragmatic in defeat, claiming that he has delayed the post-game talk with the team until after the international programme in midweek, suggesting that the likes of Lampard and Gallas, alongside new boys Scott Parker and Wayne Bridge, will get a slightly longer talking to, especially with the mental blow coming just six days before a crucial tie at Stamford Bridge that could effectively end Chelsea's title dream. The day before, Henry's loss was monumental, a crushing blow that spelled the end of Arsenal's three year unbeaten FA Cup record: now, for Chelsea fans, it's the worrying prospect of fresh legs on Saturday.