Arsenal join list of FA Cup casualties
Reuters - Sunday 24 January 2010, 18:54
Arsenal joined Manchester United
and Liverpool on the FA Cup scrapheap when Ricardo Fuller scored
twice to condemn them to a 3-1 defeat at Stoke City in the
fourth round on Sunday.
Manchester City survived a testing trip to Scunthorpe
United, winning 4-2, but Arsenal's defeat meant three of
England's big four were out and left Chelsea as clear favourites
to retain the famous old trophy.
Defeat was a bitter pill for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
to swallow as the title-chasing Gunners seek their first
silverware since the FA Cup in 2005.
Arsenal, who included 35-year-old Sol Campbell in an
otherwise inexperienced lineup against their Premier League
rivals, never recovered from Fuller's second-minute opener and
despite an equaliser from Denilson they were overpowered.
"It was a good opportunity to win a trophy and we wanted to
go through and I think we gave everything," Wenger, who made
eight changes to the side that beat Bolton on Wednesday to
briefly go top of the Premier League, told the BBC.
"It was a scrappy game but we made a mistake at 1-1 and got
caught on a counter-attack. I had not much choice today. It's my
responsibility to pick the team and I stand up by that. If it
was a mistake it was my mistake."
Stoke celebrated a first ever FA Cup win over Arsenal but
manager Tony Pulis's hopes of another home draw were dashed in
the fifth-round draw when his side were sent to Manchester City.
Chelsea, who beat Preston North End 2-0 on Saturday, host
Cardiff City for a place in the last eight.
YOUTHFUL TEAM
Wenger sent out a youthful team at one of the Premier
League's most intimidating grounds with 19-year-olds Craig
Eastmond and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and 18-year-old Francis
Coquelin in the starting line-up.
They were shellshocked after two minutes when Stoke's
throw-in specialist Rory Delap launched a delivery into the area
which evaded the Arsenal defence and reached Fuller who headed
past Lucasz Fabianski.
Stoke's bombardment could have brought further goals but
Arsenal equalised when Cesc Fabregas lined up a free kick but
instead of shooting cut the ball back to Denilson whose low
strike deflected into the net just before halftime.
Wenger sent on big guns Eduardo and Andrei Arshavin in the
second half but the hosts went back in front 13 minutes from
time when Mamady Sidibe galloped down the right wing and his
inch-perfect cross gave Fuller the simplest of headers.
Dean Whitehead added the third from Matthew Etherington's
low cross.
"This was a very difficult game for us today, make no
mistake, irrespective of the team Arsenal put out" Stoke's Pulis
said. "Our spirit was fantastic once again. Now my only concern
is this week's (Premier League) game against Sunderland.
Manchester City, who play Manchester United in the second
leg of their League Cup semi-final on Wednesday, included
unsettled Brazil striker Robinho at Championship Scunthorpe and in possibly his last game for the club
he scored a dazzling fourth goal.
Roberto Mancini's side made a great start when Martin Petrov
put them ahead, only for Paul Hayes to equalise.
Nedum Onuoha edged City 2-1 ahead and Sylvinho's scorcher
appeared to have made the game safe but an own goal by Dedryck
Boyata insured a tense finale before Robinho finished off a
slick move.