WIGAN are the best team Arsenal have beaten this season.
I’ve said that ever since they won 3-2 at the JJB in November.
Last night at Highbury the second leg of the Carling Cup was a thriller.
First legs of both semis were tedious.
Wigan had won the first leg 1-0.
This second leg was an all-action contest with goals, exciting saves, extra time and controversy.
Jason Roberts terrorised Campbell and Senderos for two hours and eventually got his reward from Graham Kavanagh’s long ball down the middle in the 29th minute of extra time.
Roberts barrelled through and got onto a bouncing ball that Campbell should have cleared – and jabbed it under the body of Almunia, who was almost on him.
Early on, Senderos slipped to let in Roberts (13) but his shot was saved and then Henry’s cross hit the arm of Handball Henchoz(22) and a penalty was given and keeper Mike Pollit gambled and dived and saved the penalty kick by Reyes.
The fifth penalty Arsenal have missed this season.
They have only converted 6 of their 11 penalties.
Senderos wrestled Roberts down in the box(25) and then, incredibly, Sol Campbell did the same, but even more obviously (36) and that blatant foul in the box was not punished either.
LUCKY ARSENAL?
Yes, but referees have always favoured big teams.
Top refs want to referee Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool.
It’s partly an unconscious bias.
But this season I’ve noticed it more than ever.
Week after week the refs favour the big clubs and I’ve been getting sick of it.
REFS ARE KILLING FOOTBALL by favouring the big clubs on every 50-50 call.
If Dowd can’t give a penalty when Senderos grabbed Roberts round the waist then he HAS to give one when Sol Campbell flattens Roberts with a Sumo wrestler’s throw when Sol himself was seven feet from the ball…but Phil Dowd waved play on.
Why won’t the ref give a 24-carat penalty ?
Is it because Wigan will not fill the Millennium Stadium ?
We know they had only 12,000 for the first leg – and Arsenal only took 800 up there.
At half-time it was 0-0 and Flamini came on for Diaby, who had started and looked raw, as any 19-year old would on his home debut.
After 64, Hleb slipped a pass inside left back Baines for the speedy Kerrea Gilbert, who crossed perfectly for Henry to score with a standing header from six yards, the 198th goal of his Arsenal career.
After 80, TH14 went off and Van Persie came on.
Reyes and van Persie had a 2 v 2 break to finish the game but they bungled it.
On 87, a van Persie corner was cleared to Campbell, who hit the ball early and hard, but over the bar.
I thought Reyes was Arsenal’s best player- very tenacious and supplying some sublime passes.
Gilberto was much improved from Saturday
IT WAS A PULSATING CONTEST with about 20 goal attempts by each side.
After 18 minutes of extra time, ROBIN VAN PERSIE took a free-kick awarded on the right side for a foul on Reyes.
He hit a monster, monster free-kick.
His fantastic dipping shot zoomed over the jumping wall and swerved into the postage stamp – top corner, top quality.
A really magnificent goal to make it 2-0 on the night.
ONE OF THE GREATEST FREE-KICKS of Arsene Wenger’s decade at Arsenal.
That phenomenal strike left Wigan needing to score in the next 12 minutes to go through on away goals.
And I’m thinking : How did Arsenal keep a clean sheet in this thriller?
There has been chance after chance after chance !
And then….Goodison all over again.
A long ball lobbed down the middle and Roberts raced through and knocked it in, as James Beattie did on Saturday for Everton.
GOOD LUCK to Wigan !
They have a chance against Man United, or Blackburn.
Paul Jewell is a street-smart scouser whose team has been a breath of fresh air since the first day of the season.
They were within 29 seconds of holding Chelsea to a 0-0 at the JJB – then Crespo scored an amazing goal out of nothing.
On their performances over two games, and extra time, Wigan deserved to reach their first ever major Cup Final, which is on February 26th.
Dave Whelan is one of the best chairmen in Britain.
And good chairman are rarer than good footballers.
Man United v Blackburn on Wednesday night?
Get ready for more throbbing action, more late goals.
ARSENAL : Almunia, Gilbert, Senderos, Campbell, Lauren; Hleb (Pires 69), Gilberto, Diaby (Flamini 45), Reyes; Bergkamp, Henry (van Persie 79). Subs: Poom, Djourou. Booked : Reyes, Gilbert
WIGAN : Pollitt, Chimbonda, Scharner, Henchoz, Baines; Teale, Bullard, Kavanagh, Mahon (Ziegler 63); Roberts, Mellor (Johansson 60). Subs: Filan, Jackson, Francis. Booked : Scharner, Kavanagh, Chimbonda