Arsenal started with second-hand jersey, donated by Nottingham Forest!
While waiting for the madrid derby game between Real and Athletico, I browsed the BBC SPORT | Football | FA Cup | Arsenal 0-0 Man Utd (aet)! Well, it's 5-4 on penalties for Arsenal. It was a very true account of the game that I watched anxiously on telly beforehand. Manchester United imperiously stamping their mark over a very defensive-minded Arsenal. Fuhh, Arsene really had me worried with his tactics, but he justified it when he said that open play adopted them earlier caused them to leak 4 goals to MU while trying to score 2!
Anyways, it was a very sad but also triumphant ending to a very flowing footballer of this day. Not the better team during the full 120 minutes, Arsenal had a brave, (eventhough most of the times, very clumsy keeper), Lehmans, playing the best game of his life, (most probably), guessing the correct way to dive. Poor Scholes! There is justice to the English Premier League Fairplay winner of this season!
Congratulations to Arsenal, at least, a silverware for one good season, at #2, the most they could achieve. Chelsea was too great to be beaten. Hats off to Chelski for their fine achievement this time around, but, next season would be a totally different story, I hope so!
An avid supporter of Nottingham Forest F.C. , I was awed by the slickness of the on-the-ground play by Arsene Wenger's team and it brought me back to the good old days of NFFC. While Forest have to fight it at English FA League One next year, it made me slightly happier today to note that Forest had a hand in the formation of Arsenal.
Check wikipedia, and you'll note that two former Forest players, F. W. Beardsley and A. J. Bates, who went to Woolwich to earn another form of living, founded Dial Square, (the name Arsenal was originally coined in 1886. Even the red jersey that they started with are seconds, contributed by Forest. Now you should all know the reason why Arsenal uses red home jersey!
Best of luck to Arsenal for the next season as well as my prayers for the swift return of the benevolent NFFC to top league. Better luck as well to Manchester United (nah... I hope they will forever fail, at least during my lifetime!).
The cached article is:-
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Jens Lehmann made the crucial save from Paul Scholes as the destination of the trophy was decided on penalties for the first time in its history.
United were left empty-handed after Wayne Rooney hit the post and Freddie Ljungberg deflected Ruud van Nistelrooy's header on to the bar.
Jose Antonio Reyes was sent off before Patrick Vieira's deciding penalty.
United were in control for almost the entire match, but German goalkeeper Lehmann was in inspired form, saving brilliantly from Scholes in extra-time and then producing the stop that won the Cup for Arsenal.
Van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney and Roy Keane were on the mark for United in the shoot-out, but Arsenal's spot-kicks were flawless.
Lauren, Ljungberg, Robin van Persie and Ashley Cole were on target before captain Vieira stepped forward to score.
United sprang two surprises in their starting line-up, with Roy Carroll preferred to Tim Howard in goal and Ryan Giggs left on the bench in favour of Darren Fletcher.
Arsenal selected Philippe Senderos ahead of Sol Campbell in central defence, and the youngster was quickly under pressure as United pressed.
Ronaldo escaped the attentions of Lauren on the left flank, and his cross found Scholes unmarked but his finish was uncharacteristically wayward.
Arsenal were leaving Dennis Bergkamp isolated up front, but the ploy was unsuccessful as the Gunners had little attacking joy in the opening half.
United had one early scare when Carroll dashed from his line and misjudged a long ball from Senderos, but Reyes was unable to take advantage.
Rio Ferdinand had the ball in the net after 21 minutes after Jens Lehmann blocked Rooney's drive with his legs, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Rooney then brought a fine save from Lehmann when he turned a stinging drive over the top after good work by Van Nistelrooy.
United dominated the early stages of the second half, with only a desperate tackle from Kolo Toure stopping Rooney before Ronaldo fired narrowly off target from 20 yards.
Ronaldo was tormenting Lauren, and eventually the Cameroon defender was booked after 61 minutes following a succession of fouls.
And it almost proved expensive as Ronaldo fired the resulting free-kick only inches over with Lehmann beaten.
Arsenal then had their best chance when United failed to clear a free-kick and Robert Pires shot over.
Wenger made a change after 64 minutes, replacing Bergkamp with Ljungberg.
Rooney came closest to breaking the deadlock with an audacious attempt to beat Lehmann at his near post, but the Arsenal keeper recovered and got a slight touch on to the upright.
Van Nistelrooy was then inches away from connecting with Ronaldo's cross as United continued to dominate.
Keane had a glorious chance to win the Cup for United with five minutes left when Lehmann misjudged Ronaldo's corner, but Vieira provided a crucial block.
And seconds later Ljungberg miraculously cleared Van Nistelrooy's header off the line and up on to the bar as Arsenal hung on desperately.
Giggs came on for Fletcher at the start of the extra time - but it was Arsenal who finally posed their first serious threat seven minutes after the re-start.
Mikael Silvestre was harshly penalised for fouling substitute Robin van Persie, and the Dutch youngster forced a fine diving save out of Carroll from the free-kick.
Lehmann rescued Arsenal again when he blocked Scholes on the the turn, before Van Nistelrooy missed United's best chance, heading wide of an open goal from six yards.
As the game entered the dying seconds, Reyes was sent off for fouling Ronaldo having earlier been booked.
Then came the penalties - and the miss by Scholes that proved decisive.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Senderos, Cole, Fabregas (Van Persie 86), Vieira, Silva, Pires (Edu 105),Bergkamp (Ljungberg 65), Reyes.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Campbell.
Sent Off: Reyes (120).
Booked: Cole, Lauren, Reyes, Vieira.
Man Utd: Carroll, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea (Fortune 77), Fletcher (Giggs 91), Keane, Scholes, Ronaldo, van Nistelrooy, Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Howard, Gary Neville, Smith.
Booked: Silvestre, Scholes.
Att: 71,876
Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).
posted by mamat at 12:47 PM
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