Our match today was used mainly to assess the fitness of some and to give others the chance to regain a touch of match fitness. Fabianski started as he usually does in F A Cup matches. Eduardo was welcomed back as captain to rapturous applause. Vela was welcomed because we just like to see him play. Elsewhere Gallas was back, Gibbs replaced the rested Clichy, Denislon and Nasri were also rested, Bendtner, Ramsey and van Persie were on the bench as was the very welcome face of Theo Walcott.
Burnley started brightly as had the sunny day in London, but after a brief flurry from the visitors they pretty well petered out in the first half and except for one piece of pinball type pressure following a Burnley corner it was very much one way traffic. I think it took us a while to find our rhythm because so many of the players today hadn't played with some of their team mates for quite a while. Song was a useful anchor in midfield while Diaby blew hot and cold with one of his more erratic performances. Shava started wide left and seemed to get annoyed with himself whatever he wasn't quite perfect, but he shouldn't worry because he's quite clearly getting there. That said every corner he took went comfortably to their lardy keeper so there is room for improvement even in his set plays. Ebooue had one of his better games but still missed a seriously good chance in the first half when he seemed to kick more of the ground than the ball and ended up scuffing a very naff toe poke to the keeper when a goal was very much on.
Burnley must have noticed the massive gulf between our team at Ashburton today and the much younger outfit that took them on in the Mickey Mouse Cup. Essentially they were outclassed throughout and were not allowed to play, but it still took us some 25 minutes to break the deadlock possibly because our players were quite bemused by Foy's bizarre refereeing. That said it did follow the standard F A Cup ref's format of the lesser side being able to shove, pull, back-in, lean-on and hack away at the classier team throughout. While we were seemingly pulled up for looking at Burnley players in a threatening manner. Steven Thompson was one of the worst offenders but amazingly still ranted at the ref about nothing. The fact that our lads were compelled to ride such a large number of fouls is something we should be used to but that doesn't stop it being damned annoying when the ref fails to act. So on 25 minutes Shava cut inside and played a piercing ball through the middle of a defence that was wide open, Carlos latched on to it despite Gudjonsson's best efforts to exchange shirts some 65 minutes before full time. The chip when it came from Carlos was exquisite despite the pressure he was under and that was it I felt. 1-0 to the Arsenal and essentially game over. Ebooue went down in their box whilst trying to work the ball onto his right foot rather than, heaven forbid, use his left. I couldn't tell whether it should have been a penalty but would be surprised if it was.
I've never been that uncomfortable at a match previously, but it was nothing to do with Burnley and everything to do with the weather which turned colder before pelting us with rain. Rain has never before reached row 20 of the East stand and many around the stadium were ill prepared for it. This was swirling, drifting rain of the very wet variety. So the half time exodus to the concourse started even earlier than usual and the queues for beer must have reached record lengths, anyone waiting for the half time whistle had no chance. Shame because I could have used a pint. The best thing Burnley did all half was a seriously good tackle on Ed who was in on goal.
There was one hilarious moment which saw Jensen, the overly large pie eating keeper, throw a wobbly after a total misunderstanding with one of his defenders. To say the crowd behind his goal took the piss would be a gross understatement. Other than that this was a run of the mill half of football which we controlled in the best part with total ease. Burnley had one shot that I can recall and only really got the chance to attack us once we were two up and easing off with view to a certain Italian trip that looms large.
Six minutes after the break Eduardo side footed a quite outrageous goal of the type that he takes like Joe Cool personified. The man is an old time poacher who is so far laid back in front of goal that he's almost horizontal. For those who doubt his attacking ability I should confirm that it was Alex Song who set this up for Ed with a more than useful ball in.
With half an hour to go Robin replaced Vela and with about 20 to go a double substitution saw Diaby and Eduardo replaced by Theo and Aaron. The applause for Aaron was big but for Theo it was massive. He had an early chance which he was not match sharp enough to take and also set up Robin with a guilt-edged chance that was missed. We had other chances but the one that everyone will remember was a sweet back heel to Ebooue by Song that set him up with a very good opportunity which he actually fired low into the bottom corner of the net on 84 minutes to make it 3-0. Shock, horror exclusive! His team-mates were clearly delighted for him and all mobbed him near the corner flag. The vast majority of the crowd were also well pleased of course.
Burnley did their best to give their travelling fans a goal to cheer, but we weren't having it. Even when a Burnley player dived in our box it has to be said that his acting was piss-poor and a card seemed a certainty, but Foy just ignored it. Overall I felt Burnley were nothing more than a very average Championship team and should they make it to the Premiership, which I doubt will happen, the chances are that they would get a regular battering every week next season. So this cannot be regarded as a glorious Cup victory but it was however a match which puts us in to the quarter-finals with a home game to come against Hull. And as you all well know we owe Hull one - big time.
Thankfully the rain had eased by the time we queued for the tube trains and despite getting a tad wet it had been a good day. Theo is back, albeit rusty, Eduardo is back with three goals in his two games to date, Shava is getting fitter and looks the biz, Ebooue had played well and actually scored and Gibbs is starting to look the part. Fabianski too played with confidence and Djourou slotted in to our back four in such a way that you didn't see the join.
I only have two other things to add. Firstly Foy did nothing to change my assessment of him being a rather poor ref who misses far too many fouls. And finally, the official crowd figure was given out as 57,454, but if there were any more than 53,000 of those in actual attendance I'd be absolutely amazed.