Wednesday October 31, 2007 Finished
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Live Commentary
Time:90'- Sheffield United
- Arsenal
93' Gibbs looks to seal his debut with a goal from distance, but Bennett drops to his left to make a comfortable save. And the referee's whistle goes! United's misery is over. Arsenal stroll into the last eight.- 92' Wenger's men content to see out time here. United just haven't been in the game in the second half. Come to think of it, they weren't really in it in the first half either.
- 90' Arsenal still knocking it around like it's the easiest thing in the world. Three minutes of injury time to follow.
89' Arsenal go close! Denilson cuts in from the left and fires in a right-footed shot from 20 yards, but it bounces a couple of yards wide.
88' Wenger makes his third change. Diaby comes off, and Fran Merida - the young Spaniard allegedly 'poached' from Barcelona - enters the fray.- 85' There'll be no hat-trick for Eduardo. He is firmly challenged by Armstrong, and hops off to be replaced by Dutch debutant Nacer Barazite.
- 84' Bendtner drives in from the right, but his shot is blocked. Diaby picks up the pieces, but his right-footer curls over.
- 83' Pass and move, pass and move. It's a bit like watching a training exercise at times. Wenger decides it's time for a change. Walcott makes way for flaxen-haired young Frenchman Henri Lansbury.
- 82' Arsenal looking for a fourth. Denilson and Diaby link up down the right, but it comes to nothing.
- 80' The Sheffield United manager is on the touchline now, arms firmly folded, brow firmly furrowed.
- 79' This game is over as a contest. Robson has made all his changes, but they don't look capable of inspiring an unlikely comeback.
- 78' Eduardo is looking for his hat-trick. He curls in a shot from the right, but it's deflected over for a corner that United clear.
- 76' And here come the 'Ole's'! Arsenal's supporters celebrating their team's each and every touch, but the way that Arsenal keep possession means they could soon find themselves nursing sore throats...
- 74' Robson makes his third and final change. Northern Ireland winger Keith Gillespie comes on for Michael Tonge. David Carney switches to the left flank.
- 73' The Arsenal fans are really enjoying themselves now. And when their team plays football like this, you can hardly blame them.
- 72' Kieran Gibbs fancies a piece of the long-range-belter action, but he shanks his effort from the edge of the box and it goes high and wide.
- 71' Chance for United! A free kick from the left finds Chris Lucketti unmarked at the back post, but his left-footed half-volley is kneed off the line by Gilberto!
69' GOAL! 3-0 Arsenal! Denilson is given room to take aim from 25 yards, and his right-footed shot clips Chris Morgan's backside and flies over Bennett! Barring a miracle of frankly Biblical proportions, Arsenal are in the quarter finals.- 68' There can be few players in the English game who beat opponents with such ease as Walcott. This time he tries his luck down the middle, but is eventually crowded out.
- 67' That really would have been game over. Can United capitalise on that reprieve?
- 65' Chance for Arsenal, and Walcott hits the post! He races onto a through-ball from Bendtner, holds off Armstrong and takes the ball round Bennett, but from a tight angle his effort hits the near post and rebounds to safety!
- 63' Changes for Sheffield United. Stephen Quinn and Jon Stead make way for Alan Quinn and Danny Webber.
- 62' Great tackle from Diarra! Montgomery switches the play from right to left, but when the ball goes over Diarra's head he recovers to make a crunching challenge on Quinn.
- 61' Arsenal are happy to kill the pace of the game here, but the youngsters will still be looking for a chance to make a good impression.
- 60' Half an hour to go and the next goal - if there is one - will be a biggy.
- 58' Credit to the home fans, they're in full voice here, in spite of the scoreline.
- 57' Bendtner attacks down the right, but he's crowded out. He'll be eager for a sight of goal now.
- 55' What now for Bryan Robson? Go for broke and throw men forward? Or keep things tight and make sure they avoid a spanking?
- 53' Chance for United! Montgomery plays a terrific ball into the box, but Stead, stretching, puts it over the bar!
- 50' GOAL! 2-0 Arsenal! And that could be curtains for United. Gibbs threads a lovely ball right through the heart of the home defence, and Eduardo scampers onto it and passes the ball past Bennett for his second goal of the game.
- 49' Arsenal settling into their stride again. Diaby looks for Gibbs down the left, but the ball is put out for a throw-in by a United defender before he can get there.
- 48' Lukasz Fabianski didn't look at all happy with the crosses aimed in his direction in the first half, so we should perhaps expect a bit of aerial bombardment from United in the second half.
46' Arsenal kick things off in the second half. Has Bryan Robson done enough at half-time to provoke a reaction from his men?- 46' Denilson dinks a clever ball goalwards, Walcott gets a touch but can't get a shot in. And that's the last action of the first half! Arsenal have been completely on top here, but the home side aren't out of it yet.
- 45' Arsenal bossing things again here. Morgan concedes a free kick about 25 yards out. A goal here would put Arsenal firmly in command.
- 44' Dear oh dear! United pinch the ball in midfield and move it out well to the right, but Leigh Bromby's cross is woefully overhit and goes out for a goal kick.
- 42' Another dynamic burst down the right from Walcott, but Nick Montgomery tracks him all the way into the area and comes away with the ball.
- 40' Armstrong finds space on the left once again, and bends in a cross which Fabianski punches away rather unconvincingly. The ball is played back into the box from the right, but Jon Stead is penalised for a foul on Gilberto as he clears the ball.
- 39' Armstrong gets in round the back and whips in a cross which Justin Hoyte has to clear from inside his own six yard box. For all Arsenal's possession, United aren't out of this yet!
- 38' Chance for Arsenal, but Walcott wastes it! Diaby slides him in down the inside-right channel, but with only the keeper to beat he slices the ball wide from about 15 yards.
- 36' Arsenal poking and probing in search of another opening; United are penned in their own half.
- 35' Chris Morgan is guilty of a tough body-check on the advancing Diarra, but referee Mike Dean keeps his cards in his pocket.
- 34' Walcott speeds onto a loose pass from Stephen Quinn and sends in a low cross, but Lucketti hacks it away with Bendtner lurking.
- 33' More lovely approach play from last season's League Cup finalists. Abou Diaby finds Gibbs on the left, but his cross is put out for a corner.
- 31' Another lengthy spell of possession for Arsene Wenger's men culminates in Eduardo firing in a low cross from the left, but Armstrong gets in front of Walcott to clear.
- 29' A nervy moment for the home side! Ian Bennett is put under pressure by a bad back-pass, but he just manages to clear the ball with Bendtner closing in.
- 28' Another good catch from Fabianski! Chris Lucketti heads a deep free kick back across goal, but the young Polish stopper rises above a couple of red-and-white-shirted attackers to claim it.
- 27' Free kick to Sheffield United about forty yards from goal. It's drifted into the box, but Fabianski does well to claim it at the back post.
- 25' Varney tests Kieran Gibbs's composure with a run down the United right, but the youngster manages to dispossess him.
- 24' My goodness Walcott is fast! He picks the ball up inside his own half and motors towards the Sheffield United goal before Armstrong cynically brings him down. No card though.
- 23' Bendtner brings the ball down neatly and then looks for Walcott on the right, but his pass is too hard and it goes out of play.
- 22' Bryan Robson's men are being unashamedly direct when they get the chance. Free kicks and throw-ins are all being launched straight into the Arsenal box.
- 21' Eduardo takes it, but his soft left-footer goes straight into the wall.
- 20' Free kick to Arsenal right on the edge of the United box! Walcott slaloms in from the right and beats three or four players before being unceremoniously upended.
- 19' Arsenal are settling into that familiar passing rhythm now. Bramall Lane is not an easy place to come for a young player, but that wonderful early goal from Eduardo will have settled a lot of nerves.
- 17' United left back Chris Armstrong is finding himself one-on-one with Walcott with worrying frequency, but he's coping admirably so far.
- 15' The home fans are getting behind their team after that early setback. David Carney cuts in from the right and fires in a shot with his left, but it skids across goal and wide.
- 14' Unorthodox stuff from Fabianski! He reacts to a left-wing cross from Michael Tonge by slapping the ball to safety, but it does the job nonetheless.
- 12' Sight of goal for Arsenal. Walcott breaks down the right and cuts the ball back to Denilson, but the young Brazilian rather rushes his shot and it flies well over.
- 10' United are up against it now. You can bet keeping it tight for the first twenty minutes would have been their initial target here.
- 8' GOAL! 1-0 Arsenal! And it's an absolute belter from Eduardo da Silva! Nicklas Bendtner finds his striking partner on the left, and he unleashes an unstoppable left-footer that fizzes into the top left corner!
- 7' Arsenal have weathered that early storm, and are starting to string some passes together.
- 5' Corner to Arsenal on the left, but it's headed clear.
- 4' An early chance for United! A ball into the box isn't dealt with, and Lukasz Fabianski reacts well to block a shot by Billy Sharp from close range. Great start here by Bryan Robson's men!
- 2' The home side are putting Arsenal under a bit of pressure early on, but their young defence holds firm.
1' The first half is underway!- - As expected, Arsene Wenger has used the occasion to give an outing to some of his fringe players. PolandÂ’s Lukasz Fabianski starts in goal.
- - Sheffield United goal-keeper Paddy Kenny is out with a bruised shin, so Ian Bennett deputises between the sticks. Phil Bardsley and Gary Cahill are cup-tied.
- - Referee: Mike Dean
- - Arsenal: Fabianski; Diarra, J. Hoyte, Song, Gibbs; Walcott, Denilson, Gilberto, Diaby; Eduardo, Bendtner
- - Sheffield United: Bennett; Bromby, Morgan, Armstrong, Lucketti; Carney, Montgomery, Tonge, S. Quinn; Stead, Sharp
- - Hello and welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE coverage of the fourth round Carling Cup tie from Bramall Lane! Kick-off is at 19:45 GMT.
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Summary
- 89' Arsenal go close! Denilson cuts in from the left and fires in a right-footed shot from 20 yards, but it bounces a couple of yards wide.
- 71' Chance for United! A free kick from the left finds Chris Lucketti unmarked at the back post, but his left-footed half-volley is kneed off the line by Gilberto!
- 69' GOAL! 3-0 Arsenal! Denilson is given room to take aim from 25 yards, and his right-footed shot clips Chris Morgan's backside and flies over Bennett! Barring a miracle of frankly Biblical proportions, Arsenal are in the quarter finals.
- 65' Chance for Arsenal, and Walcott hits the post! He races onto a through-ball from Bendtner, holds off Armstrong and takes the ball round Bennett, but from a tight angle his effort hits the near post and rebounds to safety!
- 53' Chance for United! Montgomery plays a terrific ball into the box, but Stead, stretching, puts it over the bar!
- 50' GOAL! 2-0 Arsenal! And that could be curtains for United. Gibbs threads a lovely ball right through the heart of the home defence, and Eduardo scampers onto it and passes the ball past Bennett for his second goal of the game.
- 38' Chance for Arsenal, but Walcott wastes it! Diaby slides him in down the inside-right channel, but with only the keeper to beat he slices the ball wide from about 15 yards.
- 29' A nervy moment for the home side! Ian Bennett is put under pressure by a bad back-pass, but he just manages to clear the ball with Bendtner closing in.
- 12' Sight of goal for Arsenal. Walcott breaks down the right and cuts the ball back to Denilson, but the young Brazilian rather rushes his shot and it flies well over.
- 8' GOAL! 1-0 Arsenal! And it's an absolute belter from Eduardo da Silva! Nicklas Bendtner finds his striking partner on the left, and he unleashes an unstoppable left-footer that fizzes into the top left corner!
- 4' An early chance for United! A ball into the box isn't dealt with, and Lukasz Fabianski reacts well to block a shot by Billy Sharp from close range. Great start here by Bryan Robson's men!
Live Team Line-Up
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Sheffield UnitedManager: Bryan Robson
On the Field
- Bennett
- Bromby
- Morgan
- Lucketti
- Armstrong
- Montgomery
- Tonge
- Carney
- Sharp
- Stead
- Quinn
Subs
- Gillespie
- Webber
- Kilgallon
- Quinn
- Gerrard
Injured
None
Suspended
None
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ArsenalManager: Arsene Wenger
On the Field
- Fabianski
- Diarra
- Hoyte
- Song
- Gibbs
- Gilberto Silva
- Denilson
- Walcott
- Bendtner
- Eduardo
- Diaby
Subs
- Landsbury
- Mannone
- Hoyte
- Perez
- Barazite
Injured
None
Suspended
None
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