Arsenal Hustled Out of Carling Cup

For so many reasons 24th January should have been a night to remember at Highbury. It was the last Carling Cup tie to be played at this wonderful old stadium, with the prospect of a place in the final for the winners. Arsene Wenger had selected a strong side designed to overcome the single goal deficit from the first leg at the JJB stadium. And they duly delivered a typical exhibition of Arsenal’s artistic attacking football, capped by a rare headed goal by Thierry Henry from a cross by the impressive Kerrea Gilbert and a simply stunning free kick from Robin Van Persie.

The Dutchman’s goal in the 18th minute of extra time looked for all the world like Arsenal’s passport to the Millenium Stadium and the Gunners began to zip the passes around to a chorus of ‘Oles’ from the Highbury faithful. But the home crowd was stunned into silence in the dying minutes when a long ball upfield enabled Jason Roberts to muscle his way past Campbell and Senderos, much as Everton’s James Beattie had done a few days earlier at Goodison Park, beat Almunia from close range and send Wigan to a fairytale final in Cardiff, courtesy of the away goals rule.

Wigan’s last gasp triumph is a tribute to their dogged defence and unquenchable spirit, and an elegant testimony to the heroics of 33 year old goalkeeper Mike Pollitt, who frustrated Arsenal with a series of brilliant saves, including a penalty from Jose Antonio Reyes which, arguably, the young Spaniard should not have been allowed to take. Above all, it is the outcome of a bungling frailty at centre back which must concern Arsene Wenger deeply. The powerful Jason Roberts, like Beattie before him, was a constant threat and had he not been wrestled to the ground on a couple of occasions, he might well have scored earlier than the dying minutes of extra time. In that respect, Arsenal – and Campbell and Senderos in particular – were the fortunate beneficiaries of referee Phil Dowd’s incompetence in a game where he awarded one penalty and might have given three others. There seems, regrettably, to be hot competition for the title of least effective referee on the premiership list and judging by this display Dowd, with his shambling run, his inane grin and a succession of oddball decisions, must be considered to be down there with the worst of them.