Advantage Arsenal

The FA Youth Cup, sponsored by E.ON
The Final, First Leg
8pm, Friday 22 May 2009
Emirates Stadium, Arsenal FC

Arsenal emerged as the favourites to lift this year’s FA Youth Cup on Friday evening, after building up a sizeable lead over Liverpool during the first leg of The Final at the Emirates Stadium.

Whilst Liverpool will have hopes that they can turn around a three goal deficit when they host Steve Bould’s side at Anfield next Tuesday, the way in which Arsenal clinically built up a commanding lead with their incisive forward play and solidity in defence suggests that they will head north with confidence.

Of course, it is technically only ‘half time’ still and the young Gunners will no doubt have the necessary discipline drilled into them by their boss, who was quick to point out his disappointment in their Semi-Final performance despite a 4-1 win then too.

Goals from Gilles Sunu, the lively Jack Wilshere, substitute Sanchez Watt and skipper Jay Emmanuel-Thomas set the hosts apart in this game in front of a 33,000 strong crowd and Liverpool will now be looking for one of their famous Anfield nights to inspire what would be some comeback.

In typical Cup Final style, the game got off to a frantic start with both sides showing their attacking intent from the off. There was no quarter asked or given from either team and the first casualty from that came when Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong limped off just after the quarter-hour mark following a robust challenge from Andre Wisdom in the centre circle.

Liverpool certainly looked dangerous in the opening forays, particularly from set-plays, but it was Arsenal who produced the best of the early attacks when some neat play between Wilshere and Henri Lansbury saw the latter break through on goal only for a fine last ditch challenge from Daniel Ayala to put the midfielder slightly off balance and he couldn’t fully connect with his shot.

Emmanuel-Thomas then saw his low angled shot blocked by a combination of two Liverpool defenders, after a positive run forward and cross from left-back Thomas Cruise but just a few minutes later the hosts were ahead.

An rapid move began in midfield where Wilshere held off a challenge before picking out Lansbury. His first time pass forward rolled perfectly into the path of Sunu and the Frenchman made no mistake from just inside the area by picking out the bottom corner with a low shot.

Arsenal were certainly in the ascendancy as Emmanuel-Thomas clipped the post with a finely dinked free-kick after Ayala had given away a foul in a dangerous area for a challenge from behind on Lansbury. Whilst the midfielder was unfortunate not to score himself, when the ball was picked up by Watt from the rebound, he was tripped by Karl Clair and the referee had no option but to point to the spot. Wilshere confidently stepped up and made no mistake by planting the ball in the bottom corner despite ‘keeper Dean Bouzanis guessing the right way.

Liverpool immediately hit back and within two minutes had reduced the arrears through Alex Kacaniklic. Arsenal had already failed to clear one ball into the box and when Chris Buchtmann crossed from the left to pick out the Swedish winger, he made no mistake by smashing home a volley into the top corner after seeing his initial effort blocked.

With half time approaching, Arsenal almost added a third goal when Emmanuel-Thomas and Wilshere shifted the ball across the area for Lansbury, but his toe-poked effort went narrowly wide of the target.

Liverpool felt they should have been awarded a spot-kick just four minutes into the second half when Kacaniklic played through Thomas Ince who burst into the box. He fell under the challenge of Luke Ayling, but the visitors’ appeals were waved away by the officials.

They were unfortunate too, as less than ten minutes later they found themselves further behind. Sunu and Wilshere’s quick passing on the left hand side of the area caught Liverpool out and when Wilshere’s incisive pass forward picked out Watt, he calmly lifted the ball over Bouzanis and into the goal.

With a Mexican wave by now spreading around the Emirates, it was no real surprise when Arsenal added another to their tally less than ten minutes later when Emmanuel-Thomas rose highest at the near post to flick a header onto Lansbury’s corner and put his team firmly in control.

It could have been more too, but with Bouzanis saving a couple of efforts and Liverpool skipper Joe Kennedy standing firm, they proved resilient in the last 20 minutes and now know they’ll need to keep that going in the second leg.

Arsenal: 1 James Shea, 2 Craig Eastmond, 3 Thomas Cruise, 4 Emmanuel Frimpong (14 Sanchez Watt, 17), 5 Kyle Bartley, 6 Luke Ayling, 7 Henri Lansbury, 8 Francis Coquelin, 9 Gilles Sunu (12 Rhys Murphy, 75) 10 Jack Wilshere (Conor Henderson, 90) 11 Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (c).

Substitutes not used: 13 Charlie Mann, 16 Cedric Evina.

Liverpool: 1 Dean Bouzanis, 2 Karl Clair, 3 Chris Buchtmann, 4 Daniel Ayala, 5 Joe Kennedy (c), 6 Andre Wisdom, 7 David Amoo, 8 Steven Irwin, 9 Lauri Dalla Valle (16 Jack Robinson, 80) 10 Thomas Ince, 11 Alex Kacaniklic (12 Nathan Eccleston, 64)

Substitutes not used:13 Deale Chamberlain, 14 Michael Roberts, 15 Alex Cooper.

Referee: Lee Mason

Assistant referees: Matthew McLaughlin & Stuart Burt

Fourth Official: Ian Smedley

Attendance: 33662