Arsene's Cup Runneth Over

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and his players must be absolutely ecstatic. After a grim and grisly encounter at the Emirates with Snarling Sam Allardyce and his dour and unrelenting warriors, they now know that if they can somehow emerge triumphant from an even more grim and grisly replay at the Reebok Stadium, they can look forward to the next round and – you’ve guessed it – the prospect of an equally grim and grisly match-up with Mark Hughes, Old Stone Face himself, and his uncompromising Rovers from Blackburn.

It’s called the hard road to the F.A. Cup final and it’s a very different road to the cushy one mapped out by the draw for Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

In the meantime, Arsene and the boys can relax and count the casualties.