Both Giroud and Ozil had come for some stick in recent matches but silenced their critics with strong performances against Everton. PHOTO: AFP
Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil seem to be having a very similar term this season. Both started off in top form, with Giroud scoring and Ozil assisting at will. However, Arsene Wenger’s insistence to play them in almost every game culminated in both looking increasingly tired – cue the dip in form.
Poor performances started plaguing the two, who – along with Aaron Ramsey – were the catalyst of Arsenal’s early title charge. Both players hit bottom when Arsenal hosted Bayern Munich – Giroud being demoted to the bench and Ozil producing by far his worst performance in a red-and-white shirt.However, both men came roaring in the FA Cup tie against Everton as Ozil scored the first goal of the match and set up the fourth, while Giroud scored two after coming on from the bench.
Ozil slotted home the first goal with seven minutes on the clock, sliding Santi Cazorla’s perfectly weighted through-ball past Joel Robles. However, the Gunners were unable to hold on to the lead till halftime, conceding to a brilliant Everton move that ended with Romelu Lukaku stabbing home.
Despite growing in stature in the second half, it all came apart for Everton, who conceded thrice in just over 15 minutes. Mikel Arteta gave Arsenal the lead from the spot after Gareth Barry brought down the mercurial Alex Chamberlain inside the box. Giroud then came on in the 62nd minute – replacing Yaya Sanogo, whose first touch often let him down – and scored twice in two minutes. First converting Bacary Sagna’s cross from the right in the 83rd minute and then tapping into an empty net as Ozil turned provider in the 85th.
Final déjà vu
City host Wigan in a repeat of last year’s final and would be hoping to take revenge of that defeat. Having lost only twice at home in all competitions – once to the genius of Jose Mourinho and the other due to a desperate, mistimed tackle by Martin Demichelis – City will be fancying their chances against the Latics at the Etihad. However, Wigan have won their last five matches, four of which have been away from home, and will be silently confident of yet another upset against the Sky Blues.
City have looked vulnerable against lower league sides in the competition– being forced into a replay by Blackburn Rovers and were also given a scare by Charlton Athletic as they trailed 2-0 against them. With the upcoming trip to the Camp Nou on the horizon, Manuel Pellegrini must ensure that the heads of his player are on Sunday’s match rather than the one in midweek. “We are just thinking about the game against Wigan," confirmed Pellegrini, who recently won the League Cup on his first attempt and would be hoping to do the same in the FA Cup.
While pragmatics will be betting on an Arsenal-City final, the romantic among us will be hoping for Wigan to repeat last year’s feat. Whether the two remaining giants meet or whether the minnows left in the tournament continue making Goliaths, the oldest competition in football still has a lot to promise this year.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2014.
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