Irish Luck

It was the fourth game in just nine days for Arsenal. We already needed luck to win the penalty shootout in Rome and now we needed some Irish Luck to progress in the FA Cup. How fitting for the match to be played on St Patrick’s Day.

Arsenal was at first swimming around in the sea of uncertainty before wisdom struck and they started swimming back to the shore. And they showed enough spirit to eventually tame the Tigers and come back from behind to win the game, thanks to goals from van Persie and Gallas and some Irish Luck.

Five of Hull players saw yellow but their manager thought the match was controversial enough. Then there were spitting allegations with Cesc (earlier alleged to be the instigator of the Pizza-gate incident) somehow managing to get involved despite being a spectator due to injury, an allegation he denied via the club page. And Phil Brown was harping on Wenger’s refusal to shake hands.

And there I was merely walking past Hull players to my team-mates minding my own business

And here I was looking on from a distance of more than 10 feet away

Who, me? I’m no disgrace, the only disgrace is the articles suggesting so

Whatever (believe it or not, all these years of watching footie and I can still not tell an offside). All that matters is that Arsenal will make their first appearance at the new Wembley on 18 April and with it the possibility of ending a four-year silverware drought (wonder if the visit to Merseyside scheduled for 19 April will be deferred).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Arsenal's very own Russian leprechaun Andrey Arshavin 8.20 (on 90 minutes).

Happy birthday and St Paddy’s, Pat Rice.