Leeds United (1) 1 - 4 (2) Arsenal
Elland Road, Sunday 4th January 2004
FA Cup 3rd round
See previous story
for Arsenal line-up.
Leeds started more brightly. On 3 minutes a Milner cross from their left wing was
headed clear from the box by Cole, then played wide right to Alan Smith who was
in the space vacated by Cole. But the Aresnal defence had stepped up well leaving him
offside.
Sol was popping up on the left wing a lot in this opening period. Usually to good
effect but on 6 minutes he gave away a clumsy free kick over there. Again it was headed
clear from the box and again the defence stepped up well for offside when it was chipped
back in by Batty.
On 8 minutes we gifted them a goal. Sol Campbell's backpass was fine, but Lehmann pushed it
forward with his first touch and paused. Viduka had set off for him as soon as Sol passed
it back, and before the keeper knew it the normally sluggish big Australian was
on top of him. Jens got the hoof in, but it rebounded off of Viduka and into the net.
Slow thinking fron Lehmann - it looked like he wasn't aware of Viduka until he was right
on him, which is poor. But let's give credit to Viduka too.
It woke Arsenal up a bit, but slowly!
Edu put a cross in from the left on 11 minutes which Henry had to reach up with his left
foot to volley. Our first chance, it wasn't an easy one and Henry side-footed it wide.
Lehmann flapped a bit at a corner after Leeds next attack, getting too far under it and
pushing it out for another corner. This time he came out and made a great catch from
the middle of a crowd.
Lauren took a free kick on the right wing which was cleared to Freddie a few yards outside
the box, he mishit his first-time shot wide.
Then on 17 minutes Milner got the better of Keown on their left wing. Martin was chasing
with him for a high ball and totally failed to head it out. Milner brought the ball infield
and hit a nice low near-post shot which Lehmann had to drop down behind. Nice play by Milner
but the shot just wasn't good enough.
On 22 Viduka hit a snap shot from the corner of the D after a superb Smith nod-down from
wide right of the box. Great technique from both, but the shot went a couple of yards wide.
On 25 we levelled things with a superb move. Gilberto and Vieira were kocking the ball around
in the centre circle when Kanu came short for it. Paddy rolled it into his path and Kanu
passed wide for Freddie on the run. Freddie in turn had plenty of space to whip in a cross
for Henry who placed his shot home first-time from the centre of the box.
5 minutes later Henry got a bit pissed off when the ref failed to give obstruction against
Bakke. Thierry channeled the anger well though, and chased the ball 60 yards, finally
foiling a dangerous Leeds attack when he caught up with it 10 yards outside out box.
2 minutes later and we weer ahead with another clinical attack. This time Vieira passed
wide left for Henry, in space created partly by Edu's run inside him. Henry squared it
towards the penalty spot. Edu had to slide and stretch to get a foot on it, but got a
perfcet foot on it, using the weight of the cross to deflect the ball back left across
the keeper for 2-1.
A few minutes after the break Kanu set Edu up for a shot with a short pass in the box after
some nice close-control. Edu's shot beat the keeper to his left but Kilgallon had positioned
himself well to block. As Leeds tried to bring the ball out Vieira charged up and won a
free-kick trying to nick it off them. Henry took it, about 25 yards out, and it was deflected
over off the wall. Edu's corner from the right was met by a great leap from Campbell, but
he couldn't keep the header down.
But Leeds came back well and had a spell of attacking after that. Nothing desperately
dangerous till a great cross from their right on the hour which Keown did well to clear
for a corner. The a few minutes later Sol did well to get his head on a long high ball
forward when it was flicked goalwards.
Up the other end Cole set Henry free down the left and he chipped it back towards
Freddie but Duberry did brilliantly, running back towards goal to stretch his foot
in front and turn it out for a corner.
We got a bit lucky to get a strong chance moments later when Cole burst into the box,
had his cross blocked then saw it bounce off him towards the penalty spot. It fell to
Kanu who switched it beautifully onto his right foot and forced a decent save from
Robinson. Up the other end Smith lashed a desperate shot towards the back row.
Then on 70 Smith played a nice low cross from deep on the right which found Viduka.
He kept the ball nicely with back to goal, but Keown did just as well biding his time
behind, and when Viduka finally turned to shoot Martin put his foot it and robbed
the ball.
Henry got free deep on the right and cut back for Freddie who tried a spin and turn as
he took the ball into the box with his first 2 touches. Looked nice but he lost the ball.
Lehmann flapped at another corner and appeared to get a touch on it before the ball went
out but this time a goal kick was given.
A solo run down the right from Freddie ended with a lash into the side netting when he
might have squared it. He was never going to though, it looked like he was winding up
for a shot from about 30 yards out.
10 minutes to go and Arsenal brought on Ray, Kolo, and Bobby for Edu, Freddie, and Kanu.
6 minutes later Henry received the ball on the right hand edge of the box, turned his
marker inside-out, and squared it into the run of Pires for another first-time shot
and 3-1.
With a minute to go Viduka was handed a chance just outside the box but slipped as
he struck it and curled it 10 yards wide.
In injury time we got the traditional 4th goal after another lovely move, ending with
a Pires chip from the left hand corner of the box towards the far post, and Kolo Toure
jumping and lifting his foot to jab it home.
With the 2 late goals, perhaps 4-1 was a bit flattering this time. Not that Arsenal weren't a class above, but Leeds certainly looked better than a relegation side.
The draw for the 4th round is Monday afternoon at 1pm.
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