F.A. Cup 4th Round Replay: ARSENAL 4 CARDIFF CITY 0 match report

It was deja vu after all. We should have beaten Spurs a couple of years ago in the F.A. Cup but took a 0-0 and got whalloped 4-0 at their gaffe in a replay. Tonight, history repeated on the other side of North London as Cardiff City never showed up at The Emirates and were lucky to only lose 4-0, it could easily have been double that. It could have been worse ... I could have gone! :>)

I've been consistent that I wanted us out of the cup and I'm pleased we came through with no bookings and no injuries. I always thought Arsenal would see us off with few problems while some ran away with unrealistic expectations.

However I never expected us to be so poor. We looked overawed from very early on, never got tempo, lacked all intensity needed to tackle Arsenal head-on and were naive all over the pitch. I can't explain why we barely showed any passion for it all night. However you know it's a bad night when 2 of your only 3 shots at goal were a mobile phone and a trainer, both thrown by City fans.

Some players with big reputations never turned up at all. The only players who could leave that pitch with credit were Tom Heaton and Kevin McNaughton in my view while Darren Purse did ok. The rest were so sub-standard compared to what we know they can do, they will have nightmares over that.

I felt sorry for those City fans who went but many were there for the experience as it's the league we really need that big away support now and I bet a few of them won't be there for that.

Thoroughly disappointed by City tonight, they let us and themselves down, but I'd rather see it there than anywhere else because, let's be honest, Arsenal isn't even our biggest game this week.

For the record, City were forced to change keepers and give England Under 21 man Tom Heaton a start while Peter Enckleman recovers from an operation. Gabor Gypes was available after his hamstring problem but Dave Jones took no risk and gave Darren Purse a game although Joe Ledley remained captain while new signings Dimi, Chopra and Quincy were all ineligible.

CARDIFF CITY: Heaton; McNaughton-Purse-Johnson-Kennedy; Burke-Rae-Ledley-Parry; Bothroyd-McCormack. Subs with McPhail absent injured were Sak-Capaldi, Whittingham, Eddie Johnson, Comminges, Scimeca, Blake

With several injuries, The Gunners were still able to name a fearsome line-up including Eduardo back after a year out with a horrendous broken leg but only 6 of the permitted 7 subs.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna-Toure-Gallas-Gibbs, Nasri-Song-Denilson-Vela, Eduardo-Bendtner. Subs: Almunia, Van Persie, Ramsey, Wilshere, Clichy, Bischoff.

More than 7,500 City fans assembled in the magnificent Emirates Stadium in a crowd of 57,237 but it soon became clear that the 50,000 home fans were going to enjoy the football while Cardiff, subdued from first to last whistle, resembled training cones. They were as yellow as the shirts they wore as Arsenal, far too easily, passed in and around them and strolled past them was comparative ease.

City had 3 major let offs before Arsenal opened the scoring just past 20 minutes. All too easy as City were collectively caught out of position, a ball was chipped up from the by-line and EDUARDO planted a header past Heaton who had already made 3 superb stops.

By 35 minutes, that lead was doubled as Roger Johnson let BENDTNER go at corner and he placed a free header past Heaton.

Cardiff were so lacklustre in that first half, it was shocking to watch. Maybe it was summed up by them winning corner kicks on each side only for Burke and Parry to hit daisycutters as City couldn't put two passes together and were second best everywhere you looked.

City improved a little after the break but were still completely inadequate. Bothroyd had our only shot at goal, a 25 yarder straight at Fabianski while Arsenal added two more as Rae needlessly bundled over Vele for a penalty that EDUARDO converted for a double and VAN PERSIE wrapped it up in the dying moments. They also hit the woodwork twice, had bad misses and were denied by more Heaton saves.

The final shot count was 23 to 2 in favour of Arsenal and it was 13 to 1 on target.

Gutted by City's display which, at times, lacked passion and pride and that's hard to take coming from a side who have shown those qualities in abundance all season long.

Hoping the boys put this behind them fast - onwards and upwards starting at Wolves on Sunday please. They need to show a big reaction, that's for sure.