4 Quick Lessons: Granit Xhaka, Theo Walcott, Craig Eastmond's Sad parable and Other Insights as Arsenal Rolls Over Sutton FC Into Emirates FA Cup Quarter Finals

Arsenal’s visit to Sutton FC for the FA cup fifth round tie had been billed as another opportunity to showcase the magic of the world oldest cup competition with an upset on the cards as the gunners were expected to still be wobbling under post Bayern Munich stress syndrome. In the end, Arsenal’s comfortable 2-0 win was reminiscent of those evenings at the rugby ground of my public high school facing the more illustrious across private school from across the road that always beat us: Enough to be proud of the lads on the pitch, sickening for dreams deferred, not exactly an embarrassment but good outing nonetheless.

Winded Arsene Wenger, Angry Fans and Indifferent Superstars: A perfect Recipe For Hull City Tigers To Gore Arsenal In Saturday's Early EPL Kick Off

 This time, Arsenal fans concede that the implosion hit us below the belt.Wenger let us down (we are used to that) but he wasn’t alone and that is hard to take. This seasons’s habit of key players failing to turn up in crucial matches such as at home against Watford and then away to Chelsea did it for the fans. 

Arsenal Bottle It Up Again Against Watford: Fans Blame It On Wenger

In our earlier post, we cautioned against Arsenal being caught in two minds by looking ahead at the challenge in the shape of Chelsea away at Stamford bridge and failing to devout necessary resources at Watford who lay before them. In what has now become a habit, a shambolic first half display at the Emirates left Arsenal trailing by two goals from as early as the 15th minute.

Arsenal fans on twitter blamed the poor start on Ramsey who hobbled of midway through the half with another muscular injury. His replacement, Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain took a while to settle in and Arsenal's worst half ever at the Emirates persisted. At this point, Arsenal fans on twitter lamented not knowing that they would be playing Bayern Munich today.

Piers Morgan wanted to die. So embarrassing a half it was. No one was spared. Even the usual empathy for Alexis whose toiling and 'carrying the team on his shoulder' routine spares him from criticism when Arsenal is misfiring, was absent.