There have been 24 goals in the last three
meetings between Arsenal and Reading, which
bodes well for the neutral as the Berkshire club
taste their first FA Cup semi-final since 1927.
You'd need to be very old and have a very good
memory to recall that one (a 3-0 defeat to Cardiff
at Molineux).


Arsenal only need short memories for something
of a cautionary tale. Twelve months ago they
were eight minutes away from being beaten by
another Championship club, Wigan, at this stage.
In the end Arsenal squeaked through on penalties
to what was a record-equalling 18th FA Cup final.
There are big differences though - 12 months ago,
rather than being on an eight-game winning
streak, Arsenal had gone four games without a
win - one of which had been a 6-0 defeat by
Chelsea. Against Wigan, rather than having Olivier
Giroud and Alexis Sanchez threatening their
opponent's goal it was Lukas Podolski and Yaya
Sanogo.


Reading haven't had an easy route to Wembley;
they may not have faced Premier League
opposition but they've been drawn away in every
round and got the better of both Derby and
Cardiff. They are all but safe in the Championship
but haven't won a game since the quarter-final
replay victory over Bradford City a month ago.
In the pugnacious Pavel Pogrebnyak and
rumbustious Jamie Mackie they have strikers
who are a handful on most days. Jordan Obita
and Michael Hector are excellent defensive
prospects, Nathaniel Chalobah - on loan from
Chelsea - is a real presence in midfield and
Garath McCleary and former Arsenal trainee Hal
Robson-Kanu offer a threat from wide areas.
Arsenal will not take them lightly, but Reading
boss Steve Clarke is probably correct when he
says that his side will need to play "the perfect
game" to win.


Head-to-head


Arsenal have a 100% winning record from
their previous 12 meetings with Reading -
three in the FA Cup, three in the League
Cup and six in the Premier League.
The Gunners have scored 37 goals in those
games - an average of more than three per
match.


Reading


Reading have never reached an FA Cup
final.
They have only lost three of their last eight
FA Cup meetings against teams from
higher divisions (W4, D1) - although they
are yet to face one this year.
The Royals have conceded just two goals
in their five FA Cup matches this season.
They are without a victory in six league
games (D3, L3).
Steve Clarke's side have only won two of
their last 13 league games, suffering seven
defeats in that time.
Hal Robson-Kanu has scored three goals in
his last four FA Cup appearances this
season, despite only scoring one league
goal in 28 games.
Royals striker Yakubu has scored five goals
against Arsenal for his previous clubs.


Arsenal


Arsenal will be competing in their 10th
semi-final in the last 18 seasons - they
have won six of the nine they have
competed in under Arsene Wenger.
This will be their 28th semi-final
appearance (W18, L9), which is a record for
an English club, and they are on course for
a record 12th title.
Arsenal have won eight successive league
games, which is their best run since they
won nine in a row in the season they went
unbeaten in 2003-04.
The last time Arsenal lost an FA Cup semi-
final to a team from outside the top flight
was in 1973 against Sunderland.
Arsene Wenger's side have lost just one of
their last 38 FA Cup games against a lower
league side (W29, D8, L1).
The nine goals they've scored in this
season's FA Cup have been scored by
eight different players - only Olivier Giroud
has two.

We don get beef with frontpage?

tonyx4x44:
We don get beef with frontpage?

i no dey hustle front page.....just reping my team.....UP GUNNERS

Up gunners...sure winning today.