"It took 90 seconds for the first whistles of frustration, six minutes for the first audible shout of "Set Piece FC", and seven for a cry of "Get up!". This spoke volumes about the Arsenal that most Mansfield Town supporters were expecting to witness in this FA Cup fifth-round tie, in what was one of the home club's biggest games in their 129-year history."
"Arsenal faced more shots inside the first 15 minutes, eight, than they had done all season - they've played Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Liverpool twice, and Chelsea four times. That Mansfield would come to regret these missed chances was hardly a surprise."
"The "boring", set-piece focused tactics that have been thrust into the spotlight of late, particularly after Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler aired his frustrations in midweek, made way for an attempt to actually play some football. It almost backfired."
Arsenal faced an unexpectedly challenging FA Cup fifth-round match against Mansfield Town, a historic occasion for the lower-league club. Despite their reputation as "Set Piece FC," Arsenal attempted to play more conventional football, abandoning their set-piece-focused approach. This tactical shift nearly proved costly as Mansfield created eight shots in the opening 15 minutes—more than Arsenal had faced in entire matches against elite opponents like Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Liverpool. However, Arsenal weathered the storm through patience and resilience. Noni Madueke broke the deadlock in the 41st minute with a curled finish, and Eberechi Eze sealed victory with a 66th-minute goal. Will Evans scored for Mansfield in the 50th minute, but Arsenal's comeback kept their quadruple hopes alive.
Read at The i Paper
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