Hello! We have the second FA Cup semi-final to predict here using our good friend PES 2017, as Arsenal and Man City lock horns at Wembley stadium.
The teams are in, I’ve gambled on Wenger reverting to a 4-2-3-1 but who really knows anymore. Likewise, better men than me have tried and failed to predict Pep so I’ll not dwell on my Pep lineup but Kompany is still in which can only help. So, sadly for City fans, is Claudio Bravo.
Beglin says Aguero is the man to look out for, wondering how Arsenal are possibly going to try and stop him. Drury retorts that “the easiest way to make a difference is to score” which is neither here nor there. Anyway, we’re underway, and Arsenal are popping the ball around like the Arsenal of old. In fact, hold the phone, Bravo has conceded! Giroud picks the ball up on the edge of the box, floats a ball over the top between the two centre-halves and Theo Walcott meets it with a well-timed volley to take a 6th minute lead. I did not see that coming.
City can barely get a touch but they’re holding off the Arsenal possession at the minute. It takes until the 23rd minute for City’s first chance, Silva playing Aguero in but his first time shot is parried away by Cech. Down the other end, Sanchez cuts in onto his right but his shot is well saved by Bravo. Good flow to this game now. Is that a penalty? No! But Aguero got goalside and went down under a challenge from Gabriel but the referee says no. Probably right. That’s the last incident of the half though, and at half time it is 1-0 to Arsenal. Beglin says they are value for it and they probably are, but City got better as it went on.
Second half underway then but can City find a way back into the match? Nearly, Navas (!) gets on the end of a De Bruyne cross but heads wide. With that, Sane is off and Sterling is on. Arsenal are doing a good job of taking the sting out of the game by just keeping the ball. In fact, they’ve done better than that! It’s a well-worked goal with an element of fortune. Giroud gets himself free on the edge of the box, his low shot hits the post but Alexis Sanchez is on hand to tap in the rebound. 2-0, Arsenal can start getting their suits measured for Wembley you feel.
Still 15 minutes to go though so maybe time for a change yet. Giroud wins a corner though and it’s one-way traffic even now. Ozil’s corner is a beaut but Ramsey heads wide on the near post. Ozil is then withdrawn for Lucas Perez. Ramsey shoots straight at Bravo…City haven’t got going at all second half, I don’t think Aguero has had a touch. Good clearance though from Koscielny to stop Aguero getting a sniff of a consolation there. That’s it! Arsenal the comfortable winners.
So in a match where both managers really needed the FA Cup to be their consolation prize this season, it’s Wenger’s men who will go on to the final. Man City fans, your team didn’t turn up here but don’t worry, it’s only PES after all.