Reading 1 Arsenal 2: Five things we learnt from the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, including how you can count on Alexis Sanchez

Arsenal again underestimated the opposition - this time it didn’t cost them

Just when you thought Arsenal would not underestimate opponents not as quality rich as them as they have already this season, they went and did exactly that. They were lucky on this occasion but this will serve as another learning curve. Yes, their recent form has been staggering. Yes, they had enough to see them through. But a team’s mentality should never change. Winning with conviction should always be the aim.

The Gunners lost their last-16 Champions League tie against Monaco because they did not take the threat of the French side seriously. At Wembley, against Reading, who are 18th in the Championship, they came close to making the same mistake. It is a real problem. Someone like Alexis Sanchez will never lose his desire, he will always be a threat. Unfortunately some of his teammates don’t share the same mentality or outlook as the forward.

Limping into your 19th FA Cup final is not a sign of a side that is going to dominate. Arsene Wenger may want to win more trophies, and it is admirable that he has guided his side to a second consecutive final, but to do so in such a half-hearted fashion isn’t convincing. They’ve had a number of lessons this year, this was one, and they need to make sure they take their homework seriously from now on.

Alexis Sanchez - someone you can always rely on

If there was one player Arsenal could always upon it has to be Alexis Sanchez. As his teammates around him stuttered, he raced around the Wembley pitch putting pressure on the Reading defenders. Sanchez plays every game as though he is playing the same opposition over and over. He doesn’t let status, wealth or names get in the way. Sure, he’ll have understood that Brighton are 18th in the Championship and small fry compared to his north London employer, but he didn’t show it.

It meant he was sharp, ready and focused. When Mesut Ozil feeded him the ball to him he shortly before half-time, he used sublime skill to turn Garath McCleary and bury his shot underneath Adam Federici. It didn’t matter that McCleary is an attacking midfielder who doesn’t possess defence-specific attributes, Sanchez treated him just as he has any Premier League defender this season. He still had enough left in the tank to win the tie for his side in extra-time when it seemed as though Reading would sneak it.

Francis Coquelin not ready to be a permanent fixture in the Arsenal furniture just yet

The effective, defensive midfielder that Arsenal forgot they had. That’s how some who support the Gunners label Coquelin. He has become a regular since Arsene Wenger decided to include him in the side in November amid an injury crisis. He has, for the most part, been a revelation. Unfortunately, though, he lacks maturity.

open image in gallery

Against a fired up Reading side he appeared to shy away a little. Nathaniel Chalobah, who the France midfielder was tasked with marking, had quite a pleasant time bossing the 23-year-old about. The defensive midfield position is an important one for Arsenal. They have so many attacking players in midfield that they need someone who can effectively shield the back four. Coquelin has done that before but can’t be trusted to do it in every game. He can develop into a star but for next season Wenger may need to find back someone who can regularly defend with the quality needed to challenge for the title.

Wojciech Szczesny won't have been showered in champagne

Pavel Pogrebnyak played the ball across, Szczesny lingered and Garath McCleary pounced. The defending was of course very poor. Pogrebnyak should never have been allowed to cross but Szczesny must take full responsibility for conceding Reading's equaliser ten minutes into the second half.

Not only did he allow the ball to fall to the feet of McCleary, he also failed to stop the attacking midfielder’s effort from six yards out. Wenger had rewarded the Polish goalkeeper with a starting place as he has played in all of the FA Cup games this year. But yet again he has added to the catalogue of errors he has made this season.

Smoking in the showers at Southampton on New Year’s Day was deplorable but almost blowing your side’s chances of contesting a 19th FA Cup final is even worse.

When Gabriel Paulista signed for Arsenal in January there was a keen sense of intrigue from Arsenal supporters. Indeed, when he played against Middlesbrough in his debut in the FA Cup he showed energy alongside Laurent Koscielny. Energy that Per Mertesacker has never had.

Many criticised the tall German when he made a costly error in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League defeat. But since then he’s rarely made an error and tactically he has played with an assurance many defenders don’t have. Against Reading he was wise. Pavel Pogrebnyak and Jamie Mackie and not easy to monitor but Mertesacker did the job with ease. He also threatened at set pieces. If there was an argument for replacing him in the starting line-up with Paulista then that has certainly disintegrated now.