As Reading and Arsenal prepare to do battle in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday evening, minds go back to their last meeting in a cup competition in October 2012 when there was a 12-goal thriller.
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The home side raced into a three-goal lead after just 20 minutes of the League cup fourth round tie at the Madejski Stadium and found themselves winning 4-0 as the end of the first half approached.
But Theo Walcott pulled one back on the stroke of half-time and gave the Gunners hope then Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny headed in to make it 4-3 and with seconds remaining the former scrambled home a dramtaic equaliser to send the game into extra-time.
Marouane Chamakh and Pavel Pogrebnyak traded goals, leaving the score at 5-5 and it looked destined that this crazy game would be decided on penalties until Walcott completed his hat-trick and Chamakh wrapped up the game with an lobbed effort.
Many of those Arsenal players who featured in that thriller have moved on to pastures new, while some remain:
GK) Damian Martinez
The Argentine had a nightmare first-half on that night as he somehow let one weak effort slip through his hands and into his own net.
He remains with the Gunners as the third-choice keeper and is currently out on loan with Rotherham United.
RB) Carl Jenkinson
The boyhood Arsenal fan thought it was him that had scored the equaliser in normal time, only to find out the ball had already crossed the line via Walcott.
Currently on loan at West Ham United and is having a very good season.
CB) Johan Djourou
Once looked a promising centre-back option for the Gunners, but this game signaled the end of his career in North London.
Did not play again for the club following the win and is now playing his football in Germany with Hamburg.
CB) Laurent Koscielny
Only member of the back-four that started that night to be a regular in the team in the present day.
Strange to think the he was the third-choice centre-back at that stage of the season and has developed into a top class defender.
LB) Ignasi Miquel
Only played once for the club following a horror show at left-back for the young Spaniard and was shipped out on loan to Leicester City the following season and is now at Norwich City.
MC) Emmanuel Frimpong
Yet another player who struggled in the game and was made to pay for it in a big way. The Ghanaian was sent out on loan three times before eventually being sold to Barnsley.
Now he plays for Russian side FC Ufa and could get relegated this season.
MC) Francis Coquelin
Coquelin was a bit-part player when he lined up against Reading that night but fast forward to the present and it would be a shock if he doesn’t start the game at Wembley.
That goes to show just how important he has become to the Arsenal midfield. He has taken advantage of injuries to become an automatic choice for Arsene Wenger.
AMC) Andrei Arshavin
Played in his favoured position of just behind the striker and his contributions in that game seem to go unnoticed by some. The Russian had a hand in three goals on the night in one of his better performances in an Arsenal shirt.
He rejoined Zenit St Petersburg on loan in February 2013 before joining on a free transfer that summer once his contract with the Gunners had expired.
AMR) Theo Walcott
Scored a hat-trick and lead the fight-back from the front as it was his goal just before the interval that changed the game.
Remains at the club although is going through some contract issues which is ironic because it was a similar situation leading up to the cup clash in 2012.
AML) Serge Gnabry
The young German struggled to get to grips with the game that night but has improved ever so much since and is highly regarded at the Emirates.
He has only just returned to full fitness following a long spell out with injury.
ST) Marouane Chamakh
It is fair to say the two goals on the night was the perfect send-off from the Moroccan striker, who failed to get many first team opportunities for Arsenal following this game.
Missed in the penalty shoot-out against Bradford City in the quarter-finals and was the loaned to West Ham before joining Crystal Palace on a free transfer.
Subs:
Jernade Meade – replaced Miquel on the night for his first-team debut, he then joined Swansea on a free transfer that summer but that move didn’t work out and had a loan spell with Luton Town before going on a trial Conference South outfit Sutton United last summer. He continues to ly his trade at non-league level with Hadley.
Thomas Eisfeld – had an impact when he replaced Frimpong that night, unfortunately for him first team opportunities were limited at the Emirates and is back in Germany with Bochum after a breif spell at Fulham.
Olivier Giroud – scored Arsenal’s second of the tie and is in the form of his life for the Gunners.