The Gunners maintain their excellent run ahead of the FA Cup semi-final, as now the eyes are fixed at Wembley as they will reap the benefits of Last Season silverware run.The FA holders had couple of heart skipper times last season falling behind Wigan and then a thrilling Hull City finale.
In the quarterfinals, Reading defeated Bradford 3-0 in a replay after the first match was goalless while Arsenal had to defeat Manchester United to advance.
Where as on the opposite side head of Reading : Steve Clarke has had experience of FA Cup success,as he was the member of Mourinho when Chelsea lifted the Silverware in 2007. But the Scot is yet to claim a silverware under his name.
Arsenal have won all 12 competitive meetings between the sides.
Gunners will be without midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hamstring) and Mikel Arteta (ankle), but Jack Wilshere is fit to ply his trade at iconic Wembley. Anton Ferdinand (calf) is absent for Reading, but Pavel Pogrebnyak and Nathaniel Chalobah are available for choice.
Arsenal's changes are most likely to come in the back five, with full-backs Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal being rotated for Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs. Wojciech Szczesny should inherit the gloves from number one David Ospina.Danny Welbeck may be rewarded with a start who made the day for The Gunners in quarters.
For Reading, Jordan Obita may be asked to play at left-back, with Oliver Norwood recalled in the centre of the park after a midweek rest.
QUOTE NOTE:
PER MERTESACKER
“We felt [pressure] last season a lot.No one expected us to lose, for Wigan to go through and that will be the case again.We are more prepared but you are never perfectly prepared. There will be different situations and the team will have to grow in the match again, we will have to face the expectations and pressure.But with our level of confidence and with the team in good shape at the moment, I’m very confident. The energy is really great in the team, we have a fantastic squad and the most important thing is that feeling.That was really strange for me.To foul a player when we got the penalty against us, I then had to put something right at the other end.That was really important because we created chance after chance and it looked like we could have played 1,000 minutes without scoring, so I had to put something right. I put something in my head of, ‘Now it is your turn’ and I kept going like that.Finally it happened, we went through to penalties, and Lukasz Fabianski had a great day and saved two. It was good at the end, and really exciting for a lot of fans - they were absolutely buzzing.”
ARSENE WENGER
"I believe that's an aspect where we have improved. We have stronger starts now than we did a long time ago.We have learned as well, from last season. We were a little bit apprehensive in both the semi-final and the final.Maybe that experience can help us on Saturday. Of course in both games we were down and in competitions like that you have a mountain to climb when you chase the score.They have players with Premier League experience, they are very efficient and I believe for us they can be danger.Once you're at Wembley it would be absolutely non-intelligent to just turn up and think we will win the game. We know exactly what can happen and I think the team will have the focus needed."
STEVE CLARK
"We can't make too many mistakes because if you make mistakes against the top teams they punish you.There are things that we should do to protect this great competition. It should be special.The only game I'm interested in is Reading against Arsenal. I thought it was a shame in the last round when we had to play on the Monday night [beating Bradford, 3-0], after playing on the Saturday."
STATS :
Reading
Championship Record: 12-19-11, 18th (73 points)
Coach: Steve Clarke, 1st season
Leading Goal Scorer: Simon Cox, 8
Arsenal
Premier League Record: 20-6-6, 2nd (66 points)
Coach: Arsene Wenger 19th season
Leading Goal Scorer: Olivier Giroud,Alexis Sanchez, 14
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Arsenal possible starting lineup:Szczesny; Chambers, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Gibbs; Coquelin, Ramsey; Welbeck, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud
Reading possible starting lineup:Federici; Gunter, Hector,Pearce, Obita; McCleary; Norwood, Karacan, Robson-Kanu; Cox, Pogrebnyak
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