Arsenal has been knocked out of the Premier League Cup quarters in a heartbreaking match on Tuesday, going down to a penalty shootout 3-2 to fourth-tier Bradford in one of the greatest setbacks in the competition for several years. Thomas Vermaelen created a huge stir with the determining spot kick against the post for the Premier League majors, after netting an 87th-minute equalizing goal to move forward with the match to extra time. The match was completed at 1-1 after 120 minutes, even after The Gunners fielding almost a complete team.
"They have world-class players ... but the way the lads stuck to their job, you have to give them credit," said Bradford boss Gary Parkinson, whose team has emerged victorious in an English-record nine shootouts at a stretch.
As Gunners have down to the seventh place in the league and got out with no title since 2005, manager Arsene Wenger's decisions are under the scanner like there was never before in his 16 years stint with the side and this result will add enough fuel to his critics.
The defeat will be on par with that of Man U's ouster at the hands of York during the second round in 1995 and Liverpool's terrible loss in a penalty shootout at home to Huddersfield in the third round in 2010.
Wenger's team could not hit a shot on target till the 69th minute on a chilly night at Valley Parade, with Bradford getting through Arsenal's fragile defense with Garry Thompson's perfect volley after a 16th-minute free kick.
A delayed surge saw Vermaelen reach home with the equalizer from a near distance, and Santi Cazorla directed a shot in opposition to the bar in the latter half of extra time that Arsenal overpowered. Eventually, Bradford were never in the shootout with Cazorla and Marouane Chamakh not offered in Arsenal's initial couple of penalties. Vermaelen still had the opportunity to move it to sudden death, but his trial never worked towards the goal frame.
The current owners of Gunners are apparently to give up on the well regarded Wenger, who is assumed to be provided with funds to empower his playing staff in the January transfer window.
The absence of a potential striker seems to be the most effective issue, with Gervinho and substitute Chamakh having a major influence even for less up front in retrospect to Bradford. Arsenal was also crippled in midfield for the initial half, just getting the ascendancy in that region once Tomas Rosicky and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were shown the desperate moves during the 69th minute.
Bradford, presently fourth in League Two, turned up into the first fourth-tier team after the 2006-07 season to get a semis spot in the tournament.
However, it was Villa who netted three instances in the final 11 minutes to pack off Norwich in a rematch of the 1975 final, with Austrian striker Andreas Weimann hitting the goal in the 79th and 85th prior to the accomplishment of winning task by Christian Benteke.
