The Arsenal squeezed through to the semi finals of the Carabao Cup on penalties against FA cup holders Crystal Palace on an eventful night in N5.
Arteta named a strong side despite making eight changes. Cup ‘keeper Kepa deputised for Raya, MLS made a rare start as did Nørgaard, whilst Jesùs made his first start since returning from almost a year on the sidelines.
We started very strongly as the first half saw us create a whole host of chances. Noni Madueke went close on three occasions as the Palace ‘keeper was forced into making save after save. First he fired straight down the keeper’s throat after being sent through on goal. Then he flicked the ball straight at Benitez after great work from Martinelli who was having a productive night.
Moments later Martinelli drove at his right back and delivered a delicious cross for Jesùs who thought he headed home only for another wonderful save from Benitez. We weren’t knocking on the door, we were hammering it down, but Benitez was acting as a force field around the goal and we just couldn’t force the ball home.
Madueke went close again from an MLS cross after yet more good work from Martinelli down the left hand side but Noni fired too close to Benitez who parried the ball over. Palace improved after the break seeing more of the ball without really creating an awful lot. Adam Wharton fired wide from a decent position just outside the area but Arsenal soon regained control and we went close again as Gabriel Jesùs forced yet another save out of Benitez after a really impressive break away move involving several players. Would it be another one of those nights for The Arsenal? In recent seasons we’ve seen a number of cup exits after failing to take a raft of chances.
Ten minutes from time we finally found a way through and once again it came from a corner. Saka’s delivery was typically excellent, Calafiori’s initial header was blocked, leading to an almighty scramble in the six yard box, and the ball eventually bumbled in off Palace defender Maxence Lacroix for an unfortunate OG! A slice of luck for sure but one we had certainly earned through our endeavour.
Timber almost found a second after robbing Mitchell in front of his own goal but Benitez again made himself big to keep Palace in the tie. And eventually we did pay the price for our missed chances as Saliba gave away a cheap foul near the touchline and Guehi prodded home and there was bedlam from the Palace fans who were housed in the Clock End lower. Disappointing after giving away practically nothing over the 90 minutes.
We almost won it right at the death as Saka’s diagonal ball found Rice who was denied again by Benitez. Penalties it was. You could really feel the tension in the ground. I think we all knew what the narrative would be if we lost this.
The penalty shoot out was quite the spectacle. Despite Benitez’s heroics in normal time, he couldn’t get near a single Arsenal penalty. He wasn’t the only one. Ødegaard, Rice, Saka, Trossard, Merino, Timber, Calafiori and Saliba all dispatched their penalties as did the first seven Palace takers. But Lacroix, who had already suffered misfortune with the own goal was the first one to blink as Kepa finally made a save. Arsenal were through to the semis for the second year in a row and it is Chelsea who await us. That’s a two-legged tie, don’t forget.
You can’t deny we deserved to go through but it’s a slight concern that we missed so many chances. In fairness, it’s not as though we were missing sitters, but Manchester City probably convert 2-3 of those chances. But the records will state another win, and our pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple goes on!
Onto Brighton.
And so this is Christmas, as a Scouser once sang. Having brought in numerous new players and suffered numerous injuries we are
1. Top of the Premier League
2. Top of the Champions League group table
3. Through to the semi final of the League Cup
4. Awaiting Portsmouth in the third round of the FACup.
5. About to welcome back two key players Kai and big Gabby
As Gooners we love to doom and gloom. But we are in very good shape as we approach the half way point in the season.
Thanks to everyone who contributes to this community
Merry Christmas and Come On You Gunners!
I should have said thanks for a good report 21CG. I hope my son behaved himself next you last night.
I really enjoyed this piece by Amy Lawrence on the tenacious Gunners.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6916447/2025/12/24/arsenal-crystal-palace-penalties/
Merry Xmas 21cg and thanks for your report. As c100 notes above, I hope the younger generation behaved themselves last evening. 😀
Glass half full, if not 3/4 full for me. Merry Christmas at the TOTT everyone! New shooting boots might be under the tree if we can find them for Brighton and Billa.
Our dhooting boots did work just fine on those penalties mind you….
Thank you, 21CG, for a brisk and breezy report of a game that we should have wrapped up much earlier than the eighth pair of penalties in the shootout. Nonetheless, our penalties were excellent and bore the hallmark of yet more attention to the fine margins by the coaching staff.
And what C100 said @1.
And in some late-breaking tasseography news, an earlier first reference has come to light: a review of the Pocket Book edition of Gibsons’ book, Psychic Sciences, in the Cincinnati Enquirer of August 4, 1968. Doubleday published a book by the same authors called The Complete Illustrated Book of the Psychic Sciences in 1966, so that may contain an earlier reference. I can foresee that your holiday season will not be complete without knowing that…
Thanks 21CG, a very fair reflection
and thanks Ned for adding t
clarity.
Already Xmas Day here so Merry Xmas to you all
Excellent report C21G.
…and a Merry Christmas Matt, and our Australian readers.
Thanks for an accurate and entertaining report of yet another nail-biting outing. However I’m disappointed that you haven’t added anything to the tea leaf reading controversy.
We really should have been 2-3 goals ahead at half time and despite Palace’s second half transformation, we definitely deserved to win over the piece unless you believe that failing to take your chances deserves heavy punishment. Palace’s late equaliser was a travesty given how little they had threatened Kepa’s goal hitherto and had we lost the penalty shoot out it would have been another infamous robbery at TNHOF.
Although many Gooners were conflicted about how seriously to take this game given our other concerns and our stockpiled injuries and wanted to rest our entire first XI even if it meant playing the kindergarten, it’s clear that the players and Mikel really wanted to progress in this competition. So, now we have to go for it!
Nice report 21CG of a frustrating game . I have a lot of Palace friends who all to a man expected to lose last night because they haven’t got the squad depth to deal with such an intensive season .
We have but a lot of our lads have had a tough run and it would have been nice not to have to call on Saka or Rice or Odegaard at all yesterday . As Bath said although Palace improved in the second half they created very little over the whole match but Benitez and some errant finishing conspired to thwart us .
But we hit eight excellent penalties. I was surprised Norgaard wasn’t higher in the list of our pen takers but we got the job done . But there is too much football at the moment despite the fact that we are going better than anyone at it .
Merry Christmas everyone
Seems I’m not going to make it to the witching hour.
A Merry Christmas to all our European readers.
Thanks Pangloss!
And thanks for the link @2 C100, was a nice piece
from Amy as usual.
Merry Christmas, Buon Natale, Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad, Καλά Χριστούγεννα to all at GHF. May you all enjoy the festivities with family and friends.
Oh, and, Santa – we’ve all been really good this year. How about it, in 2026?
Thanks 21st,
Late to the party but Merry Christmas from an unseasonally Qld tropical thunderstorm as we’re about to have Xmas dinner.
Best wishes to all Gooners far and wide. Hoping for the under-fire Poms to smash them in the Boxing Day test (unlikely) and for the Arse to smash Villa to put them and Emery back in their box.
UTA.
…and a Merry Christmas to our American readers.
CER @15. Ah Feliz Navidad. Harry Redknapp says he’s a smashing little player and he’s going to try and do a deal when the window opens next week. 😂
Enjoy your Christmas one and all.
We support a very special club
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/24/this-is-something-he-is-never-going-to-forget-arsenal-stars-bring-festive-joy-to-great-ormond-street?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Merry Christmas to one and all. Peace and goodwill to everyone (except Tottnumb).
Thanks all for making this a great little subset of the Arsenal community.
C109 @18- Harry probably thinks Buon Natale is the lead singer of U2.
merry christmas, all.
and raise a drink to our friend, dave faber, six years gone, too early…
Happy Christmas, one and all.
And what Scruz said @21 about the Guv’nor.
The Guvna! 🥃
Dave left the crease far too soon.
A very merry Christmas and a happy & healthy new year to follow.
I raise my glass to the memory of the Guv’na – Dave Faber 🥃
Merry Christmas everyone!
I raise a glass 🥃 to the memory of Dave Faber , the creator of this corner of the Goonerverse
RIP Dave
A very merry Christmas to all who haunt this fine establishment. 👻
Thanks 21CG – a good summary of a frustrating game. Arsenal pummelled Palace and could have had 5 or 6 over the 90 minutes but were kept out by an inspired keeper and the odd bit of weak finishing. A high class penalty shoot out saw us through -we seem to be quite good at those.
Raising a late glass to Dave – how is that sad day six years ago …..
As per the above and, somewhat belatedly , here’s to The Guv. What a legacy you have left, Sir.
CER @29, up with the lark on Boxing Day! – impressive, but you dropped an o! Or are you transitioning to Click from Clock? BTW are larks even around these parts on Boxing Day?
Hope everyone had a cool Yule. It’s back to business now.
Boxing Day marks the ceremonial walk around Dunorlan Park and then a very welcome cup of coffee. I hope those lads are in training for Brighton and don’t have too much Christmas fare to run off . But also that we don’t wear them out or – perish the thought- injure them either !
>>>>>>>