Arsenal against Chelsea

Chelsea still looking hungry as anything as they hound the ball from the Arsenal players.

Nasri will be replacing Denilson.

Samir Nasri is being readied. Wenger is going to have to gamble now.

Off comes Drogba's shirt in celebration, so I would imagine he will be getting a yellow for that, but he won't care.

GOAL! Didier Drogba gets on the end of a punt upfield, Silvestre can't keep up with him, and the Ivorian rounds the keeper to slot home.

And Adebayor stomps off the pitch, not looking too pleased, and Nicklas Bendtner replaces him.

And it's goodbye from Nicolas Anelka, who is replaced by Salomon Kalou.

Malouda breaks into the left channel and crosses, but a late flag pulls the action back.

Silvestre and Drogba come together and the Arsenal man is outraged to be penalised for what was a 50-50 challenge. Lampard lofts the free kick in, but Ivanovic can't get his head to ball properly, and flicks it out.

Eboue fluffs a clearance and Drogba picks it up and drives into the six-yard box, but just loses control and it runs out.

Chelsea pushing hard up the right now, as they look to settle things without extra time.

Fabregas tries to juggle the ball through at speed, but is penalised for fouling Terry in the process. By which he is quite outraged.

Arshavin is being readied. Looks like Van Persie who is coming off.

Chelsea launch the ball straight into the wall from the free kick, and it's cleared to Walcott, who hares away, but can't beat three Chelsea defenders.

Yellow for a foul by Denilson, who lays his hands on the referee as he complains, and he can perhaps count himself lucky that's all he sees.

Malouda finds space in the left channel and crosses for Drogba, but it's cut out.

Arsene Wenger none too happy as Adebayor claws down Drogba in the Chelsea area.

Arsenal move the ball up as they probe the Chelsea deffence.

Essien crunches Diaby from behind and gives away a free kickb in ther Arsenal half.

A clutch of fouls by Arsenal in midfield finally force the ref to blow.

Anelka makes a nice tackle at right back. There's something you don't see every day.

Fabulous move by Chelsea! Lampard slides it wide to Drogba, who immediately crosses back for Lampard, who volleys wide. Excellent stuff from the boys in blue there.

Malouda crosses from wide, and Anelka leaps at the far post, but can't get a good connection.

Walcott races away down the right after a cock-up from John Terry. He crosses for Diaby, but the cross is somehow cleared.

Van Persie lofts it in, but it comes to nothing.

Walcott is pulled back by Ashley Cole, and Arsenal win a free kick 30 yards out. Cole lucky not to see yellow there, perhaps.

Corner flighted in, but easily cleared.

Should that have been a penalty to Arsenal??? They have a corner, but Fabregas was shunted to the ground pretty violently by Malouda, who makes diving motions at the Arsenal man.

Drogba chases down a bouncing ball on its way to Fabianski, but is successfully blocked off by Eboue.

Arsenal looking like they have a little more fire in their bellies over the last 10 minutes.

Great move from Arsenal! Diaby skips through a couple of challenges, plays it right to Walcott, who crosses to the far post, but Van Persie can't quite reach it.

Neat Cruyff turn from Theo Walcott, but he pushes it on just a bit too far up the right channnel and it runs out.

Terry is back on his feet, and Arsenal have the ball as it is sportingly returned.

All the pressure coming from Chelsea here, but now John Terry is down injured, and there is a moment's respite for Arsenal.

Deep towards Terry, but his header is cleared by Diaby.

Chelsea win a corner.

Lampard steals the ball in midfield again, and a slick moves takes Chelsea to the heart of the Arsenal box, but somehow the Gunners scramble clear.

Lampard tries to sneak down the left channel, but he's flagged offside when he receives the lofted ball.

Adebayor makes a run for the near post as a cross comes in from the left, but Terry is with him all the way, and clears.

Lampard steals the ball in midfield and tries to feed Drogba, but Diaby gets a solid block in.

Walcott speeds away up the right, but yet again his cross is to the invisible man in the middle. Arsenal really look like they're missing someone up front.

Diaby lofts it in, Alex nods it towards the edge of the area, but Adebayor gets on it and volleys goalwards, but it's over the bar.

Van Persie lofts it in, but it's headed clear by Terry.

Arsenal push forward and win a free kick 35 yards out for their troubles.

There are no changes from either side.

Both teams are back out on the pitch, and Chelsea prepare to kick off.

Lampard bursts into the box on the right hand side, but can't quite find Anelka at the far post. And with that, comes the referee's whistle for half time.

Chelsea content to stroke it about in midfield.

There will be two minutes of time added on.

The Chelsea front line are putting a lot of pressure on the Arsenal defence, hoping to force an error.

Messy stuff from both sides, as they struggle to retain possession.

Ballack receives a yellow card for a late tackle on Fabregas.

Another poor cross from Arsenal. For a supposedly technical team, there are some very loose ball from the North London boys today.

Arsenal playing keepball, as they try to regain some composure.

Lampard is called offside as Chelsea pressure the Arsenal goal. The Gunners will be glad to see the back of this half.

Eboue breaks away down the right, and plays it wide to Walcott, but his cross is long and aimless, and bounces harmlessly through the Chelsea area.

Ivanovic goes sliding in on Robin Van Persie with a very clumsy tackle, and receives a yellow card for his troubles.

Chelsea have a corner. The tide well and truly with the Blues at the moment.

Bit of a let-off for Arsenal there, as Diaby is robbed in his own area, and Anelka almost fired home Chelsea's second.

Anelka fires against the Arsenal post!

Silvestre heads back to Fabianski, and Drogba, lurking, attempts to pounce, but he can't quite reach the ball.

Lampard lofts in a neat cross, but it hits Anelka on the back.

But the free kick is pretty tame, and easily cleared.

Ashley Cole is hauled back by Theo Walcott on the edge of the Arsenal area, and Drogba lines up the free kick.

All Eboue's fault, that one. Not a lot Fabianski could have done about that.

Oh dear, Emmanuel Eboue. Florent Malouda catches the Arsenal defender napping and cuts inside him to fire home inside Fabianski's near post.

Walcott lofts the ball into the danger zone, but there's no-one on the end of it.

Kieron Gibbs robs Ivanovic on the left and races away down the left, where he wins a free kick.

Ashley Cole wants a foul as he falls over on the left - nothing doing, says the referee. (And the 30,000 Gooners in the stadium.)

Bit of a let-off for Chelsea, that one.

Walcott is called offside,and receives a long ball and is through on Cech. Replay clearly shows him to be a good two yards onside, though. Very poor decision.

Arsenal win it back, and Adebayor tries to play in Van Persie, but it's blocked by Alex.

Arsenal pressure the Chelsea defence up the right side, but lose control and bereak through Essien.

Lampard plays a slide-rule pass through the middle to Drogba, and from the edge of the area the Ivorian looks to loop it into the top corner, but it's over the bar.

Arsenal break through Eboue, but Essien dives in to make the challenge.

Diaby pushes up and into the area, squares to Van Persie, but the Dutchman can't get a shot away, and it squirms up and into Cech's hands.

Ballack hoofs it forward straight to Fabianski.

Chelsea race away up the left again, and stretch Arsenal again, but Drogba can't keep it in play this time.

Lovely move from Chelsea. Frank Lampard strokes it up the left channel, and Essien and Drogba combine to flash the ball across the face of goal. Another close call for Arsenal and Fabianski, who has looked shaky.

Ballack wins a free kick and Chelsea push forward up the right to win a throw.

Here come Arsenal again, pushing up the right hand side, but Chelsea seem to have woken up a bit, and are now paying attention to their opponents.

That was some sloppy stuff from Chelsea, and they've only got themselves to blame for that.

Kieron Gibbs flights the ball in from the left, and Walcott volleys in from 8 yards. It struck Ashley Cole on the hand as well, which was probably what fooled Cech.

GOAL! Arsenal take the lead through Theo Walcott.

Arsenal push and probe up the right, but it comes to nothing.

Denilson gives the ball away with a sloppy pass in midfield and Ballack pounces. He drives on, and slides it left to Drogba, but he can't quite get his shot away.

Very poor. He doesn't get any height on the cross and it's easily cleared.

Arsenal looking more menacing now, and Walcott wins a free kick wide on the right. Van Persie to launch it in, it looks like.

Van Persie is caught by Ivanovic, and Arsenal have a free kick just inside Chelsea's half. Toure sends a long ball into the area, and Adebayor knocks it down dangerously, but there's no-one on the end of it.

Frank Lampard is looking to spray the ball long to Anelka and Drogba, but having little success with this ploy so far.

Lampard swings it in, but the ref spots and infringement, and it's Arsenal to clear.

Kolo Toure crunches into Ashley Cole and the ref has a word. Yellow next time, I should imagine.

It is Alex, but it's a daisy cutter, and the ball is easily cleared.

Essien is fouled by Diaby, and Chelsea win a free kick 35 yards out. Could it be an Alex special?

Chelsea applying some pressure now, and they play the ball neatly around the Arsenal box.

Alex launches the ball towards Anelka, but the ball runs out, and Gibbs throws in.

Arsenal playing a bit of keep-ball at the back, then try to break quickly, but Ballack makes a crunching tackle to clear.

The pitch seems to be cutting up very easily, leaving a lot of divots in the playing surface.

Walcott races away down the right, but Terry gets enough of a foot on it to win the ball back.

Real let-off for Arsenal, that one.

Fabianski has a nightmare! He totally misjudges a high ball, and Drogba plays it towards goal, but Gibbs races back to clear off the line.

Arsenal having the better of the opening exchanges, and they nearly break through the Chelsea back line, but the ball runs away from Adebayor.

Ivanovic stumbles over the ball in defence. Nervous start from the Serb there.

And away we go, and immediately Walcott looks to burst forward from midfield.

Arsenal look as though they will be playing with Denilson and Diaby sitting just in front of their defence as the North Londoners seek to shore up their defence. Chelsea will employ a similar formation, with Essien and Ballack performing a similar role.

Both teams are on the pitch, and both captains present bouquets of flowers to relatives of victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Afternoon all. Thanks for joining us for our live commentary on the first of this weekend's FA Cup semi-finals.

Yellow for a foul by Denilson, who lays his hands on the referee as he complains, and he can perhaps count himself lucky that's all he sees.

Malouda finds space in the left channel and crosses for Drogba, but it's cut out.

Arsene Wenger none too happy as Adebayor claws down Drogba in the Chelsea area.

Arsenal move the ball up as they probe the Chelsea deffence.

Essien crunches Diaby from behind and gives away a free kickb in ther Arsenal half.

A clutch of fouls by Arsenal in midfield finally force the ref to blow.

Anelka makes a nice tackle at right back. There's something you don't see every day.

Fabulous move by Chelsea! Lampard slides it wide to Drogba, who immediately crosses back for Lampard, who volleys wide. Excellent stuff from the boys in blue there.

Malouda crosses from wide, and Anelka leaps at the far post, but can't get a good connection.

Walcott races away down the right after a cock-up from John Terry. He crosses for Diaby, but the cross is somehow cleared.

Van Persie lofts it in, but it comes to nothing.

Walcott is pulled back by Ashley Cole, and Arsenal win a free kick 30 yards out. Cole lucky not to see yellow there, perhaps.

Corner flighted in, but easily cleared.

Should that have been a penalty to Arsenal??? They have a corner, but Fabregas was shunted to the ground pretty violently by Malouda, who makes diving motions at the Arsenal man.

Drogba chases down a bouncing ball on its way to Fabianski, but is successfully blocked off by Eboue.

Arsenal looking like they have a little more fire in their bellies over the last 10 minutes.

Great move from Arsenal! Diaby skips through a couple of challenges, plays it right to Walcott, who crosses to the far post, but Van Persie can't quite reach it.

Neat Cruyff turn from Theo Walcott, but he pushes it on just a bit too far up the right channnel and it runs out.

Terry is back on his feet, and Arsenal have the ball as it is sportingly returned.

All the pressure coming from Chelsea here, but now John Terry is down injured, and there is a moment's respite for Arsenal.

Deep towards Terry, but his header is cleared by Diaby.

Chelsea win a corner.

Lampard steals the ball in midfield again, and a slick moves takes Chelsea to the heart of the Arsenal box, but somehow the Gunners scramble clear.

Lampard tries to sneak down the left channel, but he's flagged offside when he receives the lofted ball.

Adebayor makes a run for the near post as a cross comes in from the left, but Terry is with him all the way, and clears.

Lampard steals the ball in midfield and tries to feed Drogba, but Diaby gets a solid block in.

Walcott speeds away up the right, but yet again his cross is to the invisible man in the middle. Arsenal really look like they're missing someone up front.

Diaby lofts it in, Alex nods it towards the edge of the area, but Adebayor gets on it and volleys goalwards, but it's over the bar.

Van Persie lofts it in, but it's headed clear by Terry.

Arsenal push forward and win a free kick 35 yards out for their troubles.

There are no changes from either side.

Both teams are back out on the pitch, and Chelsea prepare to kick off.

Lampard bursts into the box on the right hand side, but can't quite find Anelka at the far post. And with that, comes the referee's whistle for half time.

Chelsea content to stroke it about in midfield.

There will be two minutes of time added on.

The Chelsea front line are putting a lot of pressure on the Arsenal defence, hoping to force an error.

Messy stuff from both sides, as they struggle to retain possession.

Ballack receives a yellow card for a late tackle on Fabregas.

Another poor cross from Arsenal. For a supposedly technical team, there are some very loose ball from the North London boys today.

Arsenal playing keepball, as they try to regain some composure.

Lampard is called offside as Chelsea pressure the Arsenal goal. The Gunners will be glad to see the back of this half.

Eboue breaks away down the right, and plays it wide to Walcott, but his cross is long and aimless, and bounces harmlessly through the Chelsea area.

Ivanovic goes sliding in on Robin Van Persie with a very clumsy tackle, and receives a yellow card for his troubles.

Chelsea have a corner. The tide well and truly with the Blues at the moment.

Bit of a let-off for Arsenal there, as Diaby is robbed in his own area, and Anelka almost fired home Chelsea's second.

Anelka fires against the Arsenal post!

Silvestre heads back to Fabianski, and Drogba, lurking, attempts to pounce, but he can't quite reach the ball.

Lampard lofts in a neat cross, but it hits Anelka on the back.

But the free kick is pretty tame, and easily cleared.

Ashley Cole is hauled back by Theo Walcott on the edge of the Arsenal area, and Drogba lines up the free kick.

All Eboue's fault, that one. Not a lot Fabianski could have done about that.

Oh dear, Emmanuel Eboue. Florent Malouda catches the Arsenal defender napping and cuts inside him to fire home inside Fabianski's near post.

Walcott lofts the ball into the danger zone, but there's no-one on the end of it.

Kieron Gibbs robs Ivanovic on the left and races away down the left, where he wins a free kick.

Ashley Cole wants a foul as he falls over on the left - nothing doing, says the referee. (And the 30,000 Gooners in the stadium.)

Bit of a let-off for Chelsea, that one.

Walcott is called offside,and receives a long ball and is through on Cech. Replay clearly shows him to be a good two yards onside, though. Very poor decision.

Arsenal win it back, and Adebayor tries to play in Van Persie, but it's blocked by Alex.

Arsenal pressure the Chelsea defence up the right side, but lose control and bereak through Essien.

Lampard plays a slide-rule pass through the middle to Drogba, and from the edge of the area the Ivorian looks to loop it into the top corner, but it's over the bar.

Arsenal break through Eboue, but Essien dives in to make the challenge.

Diaby pushes up and into the area, squares to Van Persie, but the Dutchman can't get a shot away, and it squirms up and into Cech's hands.

Ballack hoofs it forward straight to Fabianski.

Chelsea race away up the left again, and stretch Arsenal again, but Drogba can't keep it in play this time.

Lovely move from Chelsea. Frank Lampard strokes it up the left channel, and Essien and Drogba combine to flash the ball across the face of goal. Another close call for Arsenal and Fabianski, who has looked shaky.

Ballack wins a free kick and Chelsea push forward up the right to win a throw.

Here come Arsenal again, pushing up the right hand side, but Chelsea seem to have woken up a bit, and are now paying attention to their opponents.

That was some sloppy stuff from Chelsea, and they've only got themselves to blame for that.

Kieron Gibbs flights the ball in from the left, and Walcott volleys in from 8 yards. It struck Ashley Cole on the hand as well, which was probably what fooled Cech.

GOAL! Arsenal take the lead through Theo Walcott.

Arsenal push and probe up the right, but it comes to nothing.

Denilson gives the ball away with a sloppy pass in midfield and Ballack pounces. He drives on, and slides it left to Drogba, but he can't quite get his shot away.

Very poor. He doesn't get any height on the cross and it's easily cleared.

Arsenal looking more menacing now, and Walcott wins a free kick wide on the right. Van Persie to launch it in, it looks like.

Van Persie is caught by Ivanovic, and Arsenal have a free kick just inside Chelsea's half. Toure sends a long ball into the area, and Adebayor knocks it down dangerously, but there's no-one on the end of it.

Frank Lampard is looking to spray the ball long to Anelka and Drogba, but having little success with this ploy so far.

Lampard swings it in, but the ref spots and infringement, and it's Arsenal to clear.

Kolo Toure crunches into Ashley Cole and the ref has a word. Yellow next time, I should imagine.

It is Alex, but it's a daisy cutter, and the ball is easily cleared.

Essien is fouled by Diaby, and Chelsea win a free kick 35 yards out. Could it be an Alex special?

Chelsea applying some pressure now, and they play the ball neatly around the Arsenal box.

Alex launches the ball towards Anelka, but the ball runs out, and Gibbs throws in.

Arsenal playing a bit of keep-ball at the back, then try to break quickly, but Ballack makes a crunching tackle to clear.

The pitch seems to be cutting up very easily, leaving a lot of divots in the playing surface.

Walcott races away down the right, but Terry gets enough of a foot on it to win the ball back.

Real let-off for Arsenal, that one.

Fabianski has a nightmare! He totally misjudges a high ball, and Drogba plays it towards goal, but Gibbs races back to clear off the line.

Arsenal having the better of the opening exchanges, and they nearly break through the Chelsea back line, but the ball runs away from Adebayor.

Ivanovic stumbles over the ball in defence. Nervous start from the Serb there.

And away we go, and immediately Walcott looks to burst forward from midfield.

Arsenal look as though they will be playing with Denilson and Diaby sitting just in front of their defence as the North Londoners seek to shore up their defence. Chelsea will employ a similar formation, with Essien and Ballack performing a similar role.

Both teams are on the pitch, and both captains present bouquets of flowers to relatives of victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Afternoon all. Thanks for joining us for our live commentary on the first of this weekend's FA Cup semi-finals.