Match Review: Hull City 2 Arsenal 3 (AET) - FA Cup Final - 17.05.14

Unbelievably, it almost got even worse straight after that, as a corner came in and Alex Bruce looped a header towards the far post. It was destined for the net, but Kieran Gibbs managed to head the ball off the line as the rest of the defence was still reeling in shock.

Memories of Birmingham in 2011 were swimming before our eyes as another humiliation beckoned. Nobody expected us to do it the easy way, hence why everyone felt terrified before the game. But with not even ten minutes gone, nobody would have guessed we'd already be facing a mountain of Everest proportions. For me, disbelief turned quickly to a sort of panicked distress. The only time I'd felt that way during an Arsenal match before then was at the end of the 2006 champions league final. It was not supposed to be happening this way. At such times, a moment of magic is required. Something extraordinary. A player needs to put his hand up and pull the team back from the brink. It didn't happen in 06, 07 or 11, but at the fourth time of asking, someone final produced that magic moment to arrest the slide.

Alex Bruce barrelled through Santi Cazorla five yards outside the Hull penalty area, giving us a sight of goal or an opportunity to swing the ball in for someone to get their head on. Podolski and Cazorla stood over the ball and it became clear that one of them would be having an attempt on goal. Cazorla took on the responsibility and he hit the sweetest free kick he's ever hit in his life. The ball fizzed towards the top corner and although McGregor got fingertips to it, he couldn't stop it crashing into the back of the net. It was an absolute wonder goal. The commentators seemed disappointed with McGregor's effort to stop it but, realistically, he had no chance. The importance of that goal was immeasurable, not only did it bring us back into the game, but the spectacular nature of it lifted everyone and brought the belief back. All this and only 17 minutes had passed.

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After Cazorla's free kick, Hull retreated. Before the goal, they'd been pressing forward, keeping possession and looking much the better team. Once we pegged them back, we controlled the possession and looked to do most of the pressing. But there was something very lack lustre about the way we came forward. There was none of the normal flowing passing and movement and Hull found it fairly easy to keep us at arm's length. Whether it was down to the shock of the first 15 minutes or the occasion or whatever, we looked meek and afraid. At half time, despite having pulled a goal back, we were still in a very perilous position.