SOCCER: Arsenal, who had looked misleadingly weary of late, sustained their quest to retain the double with remarkable vigour in this replay and now face Sheffield United in the semi-finals.
They lost Pascal Cygan to a red card and had their 2-0 lead eroded when John Terry made amends for an own goal by heading into the net after 79 minutes, but Lauren clinched the win three minutes later by roaming in from the right wing and firing left-footed past an unimpressive Carlo Cudicini.
Sometimes it takes all a manager's shrewdness to know whether he is weakening a line-up or bracing it. The visitors' fame index dipped since Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp were on the bench while the World Cup winner Gilberto Silva was nowhere to be seen, but the energy levels of the team had been increased.
Arsène Wenger can sound like a conditioning expert as much as a coach with his tendency to consider any Arsenal failure as a sign of weariness. For any FA Cup tie, though, a reverence for vigour is a wise starting point.
Ray Parlour had gladdened Highbury with his full-blooded scavenging when he came on to assist his side in the late strife of Sunday's 2-1 win over Everton. The midfielder was sure of a start last night.
There was a healthy lustre to Arsenal's thinking as well while they built a 2-0 lead over Chelsea in little more than half an hour. Patrick Vieira, despite his workload and a bothersome knee injury, was virtually indifferent to opponents as he enforced his will. It was of benefit, too, that the home coach had played into the visitors' hands.
Claudio Ranieri had turned to a 3-5-2 system this season only in the last two fixtures, but even he had indicated on Monday that it would be sensible to match Arsenal's 4-4-2 formation. Compulsive tactician though he may be, his second thoughts made Chelsea second best before the interval.
There was always a possibility of their defenders being outflanked, and Arsenal had the quality and industry in midfield to create the illusion that they were not outnumbered there. Chelsea bustled as if vexed by the knowledge that the club has not beaten Arsenal in an FA Cup tie since 1947.
Arsenal were sketchier for a while but delivered the opener in the 25th minute. Sylvain Wiltord found Vieira in space on the right and Terry had no choice but to try to block a dangerous low cross, even if he could do no more than bundle the ball into his own net.
Arsenal were at ease despite the semi-improvised team selection; Vieira was aloof. With that high carriage, he cruised down the centre of the pitch from his own half in the 33rd minute. The captain fed Wiltord, who slipped the ball past Cudicini at his near post.
In the first half, Chelsea had made their case meekly, with just a deflected free-kick from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to make the Arsenal goalkeeper Stuart Taylor stretch.
Arsena's Pascal Cygan, on current form, might make any team lose its balance and, when he swiped ineffectually at the ball, he attempted to avert danger by pulling Hasselbaink over in the 66th minute.
Cygan had already been booked and now David Ellaray showed him a second yellow card. It was as well for Arsenal that the officials had wrongly ruled the Chelsea substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen offside when sent clear by Gianfranco Zola.
Yet the FA Cup holders were forced to find out if they really had the desired reserves of energy. The situation must have been grave because Henry was at last shaken out of his repose on the bench, but his arrival could not discourage Chelsea from returning to contention.
Guardian Service
CHELSEA: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Le Saux, Stanic (Gronkjaer 34), Lampard, Petit (Gudjohnsen 58), Morris (Zenden 45), Zola, Hasselbaink. Subs Not Used: de Goey, Desailly. Booked: Stanic. Goal: Terry 79.
ARSENAL: Taylor, Lauren, Campbell, Cygan, Toure, Pires (Ljungberg 74), Vieira, Parlour, Edu, Wiltord (Henry 74), Jeffers (van Bronckhorst 67). Subs Not Used: Bergkamp, Warmuz. Sent Off: Cygan (66). Booked: Cygan, Lauren. Goals: Terry 25 og, Wiltord 34, Lauren 82.
Referee: D Elleray (Middlesex).
