Gunners in League Cup semis as Welbeck shot, the only one on target by either side sees off dour Wes

In truth it was a game which will disappear from the memory almost as quickly as the 45,000 who witnessed it did from the ground.

But a win is a win, and we’re now just one tie away from another Wembley final appearance.

Danny Welbeck’s fourth goal of the season a couple of minutes before the end of the first half, bundling in Mathieu Debuchy’s right wing cross, was enough to separate the teams. That it was the only shot on target mustered from either side tells most of the story.

There wasn't much else. Joe Hart was booked for a foul on Welbeck as the pair challenged for a loose ball on the edge of the box half-way through the second half in what at first looked like it could have been a penalty. Repays showed the referee probably made the correct call and that it was just outside.

At the other end even the belated introduction of Andy Carrol, often our nemesis, was unable to threaten.

The only sour note came when we lost Olivier Giroud to a suspected hamstring injury in the second half, at a time when it looked like he could have been about to play more of a central role in the first team again. Let's hope he's back before too long.

So all in all not a night to remember, but we've another semi to look forward to in the new year, and no doubt the kids will get another chance to prove themselves.