According to Arsene Wenger, Thierry Henry has won “everything that there is to win in the world”.

Masterchef?

The striker, owing to a lack of match fitness, starts this evening’s encounter on the bench.

First thing’s first:

Arsenal - Szczesny, Koscielny, Miquel, Squillaci, Coquelin, Arteta, Song, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chamakh, Arshavin. Subs: Martinez, Park, Henry, Walcott, Benayoun, Miyaichi, Yennaris.

Leeds - Lonergan, Thompson, Lees, O’Dea, White, Townsend, Pugh, Nunez, Clayton, Becchio, Vayrynen. Subs: Taylor, Bruce, Brown, Sam, Forssell, Parker, McCormack.

The ball finds Arshavin in that familiar position on the left edge of the penalty area. The Russian nudges the ball forward once, twice, then fires a shot into the nearest defender.

Arsenal threaten again. This time, a through ball finds Chamakh charging through the centre of the field. He turns and rolls a pass into the path of Arshavin. Arriving on the ball at pace, the Russian sends a shot screaming over the bar.

Squillaci gifts possession to Townshend, who toe-pokes the ball past the lumbering Frenchman but can’t keep the ball in play.

Arshavin appears to have adopted something of a free role, roaming hither and thither in support of Chamakh.

Observation: the Moroccan international has an incredibly long neck and resembles a lizard.

Arsenal have settled into a comfortable rhythm, shuffling the ball around in midfield, occasionally lofting balls forward for Chamberlain and Arshavin.

Some impressive footwork from Aaron Ramsay sees him round White in the right corner. He measures a pass to Chamberlain who’s lurking on the edge of the box. In taking a moment to steady himself, the wingers cedes possession and collapses to the ground after launching a full-blooded air-shot.

Moments later, an arcing free-kick from Arteta finds the head of Squillaci whose effort fails to find the target.

Ramsay sends a shot soaring over the bar, drawing a chorus of  oohs from the crowd. When Arshavin does the same thing, the tutting is practically audible.

Arshavin is body-checked to the ground, but no one cares. He is the least popular kid on the playground. After a bewildered glance in the direction of the referee, he trundles off, rubbing his jaw.

Townshend has looked lively for Leeds this evening.

He draws a free-kick ten yards inside the Arsenal half and lofts a ball over the penalty spot. A defensive lapse (I’m looking at you, Squillaci) allows O’Dea to drive a volley at goal. Our first proper glimpse of Arsenal’s notorious vulnerability from set-pieces.

Chamberlain is penalised for… outpacing his marker?

Cocquelin has collapsed to the ground in pain. He’s writhing around near the touchline, a hand pressed against his hamstring, but Leeds opt to play on, drawing howls of indignation from the home support.

Ironic cheers abound when Becchio slices the ball out of play.

Becchio manages to turn Koscielny, but the Frenchman, who’s grown increasingly assertive in recent weeks, manages to squirm his way into possession again. Composed stuff.

Cocquelin’s suspect hamstring sees Nico Yennaris join the fray.

Arshavin charges at Thompson for the umpteenth time and, for the umpteenth time less one, fails to get the better of him. Frustrated, the Russian skids to a halt on the edge of the box.

Arsenal have completed 199 passes to Leeds’ 105, but have looked entirely toothless in attack. Their strategy seem to begin and end with encouraging Arshavin and Oxlade-Chamberlain to run at the full-backs.

Darren O’Dea receives a yellow card for a rash, sliding challenge on Marouane Chamakh.

Commenting on our “FA Cup LIVE” Facebook post, Aran Kelly asks: “Wha [sic] time is it on?”

A little over 45 minutes ago, it turns out; both sides stream from the field after what John Champion dubbed “an undistinguished half of football”.

Half-time: Arsenal 0-0 Leeds

You can get 7/1 on Arshavin scoring next, apparently. Having sufffered through his first-half performance, I counsel against the taking of that bet.

Arsenal began the game promisingly enough, but a one-note reliance on the pace of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arshavin has allowed the Championship outfit to grow into the game.

A lone gunman lurking amongst the Leeds faithful has lobbed a hot dog in the direction of ESPN’s pitch-side commentary team.  Robbie Savage is unimpressed.

POLL TIME! With Arsenal having failed to impose themselves on their lowly opposition thus far, what will the second half bring?

File under “harsh but fair”:

The second half is underway. Activity on the Arsenal bench – specifically, Thierry Henry’s decision to take a trot down the sideline – elicits the loudest cheer of the evening (so far).

Thompson, making his third appearance for Leeds, blocks another Arshavin effort.

After another Arshavin shot is charged down (and you think my repetition is annoying…), Clayton finds himself with acres of space in the middle of the park. He sweeps a cross the right wing, but the cross is a poor one and the attack stumbles to a close.

Finally! Arsenal threaten the Leeds goal. A low, side-footed effort from Arteta forces Lonegan to stretch and palm the ball clear of his post.

Moments later, a delicately chipped through ball finds Arshavin a yard clear of the Leeds defence. Dashing towards the left post, he only needs to chip the ball over the rushing Lonergan to put Arsenal in front, but he cuts a ball back inside… to no one.

Arsenal are laying siege to the Leeds goal. A hat-trick of chances in the last two minutes has induced a palpable sense of panic withing the ranks of the Championship side.

The Premier League outfit have upped the pace since the interval. The passing is more precise, the pace more threatening…

Seconds after slicing an attempted cross into deep into the stands, a volley from Alex Oxlade-Chamblerlain draws a fine save from Lonergan.

HENRY IS HERE!

Before you go getting all dewy-eyed…

Never forget.

Henry replaces ineffective beanpole Marouane Chamakh, while Theo Walcott jogs on in place of Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The crowd is going bananas.

Henry receives his first touch of the ball, but he’s miles off-side. Just like old times…

Michael Brown, who received a healthy boo-ing when he replaced Vayrynen, is penalised for dragging Theo Walcott to the ground. The resulting free-kick is wasted.

The Gunners find themselves with a corner from the right side of the Leeds goal. A poor delivery from Walcott puts Ramsay in difficulty at the near post, but the Welsh international– who’s been impressive this evening– executes a sumptuous pirouette and fires the ball back across goal. It’s intercepted, but Walcott is there to fire the rebound wide of the right post.

John Champion and Craig Burley are indulging in some passive-aggressive banter about the latter’s decision to name and shame celebrity-chef-slash-petty-thief Anthony Worrall-Thompson.

“I couldn’t resist it.”

“You never can.”

Mee-ow.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Leeds (Thierry flipping Henry!)

Thompson, who’s had an otherwise fine game, goes to sleep (not literally) and allows Henry to drift into his blindspot. When the perfectly-weighted through ball arrives courtest of Alex Song, he strides clear of the youngster to take a single deft touch and dispatch a gently-curling effort past Lonergan and into the far corner.

It looked effortless.

Alex Song, who’s taken up a more advanced role since the break, finds Andrei Arshavin in a position nearly identical to that from which Henry scored minutes ago.

Somewhat predictably, his wild hack finds the side netting.

Who’s going to win Man of the Match? The suspense…

They’ve only given it to Thierry Henry! Shocking.

Rounding successfully on a lay-off deep within the Arsenal penalty area, Forsell forces a save from Szczesny. It’s the Pole’s first real action of the match.

Arshavin is booked for manifest incompetence a rash challenge.

PEEP! The final whistle sends Henry sinking to his knees in victory. Arms aloft, face face skywards, he shouts something along the lines of “Get in!” and wandering over to the dugout.

Egad! YouTube has acted fast to block uploads  of the goal. Damn you, copyright legislation!

Henry may have lost a couple of yards of pace and the all-round physicality that made him a nightmare for central defenders in his prime, but his composure in possession made the difference for Arsenal this evening.

If he can reliably receive the sort of service Song offered him, he could become a potent impact substitute in the coming months.

Henry is all disbelieving shakes of the head and expressive, Francophone sighing during his post-match interview:

“I rejoined the club as a fan… Now I know what some of the guys that play for Liverpool or United or Chelsea feel.

“I see the bottle there; I think it’s a joke that I won Man of the Match.”

This has to be the fact of the evening, though:

With that, folks, I bid you adieu!

*UPDATE*

We have the goal: