Arsenal FC: Gunners Draw Leeds United in FA Cup for 2nd Year Running

The draw for the third round of the FA Cup took place yesterday and Arsenal were paired with Leeds United for the second season in a row.

The Gunners will begin their foray into the world's most famous cup competition by entertaining championship outfit Leeds on the weekend of January 7/8th.

The tie is sandwiched in between two tricky looking away fixtures against Fulham and Swansea City respectively.

The FA Cup probably represents Arsenal's best chance to end their painful trophy drought. It's difficult to imagine Arsene Wenger's team recovering enough from their poor start to finish at the summit of the Premier League.

While the Gunners have been impressive in the UEFA Champions League so far this season, there are still doubts about how well this rebuilt squad will fare against the competition's elite.

A genuine effort to secure the cup is therefore vital. Arsenal disappointingly limped out at the quarter final stage last season.

The Gunners failed to overcome a makeshift Manchester United team at Old Trafford. More determined performances will be needed this time around.

Arsenal fans should always have fond memories of a competition that has been kind to the club throughout its storied history.

For the modern generation, the dominance of Wenger's Arsenal in the FA Cup has sadly become a distant memory.

In the early part of the last decade, Arsenal simply owned the FA Cup. In a five-season span beginning in the 2000/01 campaign, Arsenal played in four finals, winning three.

These were great days in the cup. No draw at all was beyond the Gunners. The 2002/03 cup winning run saw superb away victories against both Manchester United and Chelsea.

Sadly, since Patrick Vieira's winning spot kick against United in May 2005, the Gunners have failed to approach the same level of success in the FA Cup.

The closest they came was the semifinal in April, 2009. Arsenal lost to Chelsea 2-1, as their London rivals cemented their status as the new cup kings.

This season could be different. The squad may be better equipped to handle the responsibility and wear and tear of a sustained cup run.

Getting past a resourceful Leeds side won't be easy. Simon Grayson's side took Arsenal to a replay last season. But Wenger's teams have never suffered defeat to lower league opposition in this competition.

It may have lost much of its lustre in recent years, but to many fans, the FA Cup still carries with it plenty of prestige. It could provide the perfect return to silverware for Arsenal.