The Reigning FA Cup Holders Actually Play Like They Are

Arsenal went against the grain and didn't fall prey to the lower-division black hole that is the FA Cup's fourth round.

The Gunners prevailed in an electrifying 2-3 brawl against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Up to that point, Premiership big brands had misfired, but the Gunners' aim was true.

It helped that they had their two aces back in the deck, and they proved to be the trump cards.

Theo Walcott was the fastest man on the pitch and the quickest to score, as well.

Nice way to come back, dude.

Mesut Özil came from Real Madrid in exchange for a hefty fee. The Gunners expect him to create and score, and maybe now he'll starting providing a return on investment:

The underdogs then pulled one back -- thanks to Chris O’Grady -- but what was the defense doing? Dude got out of the way just in time ...

... but the dude before him? A Liverpool kiss? Really? Apparently Zinedine Zidane’s got a ton of influence on a few Arsenal players. Et tu, Giroud?

Meanwhile, Özil isn't just a hitman; he’s a wingman, too:

Tomáš Rosický may be challenging Ozil for sniper status with shots like that.

Still, Brighton & Hove believed a comeback was in the air after Samel Baldock's goal

But the FA Cup's fourth-round craziness had run its course, and that was the final whistle.