It was a strange dismissal and a shame because for the majority of the night, West Brom had carried themselves well but tempers were raised when Wilshere was seen to be shouting at Thomas just before the player grabbed him around the throat.

West Brom manager, Roberto Di Matteo, said: “It was a red card. My player went to shake the Arsenal player’s hand, he refused and then reacted. There was an exchange of words, then there was a reaction. I know what was said, but I’m not saying that. I’m disappointed that Wilshere didn’t accept his hand. He wanted to help him get up, actually.”

Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, added: “My eyes are not great and my ears are even worse. I couldn’t hear anything from the touchline, but I don’t know. He looked like he responded, reacted, and in these cases you always need to control your nerves. I don’t know if he has any excuses or not, but Jack was upset as well. He said he was kicked.”

“Jerome was a bit impulsive, very talented, sometimes nervy and impatient as well. He lacked confidence when he was younger, but he seems to have found that now.”

Besides from this single incident which obviously ruffled a few feathers on both sides of the fence, it was the football that did the talking. Carlos Vela and Mark Randall scored the goals that have put Arsenal into the next round and the side have proved that their youth team is still a lot better than the first team of a highly rated Championship team.

Di Matteo has said that the club may appeal against Thomas’ red card and submit the words that were said as evidence of provocation on the part of the Arsenal player. However, unless the referee says so in his report, the matter is unlikely to be a great one for debate at the Football Association.

The point is that young players are passionate and they get very excited at times during a game. Although Thomas is now a lot more experienced he should have known better and given back the verbal volley instead of reacting to it physically.

One such player is Jack Wilshere, a highly rated teenager that is being tipped for club and international success in future seasons. Wilshere has performed in the Arsenal first team when many said he would not be able to handle the intensity and pressure of the massive situation that Wenger had dropped him into.

The Arsenal boss said: “I believe last year he paid a price physically for a very demanding start. This year he is strong, more mature, and I’m sure that he will show that tomorrow.”

“It’s difficult to treat players completely the same because you want to speed up a little bit their progress, but physically I will still treat them like anybody else. Most people once they get to 19 years of age without injuries are over-used. A big injury can always happen because you get over-use of the players.”

“We have four centre backs and he is one of the four because [Johan] Djourou is out for nearly the season. We know how good he is, but it is a new start, let’s say. He is still very young for a centre back. He’s 24 and he has the future in front of him. The best ten years are now coming for him. Philippe is an intelligent boy with a very good attitude and you don’t ever question that.”

Wilshere is still a very young man and his body is developing on a weekly basis. It is impossible for Wenger to think that he should be thrown in at the deep end against a lot of players who are physically big and strong.

On the one hand you do have to respect and admire Wenger’s football philosophy because it is a clever and smart one that is based on investing for the future. This is the way that he has developed every Arsenal side so far throughout his managerial career at the club.

On the other hand he needs to listen when people start telling him that certain players are too small or not maturely developed enough to be able to cope with the pace and pressure. The old age argument is that if you’re good enough you’re old enough but this does not detract from the obvious facts.