FA Cup Final - Saturday 27th May - Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal

[Stan]

3 FA Cups in 4 years. Fair play. 

[Hugh Jass]

Congratulations to Arsenal, a well deserved victory. They were by far the better team. I thought they might pay the price for not taking a bigger lead into the half time interval, but thankfully they didn't. They definitely saved their best performance for last.

*Controversial opinion alert*

If I was an Arsenal fan who has no vested interest in their balance sheet, I would prefer to see them finishing 5th and winning the FA Cup like they have done, rather than finishing 4th but without a trophy. 

[Stan]

1 minute ago, Hugh Jass said:

Congratulations to Arsenal, a well deserved victory. They were by far the better team. I thought Arsenal might pay for not taking a bigger lead into the half time interval, but they saved their best performance for last.

*Controversial opinion alert*

If I was an Arsenal fan who has no vested interest in their balance sheet, I would prefer to see them finishing 5th and winning the FA Cup like they have done, than finishing 4th without a trophy. 

do you reckon they've had a more successful season than Spurs?

it's essentially 1 FA Cup vs Champions League qualification and finishing 2nd...

[SirBalon]

It won't happen today because Wenger is way too traditional for that (I think), but this is a good way for him to step aside and let us move on.  Please don't create more friction and let us remember you for everything you've given us.  PLEASE!

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

do you reckon they've had a more successful season than Spurs?

it's essentially 1 FA Cup vs Champions League qualification and finishing 2nd...

Definitely!

[Cure]

Granit Xhaka looks like a right tool with that scraf wrapped around his head.

[Hugh Jass]

Just now, Stan said:

do you reckon they've had a more successful season than Spurs?

it's essentially 1 FA Cup vs Champions League qualification and finishing 2nd...

Again being controversial, I would say yes. 

Give me trophies over qualifying for a competition that neither Spurs or Arsenal have any chance of winning anyway. And Spurs haven't won anything other than the League Cup since 1991. 

Again this is me talking as a fan, and not as a director or shareholder who needs to worry about the club's finances. 

[Inverted]

I'm chuffed for Mertesacker. 

[Cicero]

Congrats Arsenal. Dominated the entire game and was the only team on the pitch to treat the game for what it was, a Final. 

 

Personally hope that is the last we ever see of Matic in a Chelsea kit and Moses in the starting XI. Sincerely hope Moses gets a lengthy ban for that blatant cheating.  That's the thing with Moses, as much as this position suits him, he lacks the one thing a proper wide player needs, a good cross. So many times throughout the season a player has been open in the middle and he has failed to deliver a ball. Whether it was just a shite attempt or he didn't even bother crossing it to him. Just look how open Cesc was in the build up to that red card. Yet again, Ignored him completely and decided to fuck up our chances even more by cheating. 

Feel sorry for Conte. Our players were on holiday.  The build up to this final with the comments they made this week just now only looks embarrasing by all accounts. Not one player had a good game. Couldn't care less about Sanchez handling the ball, we were half arising it since kickoff which allowed him to even get into that position to begin with. Half Arseing it. In a fucking final. Just no excuses at all for that.

Round the 85th minute mark you could see Costa, Hazard, Cesc, and Kante all pressuring Arsenals back line, as well as Azpilicueta running trying to pressure the entire back line. Little too late for that I'm afraid. Price you pay when you don't start the game matching the intensity of the opponents. 

If this doesn't give our board the reality check to give Conte the funds to strengthen this summer (given the fact we have the tendency to not strengthen after league title wins), than I don't know what will. Nike Sponsorship, Chinese transfer profits, as well as league title win profits, we should be looking to upgrade on our squad massively. 

[Toony]

11 minutes ago, Stan said:

do you reckon they've had a more successful season than Spurs?

it's essentially 1 FA Cup vs Champions League qualification and finishing 2nd...

No I don't.

[SirBalon]

4 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Again being controversial, I would say yes. 

Give me trophies over qualifying for a competition that neither Spurs or Arsenal have any chance of winning anyway. And Spurs haven't won anything other than the League Cup since 1991. 

Again this is me talking as a fan, and not as a director or shareholder who needs to worry about the club's finances. 

It's not controversial at all mate...  Taking everything into context, we're not contenders for winning the Champions League and fans want to be that and it means nothing to me personally to be a participant.  We need to rebuild and not qualifying is one of the best things that's occurred to Arsenal since we were doing great deeds at the start of Wenger's career at Arsenal.  We've won a trophy!  Football fans should want to contend to win trophies and once they're won, then celebrate.  It's the dream football is about.

[Hugh Jass]

11 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

It's not controversial at all mate...  Taking everything into context, we're not contenders for winning the Champions League and fans want to be that and it means nothing to me personally to be a participant.  We need to rebuild and not qualifying is one of the best things that's occurred to Arsenal since we were doing great deeds at the start of Wenger's career at Arsenal.  We've won a trophy!  Football fans should want to contend to win trophies and once they're won, then celebrate.  It's the dream football is about.

Completely agree with all of that mate. Winning trophies is more important, and as you said Arsenal would only be making up the numbers n the Champions League anyway, awaiting yet another defeat to Barcelona or Bayern. 

Similarly when Wigan were battling against relegation from the Premier League and awaiting their FA Cup final against Man City in 2013, if I was a fan I would have much rather seen them win the FA Cup (the first trophy in their history) but gone down, than lost that final but stayed up, only to face yet another battle for survival the next season. 

 

[Honey Honey]

The New Wembley has to be the worst cup final stadium ever built. Players walking up steps and lifting the trophy surrounded by empty seats then an on pitch celebration in front of the winning fans with an empty middle corporate tier.

[Chaaay AFC]

Superb day and arguably our best performance in a very long time. Full credit too Wenger today for getting it right, was put in a difficult position with our defence, but did brilliantly to overcome it. The whole team was magnificent I couldn't fault one player, the back 3, Ramsey & Sanchez the stand-outs for me. Anyone of them 5 could've had MOTM. Overall a superb way to end a extremely disappointing season.

We'll find out next week the future of Wenger and then a very important summer ahead for everyone involved at Arsenal.

[SirBalon]

29 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Completely agree with all of that mate. Winning trophies is more important, and as you said Arsenal would only be making up the numbers n the Champions League anyway, awaiting yet another defeat to Barcelona or Bayern. 

Similarly when Wigan were battling against relegation from the Premier League and awaiting their FA Cup final against Man City in 2013, if I was a fan I would have much rather seen them win the FA Cup (the first trophy in their history) but gone down, than lost that final but stayed up, only to face yet another battle for survival the next season. 

 

It was hypothetical I know, but some Leicester fans would rather have stayed in the Premier League (when they were under threat) than hypothetically winning the Champions League which is the most coveted club trophy of them all. Try telling that to the players!

[Scousermum]

Congratulations to Arsenal they deserved to win, the better team won. 

[True Blue]

Think i recall some FourSix say he expects a dodgy decision and a penalty for Chelsea? That first goal was pathetic for an Fa Cup final, he obviously pushed the ball with both hands and left himself clear in front of goal. How did that decision not decide the game? Hell i am not even bitter we were dog shit in the first half, improved in the second and Moses red made it very difficult for us. We managed to get one back and conceded one as fast as possible. Costa almost made it 2-2 with ten men but it wasn't meant to be. Arsenal did have a better game but if it was Chelsea with that shocking first goal we would probably be shut down as a club.

[Dave]

I've just got back from being in what must have been the most pro-Arsenal pub by Highbury. Fuck me. What an atmosphere.

It changed my opinion on Arsenal greatly. Full of people that wanted Wenger to do well. And found It hilarious that the greatest Chelsea team ever could not beat the worst Arsenal team Wenger has had in twenty years. Oh and theyve won more Spurs this season too.

[carefreeluke]

Congrats to Balon and Foursix and the other Arsenal boys, fully deserved.

Wenger did well tactically but we were all over the place first half, Xhaka picking up that fatal position in midfield that we always struggle against, see the Man City, Spurs and Southampton games towards the end of this season as evidence. If you're clever you can outnumber us in midfield and the best team I've seen do it against us was Man City at Stamford Bridge and that's why I fear for us in Europe next season against some of the best teams in the world that keep and use possession of the ball so well. It’s the reason why you saw Fabregas warming up so early, it was the reason why Pedro tucked himself inside after about ten minutes and to be fair to Conte he normally always addresses it but we were all over the place first half. Watch Xhaka that first half, it confuses the fuck out of Kante and Matic as they don't know whether to press or sit, when they go press Sanchez or Ozil are free in behind them, it’s like a game of trying to draw Kante and Matic out.

The above was a problem as it has been a few times this season but we can normally ride those waves and resist the pressure very well if we’re organised and disciplined enough. When you add a team setting up tactically like Arsenal did today with the fact that we played with no intensity and our pressing was erratic, disorganised, and too passive, (not at the intensity expected, I’d go as far as saying one of the worst we’ve been all season) you’re asking for trouble. We improved mid way in the first half when we pushed up higher and also had a good period second half but overall not good enough. Combine everything above and Arsenal were like a knife slicing through butter.

Please someone do a clip of Matic defending and pressing the ball this game, total embarrassment. Pedro was once again levels above some of our players in terms of mentality (not the first time to happen this season) and once again it will go unnoticed. I got in from the game tonight and re-watched the first half and it was good to see Danny Murphy praising him for it.

I’m over the moon with Conte’s first season and it’s been class but a big shame to end on a downer against a big rival. We must get the right quality in over the summer, it’s essential, I would have said the same if we had won 7-0 today and have been saying it all season really.

[Harry]

6 hours ago, Stan said:

do you reckon they've had a more successful season than Spurs?

it's essentially 1 FA Cup vs Champions League qualification and finishing 2nd...

Nope.

Its great that they won and that is definitely a big achievement but what you want to see is incremental improvement in the league to the point where they challenge for the title. 

Arsenal were mediocre this season and in fact a step back on the previous. 

I would take 5th and an FA cup over 4th every day of the week but spurs put up a genuine fight to Chelsea for the title which is a huge achievement in itself. 

On paper second and fourth come to the same thing but as a fan a genuine title challenge is a big achievement. 

[LFCMadLad]

I'd rather us finish 11th and win the FA Cup than just finish 4th to be honest. 

Its all about the silverware, the pots and pans. 

[Cicero]

2 hours ago, Aaroncpfc said:

I've just got back from being in what must have been the most pro-Arsenal pub by Highbury. Fuck me. What an atmosphere.

It changed my opinion on Arsenal greatly. Full of people that wanted Wenger to do well. And found It hilarious that the greatest Chelsea team ever could not beat the worst Arsenal team Wenger has had in twenty years. Oh and theyve won more Spurs this season too.

Behave. It's good but not invincible. No where near our 2005 team. And in a one off game, anything can happen. Worst Chelsea team in the abromovich era beat a prime Barcelona. 

[Spike]

2 hours ago, Aaroncpfc said:

I've just got back from being in what must have been the most pro-Arsenal pub by Highbury. Fuck me. What an atmosphere.

It changed my opinion on Arsenal greatly. Full of people that wanted Wenger to do well. And found It hilarious that the greatest Chelsea team ever could not beat the worst Arsenal team Wenger has had in twenty years. Oh and theyve won more Spurs this season too.

 It's a decent team propped up by a world class manager. It'd get smacked by the 08-10 team.

[Harry]

1 hour ago, LFCMadLad said:

I'd rather us finish 11th and win the FA Cup than just finish 4th to be honest. 

Its all about the silverware, the pots and pans. 

That's pretty extreme mate. An 11th placed finish means 38 extremely frustrating games to sit through that would for any Liverpool fan fall extremely short of what you'd expect. 

[Hugh Jass]

Yeah I guess the difference between Spurs and Man City or Liverpool is that Spurs were at least in genuine title contention, and they secured their highest league finish for 54 years. Also Spurs punched above their weight to finish 2nd in the league given their lack of financial resources compared to the other top 6 clubs, while Man City underachieved by not challenging for the title, and from Liverpool's point of view it was about time they broke into the top 4 again after only doing so once from 2010-2016. 

I would definitely take Arsenal's season over Man City or Liverpool's, but I guess it's a different story with Spurs. Now if Spurs and Arsenal both replicate their same achievements from this season into next season, I think it would then be no-brainer that Arsenal will have had the better season. Spurs, with just the 2008 League Cup in their trophy cabinet from the 21st century, now need to push on and win something. 

It's amazing to think that at the start of Arsenal's cup run in the 3rd run, we totally outplayed them in the 1st half at Deepdale and nearly got a draw. Not that I'm still bitter about us narrowly missing out on a glamorous replay at the Emirates or anything.