Forget Next Season, Bask In This FA Cup Glory!

Match Review: Arsenal 4 Aston Villa 0 - FA Cup Final 30.05.15

What a way to end the season. Not only did Arsenal triumph at Wembley for the second year in a row, they dismantled Aston Villa in emphatic fashion. Villa didn’t even register a shot on target as Arsenal romped to victory in front of the jubilant Arsenal support. Winners for a record twelfth time, two in a row for the second time and an incredible sixth FA Cup winner’s medal for Arsene Wenger.

There were a few key selection issues for Wenger to tackle ahead of the game, namely who to play in goal and who to start up front. As many expected, Szczesny was given the nod, having started four of the five rounds before the final. Interestingly though, Arsene went with Walcott ahead of Giroud in the central striking role. Walcott had form on his side, having bagged a first half hat-trick against West Brom in the final league game, whilst Giroud was in relatively poor form given the season he’d had. The only concern I had was that we would lose vital physical presence against Benteke at set pieces, but it soon became clear that we would not have to worry much about Villa’s attacking threat.

Arsenal simply dominated the game, penning Villa back and causing lots of problems with our movement and passing. In particular Villa struggled to deal with a centre forward who was able to roam and move freely across the the pitch, which Theo did excellently to open up space. The midlands team looked nervous, whilst we seemed determined to make up for our disastrous start last year. Alexis had an effort blocked, Koscielny had one header wide from a corner and then another from an Alexis cross that was brilliantly saved by Shay Given. Ramsey had the first clear cut chance after a bobbling ball broke to him with just Given to beat, but he sliced the effort over the bar. When Walcott was denied what seemed a tap in by an amazing goal line block by Richardson, I was starting to fear that we would regret passing up on so many great chances.

Thankfully, though, my fears proved unfounded. We finally found the breakthrough with five minutes before half time. Coquelin started the move, sending a wonderful long range pass onto the chest of Walcott out wide. Theo moved it on to Monreal sprinting down the left and the left back hung the ball up towards Alexis. The Chilean magician beat two Villa defenders in the air to nod the ball down and Walcott took advantage, arriving late and hammering home a glorious left foot volley. When I say the Arsenal end erupted I’m not exaggerating even slightly. The mass of yellow in the east end of Wembley exploded into a cauldron of movement and noise as Walcott wheeled away in ecstasy.

There was a lot of relief amongst the fans, but scoring the opening goal in a cup final isn’t always a prelude to a comfortable win. We’ve found it many times in the past and Hull found last season that even the best possible start can end in heartbreak. Despite the fact the Villa were playing well below par, we were far from safe at 1-0.

It’s a good thing then, that we have one of the best players in the country, if not the world. Alexis has produced some absolutely world class bits of play this season, but what he pulled out of the bag in the cup final was probably his best yet. There’s not much to say about the goal in terms of build up, because there wasn’t much at all. Alexis simply picked the ball up 30 yards out, shifted it to the inside of the defender and absolutely spanked it off the crossbar and in. It was an unstoppable rocket, Shay Given even had a slight grin on his face as he sat up. The smile of man who knew he’d been beaten by an absolute screamer.

I think that goal finished Villa. They didn’t look like they had the fight to come back and I imagine seeing that Sanchez goal whistle in was like a punch to the gut. They really posed no threat at all, they couldn’t get hold of the ball and any concern we had about a pumped up Villa team capitalising on a complacent Arsenal performance were long forgotten. In all honesty, I think they froze and the occasion and atmosphere got to them. I’m not trying to gloat, it happens, especially if a team isn’t used to the big stage.

Villa were well and truly killed off just over ten minutes later. It was as simple as anything too, just a corner towards the penalty spot, Benteke went to sleep and Mertesacker had a free header. The BFG loves an FA Cup goal, having scored against Wigan last year and Hull and Villa this year. His face told the story of how he and every Arsenal fan felt. Delight, almost disbelief that we were cruising to a record breaking cup win.

There was just time, seconds before the final whistle for Giroud to poke home a fourth from a Chamberlain cross. Then it was party time. Last year was all about relief, ending the trophy drought and rediscovering the unbridled joy of winning silverware. This year felt a bit different. It felt more like a joyous affirmation that the Arsenal are back. Back to win trophies, back to compete with the best and more importantly, able to handle the big occasion that has choked us so many times before. Even in the semi final against Reading we were off form and struggled with the pressure. Villa didn’t turn up it’s true, but we were at the top of our game. We didn’t allow them into the game, we crushed them ruthlessly and efficiently.

Inevitably, focus will soon switch to next season and all the things we must and mustn’t do if we want to challenge for the league title. Not yet though. Personally, I’m not going to think about next season for a while, I’m going to bask in the warm glow of the FA Cup trophy. I’m going to milk it for all it’s worth, I’m going to walk around grinning like a fool, because we are the masters of the oldest football tournament in the world and I bloody love it.

Enjoy the summer, thanks for reading my ramblings for another year and I’ll be back next season to see where this wonderful team takes us next!

Teams

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)
Szczesny, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Alexis (Chamberlain 90’), Özil (Wilshere 77’), Ramsey, Walcott (Giroud 77’)
Subs
Ospina, Gabriel, Flamini, Wilshere, Chamberlain, Giroud, Gibbs

Aston Villa (4-4-1-1)
Given, Hutton (Y), Okore, Vlaar, Richardson (Bacuna 68’), Westwood (Y) (Sanchez 71’), Cleverley (Y), Delph (Y), N’Zogbia (Agbonlahor 53’ (Y)), Grealish, Benteke
Subs
Guzan, Baker, Bacuna, Sinclair, Agbonlahor, Cole, Sanchez

Player Ratings

Szczesny - 9/10 - One great punch, clean sheet, awesome
Bellerin - 9/10 - Clean sheet, attacked with pace and energy
Mertesacker - 9/10 - Scored the third, clean sheet, led the team superbly
Koscielny - 9/10 - Clean sheet, made Benteke look very poor
Monreal - 9/10 - Instrumental in the first goal, clean sheet
Coquelin - 9/10 - Dealt with the Villa midfield and attack with contemptuous ease
Cazorla - 10/10 - Ran the game in a way Delph could only dream of
Ramsey - 9/10 - Didn’t have to bother sticking to the right, roamed around and bossed it
Özil - 10/10 - YA GUNNERS YA
Alexis - 10/10 - Given will be seeing that ball flying past him in his nightmares for life
Walcott - 10/10 - Big game, big performance, give him a long, long contract Arsene
Subs
Wilshere - 9/10 - Played thirteen easy minutes and even then looked superb
Giroud - 9/10 - Picked up a goal and looked beautiful
Chamberlain - 9/10 - Assisted Giroud’s goal in his short cameo

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Match Review: Arsenal 4 Aston Villa 0 - FA Cup Final 30.05.15