It was a match fitting for any final. While the final game of a domestic campaign can be a drab, drawn out affair that neither team wants to lose, Saturday’s FA Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea had a little bit of everything as the two London rivals went hammer and tong to lift the trophy. Many didn’t give the Gunners a snowball’s chance in hell of securing silverware at Chelsea’s expense, but this was Arsene Wenger’s eighth FA Cup final since taking charge of the north London side. He’s now won seven.
Jose Mourinho earns the plaudits for his record in cup finals, yet Wenger’s in this competition is unrivalled. Indeed, victory over the Blues saw Arsenal secure their record-setting 13th FA Cup trophy.
The pre-match chat was largely dominated by the potential absence of Shkodran Mustafi. With Laurent Koscielny suspended and Gabriel Paulista ruled out, to some it was vital that Mustafi be fit to feature, otherwise it would have seen Per Mertesacker make his first competitive start of the season. Of course, this shouldn’t have worried Arsenal and their fans. Their Big…Friendly German is a big man for the big occasion, as his World Cup and two FA Cup winners’ medals suggests. Did I say two FA Cup winners’ medals? I meant three.
You’d never have guessed Mertesacker was making his first competitive start for the season from his showing at Wembley. The 32-year-old was imperious at the heart of the Arsenal defence and was more than deserving of being on the winning side against Chelsea. Playing alongside a left-back by trade and a young centre-back in a back three - not to mention in front of David Ospina between the sticks - Mertesacker’s slotted in seamlessly, making seven clearances and mustering a pass success rate of 93%. While there were times when the former Germany international was caught short across the ground, his composure and proactivity at the back ensured Chelsea managed just the one goal, and even that was down to poor goalkeeping from Ospina.
Yet it wasn’t just Mertesacker who deserves plaudits for Arsenal’s FA Cup win, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck equally important over the 90 minutes. Playing in an unfamiliar left wing-back position, Oxlade-Chamberlain churned out a mature performance to keep Victor Moses quiet up until his sending off. Welbeck, meanwhile, proved just how essential he is for the Gunners both on and off the ball. His tireless work up until his withdrawal kept the Chelsea defence tied up and didn’t allow Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz or Gary Cahill the necessary time on the ball to play the ball out from the back, impacting Chelsea’s gameplan as a result.
It was little surprise to see Welbeck earn the fourth best WhoScored rating (7.35) in the encounter, while Oxlade-Chamberlain showed just why it’s so important for Arsenal to extend his current contract. Welbeck’s fine work though affected more than just Chelsea’s ability to play the ball out from the back. This allowed for the midfield to push high and ensure N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic were unable to influence play from the middle of the park. Much of this was down to Aaron Ramsey starting as the Wales international pressed higher up the pitch to not only capitalise on any space between the midfield and attack vacated when Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil pulled out wide, but keep Kante and Matic at bay.
It was his driving run from deep that saw him bag the winning goal, with substitute Olivier Giroud picking out the Welshman with his first touch that saw Ramsey power a header past Thibaut Courtois. Ramsey’s performance saw him earn the WhoScored man of the match with a rating of 7.83, though in truth, any number of Arsenal players warranted the accolade, not that they’ll mind considering their trophy win.
All in all, this was arguably Arsenal’s best showing of the season, but it begs the question - why couldn’t they have played all season like they did today? Granted, the change in system brought about a fine end of results, but a top-4 spot would have been sewn up with consummate ease had they maintained this performance level over the course of the campaign not just for 90 minutes at Wembley. Conversely, a major cup final sees players up their game, yet the way they soaked up pressure and kept Chelsea at bay was as impressive as they come.
While some are demanding Wenger leave the club now, there is a solid foundation to build upon, even masking for an underwhelming Premier League finish. It’s crucial then that the don’t let this opportunity slip to instead push on and look to establish themselves as the best team in England once more.
