The curtain comes down on the English football season as two familiar London rivals, Arsenal and Chelsea, go head-to-head at Wembley in the FA Cup Final this afternoon.
The Gunners knocked out holders Man City in the semis, whereas the Blues had to get past Liverpool, Leicester and Man United on route to the final.
Good day one and all.
This hasn’t been an easy season for Arsenal at all; winning just four of our first 15 Premier League games had us at a real disadvantage. But since Mikel Arteta’s arrival mid-season, we have seen a steady upturn in performances. However, the lockdown put a real dent in our momentum with results since the restart not completely satisfactory. This saw us finishing just outside the European qualifying spots in 8th-place.
So it all comes down to this; one game that could transform a disappointing campaign into a moderate successful one, with entry to next season’s Europa League. One game that could be the difference between Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang extending his Arsenal stay other not, one game that could be the difference between getting a shiny new toy, or promoting from within.
The Gunners do have pedigree when it comes to reaching the finals in the FA Cup and will hope to continue that trend today. However, the Blues are as prolific when it comes to playing in finals, but hopefully Baku is the furthest from our lads’ minds.
Frank Lampard was appointed at the start of the season with the club under a transfer embargo and having just sold their talisman Eden Hazard. Considering he guided his young side to top-four and reaching the FA Cup Final, he has done remarkably well in his maiden season.
However, that will not be enough, because with this their only chance at silverware, winning the Cup will be as important to them as it is for the Gunners.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their two league meetings with Arsenal this season (W1, D1). Interestingly, both matches were played with Arteta and Lampard in their respective dugouts. The Blues’ 2-1 win at the Emirates was Arteta’s first home game in charge. At Stamford Bridge it was very different with the Gunners showing real grit to come from behind twice after going down to 10 men in their 26th minute, to draw 2-2.
So this is the start of a new chapter in the battle between two rookie managers looking to win their maiden trophy in the Cup they lifted as captains.
Team news
Arteta used a 3-4-3 formation in the 2-0 win over Man City and is likely to go with that again, as well as a similar looking lineup. Though with Mustafi injured, Rob Holding once against get the chance of starting in the final of this competition.
Hector Bellerín missed the Watford game with a calf issue but was back in full training. So too first-choice goalkeeper Bernd Leno; however, Arteta has already confirmed that Emi Martinez will start between the sticks.
Prediction
No two teams have had more success in this famous old trophy than these two since the turn of the century.
This, of course, will be the third time in the last four seasons these sides meet in a finals, with varying success. With Chelsea finishing the league season 10 points better off than the Gunners, one would assume them having the edge, but it is Arsenal that have the love affair with the FA Cup in recent times … so this could be a very closely contested, low-scoring, yet very entertaining match. COYG!
— @LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
It is hugely to Arteta’s credit that today we are looking forward to a competitive, hotly contested encounter which could genuinely end up going either way. Eight months ago this simply would not have been the case. And brilliantly beating one of the wealthiest clubs en route will have served as fair warning to today’s opponents.
We do seem to perform best against the bigger sides (luckily we are not playing Spurs, ho ho ho), so I’m going for a home, sorry, an Arsenal win at a ground we are incredibly familiar with, with or without the fans.
COYG’s!!
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If I speak.
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Arteta is already a legend at the club with staff that survived Raul’s & Joshy Boy’s psychotic & Stalinesque purges (unless you are a bullshitting blagger with a gullible audience and supportive agent mates/family), with those Greats associated with the club and with many many of the fans who appreciated what he did for the club as a player and captain, but if his wins this final…
COYG
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I’m just thinking now how Torreira was playing ahead of Özil as an attacking MF in many of those first 15 games, Emery playing Xhaka as cover for Guendouzi… and idiots actually defended it.
We really have been put through the most this season. I’m really wishing for a happy ending from all that.
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Thanks Labo. This is a very tricky fixture, but we can prevail.
As you say , played them twice, fought back well at Stamford Bridge, and in our home fixture, denied a result by PGMOL tilting.
Maybe too close to call, should it go to penalties, could well be the final of Martinez, and what a story that would be
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Thanks Labo,
Huhh, this will be close. Like always .
But, we have a chance and that is really something. A reason to be cheerful whatever result may come.
Come On You Reds
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Everything crossed COYG.
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2 players in the subs who have yet to make their first team debut for AFC, Macey and Smith, in fact Smith still to make his senior debut.
Martinez
Holding David Luiz Tierney
Bellerin Xhaka Ceballos Maitland-Niles
Pepe Lacazette Aubameyang
subs Macey, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Saka, Torreira, Nelson, Willock, Smith, Nketiah
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a very soft goal to let in, uphill task now
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kovacic booked for bad challenge on Xhaka
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How bad? Lampard no stranger to the dark arts, judging by his targetting of Fabregas in the day
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a pepe goal ruled out rightly for offside, it was one hell of a finish, but I think it was lacca who was offside as he played the ball back in the build up
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penalty to Arsenal as PEA is brought down in the area
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VAR checking to see if foul inside or outside the area
Penalty given
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Aubameyang looks a bag of nerves
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Aubameyangggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg buries it, 1-1 come on you gooners
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if Pepe could use his right foot at all to play the ball he would be ten times more dangerous
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HT: Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
we started off poorly, CFC took the lead and were on top for next ten or so, but then we got into the game, had a Pepe goal disallowed for offside, then PEA won and scored a penalty, and we were then totally on top from there to end of the half. We really could have done with making our domination count, had a few good attacking opportunities but failed to put it away.
Have to ask why the CFC player was not sent off for giving away the penalty, he made not attempt to play the ball, he pull PEA back, that is a red card offense
All to play for in the second half
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we are butchering some good attacking positions
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we have gone a bit off in last five minutes or so, CFC on top
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Aubameyangggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg 2-1, what a great goal, bellerin opened them up with a storming run, pepe then got it to PEA and he skipped past the defender and dinked it over the keeper, come on you gooners
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I’m very fucking nervous now, haven’t had any nerves till now, but with 20 minutes left and us ahead, I’m shaking
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Kovacic gets a second yellow, and rightly so, chelsea down to ten
think ceballos got a yellow for asking for him to get a yellow,
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Danny Murphy sounds like he is about to cry
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Arteta just got a yellow card, don’t know why
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chelsea make a triple sub,
abraham, barkley, hudson-odai on for Giroud, rudiger and mount
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Martinez very close to handling the ball outside his area.
Nketiah on Lacazette is our first change, we can still bring on four more subs, ten minutes to go
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David Luiz down injured, Sokratis coming on, 3 minutes plus stoppage time to play
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barkely booked
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work work and work some more guys, come on you gooners
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7 minutes of stoppage time to be played
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that was headless by Bellerin, rushed in on alonso and sold himself, a CFC corner, thankfully Martinez catches it
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Martinez down injured from that clash as he caught the ball
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looks to be a bit of panic setting in to our players, losing the men they should be marking, and giving the ball back to CFC. Need to get hold of the ball and run down the clock
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Martinez claims the ball at the feet of Pedro, Sokratis had blocked off Pedro who is now down injured.
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Pedro still down, and looks like he is going off with a dislocated shoulder, so CFC will be down to 9 men for remaining minutes, so we are now likely to have added time to the 7 minutes stoppage time, which is up
Kolasinac coming on
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Kolasinac on for Tierney and we are over 102 minutes in
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Come on you Goonersssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss we’ve won the cup for the 4th time in 7 seasons
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Arsenal have won the FA Cup 14 times, and I in my lifetime have seen them win it in
1971
1979
1993
1998
2002
2003
2005
2014
2015
2017
2020
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is Matt Smith the first player, or first outfield player to win an FA Cup winners medal before he has made his senior first team debut.
He and Matt Macey have winners medals without making their AFC debuts
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Aubameyang with the two all important goals, and was given man of the match, but for me there was several outstanding performers, Bellerin, David Luiz, Tierney, AMN, Pepe, Ceballos and Xhaka all with great games today
Arteta wins his first trophy as Arsenal Head Coach, and gets us into EL next season.
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28 days till we play Liverpool in the Community Shield
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afcstuff
@afcstuff
·
21m
Mikel Arteta has become the first person in Arsenal’s history to win the FA Cup as club captain & as manager.
Trophy 2014
Trophy 2020
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Absolutely incredible, when you think where this club was when Arteta took over , and what he has had to cope with since arriving. This result could have big consequences.
This team should go down in club legend for what they have done in the most difficult and trying of seasons. Auba and Cebaillos will rightly get the headlines, but this was a team performance, and for me, Xhaka just played one of the game of his life once he got into the game. And just see what that meant to Argentina’s next keeper!
Through pure talent, hard work and resilience, won our cup, and we did it the hard way, witness the semi finalists! And did we even get the rub of the green a couple times with Anthony Taylor of all people….perhaps UA are right in their assumption refs are not under orders in the cup. Still, that was completely deserved, even Alan shearer said so.
I am sure The Man will be toasting this wonderful team and manager with something French and very expensive
But Arteta, what a start to his career as Arsenal manager, and what an inspired choice to replace a man I don’t even want to mention these days.
Just a little bit of revenge for Baku.
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So happy for MA and the entire team… glad they have gotten into Europe…
Great start to his coaching career… these wins build momentum…
Also likely cause Auba to sign and everyone in a happy preseason.
Means there are 4 teams in Europa right?
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Jest saw someone on twitter recall that 2011 MA signed for us after that 8-2 defeat I think along with about 3 or 4 other payers… did that not include Per? They helped steady the ship after Cesc and Nasri bailed out on us and now as Head Coach he has signed on and helped to steady it again…
So So happy for Him!
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Yep Per and Arteta did a lot for us back then, and they continue to do so now
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OMFG
COOOOOOOYG
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winning the cup could be so important for Arteta, it gives him something in the bag if we struggle at any point next season, trophy winning head coaches are not as easy to sack as non trophy winning head coaches
also reaffirms to the guys above him that they have the right guy, that he is worth backing, worth taking a little more risk on the players he wants
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Raul wanted to offer Emery an extension after he embarrassed himself and the club in Baku. I hope he got the papers ready for Mikel who just saved him and our season under extremely difficult circumstances.
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