Seventh Heaven: Underdog Arsenal Win FA Cup

Saturday 27 May 2017

Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1

Sanchez 4', Ramsey 79', Costa 76'

Arsenal saved their best until last. They entered Saturday's FA Cup final as underdogs and their opponents Chelsea were hotly tipped to complete a domestic double, winning both the league and cup. But as that historic warning goes, football matches aren't played on paper. It's about who turns up on the day, and in that respect, only the team in red and white actually did.

As the afternoon wore on, there were a few indicators that made me feel like the day would be a good one. Seeing Tomas Rosicky in the player's tunnel greeting all his former teammates and friends was one of them. When young defender Rob Holding tangled with Chelsea's pantomime villain Diego Costa early in the game, and began gesturing at Costa by pointing at his head, you could see Holding was up for the battle and wasn't going to let the Spanish forward's notorious antics affect him. And finally, when Alexis Sanchez flung himself at a Chelsea clearance, handling the ball in the process, then bypassed an offside Aaron Ramsey to coolly finish past Thibaut Courtois to give Arsenal an extremely contentious 1-0 lead, I just knew it had to be our day. How often does a string of decisions like that go in Arsenal's favour? Chelsea fans were outraged, and had good reason to be, but this made it all the sweeter for me.

After Saturday's decisive victory, Arsenal have won the trophy a record 13 times, putting themselves back on top as the most successful team in the competition. Arsene Wenger is now the most successful manager in the competition's 146 year history, winning the cup 7 times. He's won it as many times in his career as Chelsea and Liverpool have in their entire history. It's an understatement to say that that's a pretty impressive achievement.

Here are my player ratings for the game:

David Ospina (GK) - 7/10

I gotta admit, I had my doubts. He's been perfectly fine as the cup keeper this season, and was quite good against Manchester City, but I just got it into my head that Petr Cech would start in the biggest game of the season. Credit must go to Ospina though, he put in a solid performance and made some huge saves. He denied Costa twice and both were at crucial stages in the game, as well as making great saves against Victor Moses and a tricky N'golo Kante drive that deflected. I thought he could have done better for their goal, as he did get a hand to it, but the small deflection definitely affected him, as he'd shifted his feet and body weight to the left in anticipation. Overall, he played extremely well and was deserving of his starting spot.

Rob Holding (CB) - 9/10

Exactly one year ago, what was the young Englishman doing? He had just been relegated to League One with an awful Bolton Wanderers team, on which he was the only shining light, winning their player of the season award. He was still nearly 2 months shy of signing for Arsenal. Now look how far he's come in just 12 months, winning the first major domestic honour of his career. Over the past couple of months Holding became an integral cog in Wenger's new 3-4-3 formation. His performance in the final was outstanding, shackling Diego Costa for much of the game and refusing to be bullied by him. All at just 21 years-old. He's got future captain material written all over him.

Per Mertesacker (CB) - 10/10

O Captain! My Captain! Mertesacker made his first Arsenal start since 30 April 2016 but didn't show any signs of rust, and arguably put in the best performance of his Arsenal career. He was an absolute rock in the centre of defence, and his leadership qualities shone through in a faultless display. The BFG needs a statue outside the stadium. NOW. Perfection.

Nacho Monreal (CB) - 8/10

Monreal worked in partnership with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to nullify Chelsea's attack down the left all afternoon. Despite not being a natural centre back, Monreal didn't shy away from the task at hand, as many players may have against the Premier League champions. He hardly put a foot wrong and was his usual tenacious self, working well with Mertesacker to marshal the back line.

Hector Bellerin (RWB) - 7/10

The young Spaniard got the nod ahead of Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right flank and kept his opposite number Marcus Alonso quiet all day. Bellerin was absolutely tireless and kept pushing until the final whistle. He was unlucky not to score towards the end of the match, when he sprinted the length of the field, skinning the hapless David Luiz in the process, and narrowly missed scoring in the bottom corner. How should he celebrate winning the cup? A trip to the barbers!

Aaron Ramsey (CM) - 9/10

The guy just loves an FA Cup final. Imperious in midfield against quality opposition in Nemanja Matic and Kante, and later Cesc Fabregas, Ramsey showed all of them how to play a complete game, a true box-to-box midfielder. Disciplined in defence and assured in attack, he was absolutely everywhere. When he popped up to meet Olivier Giroud's cross and nod home what would prove to be the winner, well I'm sure you, like me, went wild in celebration. The Welshman is making a habit of this trophy-winning-goalscorer lark.

Granit Xhaka (CM) - 8/10

He sure picked an opportune day to have his best game in the Arsenal red and white. Up against Kante, a midfielder most critics and fans would have preferred Arsenal had purchased instead last summer, Xhaka showed his true quality and left his French counterpart in his shadow. He was largely mistake-free and showed off his impressive range of passing skills, and I was amazed at his discipline defensively; gone was that reckless abandon he usually exhibits in his tackles, and instead was a composed, confident, and thoughtful midfield general. More of the same next season please Granit!

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (LWB) - 7/10

With Kieran Gibbs missing out due to injury, the Ox was called on to man the left flank, a position he's unaccustomed to. Nevertheless, Alex didn't balk at his new responsibilities, and put in a fantastic showing defensively. He didn't get forward as often as he'd probably have liked but I can't fault him for prioritizing his defensive duties, especially considering who he had to protect in the centre. Moses kept testing Oxlade-Chamberlain up until his eventual sending off, and the Englishman never wilted. A fine way to cap off what's been a great season for the 23 year-old.

Mesut Ozil (AM) - 7/10

It's been said time and time again, but the German superstar really does divide opinion, and no more so was that evident than this FA Cup final. I've seen quite a few reports that Ozil ran the show on Saturday but honestly, I didn't see it. He had some great opportunities to kill Chelsea off but he couldn't deliver. Yes, his passing was usually accurate as we've come expect, and his off-the-ball movement does set him apart from his peers, but I didn't feel any of his output was particularly incisive. I can't knock him too much but I still get frustrated by his overall style of play. Maybe I'm too hard on him, but when you're the club's record signing, very big things are expected and I'll admit that has got to be difficult for anyone.

Alexis Sanchez (AM) - 9/10

The Chilean wasn't my choice for man of the match but he was obviously still one of the best players on the park. His goal to open the game was clinically taken (always play to the whistle kids) and even if it was fortuitous, he still showed the will and desire to chase what a few players would have judged as a lost cause. His pass into Giroud to create the second goal was sublime as well. Sanchez was a menace all game, drifting in off the left flank, and you could tell Chelsea were scared of him. If it does turn out to be that Saturday was his final Arsenal game, then what a way to go out.

Danny Welbeck (ST) - 8/10

I had a feeling Wenger would opt for the Englishman over Giroud, purely for the extra level of danger his movement and pace can cause defences. His constant running and pressing really upset Chelsea's rhythm and he was at the heart of some of our best moves. Welbeck was so unlucky not to score with a header that clipped the post in the first half. His aim for next season should be to stay fit and work on his finishing, as he's so close to being an incredible centre forward for us. He's already a fan favourite.

Substitutes:

Olivier Giroud - 8/10

First touch of the game and he sets up the winner. What more can you ask for? An impact sub for the ages.

Francis Coquelin - 6/10

Booked almost as soon as he got on the pitch and had the audacity to perform stepovers in Chelsea's corner. After that moment of madness he settled and helped see out the game.

Mohamed Elneny - N/A

The Egyptian didn't get much time but it was nice to see him make an appearance.

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And now, reports today indicate that Saturday was not to be Arsene Wenger's swansong after all. According to various sources, Wenger will not be standing down as manager as some had predicted, and he has agreed on a 2-year contract which is likely to be announced officially by the club on Wednesday. Did you really think he was going to walk away? I'm honestly not surprised but I'm not unhappy either. I still believe the team could do with a fresh approach, because one trophy doesn't erase the last couple of years of staleness. Once he signs on the dotted line, the club and it's fans need to get back to supporting the team. Enough of this bullshit with flying planes and stadium protests directed at the manager. If you're gonna get angry, then by all means aim your vitriol at our silent owner, the one in the dodgy suit. However, I do hope that Wenger has taken note of all that has happened this season and vows for it not to continue. If he can get this team to play every game with the kind of spirit and intelligence they displayed on Saturday, then we'll be going in the right direction. I think, for me, that's all we can ask for.

Euro 2016 - Arsenal Group Stage Grades

The group stages at Euro 2016 have concluded and we now have a small break until the knockout rounds begin on Saturday. There's been a number of Arsenal players in action for their nations since the tournament began on 10 June so I thought I'd review how each of them have gotten on. Let's start with the local boys:

Laurent Koscielny

The 30 year-old central defender has been the core of the French defence, forming a solid, occasionally shaky partnership with Adil Rami. Many fans and critics were skeptical of the French back-four ahead of the competition but they've been remarkably stingy, keeping 2 clean sheets and allowing just the 1 goal, against Romania in the first game. Koscielny has been their rock, like he is every week for Arsenal. He's started every game for France and played all 90 minutes in each match. The home nation are still struggling to find their best form and setup, but Koscielny is one of the first names on the team-sheet and the best defender France have.

Pro's: His usual reliable self, getting key interceptions.

Con's: Isn't getting forward much, still has the odd shaky moment with Rami.

Grade: 7/10

Olivier Giroud

French manager Didier Deschamps put all of his eggs in the Giroud basket by leaving Karim Benzema and Alexander Lacazette at home, much to the dismay of French fans who wanted as much firepower up front as possible. But Giroud rewarded the manager's faith in him by scoring the opening goal of the tournament, racing in front of Romanian goalkeeper Ciprian Tătăruşanu to glance in a header to give France the lead before a late Dimitri Payet thunderbolt rescued the hosts late on. However, Giroud has been wasteful in front of goal since that opening match, missing a host of chances against Albania, frustrating his manager and the fans alike. He was rested/dropped for France's final group game against Switzerland, which they drew 0-0, but to Giroud's relief his replacement André-Pierre Gignac was largely anonymous against the Swiss. I would expect our man to be back in the lineup for their knockout game on Sunday against the Republic of Ireland. If he does start, he'll need to get off the mark quickly as I can't see him lasting the 90 minutes unless he can net a goal before the hour mark. Best of luck to him.

Pro's: Has the backing of the manager, still has a good scoring record in his last few French games.

Con's: Far too profligate in front of goal.

Grade: 6/10

Granit Xhaka

The Arsenal new boy has been a revelation and has quietly been one of the best players at the tournament. He's officially been awarded the Man of the Match prize twice, against Albania and Romania, and BBC voted him as their Man of the Match in Switzerland's final group game against the hosts France (UEFA thought his teammate Yann Sommer deserved the honour.) His playmaking abilities from the centre of midfield have been astonishing; the guy knows how to pick a pass, he's got incredible range. Xhaka routinely drops deep to collect the ball from his defence before spreading the ball forwards like a quarterback, with remarkable efficiency too. He's played every minute of every game and routinely ends each match as having the most touches on the ball. He's at the centre of everything positive in this Swiss side. Xhaka has probably been my favourite Arsenal player to watch at Euro 2016 so far and I'm eagerly awaiting his first game in the Arsenal red and white. He looks like he'll bring some real quality to the Gunner's midfield. I can't wait.

Pro's: Deep-lying playmaking ability, influential leadership.

Con's: His Puma shirts are awful (he needed 3 during the France game)

Grade: 8/10

Jack Wilshere

England's sole representative for Arsenal at Euro 2016 hasn't had the best of times, despite a great opportunity to prove his worth in England's final game. Jack made his first appearance in the tournament when he came on for the last 12 minutes against Russia and impressed in his brief time but he didn't see any action during England's 2-1 victory over Wales. Manager Roy Hodgson took a risk for England's final group game against Slovakia by shaking things up and Wilshere was handed a starting place but was largely ineffective in their disappointing 0-0 draw. The Arsenal man was only given 56 minutes and you could see he was trying to push, trying to dictate, but it just didn't click for him (or his useless teammates.) He was far too sloppy in possession but judging by the British media's reaction, who love to paint him as a villain, he was the worst player to ever wear an England shirt. I thought Jordan Henderson was just as poor in midfield and equally wasteful, yet he somehow escaped all criticism. England face Iceland in the knockout stages and are heavy favourites, yet it's almost a certainty the game will end 0-0 and go to penalties, and England will exit the tournament in typical fashion. I don't expect we'll see much of Wilshere again, given the backlash he received after the Slovakia game, but he could feature again off the bench if England need a spark.

Pro's: Still the best passer of the ball England have.

Con's: Too wasteful and ponderous in possession.

Grade: 5/10

Aaron Ramsey

Unlike Wilshere, Arsenal's other British midfielder is having a great time in France. Ramsey has been a driving force in the Welsh midfield and was a big factor in his nation's topping of Group B. Gareth Bale has rightfully stolen the spotlight but Ramsey has been just as crucial to Wales' success with his unrelenting work rate and passing ability. He dominated Russia in Wales' final group game, intricately threading passes through the Russian defence and scoring a beautifully chipped goal to give his country the lead in what was a 3-0 demolition. He was rightfully awarded the UEFA Man of the Match award for his performance and seems to be growing in strength as the competition progresses. He was very quiet and contained during Wales's defeat to England but he looks to have put that behind him now. Wales have confidence and momentum and could cause another upset as Ramsey and co. will aim to stay in France for as long as possible.

Pro's: Tireless engine, passing ability unmatched in his team.

Con's: Still over-complicates what should be simple moves. That hairstyle.

Grade: 7/10

Mesut Özil

Arsenal's Player of the Season for 2015/16, the German playmaker has continued his fine form at Euro 2016. He got off to a somewhat subdued start against Ukraine but still picked up an assist in Germany's 2-0 win. Against Poland he forced a good save from former Arsenal keeper Łukasz Fabiański in a hard-fought 0-0 draw but he really found top gear against Northern Ireland, putting in a vintage performance. Özil pulled the strings in the star-studded German midfield and according to Opta stats, had a 98.5% passing accuracy, the highest in a European Championship game since 1980. He barely put a foot wrong in Germany's 1-0 win and looked the superstar we all know he can be, deservedly taking home UEFA's Man of the Match award. Partnered with the sublime Toni Kroos in midfield, Özil and his compatriots are definitely a team you don't want to face in the knockout stages (good luck to Slovakia then!).

Pro's: The best playmaker in international football, passing ability unmatched.

Con's: Consistently poor at making good contact when shooting.

Grade: 8/10

Petr Čech

The Arsenal goalkeeper could not keep his country from exiting Euro 2016 at the group stage as the Czech Republic finished bottom of Group D with a solitary point, earned in an exciting 2-2 draw with Croatia. There are reports Čech is considering international retirement and at the age of 34 you can't really blame him. He showed great resilience to deny a spirited Spain team in the Czech Republic's first game but was eventually undone by a late Gerard Pique header in a 1-0 loss. Čech also picked up an unwanted European Championship record, conceding 21 goals during his years competing at the Euro's, more than any other goalkeeper according to Opta. A disappointing end to what was a largely successful first season in North London, Čech will be looking to put Euro 2016 behind him as soon as possible and focus on Arsenal ahead of the new campaign.

Pro's: A class act and leader of men.

Con's: At the end of his international career with a lacklustre Czech team.

Grade: 4/10

Tomáš Rosický

The Czech Republic captain, soon to be an ex-Arsenal player but for Euro 2016 still very much one of us, had a disappointing tournament as injury rose it's ugly head yet again. Rosický lasted the entire 90 minutes in their 2-2 draw with Croatia but he suffered a thigh injury that would rule him out for the rest of the competition. A very sad finish to what is likely the end of the 35 year-old's international career.

Pro's: Such great hair.

Con's: Cannot catch a break with injuries.

Grade: 4/10

Héctor Bellerín

The Spanish speedster had a terrific 2015/16 season and earned a spot in the Spain squad for Euro 2016 as a reward. He hasn't seen a minute of action so far so I bet he's wishing he was on holiday instead. Juanfran is keeping Bellerin out of the starting lineup right now but it's clear the 31 year-old Atlético Madrid right-back is just keeping Hector's seat warm. Bellerin should be Spain's right-back for the next decade at least so there's no rush, and a little tournament experience never hurts.

Pro's: The fastest player in the Spain squad, maybe even the tournament.

Con's: Unlikely to see any minutes.

Grade: N/A

Wojciech Szczęsny

Szczęsny, who had an impressive loan spell with Roma in 2015/16, could be set to return to Arsenal but before that happens, his Poland side are impressing in France this summer. However, his Euro 2016 campaign hasn't been what he'd have hoped for. Szczęsny suffered a nasty thigh injury whilst keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 opening win against Northern Ireland, and it was severe enough to rule him out of Poland's remaining group games. In his absence Łukasz Fabiański has been impressive (2 clean sheets) and I don't imagine Szczęsny can win back his place now, even if his injury has healed. Szczęsny won't give up his spot easily but I can't see Poland manager Adam Nawałka tinkering with a winning side now the knockout stages have begun.

Pro's: Fantastic shot-stopper and world class wind-up merchant.

Con's: Doesn't have much luck when it comes to European Championships. Remember?

Grade: 5/10

Thanks for reading.

Tough As Granit: Arsenal Sign Xhaka

After securing their highest league finish since 2005, Arsenal got their plans for the 2016/17 season underway early by signing Swiss international midfielder Granit Xhaka to a long-term deal.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach captain is rumored to cost the Gunners somewhere between £25-30 million according to reports. The 23 year-old is set to join up with his new teammates after Euro 2016 concludes later this summer.

Xhaka is a player who has been on Arsenal's radar for some time, with many journalists linking him with a move to North London earlier this year during the January transfer window. Arsene Wenger has long been an admirer: "We have been watching him for a long time now and he is a player who will add quality to our squad."

I'm really excited to see what Xhaka can bring to this team. I've only really seen him play in a handful of Champions League games in recent years, so I'm not an expert by any means, but it appears he will bring some much-needed steel to our midfield. A deep-lying playmaker with an eye for a pass, Xhaka is adept at playing pinpoint long-range passes in attack, as well as putting in a shift in defence. I assume Wenger is looking to him as an upgrade over Francis Coquelin, a player with similar toughness but perhaps the more refined Xhaka can bring a bit of finesse to the position. I'm already looking forward to seeing a midfield trio of Xhaka, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil. With the impending departure of veterans Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini, the club needed to bolster the midfield this summer and they have gone one step toward doing just that.

I'm both impressed by the acquisition of a quality player and by the swiftness of the transfer. It's not often Arsenal are early birds to the transfer worm, so it makes a nice change. I don't expect (nor do I hope) that this is the end of Arsenal's transfer activity but it's a great start to what will hopefully be a busy off-season for Mr Wenger and co.

It is expected Xhaka will wear the number 34 shirt as he has done for the majority of his career, both at FC Basel and Monchengladbach. Of course, he will have to pry it away from Coquelin first, who I expect will jump at the chance to take a vacant First XI number, likely the departed Arteta's number 8.

I know I'll be tuning in to watch every Switzerland game I can during Euro 2016, that's for sure. Welcome to the club Granit Xhaka.

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The eagle-eyed among you will notice this is my first post in a while. Over 3 years in fact. This blog has been dormant for a host of reasons, but I'm going to endeavor to post on here more often. I'm well aware the internet doesn't need yet another Arsenal blog but I don't care; I'm going to write about them anyway.

Thanks for reading.