The FA Cup Final: The Arsenal v A.Villa

[Bradywasking]

The first thing he has to do is pick the players that need to start, there are faults and limitations with most of our squad but as of now (and probably forever) they are what we have.
Szczesney will start in goal, not my choice and Ospina was poor yesterday so what o you do.?

I think Walcott has to start, we cannot play the Swansea -Sunderland game in front of Villa. Walcott is no world beater but at least he stretches the game and has been known to go outside the full back. Stated already that if fit I would start Welbeck ahead of Giroud. Wilshere has added energy and drive into the team since his return. Would like to see him start but he could be effective from the bench also. (to contradict that maybe start him and get the hour or so from him as that energy is maybe better at the start than finish of the game).
Anyway here is my team,
Szczesney
Bellerin, Mert, Kos, Monreal
Walcott, Santi, Coquelin Ramsey, Ozil
Sanchez.

Sanchez as a striker because obviously he is effective in the box and his energy level has dropped so a chasing job , which he is ever willing to do, is going to burn him out even further. keep Jack as an impact sub , Would like Gabriel to start but if Mert and Kos are fit then they start. Monreal has played well enough to start also.

[rodders999]

Apart from the keeper Wenger won't change the team from the group he had that started those 6 continuous games recently. Guaranteed starting 11 will be -

Szczesny
Bellerin, BFG, Kos, Monreal
Ramsey, Santi, Coquelin Ozil, Sanchez
Giroud

I don't agree with it but that's what he'll do.

[augie]

Apart from the keeper Wenger won't change the team from the group he had that started those 6 continuous games recently. Guaranteed starting 11 will be -

Szczesny
Bellerin, BFG, Kos, Monreal
Ramsey, Santi, Coquelin Ozil, Sanchez
Giroud

I don't agree with it but that's what he'll do.

I concur Personally I would either drop cazorla or drop ozil and play cazorla behind the striker - ramsey doesn't work out wide but he does well in middle, so I would play him centrally alongside coquelin + 1 other and then put sanchez and wally on the wings. I also think that wally wont play well if he starts next Saturday - I think that he will be all arrogant after his hat-trick yesterday and wont bother his bollox protecting bellerin, plus wally isn't the hardest player to game plan for if you were an opposition manager, because if you don't leave space in behind he is largely redundant cos he hasn't got the tricks and skill needed to do a bit of magic and conjure up a goal or an assist. Some fans are waxing lyrical about his effectiveness when coming on as a sub against the mackems, but people seem to forget that he came on late into the game against a tired defence. We have players like ozil and cazorla that are too easily nullified by teams who crowd them out and sit back, but wally is a player that depends solely on making runs in behind the opposition defences and if they sit back then those spaces wont be there and it will largely negate him imo

[DB10GOONER]

Apart from the keeper Wenger won't change the team from the group he had that started those 6 continuous games recently. Guaranteed starting 11 will be -

Szczesny
Bellerin, BFG, Kos, Monreal
Ramsey, Santi, Coquelin Ozil, Sanchez
Giroud

I don't agree with it but that's what he'll do.

I reckon you're bang on there. The thought of Chesney's stupid, cocky grin if we went 0-3 down is the thing of nightmares...

Also reckon Benteke will target the Big German Pussy early on and rough him out of the game. So hoping Kos is feeling fully fit because he might just be busy.

Only modern Wenger-era Arsenal can do this to you. We should destroy Villa 5-0 without breaking a sweat, but here we are a few days before the final and I'm shitting it tbh.

COME ON YOU FUCKING GUNNERS!!!

[bunch]

Well, we might be favuorites but it likely not be easy. Looking at the FA Cup finals wins since I've been a fan:

1971 - LIverpool, not easy, went to extra time
1972 - Lost
1978 - Lost
1979 - ManU - not easy as we nearly threw a two goal lead. Thanks to Alan Alan Sunderland for the late winner
1980 - Lost
1993 - Sheff Weds Replay and Extra time so not easy
1998 - Newcastle first one I felt comfortable throughout the game that we would win
2001 - Lost (grrrrr)
2002 - Chelsea like Newcastle felt good about us winning throughout
2003 - Southampton - only 1-0 but fairly comfortable
2005 - ManU - not easy
2014 - Hull - Not easy

So I'd say generously that only 25% of our 12 FA Cup finals since I've been a supporter were easy.
Only 5 of them I would say we were clear favourites (like the one coming against Villa) with only 1 of them being a fairly comfortable win (1-0 against the Saints) and two of them being losses.

So the likelihood is a tough game.

We are on a good run in FA Cup finals though - 4 straight wins.

[DB10GOONER]

Well, we might be favuorites but it likely not be easy. Looking at the FA Cup finals wins since I've been a fan:

1971 - LIverpool, not easy, went to extra time
1972 - Lost
1978 - Lost
1979 - ManU - not easy as we nearly threw a two goal lead. Thanks to Alan Alan Sunderland for the late winner
1980 - Lost
1993 - Sheff Weds Replay and Extra time so not easy
1998 - Newcastle first one I felt comfortable throughout the game that we would win
2001 - ROBBED (grrrrr)
2002 - Chelsea like Newcastle felt good about us winning throughout
2003 - Southampton - only 1-0 but fairly comfortable
2005 - ManU - not easy
2014 - Hull - Not easy

So I'd say generously that only 25% of our 12 FA Cup finals since I've been a supporter were easy.
Only 5 of them I would say we were clear favourites (like the one coming against Villa) with only 1 of them being a fairly comfortable win (1-0 against the Saints) and two of them being losses.

So the likelihood is a tough game.

We are on a good run in FA Cup finals though - 4 straight wins.

Tbh, even though I agree a lot of those finals were hard work, I only felt really nervous before the 05 manc and last year's Hull finals. The manc one because I hated them so much and wanted to win more than life itself, and Hull because of the well documented problems with latter day Wenger.

[OneBardGooner]

Apart from the keeper Wenger won't change the team from the group he had that started those 6 continuous games recently. Guaranteed starting 11 will be -

Szczesny
Bellerin, BFG, Kos, Monreal
Ramsey, Santi, Coquelin Ozil, Sanchez
Giroud

I don't agree with it but that's what he'll do.

Yup! you're spot on Rodders....Just as he very rarely never veers from making subs around the 70th minute so his choice of players and his (tippy - tappy) game plan to send the opposition to despair and/or sleep will remain in place...although Ospina didn't play well yesterday he is still safer than the gobby pole...Giroud is Cack at the moment - so drop Ramsey and Giroud and play Wally and Wilshere - they were the reason we won yesterday...

[BFG4]

I would suggest finishing third is an indication that Arsenal generally turn up.

Villa finishing wherever they will is an indication that they have a problem turning up week after week.

A tricky game, but for me Arsenal firm favourites.

Have you forgotten our recent past when it comes to failing against weaker opposition? The Birmingham league cup final, the Bradford embarrassment, and our loss at home to Blackburn in the FA cup all in the last four years. If games followed your logic, then we wouldn't have needed penalties against Wigan last year, or Extra time against Hull or Reading. I think we will win, but in typical Arsenal fashion, we will make hard work of it.

[nut flush gooner]

Well, we might be favuorites but it likely not be easy. Looking at the FA Cup finals wins since I've been a fan:

1971 - LIverpool, not easy, went to extra time
1972 - Lost
1978 - Lost
1979 - ManU - not easy as we nearly threw a two goal lead. Thanks to Alan Alan Sunderland for the late winner
1980 - Lost
1993 - Sheff Weds Replay and Extra time so not easy
1998 - Newcastle first one I felt comfortable throughout the game that we would win
2001 - Lost (grrrrr)
2002 - Chelsea like Newcastle felt good about us winning throughout
2003 - Southampton - only 1-0 but fairly comfortable
2005 - ManU - not easy
2014 - Hull - Not easy

So I'd say generously that only 25% of our 12 FA Cup finals since I've been a supporter were easy.
Only 5 of them I would say we were clear favourites (like the one coming against Villa) with only 1 of them being a fairly comfortable win (1-0 against the Saints) and two of them being losses.

So the likelihood is a tough game.

We are on a good run in FA Cup finals though - 4 straight wins.

I think it's not the right way of looking at the final tbh. Name me any major club who hasn't had tough games in the final, either scraped a win or been turned over by underdogs. Without even thinking I can name Coventry vs Spuds, Wimbledon vs Pool and Wigan vs City.

Winning the final is the main thing, a good solid performance and comfortable win is a bonus.

I was shitting myself more last year to be honest. The fact that this team has experience of a cup final and winning it, takes soo much pressure off.

[DB10GOONER]

Well, we might be favuorites but it likely not be easy. Looking at the FA Cup finals wins since I've been a fan:

1971 - LIverpool, not easy, went to extra time
1972 - Lost
1978 - Lost
1979 - ManU - not easy as we nearly threw a two goal lead. Thanks to Alan Alan Sunderland for the late winner
1980 - Lost
1993 - Sheff Weds Replay and Extra time so not easy
1998 - Newcastle first one I felt comfortable throughout the game that we would win
2001 - Lost (grrrrr)
2002 - Chelsea like Newcastle felt good about us winning throughout
2003 - Southampton - only 1-0 but fairly comfortable
2005 - ManU - not easy
2014 - Hull - Not easy

So I'd say generously that only 25% of our 12 FA Cup finals since I've been a supporter were easy.
Only 5 of them I would say we were clear favourites (like the one coming against Villa) with only 1 of them being a fairly comfortable win (1-0 against the Saints) and two of them being losses.

So the likelihood is a tough game.

We are on a good run in FA Cup finals though - 4 straight wins.

I think it's not the right way of looking at the final tbh. Name me any major club who hasn't had tough games in the final, either scraped a win or been turned over by underdogs. Without even thinking I can name Coventry vs Spuds, Wimbledon vs Pool and Wigan vs City.

Winning the final is the main thing, a good solid performance and comfortable win is a bonus.

I was shitting myself more last year to be honest. The fact that this team has experience of a cup final and winning it, takes soo much pressure off.

What shits me the most is Wenger selecting Chesney tbh....

[g88ner]

What shits me the most is Wenger selecting Chesney tbh....

Absolutely. The idea of fielding a weakened team for a cup final is ridiculous.

If I were Petr Cech and considering moving to Arsenal, my first question to Wenger before signing would be "will you drop me for cup finals?". If yes, I wouldn't sign as trophies are what you work for!

[nut flush gooner]

What shits me the most is Wenger selecting Chesney tbh....

Absolutely. The idea of fielding a weakened team for a cup final is ridiculous.

If I were Petr Cech and considering moving to Arsenal, my first question to Wenger before signing would be "will you drop me for cup finals?". If yes, I wouldn't sign as trophies are what you work for!

Well for all you that want us to lose, it might not get rid of Wenger but a Chesney fuck up will be curtains for him no doubt.

[g88ner]

What shits me the most is Wenger selecting Chesney tbh....

Absolutely. The idea of fielding a weakened team for a cup final is ridiculous.

If I were Petr Cech and considering moving to Arsenal, my first question to Wenger before signing would be "will you drop me for cup finals?". If yes, I wouldn't sign as trophies are what you work for!

Well for all you that want us to lose, it might not get rid of Wenger but a Chesney fuck up will be curtains for him no doubt.

???

I don't know what to make of that comment. If it's aimed at me, I think you need to read my post again mate.

In fact, does anyone want us to lose? - that's news to me.

[markyp]

heres a little question,ok so its pretty obvious Sir Chez will start(heaven help us) would you prefer Sir Chez to play and have a howler costing us the final BUT it then meant Wenker would finally realise he is shit then goes out and buys Cech or Sir Chez plays,does enough,we win and we don't buy Cech??

[gp543]

heres a little question,ok so its pretty obvious Sir Chez will start(heaven help us) would you prefer Sir Chez to play and have a howler costing us the final BUT it then meant Wenker would finally realise he is shit then goes out and buys Cech or Sir Chez plays,does enough,we win and we don't buy Cech??

Wanting to lose A CUP FINAL to secure a potential transfer is petty and ridiculous. What a weird way of thinking.