FA Cup Final Experience

The Sport Space’s Sam Tonks reviews arguably the most anticipated game of the English footballing calendar, the FA Cup Final from Wembley.  The build-up, match and the aftermath with the future of both sides evaluated as the season comes to an end.

The FA Cup has lost some of its reputation and prestige over the past few years as league football and for the bigger sides, European competition, took priority.  But, this year’s competition has definitely been the most enthralling, dramatic and romantic in recent time. 

A BBC documentary by Gary Lineker on this historic competition really highlighted that, a worthwhile watch for any football fan.  This year, Worcester City and Blyth Spartans did their bit for the Non-League sides in producing famous upsets in the early rounds.  Cambridge United hit the headlines after a night dedicated to football, in the city famous for its academic prowess, as Manchester United’s multi-millionaire superstars were held and taken to a replay.  Sheffield United have become known as a specialist cup team after an FA Cup semi-final appearance last year, Capital One Cup semi-final this year and humiliating QPR in the 3^rd Round, yet Nigel Clough still lost his job after play-off disappointment.  Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough turned Premier League poachers as Stoke City and Swansea were dispatched by Rovers, 2011 winners Manchester City dumped out by Middlesbrough.  But, Bradford City will be remembered as the stand-out giant-killers by recording one of the greatest upsets in the cup’s history with a staggering 4-2 humbling of Premier League champions Chelsea, from 2-0 down.  Moments like ex-United man Danny Welbeck scoring the winner to beat his boyhood side as an Arsenal player at Old Trafford or Adam Federici’s horrific mistake in the semi-final for Reading show the scale of ecstasy to trauma cup competitions bring.

The destined date for Steven Gerrard’s farewell was put to shreds by Aston Villa as self-confessed ‘Gooner’ Tim Sherwood led his new Villa team meet holders Arsenal at Wembley on Sunday.  Villa’s first final since 2000 and looking to become an eight-time winner, Arsenal looking to become only the 4^th team to retain the FA Cup in the last century and win a record 12^th FA Cup, could they do it?

The Build-Up

It had been building up all week and I still had to pinch myself in realisation I was going to an FA Cup Final.  The competition I’d grown up in awe of since I started watching football, ironically the first final I watched was Arsenal’s penalty shoot-out win over Manchester United in 2005 in Cardiff.  ‘The Steven Gerrard’ final in 2006 really cemented my love for the FA Cup after the best final in the modern era of the competition.
I love watching Arsenal play, but going to see them play at Wembley and hopefully become the most successful side in the history of the cup was a dream come true, it couldn’t come quickly enough. 

I was heading down Saturday morning to Highbury to soak in the atmosphere of the Arsenal faithful hours before kick-off with my cousin, a fellow Arsenal fan.
I didn’t expect the noise, size and madness of the fans at the 12 Pins and The Blackstock.  Footballs flying across the road, flags a loft and chants constant, it was only 1:30, but it was electric and only heightened my excitement for the short trip to Wembley Park.  My cousin would be watching on a screen in a pub, I could only imagine what the fans would be like come kick-off.  I met my Dad at Wembley as the fans poured in still a couple hours before the start and it seemed everywhere I went, the fans were loud, passionate and very much up for it, and some fans say the fans don’t love this cup.  Walking down Wembley Way was surreal, ‘Arsenal vs Aston Villa’ it read on the board on the side of Wembley, it really was happening, the Yellow Wall and Claret Barricade entered England’s most famous ground.


The anticipation for the team announcements was building as 4:30 hit and only an hour till kick-off.  The big debate was Theo Walcott.  A hat-trick last weekend and a Villa team with a particularly slow back-line on a big pitch was almost perfect for him.  Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere were in the mix around what was a self-picked team.  Theo got the start, I was relieved and had respect for Wenger adapting to the situation and playing the best player for this game, Ramsey got the nod too which was pleasing after last year’s winner.  The anthems of ‘Abide With Me’ and of course ‘God Save The Queen’ brought incredible scenes of scarfs up high, flags carried across and waved and fans singing, it was game on.

The Game


I was not as confident as other Arsenal fans as I was aware Villa are a good team on their day as they showed against Liverpool.  In the early minutes it was evident Christian Benteke was the route as early high balls were constantly lofted too him, but as the game wore on, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertersacker handled him accomplishedly and superbly.  Arsenal wrestled hold of the match and dominated proceedings but couldn’t get a goal.  I was becoming a nervous wreck, frustrated and growing inpatient as Shay Given produced a world-class save from Koscielny whilst Walcott and Ramsey also missed good chances.  If we couldn’t get the lead into half-time I feared Villa would grow and attack more in the second half.  Enter Walcott.  My Dad said he needed to get into the game, so he came to the left and immediately became more involved.  Nacho Monreal overlapped him and crossed, Alexis Sanchez rose majestically to head back across and Walcott arrived with an excellent left volley and half of Wembley erupted.  The noise as Walcott wheeled off to celebrate is something that will live long in my memory, a roar of relief, delight and happiness as Arsenal led the final more than deservedly too.

The second half was not going to be the same I believed as surely Villa had to offer more after a poor first half showing, but that was killed off in minutes.  One of the best players in the country had a good record at Wembley and wasn’t about to let a cup final go by without stamping his authority.  I saw Sanchez pick the ball up and immediately got up anticipating a possible chance.  What he produced was a ferocious swerving drive right in my line of vision to make everyone in Wembley gobsmacked.  One of the greatest goals to grace the FA Cup and Wembley, a quite outstanding goal, which set the tone for a master-class half from Arsenal and may have cleared any belief Villa players, fans and manager had of a comeback.  By this time, the midfield was running the show as Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin were at their sparkling best.  Ozil has faced many critics especially, but since his return from injury he’s looked a £42 million player, capped by a mesmerising performance at Wembley.  The Villa players had frozen on the big stage and been overwhelmed by Arsenal’s big names as talents like Jack Grealish, Fabian Delph and even Christian Benteke went missing.  A miserable day for Benteke summed up by appalling marking at a corner gifting Mertersacker another Wembley goal and the game for Arsenal.


I was now starting to celebrate, chants for ‘Rocky’ Rocastle and the celebration of the Invincibles rang around our side of Wembley as the game headed to its.  Standing ovations for Sanchez, Ozil and Walcott well earned on day every Arsenal player played an 8/10 at least.  Olivier Giroud rounded it off with a trademark near-post goal as it finished off a humiliation in the most one-sided final I’ve ever seen.  The final whistle started raptures in the Arsenal end as they became the most successful team in the FA Cup, Arsene Wenger the most successful post war manager with six FA Cups.  Watching Arsenal lift the trophy is by far the best moment as a football fan I’ve experienced, there is no better than seeing your side not just win, but win at Wembley to lift a trophy.  An amazing experience that Arsenal fans and I will surely never forget on a day where Arsene Wenger more than put to bed any doubters of his and his team’s ability.

The Future

So, what next?  For Aston Villa, it may have been a desperate day but ultimately Sherwood had guided them to safety, his goal when appointed.  Quoted to after claiming many players have been told they are off in the summer signals a revamp of the club this summer, does that include Benteke.  Obviously Villa would want to keep him but if a big offer comes in, you feel they must accept it and use it to start again and give Sherwood a chance to have his stamp on the Midlands club.  He’s proven he’s a very good man-manager, he just needs the men in charge to trust him, Randy Lerner.  Villa are much better than seasonal relegation battles.  The days they used to challenge for European places seem a distant memory, they must start to get back to that level.  They have the fan-base, which were exceptional at Wembley, they have talents like Grealish, Delph and Brad Guzan, but need strong additions as many players just aren’t good enough or simply past their best.  It’s a big summer for Villa, one where relegation will be the outcome if they don’t use it correctly.

As for Arsenal, we’ve been here before.  Back-to-back trophies is sign of progression, but not just that, the belief and performances have vastly improved for me from last season.  Bar that nerve-shredding semi-final against Reading, Arsenal have been professional and round after round dispatched sides dominantly and exceptionally.  The signings of Sanchez and Ozil in consecutive summers seems to of lifted belief and form of players around them as the club becomes a place to be rather than place to leave.  So long now seem the years where names like Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song, Robin Van Persie and Samir Nasri couldn’t leave quicker, now talk is of who will come in?


In my opinion, Arsenal are three players short of going toe-to-toe with Chelsea and Manchester City.  A top goalkeeper, defensive midfielder and striker will fill those vacancies.  David Ospina has done a very good job in the second half of the season to eradicate the rash and careless errors of Woijiech Szczesny, although better quality and experience would be crucial in big games as David De Gea and Thibaurt Courtois have proven.  Petr Cech is the name floating around and would be ideal as a keeper whose won it all at Chelsea and will provide leadership, quality and reliability behind an improving defence.  The defence is growing in confidence and the growth of youngsters Hector Bellerin, Gabriel and Calum Chambers will add to the quality of Koscielny, Mertersacker and vastly improved Monreal.  In midfield it’s clear where Arsenal’s season re-launched.  The presence of Coquelin has been vital to Arsenal improving as a team and allowing players like Ramsey, Wilshere and Ozil to improve.  One of my players of the season for the club just for his impact and consistent man of the match displays.  Support in that position is now pivotal, Morgan Schneiderlin and Arturo Vidal are players which appear to be possible and would very much suit the role, also Geoffrey Kondogbia is a player I would look at.  Up front, Giroud is often the scapegoat when things go pear shaped, but he has season after season delivered important goals and does a job for the team.  He is desperate for help but Danny Welbeck and Walcott have had injury problems as well as Giroud himself.  Who to get?  Jackson Martinez is a realistic target which would provide quality up top, Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain and Alex Lacazette are others, whether they’re available is another thing.

Arsenal are in the bets position since the Invincibles to challenge again with the quality and promise in the squad, add world-class in the spine and who knows, nex year’s parade could be for the Premier League.  As for now, I’m still smiling away, because the famous Arsenal are going to Wembley, again.


Sam Tonks

Jonas' Final Fight relegates Tigers

It’s come to an end, the Premier League last day came to a head this past Sunday with the only real factor still undecided was Hull or Newcastle to go down.  It was a tense in day in the north whilst Sport Space’s Sam Tonks was at the Emirates, here is a run-down of the league’s dramatic deciding day. 


A battle in the north: win was the only way Hull could even contemplate survival and hope Newcastle don’t.  Manchester United and West Ham played supporting roles in what would be a traumatic 90 minutes for all connected with the two sides in trouble.  A veteran in the game, Steve Bruce, against an enthusiastic newcomer in John Carver.  Both in charge of sides desperate for something to go their way, two wins in 10 in the deciding last three months of the season put Hull in need of a favour elsewhere.  Newcastle picking up one point in 10 heading into the last day meant their fate headed to the last day after being comfortably in mid-table.  Two sides, who deserve to be down where they are after disastrous seasons, knew one would perish, but who felt the pain of relegation?
 
HULL RELEGATED


As it proved, Hull left themselves too much to do as they couldn’t keep up their end of the deal to be able to survive.  As it has proved too often this season, Hull fired a blank and despite the numerous chances, forwards in abundance and moment of madness from Marouane Fellaini to get sent off with ten minutes to go.  £21 million spent on strikers in the past two seasons was not evident in the goal tally produced with Nikica Jelavic ending top goal scorer with eight goals, despite long injury in the second half of the season.  Dame N’Doye added a spark when he arrived in January and looked to be the answer but tailed off and had a lack of support with Abel Hernandez struggling in the second half of the season.  The sale of Shane Long seemed to bite the Tigers as their need of an experienced Premier League forward was sold to Southampton in the summer for profit.  Their defence funnily enough was the best with West Brom in the bottom eight, which made up for the severe lack of goals, but it couldn’t completely dampen the issue as it proved to be their downfall.  A good display from United keeper Victor Valdes didn’t help but so many chances were put wide or just missed by Hull players as Robbie Brady’s superb service all game couldn’t be latched on from set pieces and open play.  It was a sorry end for Steve Bruce who looked a tired man come the final whistle as he sank in the news Newcastle had delivered the result they needed.  Whether he’ll stay is another matter as the war between fans and owner over the name of the club seemed to hinder the second half of Hull’s season which catapulted them into danger and in the end relegation.

From North West to North East and a jubilant Toon Army in the Tyne as a 2-0 win sealed safety with a romantic like moment for Jonas Gutierrez.  It was the performance that Newcastle fans had been awaiting and expecting from players fighting not just for the club’s survival, but their stay at the club.  John Carver’s desperation for star men to show desire and passion in the end came to fruition, but a club like Newcastle United should never be going into the last day in a relegation fight.  Fittingly, Gutierrez was the man to put the game beyond West Ham and achieve safety for Newcastle.  Battling through testicular cancer, he led Newcastle to battle off relegation and was the inspirational leader that had been missing in Newcastle losing eight straight games.  Now safe, a manager and players that can match the expectations of such a prestigious club and provide the owner Mike Ashley with the trophy he wants to consider leaving.  As for West Ham, Sam Allardyce was remarkably sacked just four minutes after the side’s defeat and was made to pay for a sharp decline in form in the New Year after such an impressive first half.  Their last season at Upton Park is next and Premier League football is imperative in the Olympic Stadium, this appointment will be the most important decision yet for owners David Gold and Sullivan.


As for me, I spent the last day of the Premier League at the Emirates as Arsenal’s warm-up for the FA Cup final pitted them against West Brom.  Arsenal had gone three home games without a goal and had been below par and unlucky in front of goal in recent games.  So starting Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere seemed to add new dimension to the team who wasted no time in getting ready for Wembley.  An outstanding first half from Arsenal to brush aside a team fresh off toppling champions Chelsea on Monday night.  A 34 minute Theo Walcott hat-trick along with a blinder from Wilshere put the game to bed by half-time.  Walcott was superb, using his pace to full effect, showing skill and striker’s instinct to send a message to Arsene Wenger.  Contract talks were hot on agenda again and Raheem Sterling was being rumoured in North London, so Walcott showing form he was producing before his long-term injury.  This performance must mean he starts next week, with or without Giroud is another question.  The options Wenger has in midfield is ridiculous and whatever he decides it will be full of quality and talent, but Walcott must be a starter at Wembley.  As for their opponents, a home defeat to Burnley meant Aston Villa ended 17^th, the signs of another miserable season just about salvaged by Tim Sherwood.  Christian Benteke led them to safety and a fairytale cup final, this result shouldn’t put Villa any further unlikely to win at Wembley as cup finals aren’t determined by form.  I’ll be there to watch, as you’d guess as an Arsenal fan; to be at an FA Cup final is just a dream come true, but an Arsenal win would help.

Elsewhere, Liverpool suffered their heaviest defeat in 50 years as they were pummelled, embarrassed and humiliated on Steven Gerrard’s departing game.  A 6-1 loss the final saw in a dreadfully disappointing season for the Reds after last year’s title challenge.  From 2^nd to 6^th and 52 to 10 goals from forwards is just a smidge of a tough summer ahead.  With Gerrard gone and the Sterling saga set to run on, signings need to settle and Brendan Rodgers’ future needs to be considered.  No trophies in his time so far and despite hurtful injuries and departures, Liverpool are in danger of falling dangerously from grace.  Spurs jumped into 5^th as Young Player of the Year Harry Kane scored his 21^st league goal of the season in a breakthrough campaign which only puts expectations on his second season to be just as good.  Southampton finished 7^th and will attain European football if Arsenal win at Wembley.  They were losers in Frank Lampard’s final Premier League game, in which he suitably scored in a 2-0 win.  City end second but that doesn’t cover a disappointing season with not trophies and a title challenge that collapsed in the closing months.  Manuel Pellegrini’s future isn’t certified, especially with Carol Ancelotti sacked by Real Madrid and Jurgen Klopp a free man too.  Players may be in and out of the Etihad also with Yaya Toure a man heavily linked with a move away.


Southampton are one of many teams who can be proud of their seasons and went far beyond predictions and expectations.  Record points tallies and finishes for Swansea and Crystal Palace in the top flight highlight the superb jobs of Garry Monk and Alan Pardew, particularly after the debacle at Newcastle in his time in charge.  Stoke City were consistently good throughout the season as Mark Hughes develops the once long-ball specialists to a team filled with flair and grit who can more than match the big boys.  But, the side who will be looked at as defying odds will be Leicester City.  Seven points from safety in mid-March, a run of seven wins in nine with only Chelsea bettering their form in the end of the season run-in.  Only Chelsea beat Leicester as Nigel Pearson somehow transformed a side starved of goals, to one who finished winning 5-1 against hapless QPR.  Leicester have been arguably one of the best sides in terms of performance this season, but luck and goals were missing.  Their run to survival is one of the greatest in Premier League history and proves that spirit, determination and drive can be successful as shown with Jamie Vardy’s England call-up.

That’s it for another season which Chelsea commandingly won.  No doubt the others will improve and pose stronger threats to Jose Mourinho’s team in what could be the most competitive season to date.  Watford, Bournemouth and Norwich City after a great play-off final win join the party which comes to life in August.  The Sport Space Awards will be next to mark the stand-out moments and players from another unpredictable Premier League season, as for ‘The Review’, see you in August!

Sam Tonks

Chelsea Champions

The Premier League title has been won, but the fight for survival continues to twist and turn, Sport Space’s Sam Tonks reviews another weekend in the top flight as the season takes its last stretch.

Jose Mourinho’s return to English football in the summer of 2013 was greeted with anticipation and excitement as his reputation was dented by a turbulent spell at Real Madrid.  He inherited a Chelsea side which has seen many managers come and go since Mourinho left back in 2007.  Only Carlo Ancelotti has had real success at Stamford Bridge, but was still sacked after his second season despite an FA Cup and second place finish.  Jose said when he returned he planned to win the league in his second season, he proved to be spot on.  The transformation of Chelsea since his return has been startling.  Due to FFP restrictions, Chelsea have had to sell much more, David Luiz, Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Juan Mata all departing.  The signings of Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic and Thibuat Courtois’ emergence have not just replaced them but vastly improved Chelsea.  The Chelsea side that Mourinho has assembled has to be put up with some of the best sides in Premier League history.  The dominance with which they swept aside the opposition this season has been staggering.  A comeback victory at Leicester last week meant on Sunday, this side got over the line and could celebrate a fourth Premier League title for Chelsea. 

CHELSEA CHAMPIONS

A 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday clinched Mourinho’s third league title in English football.  Newly crowned Player of the Year Eden Hazard suitably got the title securing goal as the celebrations began in West London.  A soft penalty albeit that led to the goal, Hazard even missed it but scored the rebound, but nobody can argue that Chelsea were a mile ahead of the rest this year. 

A moment on Sunday typified the run Chelsea have been on since their 5-0 win at Swansea.  Mourinho’s side have only won a by a single goal in all their wins since that victory in January, proving Chelsea’s resoluteness to get the job done and steely defence.  A cross from Wilfried Zaha ended up at the feet of Jason Puncheon who looked set to score until a sliding block from skipper supreme John Terry.  Terry has been one of the outstanding players in the league this season and a true leader of a title winning side.  Rafa Benitez claimed Terry wasn’t able to play more twice a week anymore back in 2012 in his interim spell at Chelsea.  Now, Terry has played three times in the space of a week, performing superbly in all three.  Playing in every minute of all 35 league games, having Mourinho back guiding him, Terry is playing better than ever.  Mourinho’s winning mentality has revived the force that he led to back-to-back title in 2005 & 2006. 

Comparing the spines of the title winning sides only promotes the pedigree of players Mourinho attracts with his track record.  Since his appointment at Porto in 2002 he’s won eight league titles in 12 seasons, two Champions Leagues and a hatful of domestic titles.  Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry, Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba compared with Courtois, Gary Cahill and Terry, Matic, Fabregas and Costa is quality in abundance.  This Chelsea side is comfortably better than the chasing pack in the Premier League, so if they add a couple more players as well as bring through the striving youth team which has won four out of the last six youth cups could see Chelsea become the dominant force in English football.  Are they still boring?

The Rest

The relegation battle in the Premier League is the tightest in years as week after week, sides deemed doomed wrestle back hope of escape.  Leicester’s incredible run of four straight wins has shaken up the battle and pulling sides like Sunderland and Newcastle right in the thick of danger.  Leicester bounced back from a disappointing defeat to Chelsea with an emphatic 3-0 win over Newcastle, maybe the Geordies had their heads in the sand, right Mr.Pearson?  As Leicester go from strength to strength, the eighth defeat in a row for Newcastle adds to the catastrophe and sheer mess of the North East club.  A club prided on tradition, home-grown sons and fight, something they are now desperately lacking.  John Carver resembles the captain of the Titanic, helpless.  Carver is well out of his depth after being forced to step up from a coaching role.  He’s lost the dressing room and they may have lost faith in him, the players aren’t playing for Carver and the manager is not afraid to expose his underperforming players, claiming Mike Williamson deliberately got himself sent off.  A brilliant article in the Daily Mirror really encapsulated the farce at the club from Mike Ashley’s dictator like ownership to the player’s lacklustre showings.  Andy Dunn refers to them as ‘comedy black and white’. 

What would’ve hurt more is seeing Sunderland earn a monumental win over Southampton.  Luck certainly went there way as Jordi Gomez converted two penalties and James Ward-Prowse was sent off.  A Costel Pantillimon save right at the end from Filip Duricic may prove a crucial point in their fight for survival.  This meant Aston Villa had to win to stay ahead of the rest and the reloaded Christian Benteke led them to a 3-2 over Everton.  All these wins coupled with the defeats for QPR and Burnley meant the two were all but doomed.  Defeat for both next weekend will send them straight back down.

This left Hull in a position they could enhance.  Back-to-back wins last week, including a huge 1-0 win over Liverpool, put them into a clash with Arsenal on good momentum.  Arsenal though were 9 unbeaten with eight wins and were a class apart on Monday night.  A double for Alexis Sanchez and a goal for Aaron Ramsey sealed a masterful performance from the Gunners which leaves Hull in a must win situation against Burnley on Saturday with Manchester United and Spurs to play after.  United and Spurs were both beaten this weekend in a twist for the top four race.  United were beaten for the third straight week at home to West Brom in a game which saw Robin Van Persie play central midfield with Marouane Fellaini up front, confusing right?  Spurs were not good enough to topple Manchester City, who in David Silva and Sergio Aguero possessed the two best players on the pitch, Aguero scoring a quality winner.  United are now just four points ahead of Liverpool with three to play, the chase may still be on.



Sam Tonks