Arsenal are in the quest of their 13th FA Cup when they face Chelsea in the FA Cup final. Wenger can have the last laugh but for that, he needs to keep the 11 Chelsea players at bay for a staggering 90 minutes which is virtually impossible at this current time. While most of the teams have not been able to do this, Arsenal do have the resources to give Chelsea a sort of bitter ending to their season.
Arsenal will have the chance to finish the season on a promising note as their season has been very poor in terms of their current form. Wenger will fancy his chances as he would be hoping to avenge the defeat of their last meeting where a certain Eden Hazard almost single-handedly dashed their hopes of finishing in the top four. The match will be very intriguing as both the managers will be very adamant to take the trophy to their respective clubs.
Diego Costa vs Rob Holding
Arsenal’s defence is in crisis at this moment and one player who needs to stand up is Rob Holding. The £2m arrival from Bolton Wanderers proved to be the hidden treasure as imparted a balance to this Arsenal team. Holding had very little chance to impress Wenger earlier in the season and in that limited time, he developed himself to one of the most complete defenders for Arsenal. There has rarely been a mistake from him apart from that handball against Everton which eventually went on to be the only goal the Gunners conceded in the last match.
Diego Costa might not have scored many goals if we compare his tally from the last season but he has been an impactful player for Chelsea as he has often been that difference maker in the Blues side. Costa’ s playing style infuriates a lot of defenders and he will be up to something similar. The absence of Koscielny and Mustafi will be felt but Holding has shown that kind of athleticism in this season and an interesting battle is on the cards.
Granit Xhaka vs N’Golo Kante
Kante won his second Premier League medal with Chelsea as he won successive Premier League title with two separate clubs which is a very unusual feat. The French defender has authorised the Chelsea midfield with his sheer dynamism and has been very productive with his passes and interceptions. The presence of Nemanja Matic did allow him to roam around the pitch and he performed his duties to utter perfection.
Granit Xhaka has been the performer in the midfield for Arsenal as he has pulled the strings in the middle of the pitch. His tactical reading of the game and ability to move the ball forward has been an asset for the Gunners. He has worked a lot on his defensive aptitude a lot and he could set up the platform for the other players.
Alexis Sanchez vs Cesar Azpilicueta
Wenger’s decision to bring Sanchez into a more central position and move him almost just behind the main striker has reaped rich dividends as his delayed runs in the box have often given the opponents a miserable time.
Azpilicueta has been the most consistent among the three defenders of Chelsea and he will have the task to keep Sanchez quite in this important game. Azpilicueta is in the form of his life. His positioning sense is brilliant and has kept the backline intact with his severe commanding from the back.
