Season 2016-17 - The Final

Saturday 27th May
Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1 (at Wembley Stadium)
So the finale of this years Emirates FA Cup competition took place at the end of May in Warm early evening sunshine in the capital and two of its clubs did battle as Arsenal and Chelsea contested for the Famous old trophy.

For Arsenal it was about trying to salvage something from a largely poor season which saw them miss out on a Champions League place for the first time in twenty odd years, whilst Chelsea were looking to complete a wonderful season by adding the FA Cup to their Premiership title and complete the double.  The West London side understandably started favourites for this one but cup finals don't always follow the form book.

And it didn't take long for the games first big talking point to materialise as less than four minutes into the contest Arsenal took the lead amid a lot of confusion. It was hard to work out whether there were calls for offside or whether it came down to an alleged handball in the build-up.  Either way, the goal was given. Aaron Ramsey was undoubtedly in an offside position when Alexis Sanchez worked the ball into the box but the Wales international made it quite clear that he was not active and Sanchez burst into the area and slotted home with a precise finish into the bottom corner.  Chelsea were less than impressed.

The early goal saw Arsenal confidence grow and on the quarter hour mark Danny Welbeck raced on to an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain punt forward, and eventually the ball dropped to Sanchez.  The Chilean had a go from distance and his thunderbolt of a strike dipped and clears the bar.  Chelsea then broke forward but Arsenal's defence, which was certainly questioned before the match, snuffed out the danger from Diego Costa, blocking a good strike from 14 yards out.

A minute later however Arsenal should have increased their lead in what was a huge chance for Mesut Ozil. He came in on the right and side-footed the ball, almost scuffing it, on target before Gary Cahill made a goal-saving clearance with a flick.  Chelsea though were looking all over the shop and three minutes later the Gunners passed up another opportunity when Ozil's corner came in, Welbeck's header hit the post and bounced on to the chest of Ramsey who knew nothing about it, and the ball hit the post AGAIN before rolling out.  Unbelievable!!!

Just prior to the half hour mark Arsenal piled forward and Cahill had to come to the rescue again to deny Welbeck from close range.  Welbeck should really have squared the ball to Ramsey but tried to score from a tight angle from just a few yards out and couldn't do so.  It was very messy from Chelsea though. Messy, messy, messy, and they knew they would have to improve in the second half.  Arsenal, although in front at the break, knew they could and should of further in front and hoped they wouldn't rue those missed chances.

Half Time Arsenal 1 Chelsea 0

Chelsea did indeed start the second half well and four minutes into it Pedro went for goal but Per Mertesacker stuck out a long limb to block it.  Before today, Mertesacker had only played for 30-odd minutes this season. He's done really well for Arsenal so far.  Then N'Golo Kante was set up by Costa and the wee man drilled a powerful effort into the hands of Gunners keeper David Ospina.

Two minutes later Costa tried to get on the end of a Eden Hazard ball, but once again Mertesacker stuck his body in the way and Costa got the last touch for an Arsenal goal-kick.  Then Victor Moses was denied by the Gunners defence!  This was a totally different Chelsea on the pitch now to what we had witnessed in the first forty five minutes.

Midway through the half a great stop from Thibaut Courtois, after a blistering Arsenal attack, thwarted a third goal for the North London outfit.  Welbeck side-footed for Ozil, who's steamed through the middle, but the ball fell to Hector Bellerin and the full-back's low drive was saved.  Two minutes later through came another big moment.  Moses went down in the box under pressure from Oxlade-Chamberlain.  A penalty or a dive?  Dive, says referee Anthony Taylor!  A second yellow card in thirteen minutes for Moses and Chelsea were down to ten men.  Moses went down while in close proximity to Nacho Monreal. There did not seem to be much contact, but Moses hardly went flying down.  Anyway Chelsea were now a man down as well as a goal down.

However they didn't seem to read the script as with fourteen minutes remaining Chelsea equalised through Costa. The Blues forward received a lovely ball from Willian, and he chested down in the box and his scuffed shot went past Ospina in the Arsenal goal.  Rob Holding should have done better - as should Ospina, but the match was now all square.

However, just two minutes after Chelsea levelled, Arsenal restored their lead, when Ramsey headed home, completely unmarked, after Olivier Giroud's cut-back.  Giroud had only been on the pitch a few minutes, after coming on for Welbeck, and Chelsea had it all to do once again.

Two minutes afterwards David Luiz got his massive hair on a short free-kick from Willian on the right, but he directed his header into the side netting.  This was too close to call now and with five minutes left Bellerin charged past David Luiz on the right-hand side, leaving him for dust, but his final shot wasn't quite accurate enough, though, and went wide of the post.

There was no let up in the late action in this crazy match though and with four minutes left Costa struck the ball from close range straight into the chest of Arsenal keeper Ospina, who did so well to keep his composure and make himself big to deny the Chelsea forward.  And with two minutes left Ozil has the chance to finish the game off a with a side-footer from inside the area but it came off the post.

And after a final few tense minutes referee Taylor ended a quite superb final and Arsenal had ended a rather average season with a record 13th FA Cup triumph and denied their West London rivals the chance of a double.

Full Time Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1

Here are some photos of the game, thanks to both clubs for those:-

Well, well, well, what a way to finish this seasons Emirates FA Cup competition.  A terrific final in the Capital on a lovely late sunny May afternoon.  Roll on early August when the 2017-18 tournament begins!!!

Season 2016-17 - Semi Finals

Saturday 22nd April
Chelsea 4 Tottenham Hotspur 2 (at Wembley Stadium)
So my featured game in the Semi Finals was the much awaited London Derby between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

As well as their well known rivalry the two clubs sat one and two in the Premiership so it had all the ingredients of being a terrific contest. Prior to the game the players and officials gathered around the centre-circle and linked arms as Wembley broke into applause to remember Ugo Ehiogu, the Spurs U23 boss who died suddenly in the days leading up to the game, RIP Ugo.

It certainly showed how the footballing family comes together in moments like these but it was soon back to business for both sides and it didn't take long for the opening goal and it came in the fifth minute as Willian, in the side for Eden Hazard, bent a free-kick over the wall and beyond Hugo Lloris' reach and give the Blue half of Wembley a perfect start.

It almost got even better four minutes later when N'Golo Kante cut a ball back for the unmarked Michy Batshuayi, but the Chelsea forward hesitated just long enough for Mousa Dembele to pinch the ball from his feet as Spurs were looking far from comfortable in the early exchanges.

But in the 17th minute that all changed as Tottenham hit back thanks to a brilliant bit of improvisation by Harry Kane as Christian Eriksen sent in a cross from the right and Kane stooped to flick a header into the far corner. It was a great header and it was very much game on.

With ten minutes of the half remaining and with Chelsea really under pressure, Marcos Alonso gave away a free-kick 30 yards from goal, right by the edge of the pitch. Eriksen fired it in and Kante heads behind.  The corner was cleared but Jan Vertonghen picked up the ball and delivered a fine ball to Eric Dier, who flicked a header just wide of the far post.

But four minutes before half time a moment of madness saw Son Heung-min slide in on Victor Moses and the Chelsea man tumbled to the floor for a penalty. Willian made no mistake, firing into the back of the net as Hugo Lloris dives the wrong way, and Chelsea took a slender lead into the break. Tottenham could feel unfortunate to be behind. They were the better side after a slow start.

Half Time Chelsea 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1

Spurs knew they had to take the game to Chelsea at the start of the second period and seven minutes into it they found a leveller once again when a unbelievable ball in from Eriksen found Dele Alli who produced a wonderful finish beyond keeper Thibaut Courtois and we were all square again.

Moments after Spurs were screaming for a penalty after Alli looked to be fouled but this was not given but were Spurs on the front foot and looking the likelier to score again. Chelsea therefore looked to change things and brought on Diego Costa and Eden Hazard to replace Batshuayi and Willian on the hour mark.

As the game reached it final twenty minutes Spurs were still on the front foot and still looking the more menacing although Chelsea remained solid in defence. But then with fifteen minutes to go a fifth goal arrived in this pulsating tie and for all of Spurs dominance they fell behind as a corner found it's way out to Hazard who took aim and fired into the bottom corner and Chelsea had the lead again.

And then five minutes later came the goal of the game as Nemanja Matic hit an unstoppable left footed blockbuster from way out into the top corner after the ball had been laid back by Hazard and Chelsea suddenly had a two goal lead and were cruising.

Hazard almost made it five with six minutes to go, rounding Lloris before squaring to Alonso whose effort was blocked, and then two minutes later a ball in by Cesc Fabregas saw Costa head well wide in what was a great chance, but Chelsea were cruising towards a Wembley final.

Deep into stoppage time a Kane free kick squirmed under Courtois but the backspin kept it from going over line, which kind of summed up Spurs day overall. So Chelsea reach the final and the double was still well and truly on.

Full Time Chelsea 4 Tottenham Hotspur 2 

Here are some photos of the game, thanks to both clubs for those:-

Now the other Semi Final took place a day later at Wembley Stadium and it pitted another London side in the shape of Arsenal against Manchester City, here is what happened:-

Arsenal 2 Manchester City 1 (AET)

Alexis Sanchez’s extra-time winner saw Arsenal come from behind to reach a record 20th Emirates FA Cup Final.  So often City’s hero, Sergio Aguero edged his team into the lead on the hour-mark, but Arsenal’s leveller came from the most unlikely of sources – left-back Nacho Monreal hitting only his third goal for the Gunners and his first since March 2015.  Arsene Wenger’s team had grown into the game after a tepid first half and got their winner when Sanchez lashed in from close range to set up a derby date with Chelsea back at Wembley on 27 May.


So Arsenal come from behind to stun Man City and set up an all London affair at Wembley on May 27th.

The Emirates FA Cup Final (at Wembley Stadium, kick off 17:30)
Arsenal Vs Chelsea (Live on BBC One & BT Sport 2)

Can Chelsea end the season as double winners or can The Gunners end a pretty ordinary season with a Trophy, we shall find out on May 27th.