Match Day Thread Arsenal vs. Aston Villa (FA Cup Final) Official Match Thread

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Venue: Wembley
Saturday, May 30th 2015
KO Time: 17.30 BST

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Head to Head Against Aston Villa:
Played: 175
Wins: 73
Draws: 41
Losses: 62
Goals For: 279
Goals Against: 251
Goal Difference: 28

Last 6 Meetings:
Arsenal 5-0 Aston Villa
Aston Villa 0-3 Arsenal
Aston Villa 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa
Arsenal 2-1 Aston Villa
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal

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Arsenal's Road to Wembley:
Reading 1-2 Arsenal (aet.)
Manchester United 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Middlesbrough
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-3 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Hull City

Aston Villa's Road to Wembley:
Aston Villa 2-1 Liverpool
Aston Villa 2-0 West Bromwich Albion
Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester City
Aston Villa 2-1 Bournemouth
Aston Villa 1-0 Blackpool

Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final against Aston Villa:
on the latest...
Danny Welbeck is out still. He will not be fit for us or for England. That’s basically the only injury we have at the moment. Everyone else is available. Arteta is back in full training. We have no new injuries from the weekend.

on how much Arsenal will miss Welbeck…
He would have been short anyway so I was prepared for that. When I saw Roy Hodgson last we were both confident that Welbeck would be available but we called the FA yesterday to explain that his bone bruising at the knee was not healed and that he absolutely had to rest.

on Mathieu Debuchy and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain…
They are available. They are short of competition but available.

Starting XI:

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Bench:
Ospina
Gibbs
Gabriel
Flamini
Wilshere
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Giroud

 

A pyschic penguin has predicted that Villa will win the FA cup. That´s you Gooners ****ed then. You heard it here first.

Good luck to both of you.

 

I prefer the match threads A87 has been making

 

'kin penguins, always had it in for us. May as well not show up now.

 

I like that team you've chosen, I can see why you've gone for Santi even though he does look quite tired. We've got one hell of a bench with Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Gibbs, Gabriel, Debuchy on it!

 

I would also start that team. I would love to have Ramsey starting but I think Theo may have more of an impact on that right wing

 

I'm not sure about Ramsey playing on the wings, but can someone explain why he is a better option over our existing options - Walcott, OXO or Ozil? As far as i'm aware, Ramsey is a CM and has played most of his career there.

 

I'm assuming that because Oxo has been injured, and for some reason Wenger hasn't trusted Walcott since Jan, that he's see's Ramsey as making really good runs into the box, has a good shot on him and can win the ball back/pressure teams high up the pitch. As such he can interchange with Ozil, Sanchez and Santi to confuse teams.

Which to be fair works on quite a few occasions. Just I imagine that a few people are like me, and would rather have a winger/attacker who offers width and pace on the flank, and Ramsey in the centre where he can play his best.

 

It might have worked but how effective was it? I don't think he has the legs to take on players, that is a requirement for playing on the wings. I believe you play your best players in their best positions and Ramsey excels in center. Ramsey is a quality player and he is better pulling the strings and making surging runs through the middle. I guess Wenger is trying to accommodate all our midfielders.

 

I agree, but the problem for Wenger is Ramsey is one of our best players - but he can't drop Coq or Cazorla with their form in the middle this year.

 

Completely agree with A87's team except I want Ospina in goal rather than 'Ches. Szczesny hasn't played for a while and the last thing we need is a rusty goalkeeper low on confidence for a cup final. Regardless of his shortcomings, Ospina simply has to start.

 

Personally I'd start Ramsey and keep Theo on the bench. Much better as an impact sub, plus he keeps our team balanced.

 

How can you bench our fastest player who just scored a hat trick 4 days ago? Judging by Sherwood's comments, they are going to try and beat us at our own game, so he has to start.

 

I suppose since it's the last game of the season I should also say thanks for doing the match threads this season oxo, from sporadically updating the MoM thread (after the villa game I'll do a full update for the season) I know it can be a lot of effort to find the time, so thanks for putting in the effort.

Back on topic, I'm really looking forward to this game. I think sherwood will try to play rather than just sit back and defend so it should be a good game to watch rather than lots of sideways passing and trying to breakdown an 11 man defence for 90+ minutes. And it being the cup final gives it that extra edge of excitement.

I'm not sure who I'd play from the start, I would think one of Ramsey or Cazorla will miss out on starting though it could be Walcott.

In goal I'd go with Szczesny. He's been our FA Cup keeper this season and it would be a shame not to play him for the final. Last season flappy played the cup games despite Szczesny having a great season as our number one keeper and ospina has allowed several soft goals in recently in my opinion. I think it'd be good for his development to be part of a cup winning starting eleven and keep him feeling involved in the squad and trusted by the manager which will be good for his confidence, especially if we end up making a move for Cech.

Other than that I think the team picks itself. And with players returning from injury we will have a very good bench too.

 

Problem with playing Chensey is the fact that he has not played for nearly six ****ing weeks, so that's a long time and he is bound to be rusty, also Chensey tends to bottle it on the big occasions (Euro's, League cup final, Bayern), he was also dodgy against Reading. But having said all that Ospina is also dodgy as ****. Basically we need a new keeper.

 

Yup cheers to Oxo (and Arsenal87 ;p) for doing the match threads...

Also, it'll be interesting if (the other) oxo is on the bench, as the reports say he's fit now, and that's some serious pace between him, Bellerin and Walcott on the right. Though there isn't any point in having both Walcott and Oxo on the bench, so you'd think either Walcott starts with Oxo to come on, or Walcott is on the bench with Oxo not involved.

If oxo is involved then it'll mean that Rosicky will more than likely not be involved.

 

Its a shame putting those two on the bench but I guess they may be used as impact subs. Wilshere would also make a good impact sub too.

 

Did you ever hear Tim Vickery talking about Ospina on the World Football Phone-in ?

 

Yes we've got some serious depth in the centre midfield when everyone is fit, which will get even worse when (if!) we sign our much needed DM. On form, players like Walcott, Oxo, Wilshere & Ramsey deserve to play every game, but we just haven't got the space.

 

I think my team would be:

--------------Szcz------------
Bellerin--mert--Kosc--monreal
-------Coq----Ramsey/Cazorla---
Walcott------Ozil----Sanchez
------------Giroud------------

And the bench looking something like this:

Subs: Ospina, Gabriel, Debuchy/Gibbs, Ramsey/Cazorla, Wilshere, Flamini/Rosicky, Oxocube

We will probably have flamini on the bench but I think I'd have Rosicky in there instead. And I'd like Gibbs to be in the match squad but if debuchy is fit and sharp enough he may take that spot on the bench. Plenty of options and whoever makes the bench it'll have good choices.