Photo: Steve Bruce and Arsene Wenger
Arsenal will be a looking to end their nine year wait for a silverware when they face Hull City in the FA Cup Final at Wembley. The Gunners will be hoping the FA Cup is their lucky charm as it was the last trophy they placed in their cabinet back in 2005.
The last time they lifted a trophy club legends Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp were still representing Arsenal but this time around they will be led out by club captain Thomas Vermaelen. Victory on Saturday will make it 5 FA Cup titles for manager Arsene Wenger and also equaling the record of 11 FA Cup titles currently held by Manchester United. There has been a suggestion of a mental block for the Arsenal players to win trophies but Wenger has denied any such problems in the team.
He was quoted on ESPN saying: ‘Mental block, no. There is a desire to do well, that is for sure.’ However when he was asked if their lengthy spell without a trophy makes it more challenging, this was his response.
‘A little. But at the end of the day once you walk over the line you just focus on your football. You don’t play with the history; you play with your quality and your desire to play well. It is an opportunity and we have to take a distance with time. We need to just turn up and play well.’
Wenger has a full squad to select from with record signing Mesut Ozil fit to play after recovering from injury. However, Vermaelen (knee) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin) face a race against time to be fit.
Hull City on the other hand has a manager who has FA Cup pedigree having won it three times as a player during his time at Manchester United. However, this is Hull City’s first time in the FA Cup final but Steve Bruce will hope to give his players a sense of what to expect from the Wembley atmosphere. Bruce admitted that he has been trying to keep things normal at the club in the build-up to the final.
He said: ‘We’ve tried to keep it normal, but you can tell it’s not normal. You can tell from watching the players train that it’s not a normal week.’
He continued: ‘For the first time in three or four weeks, there is a real spring in the step of the players. You can detect that and it will build as the week goes on, and so it should. When you’re growing up and playing for your junior team, your district team, whoever – you want to do one thing and that is play in an FA Cup final.’
Hull City will not be able to call upon their strike duo of Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic as they are both cup-tied having represented West Brom and Everton respectively, before moving to the KC Stadium in January. The likes of Allan McGregor, Paul McShane and Sone Aluko have all recovered from injury and can be involved on Saturday. However defender James Chester is a major doubt for Steve Bruce with a hamstring injury.
The new Wembley will be buzzing with excitement as both sets of fans will be hoping to sing and cheer their team to victory. It is vital that Arsenal gets an early goal to settle any nerves but Hull City will know the longer the match remains in the balance, the greater the pressure becomes on Arsenal. They will then grow in confidence of getting a result against the much fancied Gunners, who are the clear favourites.
Yashiema Love
Senior Contributor
GIVEMESPORT Writing Academy
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