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FA Cup roundup: Wilshere rains on Arsenal’s parade

By on June 1, 2015

I have got closer, in my tourism, to getting my hands on the FA Cup trophy than the Aston Villa players did at Wembley in their recent FA Cup Final against Arsenal. Arsenal’s 4-0 win was in stark contrast to last year’s final when Arsenal came back from two goals down against Hull City to win 3-2 in extra time; this season, the final was all but settled when Alexis Sanchez lit up Wembley not far into the second half with one of the best goals ever seen in the old competition. Sanchez is only the second Chilean to lift the famous cup, however, he seems to love Wembley already. It was easy to see a win coming for Arsene Wenger’s side, but only a brave man would’ve predicted a 4-0 margin of victory – the most comfortable triumph in the Cup final since 1994 (before multiple players on the pitch were even born).

It must have hurt even more for the manager of the Villains Tim Sherwood, being a former Tottenham boss and coming from the North outskirt area of London, Borehamwood. Sherwood’s hometown of Borehamwood is famous for film and TV making, but it was Arsene Wenger’s side writing the award winning script at Wembley.

England forward Theo Walcott was given the nod by Wenger to start in front of Frenchman Oliver Giroud as the main striker and the 26-year-old soon repaid the faith shown in him by the manager with the opener. Arsenal won their last fixture of the Barclays Premier League season 4-1 over West Brom, in which Walcott scored a hat-trick, so came into the Wembley showpiece in decent form. Yet Villa had lost 6-1 to Southampton two weeks beforehand and fell to defeat to a relegated Burnley side after. All in all, Arsenal were clear favorites.

Arsenal went into the half time break with the slight advantage, but it could have been more if not for 39-year-old Irish goalkeeper Shay Given. And five minutes into the second half, Alexis Sanchez all but ended the contest. Aston Villa then lost focus and conceded from a set piece as German World Cup winning German defender Per Mertesacker headed in from a corner and late substitute Oliver Giroud tapped in a fourth with one of the last kicks of the final. The man of the match in the final wasn’t even on the score-sheet, as 30-year-old Spaniard Santi Cazorla yet again played brilliantly in a red shirt.

Some of the glory of Arsenal’s victory was tainted at their victory parade the next day, as Gunners and England midfielder Jack Wilshere taunted North London rivals Tottenham with lyrics to an anti-Spurs song which makes Kanye West look tame! Both Wilshere and, erm, the actual rain, rained on the parade.  I can’t see Wilshere replacing Kanye West on the main stage at Glastonbury this summer – although former Spur Jake Livermore may be in the crowd. Wilshere was anti-Spurs in the celebrations after the victory against Hull last year and repeated the trick this time on the party bus to the on-looking fans, with a loudspeaker at hand. In fact, a bus in London is the perfect metaphor to describe Arsenal – as you wait nine years for one to come along and then two come at once (three if you count the Community Shield 3-0 win over Manchester City last August, but hey, nobody seems to).

Twenty-three-year-old Wilshere may taunt Tottenham, but Arsenal are still catching up with the Lilywhites in terms of history — repeating what Spurs did in 1981 and 1982 with consecutive triumphs in the cup. The 2014 and 2015 Wembley wins for the red side of North London insured they overtake Manchester United as the most decorated club in the competition’s history as well, with twelve victories in nineteen finals. Arsene Wenger also joined George Graham at the top of the managerial charts on six FA Cup titles. Arsenal have lifted the cup so many times now that the FA (Football Association) might as well let the powers that be even change the name of the world famous competition to “The Emirates FA Cup,” given the cup has made the stadium home for two years now. It would be just as sensible as Sepp Blatter staying on as FIFA president.

Arsenal will next return to Wembley at the start of the 2015/2016 season to face London rivals and Premier League champions Chelsea in an attempt to defend their Community Shield; however, I can’t see that match ending 4-0 to either of the sides involved, as Jose Mourinho would never let that happen against Arsene Wenger.

Photo credit: Brian Minkoff on Wikipedia Commons

About Richard Lewis

Richard Lewis can relate almost anything to football and quite often does! You may have seen Richard's previous ideas and work in the BBC Match of the Day Magazine, from 2011 to present. He is a Manchester United and England fan, but has gone to see Leyton Orient play with his O's season ticket in the 2013/14 campaign. Aside from football, Richard has written articles on Doctor Who and studies English Language and Linguistics at the University of Westminster. Aspiring sports journalist.