Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea: FA Cup Final Highlights As We Secured Record 13th Cup Win

By The Editor
on 27th May 2017

Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea…

We’ve done it!

Arsenal came out on top against champions Chelsea in the FA Cup final to secure a record-breaking 13th cup triumph thanks to Aaron Ramsey’s brilliant winner.

In what was a depleted lineup, much of the focus was on a makeshift back five, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Nacho Monreal and Per Mertesacker all playing in unfamiliar positions.

We dominated possession early on, with Chelsea perhaps still feeling the aftereffects of their overexuberant title celebrations during the week.

It was imperative that we made the dominance count, and so we did in somewhat controversial fashion. Alexis Sanchez raced onto his own ricochet, though he almost had the ball taken off him by the offside Ramsey.

Alexis struck home with a volley after the linesman had already flagged for offside. After much deliberation, Anthony Taylor pointed to the centre circle and we were 1-0 up.

The Chilean was certainly onside, but he did handle the ball as he raced through. Who’s complaining, though?

We continued to apply the pressure and really should’ve put the game to bed by half-time. Mesut Ozil and Danny Welbeck were denied goals by goal-line clearances from Chelsea skipper Gary Cahill.

However, the chance of the half fell to Ramsey who seemed surprised as the ball bounced back off the post from Welbeck’s header and with the goal gaping, the Welshman could only chest the ball wide.

Antonio Conte’s men came out a different beast in the second-half, though they still couldn’t find a way past our sensational back line.

Heading into the final fifteen minutes of the final came the huge turning point, Victor Moses cut inside Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and flung himself to the ground inside the area.

Referee Taylor wasn’t to be fooled and with the Nigerian already on a yellow, he was shown his marching orders.

It suddenly became our cup final to lose, and it seemed our boys were slightly confused on how to approach the game from thereon as Chelsea grew in confidence.

Diego Costa, Chelsea’s main threat, grabbed the equaliser from nowhere after an aimless lump into the box from Willian.

It could’ve been the moment the final drifted from us, but our response was emphatic as it was instant.

Chelsea didn’t even touch the ball before we had the ball in once again as Olivier Giroud crossed for Aaron Ramsey with his first touch.

Ramsey, as has become his personal trademark, timed his run beautifully into the box away from N’Golo Kante to head home the winner.

We were relatively comfortable, a Costa moment apart, to hold on and become the kings of the FA Cup. The players dug deep and refused to give Chelsea an inch all game, a performance for the manager as well as the fans.

Arsene Wenger is now the most decorated manager in the competition’s history. Is there a better way to go out?