This evolving Arsenal team has improved from a year ago, become stronger during the season.
It’s been strengthened by a tenacious anchorman, Coquelin, a more reliable keeper, Ospina, and a very promising young right back, Bellerin.
If Arsenal score first, they should beat Aston Villa 4-1 with Alexis Sanchez showing incisive moments of world class skill, and he did in the semi-final.
In that game, I was very surprised that Giroud didn’t start. But today I think Giroud will start against Villa and big Ron Vlaar will love that because Giroud is rather static and makes his team somewhat predictable.
Walcott is more mobile and his liveliness loosens up a lot of spaces, gives Sanchez, Ozil, Cazorla and Ramsey more room to work in.
If you’re playing a short-passing game of quick support runs and overlaps, those spaces are very important.
And Walcott’s pace would worry Vlaar and Baker.
This time last year Aston Villa finished 15th on 38 points and Benteke was their top league scorer with 10 goals.
This season Aston Villa finished 17th, three points above relegated Hull, again with 38 points.
Benteke was their top scorer on 13.
If Arsenal play as they can do and should do, Benteke will get very little service from lively playmaker Jack Grealish, who will be spending a lot of his biggest afternoon chasing back after Bellerin.
Still, Tim Sherwood will always have a go. Villa have nothing to lose and if they get the breaks they could make history. So this FA Cup Final is a bonus for them.
I’ve always has a soft spot for Agbonlahor, and the energy of midfield Fabian Delph is phenomenal. On a good day Delph is a dynamic midfielder who can win the ball and use it and support his own forward passes with some panache.
PS. I gather Arsenal have not given up on Szczesny. They’re looking to send him out on loan.
Also heard that when Danny Welbeck wasn’t in the 18 at Hull, he walked out. So he’s been in the doghouse. And Wenger has said he has a knee injury.
Back on September 1st, when Ivan Gazidis signed Welbeck for £16m after 11pm on deadline day, Wenger was abroad, coaching a team for the Pope.
When the manager came back he said he wouldn’t have signed Welbeck.
Ominous words.