FA CUP FINAL MATCH PREVIEW: Arsenal v Hull City; What Did She Wear???

When the 2013/2014 seasons kicked off and the season went through it’s initial stages and moved into the turn of the year, we talked about where Arsenal could finish the year. Generally, we stuck to the feeling that if healthy Arsenal could win the title but wouldn’t and that the FA Cup represented the best chance for silverware this year.

Well as the calendar flips to tomorrow the Arsenal. . . our Arsenal will take to the prestigious showpiece that is the FA Cup final at Wembley stadium. It is a competition, that while many try to diminish still holds special value in the hearts of many Gunners.

Next to Manchester United (11), Arsenal (10) have won this competition the most with the first taste of Cup glory in 1930 and the last in 2005. We’ve all heard ad nauseum that it has been 9 years since our last silverware and it was this very cup. It’s something we all know very well and doesn’t bare repeating again.

Wenger has won’t the tournament four times with Arsenal. Two of them tied to double-winning seasons. And for a while it seemed he had lost his love of it – and that’s to debate for another time. IF Arsenal win tomorrow Wenger is tied for second with the likes of Fergie and Thomson Mitchell in the all time winningest FA up Managers. This season he has made it a priority and we all hope tomorrow, that focus pays off.

The importance of winning the FA Cup can’t just be brought down to breaking the 9 year drought. It also an work as a platform to build on for more. Looking back to the disastrous season when Arsenal were in for the League Cup, the Champion’s League, FA Cup and title, then went on to lose the League Cup final and everything else within a span of a few weeks, winning a cup can have quite the opposite effect.

Players need to know they can win. Sure, some of the players here have won things elsewhere, but collectively this team hasn’t won anything together. They need to experience that as one. It will be a growth moment for many of the team’s younger stars. It can have a solidifying effect and propel the club forward as they begin to understand the focus needed to win. This is a sentiment shared by Mikel Arteta:

“I think when you get to that line and you win, it creates a lot of confidence and builds something special. It will be something special between the players, the fans, the staff.

“Then suddenly you have the Community Shield to play for, which is another trophy and the ball is rolling. In my opinion this is something else than just a final and a trophy.”

The path to this cup final has been a difficult one. Arsenal have had to face stiff opposition on all but one occasion. In their run, they had Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton all from the top 6 of the Premier League table. Then they had to face off against last season’s cup holders who showed via their tie with City that they were going to be anything but pushovers.

The point is they’ve shown throughout this run that they are focused on achieving something. They now need to encapsulate that everything they gave to the cup run and to the season to bring it all home.

We know at their best this Arsenal squad were untouchable. At their worst . . . well, we all know how it was. For the most part they come in, healthy and in a good run of form having won their last 5 matches to close out the league by a combined score of 12-1 – four of the five wins being clean sheets.  One of those clean sheets coming against their FA Cup opponent, Hull City

The fact is when they have most of their core players fit they present any team a challenge. Even Liverpool whom everyone was praising couldn’t hold a torch to Arsenal when the likes of Ramsey, Wilshere and Ozil where all available. They bossed the midfield against the side every pundit (and if you believed them every neutral) lauded and wanted to win the title. The key will be can they play with that confidence and determination that they’ve showed through much of the season one more time but with so much on the line.

It looks all too easy. Hull have been woeful in the close to the Premier League season. It would be wrong though for anyone to overlook them. Arsenal need to show them all the respect of a team that got to a final. They need to view Hull as if they were Bayern Munich and attack them. While nerves will likely cause the game to be a little slow to start but once Arsenal have their style going or understand how Hull will play them, then they need to go for it.

Part of the game hinges on whether or not Hull go with 3 or 4 at the back. 3 at the back will allow them to clog our more superior midfield. However if we get beyond the midfield we have the ability to overrun them.

A flat 4 cedes midfield dominance to Arsenal and will allow us to control the ball. But it does give Hull width and outlets for a quick-counter attack, something we have issues with at times.

We shouldn’t expect that Hull will come out as limp as they did a few weeks ago.  This is a cup final and they will want to go down in history like Wigan and seen as giant killers.

There is glory to be had. Arsenal have to win this to begin to truly reestablish themselves as one of the preeminent teams in England. Jens Lehmann in an interview said the Arsenal brand is fading a little as the years have gotten wider from our last silverware. Winning the FA Cup is in my opinion the first step to getting back to where we need to be.

Probable Lineups:

Prediction:
Arsenal 3 – 1 Hull