Arsene Wenger’s big selection gamble for the FA Cup Final was naming Theo Walcott ahead of Olivier Giroud. When his chosen man thumped home ...
Arsene Wenger’s big selection gamble for the FA Cup Final was naming Theo Walcott ahead of Olivier Giroud. When his chosen man thumped home the first goal of the day, Wenger might have suspected this would prove to be his day. The Frenchman became the first manager of the modern era to win six FA cups on an occasion where everything went right for the Gunners.
There tends to be a bit of cynicism regarding Theo Walcott among the Arsenal fans. There are whispered accusations that his performances tend to improve when the time comes for contract negotiations; that he is a player whose salary and reputation far exceed his technical ability.
However, this time there is something undeniably romantic about Walcott’s story. After he was ruled out of last year’s final by a cruciate ligament injury, his surprise selection for this final marked a remarkable rehabilitation for the England international. A few weeks ago he could barely get a kick for the Gunners; now he was being picked for the season’s showpiece finale. The magic may be fading from this cup competition, but there was more than a hit of the fairy tale about Walcott’s inclusion.
It seemed only fitting that he should repay that faith by opening the scoring. When Nacho Monreal’s cross was nodded across goal by Alexis Sanchez, Walcott arrived with impeccable timing to meet the bouncing ball with a left-footed volley that crashed inside Shay Given’s near post. Having finally made a convincing case to start as a centre-forward, there was a certain irony about the fact Walcott’s goal came in a period where he had rotated out to the wing.
Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud added the gloss to the scoreline, but the real stars were arguably the midfielders who granted Arsenal control of the game. Francis Coquelin snapped at the heels of Villa’s attackers, while Santi Cazorla glided expertly between dazed opposition. Aaron Ramsey’s energy levels seemingly allowed him to cover several positions at once, while Mesut Ozil produced a performance suitable for the venue and occasion.
Much like Alexis, he delivered on the big stage, dazzling both sets of supporters with an array of impudent flicks and some perfectly weighted passes.
Arsenal fans will now hope their team can push on from here to challenge for the two major trophies that elude them: the Premier League and the Champions League. Based on the way they handled this final, this is a squad with the requisite mental fortitude to be credible title challengers.
