The Arsenal team including Arsenal's German defender Per Mertesacker
(third left) and Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil (centre) pose
with the trophy after winning the FA Cup final match between Aston Villa
and Arsenal at Wembley stadium in London on May 30, 2015. PHOTO |
ADRIAN DENNIS |
AFP
Arsenal retained the FA Cup in majestic style as their 4-0
demolition of Aston Villa in Saturday's final made history for the
Gunners and their manager Arsene Wenger.
Wenger's side
swept Villa aside with a swashbuckling display sparked by Theo Walcott's
first half opener and illuminated by a sublime strike from Alexis
Sanchez to double their lead after the interval.
Per
Mertesacker and substitute Olivier Giroud also got on the scoresheet for
the rampant north Londoners to seal Arsenal's second trophy in 12
months with the biggest margin of victory in an FA Cup final since 1994.
Arsenal's English midfielder Theo Walcott
celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup final match between Aston
Villa and Arsenal at Wembley stadium in London on May 30, 2015. PHOTO |
ADRIAN DENNIS |
AFP
Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez
celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup final match between Aston
Villa and Arsenal at Wembley stadium in London on May 30, 2015. PHOTO |
GLYN KIRK |
AFP
Arsenal's German defender Per Mertesacker
(centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring their third goal during
the FA Cup final match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Wembley
stadium in London on May 30, 2015. PHOTO | ADRIAN DENNIS |
AFP
Arsenal's German defender Per Mertesacker
(right) celebrates with Arsenal's Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla after
scoring their third goal during the FA Cup final match between Aston
Villa and Arsenal at Wembley stadium in London on May 30, 2015. PHOTO |
GLYN KIRK |
AFP
Arsenal's French striker Olivier Giroud
celebrates scoring their fourth goal during the FA Cup final match
between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Wembley stadium in London on May 30,
2015. PHOTO | GLYN KIRK |
AFP
Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil (centre)
runs with the ball during the FA Cup final match between Aston Villa and
Arsenal at Wembley stadium in London on May 30, 2015. PHOTO | ADRIAN
DENNIS |
AFP
Aston Villa's English manager Tim Sherwood
(left) and Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger look on during the FA
Cup final at Wembley stadium in London on May 30, 2015. PHOTO | ADRIAN
DENNIS |
AFP
It was a
suitably memorable performance on a historic day which saw Wenger become
the first manager in the post-War period to win the competition six
times, a tally matched by only George Ramsey, who won the last of his
with Villa in 1920.
There was another significant slice
of history for Arsenal as they lifted the famous old trophy for the
12th time, moving them ahead of Manchester United as the most successful
club in the competition.
Wenger insisted this week
that he doesn't know where he keeps his medals, but he now has a ninth
major honour of his 19-year reign at Arsenal to add to the collection.
"I
am very proud. Our club is doing well and if I can personally do well
then it's even better," Wenger said of his historic landmark.
"We
have shown that we are a real team and can deal with pressure. I
congratulate the players, the staff and the fans. We are so happy."
Arsenal had conceded twice in a disastrous opening eight minutes against Hull in last year's final.
But
there was no sign of such a fraught start this time as Arsenal quickly
established their smooth passing rhythm to pen Villa deep inside their
own half.
Sanchez was at the heart of all their best
moments and he worked space to clip a cross towards Laurent Koscielny,
whose header forced a fine one-handed save from Shay Given.
Aaron
Ramsey should have scored when a fortunate deflection presented him
with a clear sight of goal just inside the penalty area, yet the Arsenal
midfielder couldn't hit the target with a rushed effort.
Villa,
appearing in their first FA Cup final since 2000, seemed completely
bewildered by the speed and movement of Arsenal's attacks.
They
were prised open when Mesut Ozil's ball in the six-yard box was met by
Walcott with a lunging volley that looked goalbound until Kieran
Richardson threw himself into a last-ditch block.
INSPIRED SWITCH
Walcott
had been preferred to Giroud in the central striker's role that he has
spent years telling Wenger he could thrive in, but the Arsenal boss
responded to that miss by shifting the winger to the left flank and
moving Sanchez into the middle.
It proved an inspired switch as the pair combined to break the deadlock in the 40th minute.
Once
again, a blur of Arsenal passes went unchecked by the bedraggled Villa
rearguard before Nacho Monreal lofted a cross that was bravely headed
back across goal by Sanchez.
With Villa's defenders too
slow to react to the danger, Walcott pounced, arriving unmarked from
the left to lash a ferocious left-foot shot past Given.
Walcott's
seventh goal of an injury-ruined season was no more than Arsenal
deserved and, with their confidence now sky-high, they took just five
minutes after half-time to press home their advantage.
While
Walcott has been a bit-part player for most of the campaign, Sanchez
has established himself as Arsenal's creative fulcrum in the nine months
since he arrived from Barcelona and he capped his debut season with a
stunning effort in the 50th minute.
Seizing possession
in a wide position 25 yards from goal, a typically deft drop of the
shoulder send two Villa defenders the wrong way, buying time and space
for Sanchez to unleash a superb, swerving shot that flashed over the
flat-footed Given into the roof of the net.
Villa, so vibrant since Tim Sherwood took over late in the season, looked traumatised by Arsenal's scintillating display.
Mertesacker
compounded their misery in the 62nd minute when the Gunners defender
guided a corner into the net via his shoulder before Giroud's clever
flicked finish in stoppage-time underlines the class divide between the
teams.
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