Olivier Giroud says he’s hoping Arsenal learn from the mistakes of last year’s FA Cup final by imposing their game on Aston Villa from kick-off on Saturday evening.
The Gunners looked destined for defeat against Hull when Steve Bruce’s side took a two goal lead inside the opening ten minutes before they rallied back to secure victory in extra-time.
Eager to avoid a similarly traumatic start to their next Wembley final, the Frenchman told Arsenal Player: “Hopefully we’re not going to make the same mistake as last year. Hopefully we will start the game strong.
“It’s one of our strengths this year – we are starting games well and we need to not let them take confidence. We need to play our game from the beginning of the game.”
Last year’s cup success represented the second major honour of Giroud’s career after his 2012 Ligue 1 title triumph with former club Montpellier. Now 28, he says he’s desperate to add to his medal collection:
“In several years, when my career is over, I would like to leave one or two good memories of my time here with Arsenal.
“I would like to win every trophy that I can so one more would be nice, and even more to become the only team with 12 wins. It’s the big trophy after the Premier League.
“I know it’s massive for the fans and for us, so I will want to win it again. They are the 12th man and they really support us. They are fantastic and you can feel their support every minute, especially when you come back like last year. They were really pushing us to give our best. We have done it together.”
If there’s one Villa player that both Arsenal’s fans and players are particularly wary of, it’s Belgian attacker Christian Benteke.
The 24-year-old striker has netted 12 goals since the start of March, including a strike in the FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool. Asked about the threat posed by the player, Arsene Wenger outlined:
“He’s a player who has a massive potential. I think some of the bad fortune of Aston Villa this season was linked with the fact that Benteke was not there.
“When he came back into the team, he gave a lift to everybody and of course he has a fantastic leap, he’s an intelligent player as well and he can score goals with his feet. He’s fantastic in the air and can score headers against any team in the league.”
Arseblog News is glad Arsene has recognised that Benteke is good in the air. We’ve noticed that too recently. We’ve also noticed that three of the last four goals Arsenal have conceded have come from headers. And that all of the last five goals we’ve conceded have come from crosses into the box…
Sorry, just a few pre-game nerves. We’ll be alright…
Only because I seem to be first, coyg
Just add COYG next time, brotha
I was shy and did not want to yell.
Aha! We’re in FA Cup winning mode again! Who’s gonna give Wenger a Champagne shower this time around?
Poldi will parachute in from a plane overhead carrying a Super Soaker full of champagne
Whoever wants to be loaned out/sold in the summer… Arsene didn’t look impressed. #coincidence? #aha #badideapoldi
Szczesny and he will invite the boss for a smoke afterwards.
Walcott or Giroud up front?
Thumbs up for Walcott, down for Giroud
My vote is Giroud up front, Walcott on the right.
Dropping who?
Monreal.
I’d drop coquelin. Not needed for villas mf. I’d go Ramsey and Cazorla at the Base. Sanchez Ozil Walcott with big man Giroud up top. Are you not entertained!?! I’d rather go for it and get a lead and bring on coquelin, than chase it like (think pre west brom) before, and take him off after 70mins. Imo. COYG
Thank God, you’re not the manager.
Bench Cazorla. The freekick in the last final to instill some drive was fantastic but he is not at his best for the past 4 games.
My starting line up would be:
szcz, monreal, mert, gabriel/Kos, bellerin, coq, ramsey, ozil, sanchez, walcott, giroud
Could be, we might be a little more conservative considering it’s the final but it wouldn’t suprise me either.
The goalkeeper.
That is the question, isn’t it…
I really do hope we’ve learned from our mistake last year. At Arsenal, we like to talk about not making the same mistake that we talked about not making mistakes from.
9 years drought, Özil arrives, FA Cup win and another finale to come. Coincidence? Luck? Or is Mesut all but a flop for Arsenal? 😉
Sanches came he saw he conquered
Giroud AND Theo means dropping Ramsey…..no way!!
a santi free kick to open the scoring
thank you for making me think of that again! A thumb up for you!
Don’t want to imagine what might have been had Gibbs not saved that goal line header.
I suspect: 1. Anarchy around Wembley. Arsenal fans revolt and we receive a fine from the FA, likely disproportionately large. 2. Wenger, reluctantly, announces his position is untenable and leaves. 3. As a result, we don’t sign Alexis Sanchez who travels- even more reluctantly- to Merseyside, wherein he fills part of the void left by Suarez. 4. A disjointed pre-season culminates in an opening day defeat, which sets the tone for the rest of the campaign. 5. Early cup exits and a loss in the Champions League qualifier leave us with nothing to play for but catching up on a… Read more »
I didn’t want to imagine any of that but thank you.
Scary stuff, really ….
go find some wood to knock on. Or chop. Or smash. Or use to smash mou’s head in.
Change your pseudonym to Apocalypse Now.
Can we not do it the Arsenal way this time around and do it like EPL super powers of next season?
#AHA!
He mentioned Benteke, surely that’s a clue to the fact we are going to sign him. What a great signing we are making, you heard it here first…
[See Vidal thread]
I think all Benteke rumours will lead liverpool on. Personally I think he may end up there like Balotelli. but hey, what do I know
Come on Giroud, all you have to do is put in hat trick. It will be historical.
…just as the media have largely (purposefully) neglected to mention that we will if we win it have won the cup for the most times in history one ahead of United and Wenger would have the most wins ahead of Fergie.
Can’t afford to be complacent of course but have to say it is another decent opportunity we’ve carved for ourselves. Facing Villa in the finals isn’t a terrible thing.
Theo upfront please. I dont mind dropping Giroud, but not Ramsey, Carzola, Coquelin. Thanks
Travelled down to London last year and I admit I didn’t enjoy the final at all. All day drinking in the Tollington and some Arsenal fans getting very angry. After the first goal, I thought we would do it and everybody made up.
I’d like a comfortable win this time for the sake of my nerves.
Completely off topic, but I just saw this exchange on the Beeb’s live feed of the Europa Cup final shortly after Dnipro took the lead. Had to share it. Wonder if the commenter on 31 minutes (Olivier) has the last name Giroud … 21 min Tom Duncan: Cracking start for Dnipro. Konoplyanka to Spurs in the summer. Peeling off Eriksen and bashing in crosses for Kane. 21 min BBC comment: The silly season has already started for Tom. 31 min Olivier: RE: Tom (21 minutes). Why would Konoplyanka go to Spurs? If Dnipro win this, they’ll be in the Champions… Read more »
Fancy a Bellerin stunner on Saturday.
Coquelin to seal it late on.
A victory would mean both Ozil & Sanchez have won a trophy in their 1st season.
Just think about it… what if we sign Ibrahimovic… yes I know, I know highly unlikely but I’m allowed to dream. that guy is going to love it in the EPL… love it and lord it. could be a good option that helps the younger players too since he just might have only a couple of years
“They were really pushing us to give our best. We have done it together.”
Well, I can go to bed a happy Gooner knowing that Olivier recognised the effort I put in to getting absolutely wankered at The George while the lads were battling it out on the pitch.
Together 🙂
A fried penguin marinaded with nandos sauce anyone? ??
Okay, now I understand this. For the uninitiated – a psychic penguin in Birmingham has predicted an Aston Villa win.
I’m sure the good burghers of Birmingham must put a great deal of stock in this. However, the fact that they’ve had to search that far from the realm of possibility in order to find someone or something that will predict a Villa win hints at how desperate they must be.
Iam confident we shall win it easily
You may be confident but don’t SAY it for gods sake – it might be contagious overoptimism.
No champagne shower this time, just Szcznezzzny and le boss taking a selfie hitting a bong with their backs to the Villa fans.
Then rofl their tits off after dropping the cup over the balcony and it landing on someones head like a hat