The FA Cup Final

[tim_noone]

Burnley accrington and Blackburn players for fa cup goal of the tournament ...who'd of thought it

[tim_noone]

Come on gooners!

[starting_11]

I'm gonna lose me shirt here

[tim_noone]

What a save

[Vegas Claret]

been nice to have a good final for a change, should be about 7 -3 to Arsenal !

[Spijed]

You've got to say Kante & Hazard have been woeful today.

[Quickenthetempo]

Arsenal have run Chelsea ragged, Kante has been **** poor for player of the year.

[tim_noone]

Yippee doo

[cricketfieldclarets]

Great game. And a big, well deserved win for arsenal. Get in.

Mettersacker was immense.

[Diesel]

Loved that, from start to finish.

[Belgianclaret]

Deserved win, but first goal offside for me. Before Ramsay retreats he makes a definite movement towards the ball.

[ClaretAndJew]

But he doesn't touch it. Is that still offside? Genuinely don't know the intricacies of the rules.

[Juan Tanamera]

Most entertaining cup final in donkey's year.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[ksrclaret]

Best game of football I've watched in a while, and Arsenal were superb.

Really pleased for Wenger

[UTCAndrew123]

Arsene <3

[Shore claret]

Thought xhaka was mom, always thought he was rank.
Agree with the above Kante and hazard were lucky not to be subbed they were awful, not sure many Chelsea players come out with much credit, maybe already on holiday and thought they would win easily.

[Bin Ont Turf]

A cracking game was that.

It's a good few years since I've watched an FA Cup final all the way through.

It helps these days when you have two even-ish sides playing in it.

I'd love to have a bash at it with Burnley though.

[Roosterbooster]

Deserved win, but first goal offside for me. Before Ramsay retreats he makes a definite movement towards the ball.

Whilst I agree that he moves towards the ball, he doesn't actually alter any play. The defenders and Courtois don't change what they were going to do because of Ramsey's position. I still think we should go back to the old rule, but in the context of the current rule, I thought it was very sensible refereeing. Definite goal for me. And an excellent Arsenal performance in one of the most entertaining FA cup finals for years.

[hampsteadclaret]

Very good Arsenal..deserved winners...that cheating diver went a long way to wrecking Chelsea's chances.

Wenger...7 FA Cup wins and an undefeated Premier League season [back then]...not too bad.

[RingoMcCartney]

Great game. End to end. The Mrs had an accumulator resting on Chelsea winning. Not a happy bunny!

[Roosterbooster]

Wenger...7 FA Cup wins and an undefeated Premier League season [back then]...not too bad.

I've said it before. Some Arsenal fans might be unhappy with him, but who do they replace him with?

Same as us really.
As much as I understand some of KRBFC's thoughts on Dyche, who on Earth would we replace HIM with?

[Bin Ont Turf]

Per Mertesacker hadn't played a game all season, had never played in a back three and is slower than Brian Easton knee deep in treacle.

Yet he looked every bit of a World Cup winner, superb.

[RingoMcCartney]

Per Mertesacker hadn't played a game all season, had never played in a back three and is slower than Brian Easton knee deep in treacle.

Yet he looked every bit of a World Cup winner, superb.

Brian Easton knee deep in treacle!

Hate to think which websites you're looking at!

[Spijed]

Per Mertesacker hadn't played a game all season, had never played in a back three and is slower than Brian Easton knee deep in treacle.

Yet he looked every bit of a World Cup winner, superb.

He did look very good. With all the problems Arsenal have had this season it doesn't make sense that he has played more often this season.

They might have got a top four spot.

[Sidney1st]

There must be some really confused Gooners out there.

Happy to win a trophy, but disappointed that they've won so they can't abuse Wenger if they'd lost.

[Diesel]

He did look very good. With all the problems Arsenal have had this season it doesn't make sense that he has played more often this season.

They might have got a top four spot.

He's been out with a knee injury, hasn't he?

[Spijed]

He's been out with a knee injury, hasn't he?

Didn't realise that.

[Frenchclaret]

Arsenal Basketball team 2 - Chelsea Divers 1

Referee should have seen the handball for the Arsenal first goal - it was right in front of him.
Moses' dive was also in front of him and full marks for getting that decision right.

However, enjoyed the game and the Scottish cup final too today. The best teams won on the day and provided lots of entertainment.

Glad that John Terry didn't get the chance to hog the celebrations - only for Koscielny to do the same for Arsenal. Missing a match for disciplinary reasons should mean exactly that!

[Diesel]

Didn't realise that.

Yeah, played 37mins against Everton last week to get him 'in shape' for today.

[cutsy123]

Glad arsenal won

[Belgianclaret]

Whilst I agree that he moves towards the ball, he doesn't actually alter any play. The defenders and Courtois don't change what they were going to do because of Ramsey's position. I still think we should go back to the old rule, but in the context of the current rule, I thought it was very sensible refereeing. Definite goal for me. And an excellent Arsenal performance in one of the most entertaining FA cup finals for years.

Don't think he needs to touch the ball to alter play when he makes a gesture towards play.

Didn't we have a referee on the site here some time ago, can't remember his name

[bfcmik]

Whilst I agree that he moves towards the ball, he doesn't actually alter any play. The defenders and Courtois don't change what they were going to do because of Ramsey's position. I still think we should go back to the old rule, but in the context of the current rule, I thought it was very sensible refereeing. Definite goal for me. And an excellent Arsenal performance in one of the most entertaining FA cup finals for years.

2 things make the referee not at fault in my opinion.
1} The ball flies off Sanchez's knee onto his arm so it could be easily be argued the 'handball' was accidental and a case of ball to arm.
2} Sanchez doesn't release the ball as a pass/shot as he moves onto it himself making it a dribble. He shoots after Ramsey is behind the ball and thus not offside.

[nil_desperandum]

2 things make the referee not at fault in my opinion.
1} The ball flies off Sanchez's knee onto his arm so it could be easily be argued the 'handball' was accidental and a case of ball to arm.
2} Sanchez doesn't release the ball as a pass/shot as he moves onto it himself making it a dribble. He shoots after Ramsey is behind the ball and thus not offside.

Apart from which - as we all know, the handball / offside rules don't apply to Arsenal.

[Roosterbooster]

Don't think he needs to touch the ball to alter play when he makes a gesture towards play

I agree. He doesn't need to touch the ball to alter play. But his movement (despite not touching the ball) didn't alter the play either. Courtois still came out to stop the shot from Sanchez, not Ramsey, and the defenders didn't stop because they thought Ramsey was offside, they still followed Sanchez back. Under the laws of the new rule I think the goal was correctly given. But the fact that it is debateable is still reason enough to just go back to the old rule.

[IanMcL]

Pleased for Arsene, who has had some hate his way, this season. Mertesacker was as good as Michael Keane and ben Mee today!
Super to watch.