Gunners looking to end Trophy drought

 

Cesc Fabregas

 

Arsenal head into tomorrow’s Carling Cup Final knowing a victory will end their six-year wait for silverware. The 2005 FA Cup victory over Manchester United seems an eternity ago now, and Birmingham City remain the final hurdle in their path to ending that unenviable streak.

It really is hard to believe it has been this long since a Cup of note rested in North London. Arsenal have not won the League since that amazing unbeaten streak in 2004, and have not reached an FA Cup Final since that Penalty Shoot-Out win over United in Cardiff in ’05. There best run in that competition was reaching the 2009 semi-finals, where they were beaten by Cross-London rivals and eventual Champions Chelsea.

In the Champions League they lost the 2006 Final to Barcelona in a game that was eminently winnable. Since then they have reached just the semi-finals once, losing to Manchester United in 2009.

In terms of this competition Arsene Wenger has, in the past, seen it as a chance to blood young and developing talent within the club, and never saw it as a serious disappointment going out in the early rounds. However, considering the need for a trophy within the club, this year was a chance to take this competition seriously. Tomorrow is a big day for Arsenal

Wembley will be the venue for what promises to be a feisty encounter in front of a sell-out crowd. Birmingham City will bring a huge following south from the midlands for a game they hope they can win through their “difficult to beat” style of football. Alex McLeish has done a good job at the club and they will be buoyed by their thrilling Semi-Final win over West Ham and decent League form.

Captain Cesc Fabregas will miss the game through a hamstring injury and will be a huge loss. Theo Walcott is also out after sustaining an ankle injury in the mid-week win over Stoke. Wenger will be keen on seeing his side doing the business in what could be a cagey affair.

Arsenal have already done the double over Birmingham this season, a 2-1 home victory followed by a 0-3 win at St. Andrew’s, a ground which is notoriously difficult to win at. Birmingham will hope to keep things tight for as long as possible and try to shut down space on the wide open pitch of Wembley. An early goal would be a serious tonic for The Blues and, should they get one, may have the confidence to go on and win it. However, should Arsenal play their silky attacking game, with the likes of Robin van Persie and Andrey Arshavin in good form at present, and get into a comfortable rhythm, this is an eminently winnable game for The Gunners, and come 6pm tomorrow evening, they should be the ones climbing the famous steps to lifting that trophy.

Verdict: Arsenal

Arsenal vs Birmingham City is live on Sky Sports 1, K.O 4.00

 

Advertisement