FA Cup Final Preview

Chelsea v Manchester United (3pm Wembley)

So, it’s finally here. FA Cup Final Day. A special day for any football season but this year there is the added spice of the return of Wembley and, as most neutrals will have wanted, it’s between the top two teams of the season. First plays second. But who will finish No. 1 on the day?

Chelsea were of course the last club to win the FA Cup final at the old Wembley in 2000 and just to put a little more into the mix, Man United will be aiming to claim a fourth domestic Double having won the Premiership title ahead of Chelsea, winners for the previous couple of years. The Londoners will be desperate to finish the season on a high by winning a cup double and denying Utd The Double of leagues title and FA Cup, as Utd denied Chelsea a hat-trick of titles which is something Utd haven’t done. It really is all about stopping the other team getting one over on you.

This is also the only domestic trophy that Jose Mourinho has failed to win so far during his time at Chelsea so he will be doing everything possible to add it to his roll of honour. Who knows, it may be Jose’s last game in charge of Chelsea. Will he be at the Bernabeu next season. Anything could happen over the close season. I for one am looking forward to the football soap opera that will transpire before the kick-off in August. And Jose won’t be the only star involved.

When the two teams have meet this season’s the games have ended in draws, but Mourinho boasts a good record against Sir Alex Ferguson having lost just one of eight clashes against the Utd manager.

Unfortunately for Jose, Chelsea go into the game with an injury list the length of his arm and he’s claiming that out of the richest squad in football he 15 players available to pick from. Bless! Those going to miss out of the first Cup Final at the new Wembley are Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack and Andrei Shevchenko. Mind you I reckon the only one he will really miss is his fellow countryman Carvalho as the other two, obviously bought last summer to ensure Chelsea won the Champions League (DOH!) have been huge disappointments. It wouldn’t surprise me if certainly Ballack will be playing elsewhere next season. Probably not Shevchenko, too pally with Roman!

So in the absence of Carvalho, Michael Essien is set to start in central defence alongside the Chelsea captain John Terry. With Arjen Robben is expected to be on the bench after recovering from a knee injury.

Ashley Cole will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness as he struggles with an ankle injury with Wayne Bridge standing by to replace him. John Obi Mikel is set to undergo a late fitness test as he looks to shake off a thigh problem.

Whilst on the Man United injury list Gary Neville and Louis Saha are missing for the trip to Wembley. With Neville missing both Wes Brown and John O’Shea are battling it out to take his place at right-back.

The captain’s armband will therefore pass to Ryan Giggs and amazingly he looks to win his fifth FA Cup winners’ medal.

The manager also has a selection dilemma at left-back with Patrice Evra and Gabriel Heinze vying for the spot. He must also decide what formation to play as he could decide to bolster his midfield with the inclusion of Darren Fletcher or opt to give Alan Smith a start in attack.

The Player of the Season Cristiano Ronaldo is in line to make his 150th start for the club against Chelsea. Will he continue his marvellous form and help Utd carry off the FA Cup and climb those steps to the Royal Box second? I’m so glad the climb up the steps is back to lift the trophy. So much better than doing it on the pitch. Only problem is, at the old Wembley the teams had to climb only 39 steps. Now there are, I think from memory, 104 of them. Good job they are all fit lads having to climb all those. Another reason they won’t want it going to extra time.

The Teams

Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Cudicini, Geremi, Ferreira, A Cole, Terry, Boulahrouz, Diarra, Makelele, Obi, Lampard, Essien, Kalou, Wright-Phillips, Bridge, Robben, Drogba, Sahar.

Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Brown, O’Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Heinze, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Richardson, Eagles, Rooney, Smith, Solskjaer.

The Soccer Blogger