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Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey hits the nail on the head
Aaron Ramsey has heralded the start that Arsenal had in their first match against Chelsea and then lamented the influence of Eden Hazard in the second, hitting the nail on the head in both instances.
The FA Cup final takes place Saturday evening and Chelsea, rightfully, are heavy favourites. Given their superiority for much of the season, alongside Arsenal struggles, struggles that have been compounded by a defensive crisis spurred by a mire of injuries and suspensions, it is difficult to spurn the Blues’ statuts as favourites.
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But that does not mean that this is an unwinnable game for the Gunners. Simply, it means that they must be clear in their instruction and execute to the best of their ability. There are two clear things that they will have to do, which Aaron Ramsey detailed perfectly in an interview with Arsenal player earlier this week:
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"“I think the way we started the home game in the first half was very good. We were very quick, we counter-attacked well, closed them down, got about them. It was a different game away and we perhaps let individuals have a bit too much space. Hazard went on a bit of a run and put the ball in the net. We can’t let that happen again, we have to be right in his face and stop that at source.”"
The first responsbility of the team is to start fast. As Ramsey states, when he and his teammates dismantled Chelsea earlier in the season, it was a bliseringly fast start, pressing high up the pitch, buzzing around the ball, relentlessly hounding the Chelsea players in and out of possession, that built the foundation for the impressive win. They must do so again on Saturday.
The second must-do task of the match is keep tabs on Eden Hazard. That is far easier said than done given the often uncontainable quality of the Belgian. But it is nonetheless a duty that must be executed diligently and successfully.
It was Hazard that scored a wonderful solo goal in their return fixture, spinning past Francis Coquelin, sliding around Laurent Koscielny and dinking a shot over the onrushing Petr Cech. And it has been Hazard for so much of the season that has time and time again hauled Chelsea out of problems with moments of individual brilliance that boggle the mind.
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The Belgian has the ability to take the game away from Arsenal, as does a poor start. But, as Ramsey so eloquently and accurately points out, if Arsenal are able to do these two things, then winning their third FA Cup in four years is a dream that could yet become a reality.