Pain in the Arsenal
Fansided

Arsenal player ratings vs Chelsea: 3-0 FA Cup final defeat

By Ross Kennerley

TOPSHOT - Chelsea's players (L) celebrate their second goal during the English Women's FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London on December 5, 2021. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - Chelsea's players (L) celebrate their second goal during the English Women's FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London on December 5, 2021. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, GOAT
Arsenal women player ratings vs Chelsea as Sam Kerr doubles helps Blues to 3-0 FA Cup final victory at Wembley. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Arsenal were comfortably beaten by Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Sunday afternoon as goals from Fran Kirby and Sam Kerr secured a 3-0 win for Emma Hayes’ side in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Grabbing a strong 2-0 win away at Manchester United last time out in the WSL, Jonas Eidevall opted to field the same side against the Blues.

That meant a midfield trio of Frida Maanum, Lia Walti and Kim Little, ahead of a devastating front three who’ve been in excellent form all season.

Vivianne Miedema led the line and was flanked either side by Katie McCabe and Beth Mead, with Jordan Nobbs, Caitlin Foord and Mana Iwabuchi on the bench.

Arsenal women player ratings vs Chelsea as Sam Kerr doubles helps Blues to 3-0 FA Cup final victory at Wembley

A sloppy start from Arsenal was punished inside three minutes as the ball fell into Fran Kirby’s path and she made no mistake when one-on-one.

It was comfortably the worst 30 minutes seen since Eidevall took charge as Arsenal were torn to pieces on transition with Chelsea squandering a plethora of hugely presentable chances. They could, and probably should, have been four goals to the good.

Hoping for a response after the break, the killer second goal came in the 57th minute with Sam Kerr’s low drive wrong-footing Zinsberger in goal.

Kerr well and truly wrapped the win up with a world class second goal, one that killed an already dead game as a contest. Arsenal could offer nothing and Chelsea deservedly won an incredibly one-sided contest.

Arsenal, Moy
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 05: Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates after scoring their team’s second goal during the Vitality Women’s FA Cup Final between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Wembley Stadium on December 05, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) /

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Manuela Zinsberger (GK) – 8/10 – Ensured the game was even a contest as she pulled off a string of brilliant saves withe score at 1-0 to keep Arsenal from being even further behind. Easily the best player in red and white.

Noelle Maritz (RB) – 4/10 – Could not get up enough to support Mead and got caught out positionally on a number of occasions.

Jennifer Beattie (CB) – 3/10 – It was not a good afternoon for Beattie, at all. Her lack of pace was horribly exposed with Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby having real joy running at the Arsenal defence. Poor defensive headers and distribution hamstrung Arsenal in a torrid performance.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (CB) – 3/10 – Just like Beattie, Wubben-Moy was being torn to shreds by the Blues’ pace in attack and the passing out from the back was either laboured or misplaced. Had to do better for the second goal and was slow to every ball. A really dreadful showing.

Stephanie Catley (LB) – 5/10 – Got more involved in the game when McCabe and Mead switched sides but struggled for progression down the left and her link up with the forwards was lacking.

Continued on next page…

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