3 Things We Learned From The FA Cup Final: Arsenal Should Challenge For The Title Next Season

A clinical display by Arsenal saw them retain the FA Cup and more importantly, Arsene Wenger now has won two trophies in two seasons for the club. Arsenal started the game as favourites, although Aston Villa did have some sort of chance of winning the trophy thanks to the form of Christian Benteke, but that all came to nought as Arsenal brushed them aside.

Four goals from the Gunners ended any dream that Aston Villa had, they did have a couple of shouts for a penalty but to be fair, Arsenal were the much better team and deservedly won the FA Cup. The win takes Arsenal to the top of the FA Cup winners list with 12 and this was Arsene Wenger’s 6^th FA Cup win with the team.

For Villa, this might have been a mountain to climb from the start and while they didn’t cover themselves in glory in this game, but they did survive the season and Tim Sherwood can build for next season keeping in mind the determination the players have shown to survive.

We look at the three things to take note off from the FA Cup final as both teams now look forward to maybe a month of relaxation before the planning for next season begins.

1. Arsenal should be looking to challenge for the title next season

The one major gripe that most Arsenal fans have had for a long time has been the lack of trophies and investment by Arsene Wenger, well that can truly be chucked out of the window. Arsene has spent a lot of money over the last two years bringing in big named players like Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez and he has shown that by spending the big bucks, he can win titles or at least the FA Cup. They haven’t been the best in terms of competing in the Premier League, but this season should hold a bit of a clue as to how well they could do next season. If they can keep all their players fit, they should be there challenging for the top spot in the Premier League.

2. Theo Walcott is back and that is great news for the Gunners

Walcott

Redemption might have been the word for Theo Walcott who saw his season come to an end last year after a 2-0 win over Tottenham in this competition, initially the injury did not seem to be that bad but it meant that he not only missed Arsenal’s triumph in the tournament last season but also missed the World Cup with England.

Cue a few months forward and he still didn’t seem to be a sure shot for the Arsenal starting line-up with Ozil and Sanchez playing on the wings but in the last game of the season, Walcott showed that he is getting there, thanks to a brilliant hat-trick and Arsene did start with him in the final. Theo repaid the manager’s faith with a great strike to start the goal scoring and this will be a great boost for the winger as he hopes for better things next season.

3. A lot of planning to do at Villa

The FA Cup might not have been Aston Villa’s but a loss in the competition can be accepted after surviving and staying in the Premier League for next season. Tim Sherwood has done a decent enough job to keep them in the Premier League, but the real test will start for them next season.

Aston Villa have not had a manager who has done extremely well for them over two years since Martin O’Neil left them a while back and Sherwood will have his work cut out if he is to keep a few of his stars in the team next season, either way, he will have to plan real hard as to where to spend the money and just what he can do with a team whose crux is so young yet so talented.