Frank Lampard to secure first silverware as boss
The FA Cup final is an all London affair as Arsenal take on Chelsea with both clubs looking to win a trophy in 2019-20. Can the Gunners revenge their Europa League defeat? Have a read of our preview here:
Mikel Arteta has work to do
Arsenal under Arteta are very much a work in progress. Their form in the Premier League since returning to the field sums them up very well.
Losing to Tottenham and Villa was bitterly disappointing but sandwiched in between that was an impressive 2-1 win against champions Liverpool.
No one knows what the Gunners are going to give week after week and they are only consistent and being inconsistent.
The problem is, Arsenal are unable to make vast improvements to the squad or compete with the very best teams for Europe’s top talent. This is not lost on Arteta who recently bemoaned the lack of funds available to him this summer.
Improvements are needed, however, with the Gunners set for their worst league finish since 1995, largely down to an appalling record away from home.
On the road this season they have won just four times in 19 games. This is worse than both Burnley and Southampton plus four of the other big five clubs in the Premier League with only Spurs managing to be more inept away from home.
An FA Cup would at least give Arsenal fans something to cheer, but from a neutral perspective, a trophy would be more than they deserve after an abysmal season.
Lampard hoping for first trophy as manager
Arsenal have gifted Chelsea managers their first trophy glory in the past as Maurizio Sarri enjoyed lifting the Europa League in Baku, Azerbaijan, a little over a year ago, although it feels like a lifetime given all that has transpired since.
Frank Lampard will be hoping the Gunners will repeat that generosity when they meet at Wembley on Saturday for the FA Cup final.
It has been a long season, literally, and to have a cup final in August is never, we hope, likely to happen again.
Chelsea have made good progress under Lampard’s guidance but we reminded how much more needs to be done when they were humbled by Champions Liverpool a few weeks ago.
New talent will arrive this summer but the current group has shown a lot of promise with Tammy Abraham netting an impressive 15 Premier League goals and while Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic have netted seven and nine respectively.
All these guys are young and hungry for success. They should be able to enjoy a bright future as Chelsea look set to continue to build with Lampard in charge.
An FA Cup trophy would be the perfect way to round off a decent campaign and they will be the favourites against Arteta’s rebuilding Gunners.
Arsenal v Chelsea betting tip
The FA Cup has been Arsenal’s last stronghold in recent years but they are far too inconsistent to back on Saturday. That’s why we are leaning towards a Chelsea win at odds of 2.25 with Betway.
