Blue psych
> Chelsea manager Conte declares Arsenal ‘favourites’ for FA Cup final
THE LEAGUE season may have finished, but the little pieces of psychology don’t stop for Antonio Conte.
With a very straight face, the title-winning Chelsea manager remarkably claimed that Arsenal are “favourites” for Saturday’s FA Cup final, because they are looking to save their season, and said that the “danger” for Chelsea is complacency creeping into the squad after claiming the Premier League trophy and thinking the season is “finished”.
“If you ask me who you think the favourites are now, I think it’s Arsenal,” Conte said after his side had broken a Premier League record by winning 30 matches, thanks to a 5-1 victory over Sunderland.
“They only have this possibility to find a good season after a win in the FA Cup. For this reason, we must find motivation and find in ourselves the right anger. The game will be very difficult, above all for this reason.
“Arsenal have missed out on the Champions League for the first time in I don’t know how many years, so we must prepare in the right way.
“I’m not talking tactically. I’m talking about motivation, the right fire in our soul and our hearts. If we have this in the same proportion as Arsenal in that respect, we have the possibility to do the Double and win. Otherwise we risk a lot.
“This is the danger, honestly. This is the real danger for us. To think that this season is finished and if you win or lose it doesn’t change the situation. We must think as winners, not as losers.
“It’s important to celebrate, enjoy the moment with our families and fans, and celebrate this title because it wasn’t easy, this season. But as of tomorrow, I’ll try and push a lot to explain that this season will be great.
“If we hadn’t won the title, this season would have been good. Having won it, it’s become great. Now I think this season can become fantastic if we are able to win the FA Cup. We must find the right motivation.
“At this level, with Chelsea and Arsenal at the same level... we lost 3-0 in the League, won the other 3-1, so we have an opportunity to play the third game with Arsenal.
“A great target, but it’s important for us to celebrate but, then, to find the right fire in our soul to work very hard this week and ‘feel’ this game. It’s a great opportunity to win and do the Double.”
Arsenal meanwhile have a defensive crisis on their hands with less than four days to go until their FA Cup final.
In Sunday’s match against Everton, Wenger’s defence was hit by a mixture of suspension and injury, which could yet necessitate a tactical reshuffle at Wembley.
Laurent Koscielny – Arsenal’s best defender this season – is suspended after being sent-off for a mindlessly lung on Enner Valencia.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Gabriel was then stretchered off in the second-half with what looked like a significant injury, meaning he is also unlikely to play against Chelsea.
Per Mertesacker came off the bench to replace him, marking his first appearance of the season.
German defender Shkodran Mustafi meanwhile missed the match because of sickness.
Rob Holding remains available, but Wenger may now decide to abandon the three-man defence that has served him so well in recent weeks.
Should he wish to stay with the system, it is likely he will have to dip into his academy squad to bolster his substitutes bench. – The Independent