Cup buoys anxious Wenger
Seventh win boost for Arsenal coach’s patchy record as bosses decide fate
Removing the record seventh FA Cup winner’s medal from his pocket, Arsene Wenger was gratified and yet apprehensive. “For once I have kept my medal,” said the Arsenal manager, who usually gives them away to staff members. “So that means it’s a special night for me.”
And maybe his last night managing an Arsenal team.
Even after beating Chelsea 2-1 in the final yesterday, Wenger indicated he has to stew until Wednesday morning’s (NZT) board meeting before discovering whether his 21-year reign will be extended by the record 13-time FA Cup winners.
Owner Stan Kroenke said earlier in the season he remained “very high on Arsene”. Unsurprisingly, Wenger is anxious about publicly discussing whether he expects the north London club to offer a new contract.
“I don’t think I can answer that question,” Wenger said, “at the moment.”
Aaron Ramsey, who scored the winning goal to deny English Premier League champion Chelsea a double, certainly hopes there isn’t change in the dugout.
“I’m happy for the manager,” Ramsey said on the Wembley Stadium pitch. “Hopefully he will be here next season.”
The fan base certainly seems more divided, with Wenger bemoaning the “very hostile environment” created by some fans demanding his removal.
“It’s down to the board members if I am the right man to lead this club further,” the 67-year-old Frenchman said. “It’s not about popularity, it’s about competence.”
Delivering the FA Cup three times in four seasons has papered over some of the cracks as Arsenal has repeatedly come up short in the Premier League and Europe.
The Gunners were eliminated from the Champions League for the seventh consecutive season in the last 16. And they won’t even be back among Europe’s elite in September after finishing fifth in the Premier League; the lowest finish since Wenger took charge in 1996.
And yet Arsenal still ended the campaign with a cup victory that Wenger puts on a par with his last Premier League success in the unbeaten 2003-04 season.
Just as the season reached its climax, Arsenal turned in the type of tenacious display lacking so often, and against a side so commanding in the Premier League in Antonio Conte’s first season in charge.
For once, this was a day when so much went right for Wenger, even with a patched-up, injury-depleted defence featuring captain Per Mertesacker making his first start in more than a year.
When Alexis Sanchez put the ball in the net after four minutes, it appeared to be disallowed because Ramsey was adjudged to be inter- fering with play while offside. But the decision by Anthony Taylor’s assistant was overturned by the referee. It it was his 30th goal of the season. Arsenal even had the luxury of a man advantage from the 68th when Victor Moses received a second yellow card for diving. Somehow, though, Diego Costa managed to equalise in the 76th, bringing down Willian’s lofted ball on his chest and striking past David Ospina.
Rather than imploding, Arsenal was back in front within three minutes. On an afternoon when so much bucked the story of the season, double player of the year N’Golo Kante failed to track Ramsey, who was left unmarked to meet Olivier Giroud’s dinked pass back.
But it is the losers who still head into the off-season the most buoyant. Revitalised after the 10th-place league finish in 2016, Chelsea lifted the biggest prize in English football last week after winning 30 of the 38 games.
Tom Rogic admitted his Scottish Cup final winner was what dreams are made of after his stoppage-time solo goal clinched the treble for Celtic. The Socceroos midfielder glided into the penalty box and beat several players before squeezing a rightfooted shot past Joe Lewis to clinch a 2-1 victory over Aberdeen.
The goal sealed Celtic’s fourth treble in their history and provided a memorable end to an unforgettable season in which the Hoops remained unbeaten in 47 domestic games.
“It was something you dream of,” Rogic said.
Rogic started the game on the bench but came on in the 27th minute after Kieran Tierney went off with an injury to his mouth after being caught by Jayden Stockley’s flailing arm.
And the substitute admitted fate may have intervened as he struck the winner just as a bolt of lightning lit up the sky over Hampden amid a thunderstorm.
“I didn’t realise at the time,” the 24-year-old said. “Maybe it was meant to be.”