Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea: 5 Talking Points as Gunners clinch record 14th FA Cup title | FA Cup Final 2020

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang led from the front as Arsenal beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang led from the front as Arsenal beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final

Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was at the double for his side as they pipped bitter rivals Chelsea 2-1 to clinch their 14th FA Cup title.

Christian Pulisic gave the Blues a deserved lead early on, but Aubameyang's penalty and a wonderfully worked second goal were enough to snatch the silverware.

While it was a remarkable performance from Mikel Arteta's men, the officiating did not help the course of the game. Chelsea lost Mateo Kovacic to a red card, while they also witnessed Pedro, Cesar Azpilicueta and Christian Pulisic hauled off due to serious-looking injuries.

On that note, we delve into the major talking points from Arsenal's historic 14th FA Cup triumph.


#1 Dicey Arsenal hand Chelsea the early lead

Christian Pulisic opened the scoring for Chelsea
Christian Pulisic opened the scoring for Chelsea

The entirety of the first half, barring the last few minutes was a wide open-ended game with both sides equalling each other's energy.

Arsenal's front four carried on a relentless press throughout, but the West Londoners were the ones to draw first blood.

Within about three or four minutes, they settled into the game and played in between the two Arsenal central midfielders. As one would have noticed for the opening goal, Jorginho was offered too much time to turn, take a couple of touches and then squeeze a pass to Pulisic.

The youngster, as tricky as he always is, proved to be a menacing presence for the opposition with his change of pace and acceleration. He played Mount in, whose left-footed pass fell to the the path of Giroud.

The Frenchman once again displayed just how selfless and intelligent he is inside eight-ten yards of the goal. A wonderful flick served Pulisic, who then took his chance with aplomb to punish a static Arsenal midfield.


#2 Arsenal up the tempo as Aubameyang scores

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wins the penalty against Azpilicueta
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wins the penalty against Azpilicueta

Arsenal grew into the game as minutes wore on, mainly making it happen through 50-50 wins, strong aerial challenges and retention of the ball.

The Gunners were at it immediately, with the front three and Ceballos clouding in on the Chelsea back three and forcing them to play long. They'd follow it up with a high, congested back line that disallowed the likes of Giroud to win the headers.

It was a clear-cut plan from Arteta's side, who often also chose to go long through Chelsea's right side. That, in fact, was their route to the leveller, as Aubameyang was played in smartly. What was wiser was Aubameyang's pace and full use of Cesar Azpilicueta's lack of it.

He cleverly won the penalty and dispatched it imperiously. Through the course of those few minutes, Arsenal gave Chelsea a very hard time defending with a bombardment of crosses towards the far post.


#3 Chelsea did not defend smartly in the first half

Pulisic's injury early on in the second-half did not help Chelsea
Pulisic's injury early on in the second-half did not help Chelsea

Chelsea took the lead early on and looked favourites at one point, but by the end of the opening half, it was Frank Lampard who needed the half-time whistle more than his counterpart.

Arsenal were all over Chelsea, forcing them to dig deep in their own box and try to defend crosses. Every single corner and set-piece was well-worked, with two players exchanging a couple of short passes before fizzing the ball in.

There was the uncertainty and lack of communication that we've seen all season long with the Blues. The three centre-halves were clearly outplayed in the air, not due to their technical capacity but for the absence of order at the back.

To make matters worse, goalscorer and clearly Chelsea's biggest threat, Pulisic, pulled his hamstring when he was through on goal.


#4 Aubameyang the man again for Arsenal

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's brace proved the difference between the two sides
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's brace proved the difference between the two sides

If there was anything that proved to be the difference in terms of the results besides the misfortune that chased Chelsea, it was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

While we speak of the horrendous refereeing display at Wembley soon, credit must go to Arsenal for playing the way they did the second-half. To rise back up after an early slip-up takes courage, but also quality.

And Aubameyang served as the epitome of quality and composure. He scored twice in the semi-finals and tallied the same number here as well, netting the winner with some great work on the ball.

He used his body extremely well to get on the wrong side of Kurt Zouma, and then twisted to his left to unleash a clever dink beyond Willy Caballero.

Arsenal, on the overall note, were far more energetic and alive to the second pass. They gave away absolutely nothing away, be it during one-versus-one battles in the air or the pressing.


#5 A win for Arsenal, but a loss for English football

Referee Anthony Taylor had a busy evening in the FA Cup final
Referee Anthony Taylor had a busy evening in the FA Cup final

Arsenal were on top of their game since the closing stages of the first-half. They unsettled Chelsea and knocked them off their perch with stupendous pressing and some direct football.

However, a large portion of the game was more frustration than effort as far as Lampard's side were concerned.

There were many instances where the officiating was a horror show. To start off, Anthony Taylor awarded nine fouls in Arsenal's favour as opposed to the zero he gave Chelsea in the first half.

Pulisic's injury, according to many, was the reason behind Chelsea's struggles in the second-half going forward. Safe to speak, the drive, incision and willingness of Kovacic may have been missed more dearly.

The tackle that was deemed as worthy of a second yellow card was nothing more than just a stamp followed by a moment of dramatics by the Arsenal player.

Not to mention, the Emiliano Martinez hand-ball incident outside the box was not checked even once. Instead, the clips began to revisit Kovacic's red card on the television screens.

When Chelsea were struggling to carve through the Arsenal back line, Nicolas Pepe's foul of Pedro, which was as clear as it could get, was not given.

Credit to Arsenal for grinding out a very crucial victory, but the brand of English football, which has already been hampered this season by the VAR criticism, was only further tarnished.

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