The FA Cup has suffered from a public image problem over the past few years. It didn’t really do anything as a tournament, it was just another victim of managers wanting to prioritize on the Champions League.
Thankfully this year we’ve two heavyweight finalists both of whom have taken the tournament seriously and the stage is set for a crackerjack final.
So who’ll win and why?
Chelsea rather than being distracted by their looming Champions League Final will have their eyes on an incredible double. Di Matteo has brought unity to what seemed to be dressing room that was frankly unmanageable. Torres is game by game shaking off whatever voodoo hex was placed on him and is not only looking like a top striker, he’s finishing like one at long last. Defensively, Cahill has been immense.
Liverpool by contrast keep telling anyone they meet that they won the Carling Cup. The victory over the mighty Cardiff City was torturous viewing. Dalglish seems to have spent the entire season making churlish cracks at the press and the Suarez business was beyond embarrassing with the club’s owners having to demand an end to a really distasteful extended bout of, ‘we’re not to blame.’
The vast gulf in league form between the two sides will dismissed by cup purists, so I’ll close on this. Chelsea humiliated Tottenham and Liverpool took forever to beat a second string Championship side …on the same patch of grass.
Prediction: Chelsea to win by 2 goals, maybe more.
