Isolated outing for forward in the cup final was dismaying proof that skilful attackers are being left to regress at Old TraffordOn a sweaty, heavy, oddly gruelling Wembley day Manchester United’s sweaty, heavy, oddly gruelling season was finally euthanised to a close.It has been a good season in some ways, with obvious progress made in the Premier League. But it passed here without the garnish of a trophy as Eden Hazard’s first-half penalty settled a largely forgettable FA Cup final in Chelsea’s favour. Related: Chelsea’s Eden Hazard spot-on to sink Manchester United and win FA Cup Related: Antonio Conte: ‘I showed in a difficult season that I’m a serial winner’ Continue reading...
José Mourinho’s dig at Antonio Conte has diverted attention from the FA Cup final’s pivotal confrontation in which Chelsea’s midfield could be overrun by Manchester United“I’m not,” José Mourinho said after Manchester United’s home win over Liverpool in March, “the kind of mechanic coach that says player A pass to player B, player B pass to player C and player C to player D. I’m much more a supporter of preparing the players to decide well and feel the game.”As so often with Mourinho, there was perhaps a coded jibe; this may have been (it’s very hard to know for sure with a man whose every utterance is subjected to intense scrutiny) another sortie in his protracted war of words...
A Cup triumph used to really matter but Roberto Mancini and Louis van Gaal were sacked regardless and Chelsea’s manager seems set to go whatever happens at Wembley“I didn’t bring the magic, it’s always been here,” Bob Stokoe said modestly after second division Sunderland had toppled mighty Leeds United in the 1973 FA Cup final. “I just came back to find it.”Everyone knows what Stokoe said because the words are inscribed on the plinth of his statue outside the Stadium of Light. That is how big a deal winning the FA Cup used to be. When Stokoe died in 2004 there was never any doubt about the image that would be used to commemorate the club’s greatest post-war success. Opinion...
Harry Kane is out of sorts, Joe Hart soars before being floored, and Stoke must choose between youth and experience up frontWhile Southampton will take something from getting this far in the world’s most celebrated domestic cup competition there are other, more pressing priorities, such as making a late dash for safety in the Premier League. Can they take any hope from their performance? Not from the first half. Olivier Giroud’s goal at the beginning of the second period forced Mark Hughes to change things, however, and it was to his team’s benefit. A 3-5-2 became a 3-4-3 and suddenly Charlie Austin was getting service. Southampton will feel they could and should have had an equaliser before Chelsea settled the...
The Chelsea striker maintained his knack for scoring eye-catching goals and winning at the national stadium in the FA Cup semi-final victory over SouthamptonMind transfer, that seemed the best explanation. In the moment Olivier Giroud cracked open this FA Cup semi-final for Chelsea, he must have temporarily swapped brains with Eden Hazard.That would explain how the 6ft 3in Frenchman was able to dance through a compact Southampton defence like a man a whole foot shorter; first inside then outside, keeping his balance after being tripped, before adjusting his feet to poke the ball into the goal. As soon as the net rippled, the brains must also have switched back, allowing Giroud to celebrate in the chest-out, peacocking fashion he has...