FA Cup Final: In Focus - Sanchez and Hazard

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  • Chelsea were firm favourites going into the FA Cup final against Arsenal. However, the Premier League champions seemed to be hungover from their recent success while the Gunners, having missed out on Champions League football, clearly had a point to prove.

    Much was said about the future of Arsene Wenger ahead of the encounter, many suggesting this could be his final game in charge. If so, a 1-0 win over the league champions to lift the FA Cup isn’t the worst way to bow out.

    In a match that surprised everyone for the way in which the two sides performed, we analyse the displays of two key men in Alexis Sanchez and Eden Hazard.

    Basic stats

    SANCHEZ

    Goals – 1

    Shots – 4

    Shots on target – 1

    Touches – 57

    Passes – 27

    Key passes – 1

    Dribbles – 0

    Dispossessed – 8

    HAZARD

    Goals – 0

    Shots – 1

    Shots on target – 1

    Touches – 52

    Passes – 27

    Key passes – 4

    Dribbles – 4

    Dispossessed – 1

    Effectiveness

    SANCHEZ

    Arsenal started on the front foot, as did Sanchez whose goal in the the fourth minute gave them a great start. However, the Chilean didn’t stop there. The Gunners absolutely bossed the first half in particular and that was largely down to Sanchez’s dogged display.

    He found himself in a central position for much of the time, playing in behind Welbeck when in possession, allowing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain chances to overlap. He was quieter in the second half but continued to offer a threat, particularly on the break.

    HAZARD

    The Belgian was utterly anonymous in the first half, rarely getting involved at all. He had one moment in the first period where he tried to cut inside and get a shot away but was crowded out and had to lay it off to Nemanja Matic instead.

    He improved after the break though and set up Diego Costa but the Spaniard’s shot was blocked by Per Mertesacker. Hazard was a more creative force in the second half but couldn’t quite pick the lock.

    Key moments

    SANCHEZ

    1st min: Sanchez closes down Kante and nicks the ball. Despite a suspicion of handball and offside as well, play is allowed to continue and the Chilean finishes into the far corner expertly.

    14th min: Oxlade-Chamberlain dinks a ball forward into Welbeck’s path. The Englishman fends off David Luiz and finds Sanchez who takes a touch to set himself before firing over from 25-yards.

    16th min: Sanchez nearly grabs an assist as he sets up Mesut Ozil. The German only has Courtois to beat and puts a deft finish past him only for Gary Cahill to clear it off the line.

    HAZARD

    39th min: With his first decent contribution, Hazard dribbles past a few players and lays the ball off to Pedro who rifles a shot over the crossbar.

    41th min: Hazard finds the net from a set-piece but the whistle is blown for a foul on Mertesacker by Costa.

    50th min: The Belgian storms down the right flank drills in a cross for Costa at the near post. The striker connects with the delivery but Mertesacker does well to put him off and the ball goes out for a goal-kick.

    Our verdict

    SANCHEZ

    In what could be his last game for Arsenal, the Chilean put in a trademark performance. He was relentless up front, tracked back, created and scored. He did the damage in the first half although Chelsea paid closer attention to him in the second.

    8/10

    HAZARD

    He wasn’t himself early on and took time to get going. He began to find his feet towards the end when Chelsea flooded more men forward but it was too late.

    5/10

    Your verdict

    All statistics are compiled using whoscored.com

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