Did the best team really win?

Picture the scene: despite a good performance from Birmingham, Arsenal grind out a 3-1 result. I collect £45 from a bet, Arsenal collect their first trophy since 2005 and play the rest of the season free from pressure, knocking Barcelona out of the Champion’s League and bringing the title race into the last day of the season, all because of the confidence created by a simple cup win.

Now, as you may be aware, this is not what happened at all. This is a match that reminded me at once of everything I love and hate about football, and in the end left me feeling somewhat disillusioned. Once again, it was the same old story for Arsenal, as their defensive problems yet again proved their downfall. The winning goal was a freak goal caused by a mix up between Koscielny and Sczesny. The former has looked a liability since he joined last summer but had seemed to improve lately with some good performances, especially against Barcelona. Sczesny had looked a decent player but lacks experience. This frailty in the Arsenal team, which ultimately led to their downfall was shown even more clearly in the contrast with Ben Foster’s performance. The Birmingham keeper was undoubtedly man of the match, performing save after save in the second half to stop Arsenal running away with the game.

Arsenal were of course hot favorites for the match, which would have given them an easy cup win. With a match at the Nou Camp and a strong Man United team four points ahead acting as obstacles to other trophies, it’s hard to see another opportunity like that coming around this season. Perhaps this is going a little far but I see this result as bad for football. As far as I can see, Arsenal were the more deserving team, with amazing moves and imagination and brilliant skill from the likes of Nasri. This match, it is a shame to say, will be remembered for a freak goal and a novelty celebration, rather than a brilliant bit of skill by Van Persie to score an incredible goal in the first half. There was also a moment at the end of the first half where Arsenal played a corner short and passed it about skillfully, eventually making space for a shot from Nasri. These are just two examples of the aesthetically pleasing play that Arsenal produce week in week out without being rewarded with the overdue trophy they so desperately need and deserve.

This will clearly be something of a blow to the mentality of a young side and I can only hope that the return of players like Fabregas or even Walcott, Diaby and Vermaelen (should that ever happen) will galvanise the time to pull together and achieve something noteworthy this season. The one bright side is for Obafemi Martins. Starting off at Inter, he was a promising talent particularly notable for his immense speed. However, I feel he never quite lived up to his potential. After an average spell at Newcastle which ended when they were relegated he moved to Wolfsburg. He failed to make an impact and moved to Russian club Rubin Kazan before once again failing and moving to Birmingham on loan. This, therefore is something of a career high for Martins, scoring a winning goal in a cup final.

On the whole, however, while some considered the outcome of the game entertaining, I seriously believe football has lost out as a result. While this is mainly despair talking in the aftermath of a disappointing game, I feel that when the smoke clears the disappointment will remain very real. The match that could’ve represented the coming of age of a young team, winning the first of a long line of trophies and beginning to gain the place in the history books that this Arsenal side deserves. However, it ended up being simply a comical repeat of a side that may one day become synonymous with disappointment.