The Gunners are set to participate in the FA Cup final for a second consecutive season when they face Aston Villa on Saturday, the 30th of May at Wembley.

Wenger's men brought an end to their long running trophy drought by winning the prestigious tournament at the expense of Hull City last time out and will be aiming to retain their crown when they face Aston Villa on Saturday.

Arsenal's 11 FA Cup triumphs are a joint high alongside Man United and a win against Aston Villa can allow the North London side to become the most successful team in the competition.

Their victory in the FA Cup final last season did not come as easily as it was expected and it will not come as a surprise if they are give a tough time by Tim Sherwood's men. Here are five things they must do to retain their crown.

Play Theo Walcott

The England international has faced a torrid time in recent years having spent a considerable time on the sidelines but has always produced the goods when called upon. He made the difference when he came on as a substitute in the match against Man United, with his deflected shot making its way into the net for Arsenal's equalizer.

The 26 year old made a strong case for his inclusion in the starting eleven in the FA Cup final after his terrific performance last time out. He opened up the scoring with a tremendous strike, showed his desire to score the second and was at the right place at the right time for the third.

The aforementioned qualities are what define a top striker and Walcott will definitely be a better option upfront than Olivier Giroud who has faced a dry spell infront of goal in recent games.

Be wary of counters

This has been one of Arsenal's biggest concerns defensively in this season as well as the previous ones. The Gunners try to play an expansive brand of football which often sees the full backs venturing forward more often than they should.

This results on the two center backs being exposed to a counter attack. Mertesacker's lack of pace does not bode well for the Gunners who are very vulnerable to such situations and it is for this reason that both Bellerin and Monreal who are expected to start on either flank, must remain vary of their defensive duties.

Play with width

Wenger's recent tactics have seen the likes of Wilshere and Ramsey being deployed at an unorthodox right wing position as opposed to a role in the middle of the park which they are more used to. Unfamiliar to such a role both Wilshere and Ramsey are often seen drifting towards the middle which leads to Arsenal playing with limited width.

It is for this reason that opposition teams have started crowding the midfield against Arsenal in order to prevent them from having much luck in the final third. It is thus vital that Arsenal play with a conventional winger rather than forcing a midfielder on the flanks.

Have a plan B

Arsenal have struggled against teams which have defended deep and parked the bus in recent games. Swansea made use of the tactic with aplomb and defended for lengthy periods and made the Gunners suffer despite having managed only 30% possession in the game.

Sunderland also came with a similar game plan and frustrated Arsenal for 90 minutes with the match ending in a stalemate. It will not emerge as a surprise if Aston Villa make use of a similar tactic and it is for this reason that Arsene Wenger must come up with a plan to respond to this.

Keep Benteke at bay

The Belgian has rediscovered his scoring boots in the last month or so having found the net nine times in nine games. Benteke is full of confidence and will be raring to create an impression at the big stage. A further incentive for the 24 year old will be to put up a game winning performance in order to attract interest from a bigger club in the upcoming summer transfer window with plenty of clubs rumored to be fighting for his signature.
 

 

Match details, result and original broadcast info

Arsenal 4 - 0 Aston Villa

May 30, 2015 12:30pmWembley Stadium (London)

This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.

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