Will Kenny be crowned as "King" at Wembley?
With the Carling Cup already pocketed and a trip to Wembley guaranteed the prospect of a “double” this season looks like a likely possibility for the fans at the Kop. The final against Chelsea promises to be a mouthwatering clash between the two teams fueled by different kind of aspirations. While Liverpool look to finish just above Everton at a possible 7th place, they have already one trophy in their kitty.
Chelsea have had a comparatively better season, holding a ten point lead over Liverpool and a semifinal berth in the Champion’s League. One needs to keep in mind, the tumultuous season the Blues have been through. Andre Villas-Boas had arrived with a fresh whiff of hope, youth and charisma. However, he failed to deliver the goods and was subsequently sacked . Chelsea however have seem to put this behind them. Under the aegis of Robert De Matteo they are seemingly on their way to salvage the precious little that can be possibly salvaged this season. As far as European glory is concerned… as Doris Day would sing “Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps”.
Liverpool on the other hand seems to have faltered in the art of securing the modern Holy Grail of a top four finish for the second season on the bounce. Jamie Carragher came up with somewhat of a questionable logic that the side is not matching their cup success in the Premier League because “with one-off games it’s “different”. An FA Cup final probably keeps Dalglish in situ for next season but domestic silverware will not always be enough for John W Henry and Tom Werner back in Boston. One is reminded of the 1998 season when Dalglish arrived as the manager at St. James’s Park, having raised the Premier League trophy with Blackburn in the 1995 season. Newcastle subsequently finished 13th in the table on 44 points, and above Tottenham, Wimbledon and Sheffield Wednesday only on goal difference. After the first few games of the next season he was sacked by Freddy Shepherd, and in came Ruud Gullit who only lasted about a year.
The Scotsman has come a long way since then, and now has the arduous task of achieving the more exotic but even lesser FA Cup and League cup double at hand. Something last achieved by Liverpool in the 2001 season, in fact as part of a treble including the UEFA Cup. With Andy Carroll looking to find form after scoring a crucial goal against Everton in the semis, things are certainly looking up at Anfield.
Chelsea have a lot at stake as well. There is the probability of finishing without a trophy for the second successive season. The fans from the working class regions such as Hammersmith and Battersea, and wealthier areas like Chelsea and Kensington will all be rooting for them to triumph over Liverpool. Old scores will be settled, ex- Liverpudlian Fernando Torres seems to be finding his groove since leaving his former club and so is Raul Meireles.
With the two Manchester clubs vying realistically for the Premier League and prospect of Chelsea or Liverpool winning it being a statistical impossibility, the FA Cup final has managed to garner a lot of well deserved impetus.
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/04/16/juan-mata-a-legend/
https://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/04/16/liverpool-my-all-time-best-xi/