FA Cup final, Arsenal v Chelsea: Lampard & Wright on Wembley showpiece
- Published
Watch the FA Cup final live on BBC One and the BBC Sport website, with coverage starting at 16:15 BST on Saturday, ahead of kick-off at 17:30.
Chelsea great Frank Lampard helped the Blues win a Premier League and FA Cup double in 2010, while Arsenal legend Ian Wright did the same with the Gunners in 1998.
The duo join Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer at Wembley on Saturday for BBC Sport's live coverage of the 136th FA Cup final.
Can champions Chelsea crown Antonio Conte's first season in charge with more silverware, or will Arsenal respond to missing out on a Champions League place by winning the FA Cup for the third time in four seasons?
Lampard, who got his hands on the trophy four times with Chelsea, said: "The FA Cup final is a big occasion anyway but when you get this close to the Double you realise how hard they are to come by and you want to finish the job."
Wright, a two-time winner with the Gunners, added: "Arsenal's situation now makes them dangerous too. Rather than being on a downer after missing out on the top four last weekend, I think it is more a case that they have got nothing to lose."
Chelsea are favourites - do Arsenal have a chance?
Lampard (lost his first FA Cup final for Chelsea against Arsenal in 2002, then won the competition in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012): "I think it is very clear that Chelsea are favourites, looking at their league form and how consistent they have been.
"They have a stronger team and a stronger squad than Arsenal at present, but I am still expecting a tight game.
"You cannot disrespect Arsenal. They have players who can hurt you and they have been in better form recently themselves.
"In Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez they have two players who can unlock any door at any moment at any level.
"Ozil's ability is not in doubt but obviously in the modern game you need everyone to work at 100% off the ball too.
"That is the thing that has come into question occasionally with him, but the fact remains that he is a world-class player. He could maybe score more goals but, when he is on his game, I don't think there are many better than him with a final pass."
Wright (scored twice for Crystal Palace in the 1990 final against Manchester United and lost in a replay, then scored for Arsenal in the 1993 final against Sheffield Wednesday and won in a replay): "I have been on both sides and we had a very different mindset when I was an underdog with Palace to how I felt as the favourites going into both my finals with Arsenal.
"Against Sheffield Wednesday in 1993 we were thinking: 'We are the better team so let's go there, show that and beat them.' We did it, after a replay, but they were tough games.
"I think it will be close this year too. Chelsea are favourites this time but not by much. The thing with Conte's team is that they are very experienced and they will know exactly what to expect from Arsenal."
"But the fact Chelsea are so good makes it even better if Arsenal can beat them.
"It is a different situation to Arsenal's past two finals against Hull and Aston Villa. Those were both games where they were just expected to win.
"For me, as disappointing as it is to not be in the Champions League, winning the FA Cup is always great and it would be an especially good final to win because of who they are playing against.
"Chelsea have been by far the best side in the Premier League this season, so beating them would go a long way to showing that Arsenal have got a team that can compete against the best and that they should be doing a lot better in the league."
Arsenal short of centre-halves - but could it help?
Lampard: "Laurent Koscielny is Arsenal's most reliable defender and a leader in their team. His suspension is a big blow.
"With Gabriel injured and Skhodran Mustafi doubtful because of concussion, Per Mertesacker could come into their back three. He has not played much recently but he has a good personality and is very experienced, so I do not see a problem there.
"It is an issue that will be spoken about a lot before the final but I have played in big games where we have been missing some big players.
"At Chelsea, we went into the Champions League final in 2012 with four key players suspended - John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles - and we still beat Bayern Munich.
"Sometimes that situation can galvanise something in a team. Yes, you go into a game with a weakened team on paper - but it makes everyone switch on that bit more.
"I am pretty sure Arsene Wenger will stick with three at the back if he can. They have won eight out of nine games since they started using it.
"Rather than changing his formation because of those injuries, I think he will try to fit players into a system that has been working well for them."
Wright: "I think Wenger has to stick with a three. The positive for me is that Rob Holding has already come in for a big game - against Manchester City in the semi-final - and looked very comfortable. I am very confident about him.
"Even so, it is going to be hard for Arsenal against a really potent Chelsea team who have been playing with the same system since Arsenal beat them in September.
"If he is fit, Mustafi has got enough experience to hold things together in the centre, but of course Arsenal are going to miss Koscielny because is the captain and their best defender if you ask me.
"Chelsea are the masters of this formation at the moment, and Arsenal are going up against the best with a weakened team."
Is David Luiz Chelsea's weakest link?
Wright: Arsenal need pace to hurt Chelsea which is why I think Danny Welbeck should start up front. Wenger will probably go with Olivier Giroud, though, because he does like him in a big game.
"Welbeck would frighten David Luiz. He would be much happier dealing with Giroud because Welbeck can give him a problem aerially and stretch the whole defence with his running.
"Luiz is Chelsea's weakest link, if he can be isolated, which will not be easy because you have to get past N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic first.
"Chelsea are very well organised so, to do that, Arsenal will have to break up play in midfield and spring quickly - and to do that effectively they need Welbeck, not Giroud, up top.
"Welbeck can also open up the pitch and give Sanchez and Ozil space. That is how I see Arsenal trying to get into Chelsea and their best hope of beating them."
Will the Chelsea machine roll Arsenal over?
Lampard: "For years, Arsenal's game was based on possession - and generally still is week in, week out in the Premier League.
"But recently, in the really tough games against the stronger teams, I think Wenger has changed to be much more conservative.
"I'm not saying that is a bad thing because I think it helps them get results - it did against Manchester City in the semi-final. If they open up against Chelsea it might be a struggle, so I am expecting them to be a bit more defensive than the old free-flowing Arsenal.
"The Gunners will not care if gets them a result and there are lots of ways to win a final, as Manchester United showed against Ajax on Wednesday. It was not a beautiful performance by them, but it was very organised and disciplined and it worked.
"So I will understand Wenger's thinking if he focuses on making Arsenal as hard to beat as they can be - but I am still confident of a Chelsea victory.
"The only issue could be that they won the league with a few games to spare and took the foot off the pedal.
"But in Conte they have a very strong manager who will have had his eye on this game from the moment they won the title at West Brom.
"He has quite cleverly rotated the team in the past two games to give everyone minutes, and their training will have been very focused towards Saturday too.
"As we know, they are always well organised and a fantastic team unit, and are very confident because they know they can rely on one of their high-quality attacking players to win games.
"If they are on form and the team works as it has worked all year, then Chelsea will win."
Frank Lampard and Ian Wright were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
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