Chelsea swept aside a tepid Arsenal to claim the Europa League trophy on a night of shame and ridicule for UEFA.
The trophy gives Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri his first as well as denying Arsenal a place in the Champions League for the third year running.
Chelsea were able to play Kante who shook off injury doubts and chose Giroud and Emerson over Higuain and Alonso. Arsenal played Ozil in behind Aubameyang and Lacazette and started the brighter side. Maitland Niles saw a cross flapped to Aubameyang who dragged his finish wide before Lacazette was unlucky not to win a penalty as the nervy Kepa plunged at his feet without winning the ball.
Chelsea slowly turned the screw and after a goalless first half Chelsea exploded into life.
Four minutes after the restart Olivier Giroud bravely flashed a header past Cech from an Emerson cross. Chelsea doubled their lead as Pedro finished after good work from Hazard. Hazard then stroked a penalty home after Giroud was fouled.
Substitute Alex Iwobi then fired Arsenal back into the final only for Hazard to play a one-two with Giroud to cap an incredible ten-minute burst and wrap up the trophy for Chelsea.
Arsenal will rue the disgraceful omission of Mkhitaryan, a bizarrely lukewarm display and a poor end to the season which saw top-four qualification thrown away and a thumping loss in a final which leaves Arsenal barely any better off than this time last year.
Sarri leaves with his dignity intact
If, as many predict, the Italian manager leaves he will do so in fairly unique circumstances even for Chelsea.
At times ridiculed and mocked, Sarri has recovered from a winter blip in which Jorginho was found out and his authority questioned by his own players to finish third behind two of the greatest Premier League point tallies and win Chelsea a European Trophy.
This despite being given barely a fortnight to plot his way the season and a playing squad which is in need of freshening up.
Surely Sarri has earned the right to see if his tactics can be properly in a second season? If he has any sense however he takes the Juventus job and leaves Chelsea to ponder what they might be missing.
Underrated Giroud wins again
Against his former club, Giroud was at times unplayable – especially in the second half where Chelsea ran riot, almost as if a World Cup winning mobile striker can be of use. If Sarri is to remain at the club he could do worse than starting the Frenchman ahead of the immobile Higuain.
In the one sided second half, Giroud bullied Arsenal and opened the scoring with a screaming header, before being involved in the creation of Eden Hazard’s brace.
Like suddenly discarding a hammer and finding a sleek Allan key when building a flat pack, Giroud’s mere presence and touch seems a far better foil for most modern forward lines and it is to be hoped the underrated forward doesn’t spend next season on the bench.
UEFA with thinking to do
Much has been made of UEFA’s decision to play the final in Azerbaijan. With huge concerns over the logistics, inability to get fans in the City, inability to safely host an Armenian player the pre match build up was a terrible look for UEFA.
The scenes at the start of the final weren’t any better as the game kicked off with empty seats and the atmosphere and feel of a pre season friendly. Chelsea and Arsenal fans would also have been alarmed that having travelled thousands of miles to the game they were still that distance from the pitch whilst sat in their seats.
Baku will also host three Euro 2020 group games and a Quarter Final. UEFA need to quickly work out of the money is worth making fans travel so far especially if the City isn’t equipped to host fans in such large numbers and of all nationalities. Don’t hold your breath.
Ozil an utter liability
The German needs to leave Arsenal. Ozil has now had two poor seasons in a row and the agent who secured his pay rise must be a negotiating genius worthy of far more noble work than football.
Like adding tomato ketchup on beans on toast, Ozil isn’t enhancing anything nor really detracting he’s just there. Pointlessly. Expensively. Having failed to create a chance all game for a 50 goal a season strike force, Ozil then slouched off when substituted with all the urgency of a right-wing leader to a milkshake shop.
The German is simply not fit for purpose and in a summer that sees Aaron Ramsey leave, Ozil and his wage bill need to be removed to give Emery and Arsenal the chance to move on.
The grass isn’t always greener Eden
Eden Hazard looks to have said farewell to Chelsea and the Premier League. If it is to be his last game his performance in the final was classic Hazard, all flicks, turns and fluid movement and dribbling. Hazard set up one and grabbed two for himself and was a delight to watch as he has been all season.
However his brace on Wednesday night took him to 21 goals for the season and his best ever Chelsea return. Will that be enough at Real Madrid? Ask Gareth Bale.
Hazard has looked for years to have the ability to get 30-40 goals and 20 assists and cement his status as truly World class, but there has to be questions over his consistency and drive and Madrid will question this on a weekly basis and often without reason.
Moving to Madrid could be the making of Hazard, equally it could be the breaking of him. Either way the Premier League has lost a unique talent and will be a poorer league without him.
