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Final FA CUP 08/09

Chelsea 2 - 1 Everton

30 May 2009

Arsenal v Chelsea: Preview

Arsenal  v  Chelsea

Arsenal will be without full-back Bacary Sagna (virus) for the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley, while fellow defender Kieran Gibbs is struggling with a groin problem.

Russian midfielder Andrey Arshavin will be available having been cup-tied for the midweek Champions League game, while Croatia striker Eduardo is also match fit.

Lukasz Fabianski will again deputise in goal for Manuel Almunia (ankle), while defenders Gael Clichy (back), William Gallas (knee) and Johan Djourou (knee) are all sidelined.

Theo Walcott feels Arsenal's young Gunners can show just how far they have come in the last couple of seasons.

Walcott, 20, scored his first Arsenal goal as part of a youthful side which was eventually beaten by Chelsea in the 2007 Carling Cup final at the Millennium Stadium.

The likes of Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who has netted four goals in his last four games, Emmanuel Eboue, Cesc Fabregas, now the club captain, midfield pair Denilson and Abou Diaby were all involved that day.

More than two years on, though, Walcott maintains the Gunners will bring much more to the table this time.

"It was a great experience for us all. Hopefully, we will see in the semi-final that it will have paid off,'' said the former Southampton trainee, who is now a regular England international.

"The Roma game this season showed how much strength of character we have got because we had to come through a penalty shoot-out to win that. It said a lot about our young players.

"That is what you get here - if you are young, you still get the chance to play. That is brilliant for any player to get the chance to develop.

"When I first joined, I had seven months not playing for the first team, but having all of these experiences, going to away games in the Champions League, it has all paid off in the end.

"It all just shows what characters we have in the dressing room because we are dealing with all the pressure at the right time.''

Walcott added: "Someone said the other day that I got pushed off the ball too easily, but I was 16 then, still growing and now I am more of a fully-grown person, have been in the gym a bit and feel stronger than ever.''

Chelsea skipper John Terry returns from suspension for the game.

Midfielder Deco has sustained a hamstring injury in training but right-back Jose Bosingwa has returned to training after recovering from his hamstring problem.

Joe Cole and Paulo Ferreira are absent with knee ligament injuries.

Meanwhile, boss Guus Hiddink has denied Petr Cech has lost confidence as Chelsea address the defensive frailties that have caused plenty of frayed nerves at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues head into the semi-final knowing they must reverse a collapse that has seen them concede seven goals in two matches.

Cech admitted he was at fault for two of the goals and looked uncomfortable throughout the 4-4 Champions League draw with Liverpool.

The usually unflappable Czech keeper later defended his form and even Hiddink raised an eyebrow at his uncharacteristic mistakes after the game.

But Hiddink, who has rubbished a report he has advised Chelsea to sign Tottenham stopper Heurelho Gomes, gave Cech his full support.

"My thoughts on Petr are very positive because since I've been here he has done very good goalkeeping work,'' he said.

"We don't neglect the reality because we want to get better but Petr is an intelligent person and knows that he had one or two moments when it was not going as he wished. That's it.

"When a goalkeeper makes a mistake there's always direct consequences.

"Every now and then a keeper has the right to make an error and then we move on.

"I haven't said to Petr 'come here because we need to talk for three hours'. We did our analysis afterwards and that was it.

"We didn't want to over-emphasise it. He hasn't lost confidence. I've seen him in previous games and now in these matches.

"We don't want to over-focus on what went wrong but we must look at what he is able to do. He's smiling and relaxed in training.''

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