The FA Cup Final: Chelsea at the double?

It would take a brave man to bet against Chelsea completing the double in tomorrow’s FA Cup final against Portsmouth. It’s top versus bottom, David versus Goliath, rich versus poor. Yet the way in which Avram Grant has led the south coast club on their incredible run to the final makes you think they may not have it all their own way.

The former Chelsea manager has inspired the kind of cup run that the competition was made for. In a season of otherwise unrelenting misery, the FA Cup has brought some respite for the beleaguered Pompey faithful. A convincing victory over bitter rivals Southampton, and a hard fought semi-final victory over now loathed former manager Harry Redknapp are likely to live long in the memory.

It is unsurprising therefore that comparisons are being made to the final of 1988 when unfancied Wimbledon upset an all-conquering Liverpool side, when Dave Beasant infamously saved John Aldridge’s penalty after Lawrie Sanchez had put the Crazy Gang in front. A victory for Portsmouth tomorrow would equal, and perhaps surpass, that achievement.

Stopping the Chelsea juggernaut will take some doing however. The Blues’ record goal haul this league campaign has been remarkable and the 5-0 victory they recorded at Fratton Park back in March can’t have entirely faded from the Portsmouth players’ memories. Ominously, they were just getting going at that stage, having subsequently put seven past Aston Villa and Stoke, and eight past Wigan on the final day of the season.

Whilst both managers will be fully focused on lifting the cup at Wembley on Saturday, their thoughts may well also have turned to what lies beyond that, but for very different reasons. Avram Grant firstly has to decide whether he wants to remain at Portsmouth, having apparently made the shortlist for the vacant manager’s position at West Ham.

If he does decide to stay on the south coast, he will have to reshape and remotivate a depleted squad for life in the Championship. Inevitably, some players will be departing in the summer for financial and aspirational reasons. Grant’s job is therefore to cobble together a squad on a budget of nought, who can bring some stability and stop Pompey declining any further than the second tier.

Carlo Ancelotti has an all together more pleasant dilemma to face up to. He has to work out how best to spend a sizable transfer kitty to stabilise and improve his title winning, but aging, squad, with a view to cementing their domestic dominance and pushing on further in Europe. Sergio Aguero is one name that has been linked to Stamford Bridge, there are likely to be many more over the course of the summer.

For now though, it is all about Wembley tomorrow. The neutral will undoubtedly be hoping for a Portsmouth victory, or at the very least a closely fought and entertaining game. Chelsea will be in no mood for sentiment and charity as they close in on the double however, and they should be climbing the Wembley steps to collect winners medals for a second year in a row come five o’clock.