Tom Huddlestone: It would be nice if Arsenal won nothing again
Tom Huddlestone says Hull City can extend Arsenal's trophy drought in the FA Cup final, claiming the pressure will be on Arsène Wenger's side, who are without reward for nine seasons already.
Hull came from behind to overcome Sheffield United 5-3 in Sunday's semi-final at Wembley, with Arsenal seeing off Wigan the previous day, fighting back to advance past the holders on penalties.
Huddlestone's decisive goal in the 54th minute put Hull in front for the first time in the match, with Steve Bruce's side preparing to play in a Cup final for the only occasion in their history.
Arsenal, though, are fighting on two fronts and their attempt to secure a place in the Premier League's top four could depend on the result they achieve at Hull this Saturday, in a preview of the Cup final on 17 May.
Huddlestone, the former Tottenham midfielder, believes having underdog status will benefit Hull against Arsenal. "It would be nice to stop them from winning anything again," he said. "We know it is going to be difficult but it is a Cup final and it is probably the best place to be an underdog. We have shown against the big boys in the league that we can match them, although we probably haven't got a lot of the results we deserve.
"But Liverpool are flying high at the top of the league and we have beaten them, so hopefully against Arsenal we can do the same. We know if we try and outwork them then we have a chance."
He continued: "When I joined Hull I couldn't imagine we would be playing in the FA Cup final. I don't think anybody, if they are being honest, would have. If you had offered us 17th position come the end of the season, that would have been it, everybody would have bitten your hand off.
"To be in an FA Cup final and to be doing well in the league, a few more points away from safety with five games to go, is just testament to the squad and I think the manager has been brilliant with the players he has brought in and the way he has utilised the squad."
On their road to the final Hull have beaten Middlesbrough, Southend United, Brighton and Sunderland as well as Sheffield United.
Curtis Davies, who scored in the previous round, was at Birmingham City when they overcame Arsenal against the odds in the 2011 League Cup final – when Obafemi Martins scored an 89th-minute winner following a terrible communication error between Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny – and is confident that a similar upset can be achieved.
Asked if City would look to capitalise on the pressure facing Arsenal, the defender said: "That's exactly it. We've been the favourites surprisingly all the way through this run. It is strange you get this far and you've been the big dog all the way through.
"In the final you expect to go up against somebody of good quality and they are not much harder than Arsenal. I just hope it is one of their worst days. I was with Birmingham when they upset Arsenal in that Carling Cup final and I'm hoping we can emulate that success.
"With all due respect, we are playing Arsenal in the final not Sheffield United. The biggest thing about this game is we've got the occasion [being at Wembley] out of the way. If Arsenal are better than us on the day, then they are better than us on the day.
"But I'm hoping that come the final time nobody is walking out there nervous, that they are ready for a game of football, playing against a tough side, but leave the nervous energy with Arsenal."
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/14/tom-huddlestone-arsenal-hull-city-fa-cup-final
Tom Huddlestone says Hull City can extend Arsenal's trophy drought in the FA Cup final, claiming the pressure will be on Arsène Wenger's side, who are without reward for nine seasons already.
Hull came from behind to overcome Sheffield United 5-3 in Sunday's semi-final at Wembley, with Arsenal seeing off Wigan the previous day, fighting back to advance past the holders on penalties.
Huddlestone's decisive goal in the 54th minute put Hull in front for the first time in the match, with Steve Bruce's side preparing to play in a Cup final for the only occasion in their history.
Arsenal, though, are fighting on two fronts and their attempt to secure a place in the Premier League's top four could depend on the result they achieve at Hull this Saturday, in a preview of the Cup final on 17 May.
Huddlestone, the former Tottenham midfielder, believes having underdog status will benefit Hull against Arsenal. "It would be nice to stop them from winning anything again," he said. "We know it is going to be difficult but it is a Cup final and it is probably the best place to be an underdog. We have shown against the big boys in the league that we can match them, although we probably haven't got a lot of the results we deserve.
"But Liverpool are flying high at the top of the league and we have beaten them, so hopefully against Arsenal we can do the same. We know if we try and outwork them then we have a chance."
He continued: "When I joined Hull I couldn't imagine we would be playing in the FA Cup final. I don't think anybody, if they are being honest, would have. If you had offered us 17th position come the end of the season, that would have been it, everybody would have bitten your hand off.
"To be in an FA Cup final and to be doing well in the league, a few more points away from safety with five games to go, is just testament to the squad and I think the manager has been brilliant with the players he has brought in and the way he has utilised the squad."
On their road to the final Hull have beaten Middlesbrough, Southend United, Brighton and Sunderland as well as Sheffield United.
Curtis Davies, who scored in the previous round, was at Birmingham City when they overcame Arsenal against the odds in the 2011 League Cup final – when Obafemi Martins scored an 89th-minute winner following a terrible communication error between Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny – and is confident that a similar upset can be achieved.
Asked if City would look to capitalise on the pressure facing Arsenal, the defender said: "That's exactly it. We've been the favourites surprisingly all the way through this run. It is strange you get this far and you've been the big dog all the way through.
"In the final you expect to go up against somebody of good quality and they are not much harder than Arsenal. I just hope it is one of their worst days. I was with Birmingham when they upset Arsenal in that Carling Cup final and I'm hoping we can emulate that success.
"With all due respect, we are playing Arsenal in the final not Sheffield United. The biggest thing about this game is we've got the occasion [being at Wembley] out of the way. If Arsenal are better than us on the day, then they are better than us on the day.
"But I'm hoping that come the final time nobody is walking out there nervous, that they are ready for a game of football, playing against a tough side, but leave the nervous energy with Arsenal."
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/14/tom-huddlestone-arsenal-hull-city-fa-cup-final
