Chelsea analysis: Nemanja Matic should fear Tiemoue Bakayoko chase as Diego Costa, Victor Moses, David Luiz struggle

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Simon Johnson27 May 2017

Chelsea's superb season ended in disappointing fashion as Antonio Conte missed out on a Double triumph as Arsenal won the FA Cup Final 2-1 at Wembley.

Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal a controversial fifth-minute lead when his goal was allowed to stand despite the ball striking his arm in the build-up.

Victor Moses was sent off after 68 minutes, receiving his second booking for simulation in the penalty area, but Diego Costa equalised before Aaron Ramsey headed home a 79th-minute winner.

Simon Johnson assesses the key talking points for Chelsea...

Cahill provides a great audition to take over from Terry

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He has been wearing the captain's armband for most of the season, but today Cahill showed why he deserves to keep it.

Terry is leaving for good, which is a day many Chelsea fans have feared, simply because how do you replace the irreplaceable?

Cahill will never reach the high standards the 36-year-old has set in blue. Indeed many supporters still have their doubts over whether he should be in the team.

But when Chelsea laboured and struggled in embarrassing fashion in the first half, Cahill was the only one providing any resistance.

But for him, the Final would have been safely wrapped up by half-time. His goal-line clearance from Mesut Ozil's shot gets better every time you see it.

This was the display of a player trying to lead by example in the hope his display would inspire the others. It was to no avail.

Matic should fear Bakayoko's possible arrival

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Chelsea's £40m move for the Monaco midfielder is far from a done deal, but it is significant that the club are looking for someone else to partner N'Golo Kante in midfield next season.

The Serbia international has had a reasonable campaign under Antonio Conte, but there have been times where he has looked rather sluggish.

Against Tottenham in the semi-final, a poor display was forgotten because of that amazing late shot that flew into the top corner.

There was no sign of such a dramatic intervention here. He was sloppy in possession, lethargic off it.

No-one in the Chelsea end complained when he was replaced by Cesc Fabregas just past the hour mark.

Moses' fairytale season ends with a nightmare

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The biggest surprise of Chelsea's successful 2016-17 became the biggest villain at Wembley.

Moses can have no complaints about getting sent off this evening, in fact he should be embarrassed.

For so long he has waited to be given an opportunity to prove himself worthy of a regular start at Stamford Bridge.

His performances in the League under Conte have been remarkable, but he lost his head today.

A cynical foul on Danny Welbeck rightly earned a first yellow on 57 minutes, but what he did 11 minutes later was far worse.

A blatant dive in a desperate attempt to win a penalty was rightly punished by referee Anthony Taylor with a second yellow.

The Football Association are bringing in retrospective punishment for simulation next season, but what happened to Moses could arguably be a far bigger deterrent.

After proving everyone wrong, Luiz saves worst display till last

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The Brazil international was the subject of so much mirth and derision when Chelsea signed him back for £34m in late August.

For the last nine months, Luiz has successfully been proving all his critics wrong with a series of sublime displays.

But all the faults which led him to being targeted for such criticism in his first spell at the club were on display here.

Luiz set the tone within four minutes. Yes, Alexis Sanchez should have been penalised for handball, but everyone has been taught from a very early age to play to the whistle.

The 30-year-old stood with his arm in the air, appealing for offside against Aaron Ramsey allowing the Chile international to waltz on to the ball and score.

But he was caught out of position on several occasions, most criminally when Ramsey put Arsenal back in front just after Diego Costa had got Chelsea back in it.

Costa's Chelsea career summed up in 90 minutes

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In what is likely to be his last game in a Chelsea shirt, everyone got to see his experiences over three years in England in a nutshell.

There were clashes with opposing players, signs of dissent against match officials and long periods where he looked very average.

Then there were times he would burst into life, particularly in the closing stages when suddenly he returned back to the striker that dominated defences for the first half of the season.

Arsenal couldn't cope and while it was a scuffed deflected effort, the Spain international deserves a lot of praise for the way he almost rescued the game for Chelsea.

It was not his fault his team-mates lost concentration for the umpteenth time and allowed Arsenal to score almost straight away.

There was still time for controversy - although the scrutiny was all on Conte as he strangely substituted him just when he was looking so strong.

It is expected that Costa will leave for pastures new in the summer - in a weird way, this game was a fitting end.

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