Jamie Carragher: Only Arsenal can stop themselves winning the FA Cup

 
Warning: Wenger must ensure complacency doesn't creep into the Arsenal camp
Sam Johnston17 May 2014

Jamie Carragher believes the biggest obstacle in the way of Arsenal’s quest to end their nine-year trophy drought is themselves.

Despite the Gunners having comfortably beaten Hull home and away in the Premier League this season, the former Liverpool defender has warned that cup finals are very rarely smooth affairs.

Speaking in his column in the Daily Mail, he said: “It should be straightforward: Arsenal head into Wembley in top form, Hull have been struggling, so Arsene Wenger in all likelihood, will land that elusive trophy.

"Right? Wrong. Cup finals never play out as smoothly as you hope. Tensions and anxieties have a habit of affecting performances and Wenger will be aware that the biggest threat to his ambitions comes from within. In many ways, Arsenal are the ones who will stop Arsenal winning.”

Carragher’s words come from a place of experience – Liverpool entered the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham as clear favourites, but it was only Steven Gerrard’s famous stoppage time equaliser that prevented an upset that day.

If anything, Carragher believes the ease with which Arsenal dispatched Hull in the league could damage their chances.

"Complacency, more than anything, is their biggest opponent now," he warned.

"The comfortable 3-0 win they recorded at Hull last month might actually jeopardise their chances, rather than providing a pointer to success."

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