'Chelsea hold all the aces and several trump cards over Arsenal' - Danny Murphy previews FA Cup Final

If I were Arsene Wenger, I would have spent this week working on a defensive formation to frustrate Chelsea and strike them on the counter-attack. If Arsenal try to play expansively, they are crazy, and I cannot see anything but defeat for them if they do.

Manchester United and Tottenham showed this season that you can worry Chelsea by matching their 3-4-3 formation in most areas of the pitch. But those sides have both the quality and — crucially — the athleticism to achieve it. I’m not sure Arsenal can say the same.

So I would do it this way: condense space. Ensure players are never too far apart when you are out of possession. Get men behind the ball and play on the break. Don’t worry too much about the opponent. Just make sure you stick to those principles and when you get your opportunity, make it count.

It won’t be easy. Arsenal will be without at least two centre-backs and Chelsea barely have a weakness. But if they want to cause a shock, this is the best way.

Arsenal must adopt cautious tactics

If Eden Hazard has a bad day, Chelsea can always turn to Cesc Fabregas, while Pedro and Willian can make the difference from wide. Diego Costa can also deliver goals and physicality. Yet if Alexis Sanchez does not perform for Arsenal, who do they turn to?

Mesut Ozil is not in the same bracket as Hazard or Sanchez because he does not have their ability to change a game quickly.

Cast your mind back to the semi-final between Chelsea and Tottenham. When Dele Alli made it 2-2 for Spurs, you were sure they would win the game. But Chelsea brought on Hazard and Fabregas, shifted up a few gears, and Hazard scored the third goal in their 4-2 win. Chelsea have a number of players capable of that but Arsenal possess only one.

Heat could favour the Gunners

Arsenal should hope for another hot day. If Chelsea are able to play at a quick tempo, I don’t think Wenger’s team will be able to handle them — but it is difficult to do that if the temperature is in the high 20s or low 30s.

The warmer the weather, the slower the game will be. That should suit Arsenal, especially if they are going into the match with an unfamiliar side.

Without the suspended Laurent Koscielny, who has been captaining the team and is a key man in defence, they will find it very difficult against Eden Hazard and company. When Liverpool played the Gunners in the 2001 Final, we were lucky to win 2-1 — but it was a poor game because of the heat.

Wenger’s side have so much more to lose

Will Chelsea find it difficult to refocus after their title celebrations? I look at it another way: they have one trophy in the bag already and their confidence is high. There is much more for Arsenal to lose.

In 2001, we won the FA Cup four days before we played the UEFA Cup Final against Spanish club Alaves. Yes, there was a risk we might have relaxed but instead we decided the pressure was on Alaves. We’d just carry on as normal. Whatever the outcome, we’d won two trophies and had a good season. We eventually won an amazing game 5-4.

Chelsea have such a strong mentality that I simply cannot imagine them slacking off. By contrast, there is much more riding on the game for Arsenal. If they lose, it’s a trophyless season and they won’t be in the Champions League next term. You could see Wenger leaving under those circumstances. If Arsenal win, maybe Wenger will stay.