Arsenal defeat will drive Chelsea on to the Double, says Thibaut Courtois

Up for the Cup | Thibaut Courtois
Michael Regan/Getty Images
Simon Johnson26 May 2017

Thibaut Courtois says the memory of losing 3-0 to Arsenal in September will inspire Chelsea to secure the second Double in the club’s history.

Antonio Conte’s men go into the FA Cup Final as firm favourites. They won the Premier League title with three matches to spare and also beat tomorrow’s opponents comfortably the last time they met - 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in February.

But goalkeeper Courtois says the players are still haunted by the manner of their performance at Emirates Stadium eight months ago an d when asked if they will use that defeat to avoid any complacency, the Belgian said: “Yes. We know that game against Arsenal in September was bad. We lost 3-0 that day and we obviously don’t want to lose against them again now.

“It was a wake-up call for us back then that we couldn’t allow what happened the previous year [Chelsea finished 10th in the League] to happen again. We know as a team that we are stronger than Arsenal and are confident, but we can’t underestimate them or think we will win it easily.”

It was during that defeat that Conte switched to three at the back for the first time - a decision that turned Chelsea’s season around. They won 13 successive League games after that to take control of the title race and were never caught.

Courtois added: “If we hadn’t conceded three goals and lost so badly, maybe we wouldn’t have switched to the back-three. It was partly because of Arsenal and partly because we were not doing well. But obviously it is not Arsenal that helped us play that system: it was all the hard work we did in training every day for six or seven months. That’s what made us champions.”

Arsenal have also switched to three at the back in recent weeks and, despite a disappointing season, it helped spark an upturn in form.

Wenger’s side go into the contest having won eight of their last nine matches, although they are hampered by the absence of centre-backs Laurent Koscielny (suspended) and Gabriel (knee).

“The change of system has helped them,” Courtois admitted. “They are playing well. Even though they haven’t had the best season, playing in the Cup Final is different. It’s one moment, one day. We have to play in the same manner as we did at Stamford Bridge, with confidence, strength and quality with the ball. I think we have enough to hurt them.”

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