The 24-year-old scored the winner in extra time against West Ham to send his boyhood club to Wembley. And the former Aston Villa man is under no illusions that it will be a tough game for Blues, but he also feels it will be one which will bring even more pressure to an Gunners side who have been trophyless for six years. "The final is going to be 90 minutes of blood 'n guts. I don't think Arsenal will fancy playing us," he told The Sun. "They're a young side and they're expected to win. But they've won nothing for six years and that brings its own pressure. "That's the great thing about it. We're massive underdogs, which suits us. "We know how good they are - possibly the best passing team in the world apart from Barcelona. "But I won't be showing any respect in the final." Gardner joined Villa at the tender age of 13 before switching to their Midlands rivals in January last year for £3.5million in what he said was a "dream move". The midfield marvel has been a revelation for Alex McLeish's men ever since with his performances putting him in good stead for a England first-team cap. "It's been a brilliant move. I didn't even have to move home, which was great because I love Birmingham as a city," he said. "I've enjoyed every minute. There's no 'Big-time Charlies'. We're all friends. "I wasn't playing regularly at Villa but nor was I going into training feeling unhappy. "I was still doing what I wanted to do. "Martin O'Neill, my last manager there, looked after me. He told me Birmingham were interested. "I said 'If the deal's right for the club, please let me go. If it's not right, I don't want to go anywhere else'. I explained it was my dream move."
