Arsenal beats Chelsea 4-1 on penalties to lift the Community Shield

Just like two years ago, Chelsea again lost the Community Shield title to Arsenal, a week to the kick-off of the 2017/2018 Premier League campaign.

 

 

Arsenal were without four expected starters Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey – both injury doubts also for the first league match at home to Leicester City this Friday – Laurent Koscielny and wantaway Alexis Sanchez.

 

Chelsea were also depleted. No Diego Costa, on his extended holiday/exile until he leaves, Eden Hazard, of course, nor Tiemoue Bakayoko while both Alvaro Morata and Antonio Rudiger started on the bench. Both came on – and both made inauspicious starts with Morata, the record signing for a fee of up to £70 million, missing the target completely from the spot in the shoot-out, as did goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, while Rudiger was caught out as Arsenal forced the late equaliser. Chelsea’s sense of angst was heightened by the identity of the scorer: Sead Kolasinac who they tried to sign themselves only last January. The Bosnian on a Bosman from Schalke looks like a good acquisition for Arsenal.

 

 

It was Nigerian international Victor Moses who put the Blues ahead just as the second half began, but Chelsea could not hold their lead to the end, and at 83rd minutes, Arsenal equalised through new boy, Kolasinac. By then Chelsea were down to 10 men following the send off of Pedro by the referee. Pedro had appeared to catch Mohamed Elneny, raking his studs down the back of the midfielder’s calf.

Chelsea manager, Conte did not hold back in his complaints about referee Bobby Madley, making the point, furthermore, that it was the second Wembley match in a row against Arsenal that Chelsea had finished with 10-men after Victor Moses was sent off during last May’s FA Cup Final.

 

Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker sustained a cut to the head and had to be replaced. His departure unsettled Arsenal and after Pedro stung Cech’s palms there came a penalty incident as Bellerin challenged Willian, his knee catching the Brazilian, who also appeared to clip himself, before he hit the turf. Was it a penalty? Was it a dive? Maybe it was neither but Willian was the only one who was punished as were Chelsea, again, when Pedro was dismissed and Arsenal capitalised.

 

https://twitter.com/MichaelOtadende/status/894212855356170243

 

There was no extra-time. Instead it went straight to penalties under the new ‘ABBA’ system – with the teams not simply going one after the other but following the sequence used in tennis – and Arsenal converting all four of those with comfort as Chelsea carelessly missed twice. It was substitute Olivier Giroud who converted the decisive kick which sparked those celebrations. As ever with Arsenal it left them open to the accusation of making too much out of limited success but the manner of this win, a comeback against the champions, more than the win itself, will feel important.