Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger eyes strong start to season after Community Shield win
Last updated on .From the section Football
Arsene Wenger hopes Arsenal can take confidence from their Community Shield win over Chelsea and avoid another bad start to their Premier League season against Leicester on Friday.
The Gunners have lost on the opening day in three of the last four seasons.
They face Leicester at Emirates Stadium on the back of a penalty shootout win after a niggly 1-1 draw at Wembley.
"We had the intensity in the games in our preparation that is needed to be ready," said Wenger.
"Let's go into the Premier League with the same discipline, the same spirit and see where we can go."
Wenger's future overshadowed much of last season for Arsenal, but after finally signing a new two-year contract in May it is now the future of two of his key players that dominates the thoughts of many at the club.
Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have both started the final season of their current contracts and both missed out on the matchday squad at Wembley, though they were present to join the celebrations on the pitch after Olivier Giroud's winning penalty.
And Wenger is confident that he can keep the camp happy and focused in the coming season.
"I cannot stop all the speculation but Sanchez is focused. For the 273rd time, yes [he will stay after 31 August]," Wenger said.
"We are here a lot today because of players like Sanchez and Ozil so I wanted them to be part of it.
"It's down to us to put a positive atmosphere around the team. A lot was created by my own situation. Maybe I made a mistake. Overall I believe that it's down to us. The trend has always to come from the team."
Wide open title race?
Thirteen of the 25 winners of the Premier League since 1992 have been teams who started the same season by contesting the Community Shield.
However, only seven winners of the trophy have gone on to win the title, with Manchester United the last to do so in the 2010-11 season.
Both Wenger and Chelsea boss Antonio Conte expect their respective sides to be in for a fight to win the Premier League this season.
"We have maybe seven or eight teams who say they can win the Premier League," said Wenger. "That makes it very interesting."
Conte added: "There are six teams in England that can fight for the title. Don't forget today Arsenal didn't play with many players, strong players."
Key decisions costly for Conte
Conte was frustrated by the decisions by referee Bobby Madley to book Willian for diving in the penalty area in the first half and send off Pedro with 10 minutes to go.
The champions had taken the lead through Victor Moses at the start of the second half but conceded moments after Pedro's dismissal when Sead Kolasinac headed in Granit Xhaka's free-kick.
"A lot of people told me the Willian penalty was clear," Conte said.
"For sure there is a bit of frustration, but you know very well we have to respect referees decisions. But sometimes these decisions make you a bit angry.
"Last season is now a story. Now there is another season and we must look at our present and start another season. Last season was great, great for my players. myself and the club but now there is another history to write."
Analysis - Chelsea are bare
Chelsea have signed Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Willy Caballero and Antonio Rudiger this summer but Conte has said he would like to strengthen further before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
The Blues' lack of strength in depth was perhaps evident as four of the seven Chelsea substitutes on Sunday were academy players.
"Chelsea had a strong side out but they are bare," said former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton.
"They have big players to come back in but look at their bench today. To compete on two fronts it is lacking.
"Eden Hazard and Tiemoue Bakayoko will come in but that's about it. They need more and I don't think Conte is happy.
"He wasn't happy to see Nemanja Matic go to United, that much is clear.
"Tammy Abraham, Nathaniel Chalobah, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have all been allowed to leave, Nathan Ake to Bournemouth. Conte says that those players need to be more patient but I am surprised that some of them have been allowed out.
"Conte wants more quality and that's not easy. You need numbers to compete on two fronts. Matic is a strange one, Conte's reaction was clear. Does he have total control? It doesn't seem that he does."
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From a neutral perspective I'd like to see Arsenal win up, Wenger has always come across as a decent bloke.....unlike Jose.
The club's conduct is exemplary. Say what you want about Wenger but he's conducted himself with dignity since taking over. No scandals, no shoes thrown, no gender equality issues, no public criticizing and alienating of ones own players...
I admire him really. We are not a 200m+ transfer a season team. Wenger likes to nurture young talent as we know...
I see no such claim...
We're just celebrating a win over a rival. WE KNOW its pre season lol.
But the match did happen, I mean both sets of players were there right? The managers and the ref?
Sick of the Wenger hate. But our fans need to chill out too with the spurs bashing
Also I'm not a fan of either but was in London on Saturday. A sea of red. Hundreds and hundreds of red shirts, and only saw about 5 blue shirts in total...
Reminds you just how much bigger Arsenal are.
Can't seem to find the charity shield game report & HYS, the BBC have buried it already. They've space on the front football page for no mark Mkhitaryian though.
Maybe there was contact for the pen but even on slo mo replay I couldn't pick it
Red card for Pedro was correct - it was late and could have caused serious injury. Forwards tackle argument has no water
I don't think there was any other controversy so if not that's 10/10
Phil was at the game eating prawn sandwiches and quaffing free champers of course but no HYS.
The best team won dispite the rough tactics by chelski.
So the trolling of Wenger has begun as per each year,the overpaid male journalists who do this should be replaced as they are obsessed with the 67 year old male. No CL poss PL
"Wenger eyes strong start to season"
No s*** Sherlock.
Is their a manager out there (in every league in the country)who who isn't eyeing a strong start ?
"Well Jurgen what are you looking for at the start for at the season ?"
"Well we started great last season,top of the league,but we faded at the end,this season we plan to start slowly and build to a strong finish"
Banter is great, trolling and silly crap is juvenile.
There were very clear signs on yesterdays game.
AW outers had to button it.
Conte knows he has a lot to do and I believe he is the perfect guy to do so.
Enjoyed the game and there were many players missing too.
Going to be a very interesting season for sure.
Same old Arsenal... Always cheating
Oh gosh, yes. Willian plays for Arsenal, doesn't he? And Pedro... And Moses...
You surely meant to post:
Same old Chelsea... Always cheating!
My feeling is that he is willing to go for broke to win the title this season- and he will leave at the end of it. If their contracts expire, its not his problem anymore.
Looking at their squad I think they have a fair chance.
Are you obsessed with "Woolwich" as you do hilariously call them, and their manager the equally guffaw raising misnamed "Wonga" I guess with wit like yours you must be famous.
We've got to pity those who go to the effort of creating three extra HYS accounts simply to give the impression there are three other people who agree with them.
I could never spend a day in your shoes - scavenging through life 's very constant lulls.