Arsenal 1 Chelsea 1 (Arsenal 4-1 on pens): Gunners win 2017 Community Shield in first ABBA penalty shootout after Pedro sees red 

 Arsenal's Olivier Giroud and Nacho Monreal celebrate with the trophy and teammates after winning the FA Community Shield
Arsenal celebrate their victory at Wembley in the 2017/18 season curtain-raiser Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

The winner does not take it all, certainly not with only the Community Shield at stake, but after Arsenal won the first penalty shoot-out on these shores under the new ‘ABBA’ system, the unbridled celebrations spoke volumes as to how much it means to Arsene Wenger as he prepares to fire-fight his way through another long campaign.

For Antonio Conte, also, with Chelsea, the champions, losing and the manager cutting an unhappy figure on the touchline as he raged against a series of perceived injustices. The cracker-jack Italian said last week that he wanted to avoid a “Mourinho season” – with Jose Mourinho sacked a few short months after bringing the Premier League title back to Stamford Bridge – but it has started as one. Two years ago Mourinho lost the Community Shield. And lost it to Arsenal. By December he was gone.

That is the doomsday scenario and, of course, far, far too much can be read into this feisty game where ring-rust remained, squads need to be finalised, players were at different levels of fitness and many key performers were sat on the bench, in the stands or not even at Wembley. Maybe there were four expected starters absent apiece with Arsenal missing 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, who donned his shades and, nevertheless, joined in the cavorting at the end.

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.

Moses put Chelsea ahead at Wembley
Moses put Chelsea ahead at Wembley Credit: Reuters

The defender’s headed goal came with Chelsea down to 10-men, also, and Conte’s anger will be fuelled by that sense of grievance – he really must feel fate is conspiring against him as he fulminates over the club’s transfer dealings – with Pedro sent off and Willian booked for diving when it could be argued he should have had a penalty instead.

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. There could be no dispute, however, over that dismissal – Moses received a second yellow card for diving – while, here, Pedro appeared to catch Mohamed Elneny, raking his studs down the back of the midfielder’s calf.

Per Mertesacker of Arsenal is taken off with a bleeding head injury
Mertesacker was forced off early with a nasty cut to the head Credit: Shaun Brooks/Action Plus via Getty Images

It was from the free-kick for that offence, taken by Granit Xhaka, that Kolasinac was not tracked by Rudiger and was able to power a close-range header past Courtois. Until then it appeared that Arsenal would be Arsenal-y – playing well, creating opportunities, hitting the post through their own record signing, Alexandre Lacazette, who looked lively when he, rarely, managed to break clear of David Luiz’s shackles, before conceding a soft goal.

That came early in the second-half with Xhaka ballooning the ball woefully up into the air, then reacting slowly to challenge Gary Cahill as it dropped from the sky with the Chelsea captain’s header being latching onto by Moses who stole in ahead of Rob Holding to chest it down and side-foot past Petr Cech. The wing-back celebrated with a swallow dive – a reminder of that red card just 71 days ago.

By then Arsenal had lost Per Mertesacker, with a cut to his head and, with Koscielny out and Shkodran Mustafi only just returning to training after the Confederations Cup, they were left with only 21-year-old Holding as a recognised central defender. Cue more questions, then, over Arsenal’s soft centre. But it helps when you have a replacement whose nickname is ‘The Tank’ and Kolasinac certainly has some rugged qualities that Arsenal so often are accused of lacking.

Sead Kolasinac rose highest to level for Arsenal 
Sead Kolasinac rose highest to level for Arsenal  Credit: Getty Images

Not that anyone can accuse them of not playing attractive football and that was best illustrated in an opening quarter in which Lacazette, Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck combined as an athletic, quick front three. It culminated in a move initiated by Lacazette who found Hector Bellerin who returned the ball to the striker who then exchanged passes with Welbeck to take a touch and bend his right-footed shot around Cahill only for it to cannon back off the post.

Pedro is given his marching orders by Bobby Madley
Pedro is given his marching orders by Bobby Madley Credit: Getty Images

Mertesacker’s departure unsettled Arsenal and after Pedro stung Cech’s palms there came the 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.

Petr Cech of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal celebrate with The FA Community Shield during the The FA Community Shield final between Chelsea and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on August 6, 2017 in London, England
Cel Credit:  Getty Images Europe

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.

                                                                                                    

Don't look too serious, don't look too serious

Credit: BT Sport

 

Quotes ahead of trophy lifting

"We showed that we are ready to compete," says Petr Cech in the post-match interview.

Not so generous from Glenn Hoddle back in the studio: "It's more how you perform, where are you in your pre-season. Be it a competitive game, but Chelsea were the better side. They missed chance after chance."

So hold your judgments until next week. Or, better still, in a few weeks' time.

Courtois' penalty

Awful.

He took it like a goal kick, using exactly the same kicking technique and getting roughly the same elevation on the ball.

GOAL! ARSENAL WIN!

Giroud thumps his penalty into the back of the net and Arsenal have won the community shield!

GOAL! Arsenal* 3 - 1 Chelsea (*team to take next penalty)

Well placed by Oxlade-Chamberlain, right in the bottom corner.

Giroud can win it for Arsenal...

MISS! Arsenal* 2 - Chelsea 1 (*team to take next penalty)

MORATA HAS MISSED! He pulls it way wide of the post! 

MISS! Arsenal 2 - 1 Chelsea* (*team to take next penalty)

It's Courtois! What on earth is going on here... AHHHHHHH he's punted it miles over the bar. That is absolutely dreadful. 

GOAL! Arsenal 1 - 1 Chelsea

Walcott's penalty is even better. Top right, no chance for Courtois. 

And here's the ABBA system in play! Monreal steps up to take Arsenal's second penalty.

GOAL! Arsenal 0 - 1 Chelsea

Cahill is first, takes a long run and buries his penalty in the top left. Great hit. 

Walcott is up next.

It's time for penalties

Credit: REUTERS

This ABBA thing is because statistically the team who takes penalties first tends to win. It's a very slight advantage but still an advantage. Chelsea taking first. 

END OF 90 MINS

It's penalties. ABBA penalties.

 

90 mins +5

This is going to penalties. Chelsea are considering one last attack but are passing it around the pitch pretty aimlessly... and that's it.

90 mins +3

Chelsea have a free-kick in a dangerous area, wide left. Fabregas stands over it, chips into the box and Morata heads at goal! Just wide! Ooooh that was close.

Arsenal attack quickly, fire a long ball out to Walcott, who cuts onto his left foot and shoots at goal but Courtois saves.

90 mins

Credit: AP

If the game ends 1-1 something INCREDIBLE will happen.

 

88 mins

Reiss Nelson is on! He's a very talented, attack-minded wide player and replaces Welbeck on the pitch.

85 mins

Arsenal are at it now. Everyone is forward, pressing high up the pitch. 

GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!

Arsenal 1 (Kolasinac 82') - 1 Chelsea

It's Kolasinac! Arsenal are level from the free-kick! The Bosnian runs in at the back post and heads into the bottom corner. Fabregas tries to play them offside but is a split second late and Kolasinac has done it!

81 mins

Elneny is rolling around the floor and replays show why. Ow. Pedro slides in and puts his studs right down the back of Elneny's leg. 

RED CARD! Where's that come from!? Pedro has been sent off! Studs on the achilles... he could have seriously injured him.. but that still feels like a shock.

GAME ON!

78 mins

Morata has his (I think) first touch and it's a shot! He runs in behind the defence, Willian hits a smart pass with the outside of his boot over to him, and Morata stretches to shoot but puts it over.

Alonso off, Rudiger on.

75 mins

Here comes Morata! I suspect it'll be Batshuayi who comes off... and it is. He's not had an awful lot of the ball today but did alright. 

Walcott turns Cahill but then loses out to Alonso. Arsenal don't really look like they know how they're going to score. Actually maybe they do!

XHAAAAKKKAAAAAAA! What a hit! He's just launched a thunderstrike from 30 yards and Courtois is at full stretch and needs a strong hand to turn this one over the bar. What a shot by Xhaka. 

Antonio Rudiger is getting ready to come on now.

72 mins

Kolasinac tackles Kante by kicking him very hard, making little effort to play the ball and it's a foul. I like this guy already. 

Credit: GETTY IMAGES

 

70 mins

Steve McManaman is trying his best to legitimise the Community Shield by saying it's the first trophy of the season. Is it though? Obviously you want to win it but... you know.

I'm pretty sure in a head on collision between a bus and Kolasinac, the bus would come off worst.

David Luiz is standing over a free-kick 35 yards from goal and might try one of those special long range shots... no! It's a decoy! He chips it instead and Arsenal clear their lines.

67 mins

Iwobi has been Arsenal's best player so far. He links with Bellerin in attack, puts an early ball into the box and Lacazette tries to close Courtois down as he goes to clear it but doesn't quite succeed. 

Oxlade-Chamberlain puts a hopeful cross into the box but nobody can do anything with it. And here comes Giroud and Walcott. Lacazette off, Iwobi off. 

[FOUL THROW KLAXON] - Moses is called out by the referee. 

64 mins

Iwobi is too Arsenal and doesn't shoot when he has the chance, passes to Elneny who tries to thread Lacazette through... but he's offside. 

Kante is amazing. He battles to win the ball in the middle, is tackled, wins it back, pings the ball forward and Willian nearly sets up Batshuayi for a tap in. Corner. This time Moses fouls and Arsenal win the ball back.

61 mins

OOOOOCHA! Elneny gets the ball out right, shapes up for a cross but then puts his foot through the ball and bends it towards the near post! Courtois has to adjust and dive to parry it away! Great save from a very clever effort.

Neither Batshuayi or Lacazette has had any service today. There's been a distinct lack of striker action.

58 mins

Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Both Cahill and Luiz are fine after some treatment and play starts again.  

55 mins

Giroud and Morata are warming up on the touchline. Chelsea are much more adventurous in this half.

Alonso gives away a corner, Xhaka curls it in, Monreal chips it back into the area, it's headed on and Lacazette goes to the goalkeeper but there's a foul somewhere. Both Cahill and Luiz are on the ground in pain as Cahill powers in to head Luiz's skull.

52 mins

 "Apologies for any... industrial language you may have heard", was Ian Darke's way of saying sorry for lots of swearing being broadcast.

Elneny has just put a shot way wide of the goal. 

49 mins

This is much better by Chelsea. Fabregas has time and all the space the left wing has to offer as Arsenal fail to close him down. He chips to the back post and Batshuayi tries to get a shot at goal but is blocked. 

GOOOOAAAALLLLL!

MOSES! He's repaid the red card he got in the FA Cup final by opening the scoring here! Moses takes advantage of Holding's lapse in concentration, beats the offside trap and gives Chelsea the lead. Better second half from Conte's team already.

KICK-OFF 2

We're back!

HALF TIME

Good game so far. Arsenal look much sharper all over the pitch, Antonio Conte is going to give his side a grilling during the break. I'm expecting to either see Chelsea substitutions at half time or about five minutes into the second half if he doesn't get the difference he's looking for.

45 mins

Beautiful football from Arsenal. It's one touch passing to get out of their own half and then Iwobi storms towards goal. He's very quick and Chelsea are worried... the ball goes out left to Oxlade-Chamberlain, who doesn't have any particularly great ideas and gives it back to Iwobi, who pulls off some samba tricks to drag the ball away from and around two separate challenges and gets a low shot at goal. Courtois saves.

44 mins

That is perhaps the classiest defending you'll ever see at Wembley. Luiz loops the ball over Welbeck's head, shields and gets ready for the header and then heads it back over his own head - and Welbeck's - to gently pass it to Courtois. The kind of defending that internet people might put sunglasses and a Deal With It meme font thing on.

42 mins

Credit: REUTERS
Credit: AP

That's Mertesacker leaving the pitch. His replacement has just gone on a driving run all the way to the opposition box and is an absolute unit.

40 mins

In case you were wondering, Conte is still bubbling with energy and anger on the touchline. Chelsea have been pretty sloppy and certainly not playing with the same sort of energy that took them to a Premier League title but they haven't been bad. They're starting to open Arsenal up at the back too.

37 mins

PENALTY! NO! It's a dive! That is very interesting. Willlian is onto a mistake by Bellerin, dribbles into the box and then trips himself up... Bellerin doesn't touch him, or at least not much, and Willian goes down. The referee gives him a yellow card. Mark Clattenburg says "it's a fantastic decision. If there is some small contact you can play on but there was no contact."

36 mins

Conte really wants his players to be doing more defensively - he's not going to have a voice left by the end of this. You can hear him pretty well in the sound mix on this BT Sport broadcast.

Pedro should pass the ball inside to Batshuayi but goes on a run and has a shot, saved by Cech.

And it's a yellow card for Alonso for some sort of foul. I think that might be an 'accumulation of fouls = yellow' type deal.

34 mins

Chelsea are in control of the ball at the moment and Moses does really well to drive a low cross into the area and force Cech into the save.

Kolasinac is now on for Arsenal and has to the left of the back three. Conte is still yelling things at his players.

31 mins

Kolasinac is getting ready to come on. That elbow on Mertesacker looks really painful and Mertesacker is struggling as a result of it. If he didn't have a broken nose before he does now. 

28 mins

Credit: AP

Chelsea have a corner, Arsenal don't clear it very well and Mertesacker has gone down with a really nasty head injury as Cahill absolutely smashes him with an elbow. It's accidental but there's quite a lot of blood pouring out of Mertesacker's face, which is something that isn't meant to happen to a human, let alone someone trying to play sport at an elite level.  

25 mins

LACAZETTE HITS THE POST! So unlucky. Bellerin is fast enough to keep the ball in play on the right, plays it back to Lacazette, who feeds Welbeck in on the left and Welbeck returns the favour. Lacazette has time to set himself up and curl the ball towards the corner of the goal but it rattles back off the post.

Chelsea's defence are either tired, don't care or are just not switched on. Conte is going mental on the touchline shouting at his players to hurry up and close down Arsenal players.

Batshuayi nearly gets handed a free goal as Bellerin gives a horrible back pass to nobody. Cech rushes off his line to clear.

22 mins

Pedro goes for a run and steams into the box, with nobody wanting to put a foot in for fear of him going flying and it being a penalty. Pedro goes too far and has to pass back to Alonso, who expertly punts the ball about 80 miles into the air instead of crossing it into the box like you suspect he wanted to.

21 mins

Chelsea's defence hasn't really woken up yet. Moses is starting to get up the pitch more, as is Alonso but Fabregas trying shots from long range doesn't help things. 

Conte is on the touchline yelling instructions to his team, shouting at each player to close down an Arsenal player quicker. He's not happy with what he's watching and Chelsea have responded immediately, winning a corner.

18 mins

Credit: REUTERS

Bellerin slides in on Alonso, takes him out and the referee calls play back when there is no advantage to Chelsea. Yellow card for Bellerin. Holding gets turned by Alonso and works hard to win it back.

Luiz tries to kick the ball away but swings at fresh air and then gives a horrible bobbling pass back to Courtois, who gets rid.

15 mins

Pedro, who is wearing a mask because he got absolutely battered by Ospina in a pre-season friendly collision, tries to run in behind onto a chipped pass but is offside. 

Moses has gotten forward here and wants to get into the box but has to go backwards and Welbeck nicks it from Azpilicueta! He drives towards goal from the halfway line and is pulled to the ground by Azpilicueta, who is booked. 

Xhaka takes the free-kick short... then Holding passes it back out to the left... in one of the strangest set piece routines I think I've seen from that sort of position. Usually the ball gets chucked into the box. 

12 mins

Credit: AP

Arsenal have started the much better side here and are beginning to go up the gears, passing quickly and moving well around the pitch to give options. It's very fluid... and this move is brilliant! Bellerin to Iwobi, to Elneny, one touch and a return ball from the one-two and again Iwobi is in on goal! Courtois comes to the rescue. 

9 mins

WELBEEEEEECCCCKKKKKK heads the ball straight at Courtois after making a brilliant run to the back post behind the shoulder of the last Chelsea defender. It's a great pass to find him as well but Welbeck just can't get enough on his header.

8 mins

Welbeck is quick and beats Luiz to the ball down the left, does a step over and takes play back inside. Bellerin gets it out right and whips an early ball into the box but Courtois catches it. Arsenal drop back behind the half way line - they're pressing high from goal kicks but only trying to win the ball back at the halfway line when Chelsea have possession. 

Oxlade-Chamberlain comes alive on the left, nips past Azpilicueta and then Iwobi dribbles around Luiz! He's at the near post, only Cech to beat! He fires the ball low across goal for a striker to attack but somehow Chelsea survive and it's a goal kick.

5 mins

Arsenal attack and find space in the final third. Oxlade-Chamberlain over hits a chipped pass out for a goal kick. Chelsea try to play out from the back from that kick but Arsenal are pressing high up the pitch to prevent them doing so comfortably. This game has started at a pretty high tempo.

2 mins

Chelsea pass the ball around a bit as Arsenal sit back and then all of a sudden David Luiz spots the forward run and hits a great pass over the top of the defence and Cech comes 30 yards off his line to head it away! For a moment it looks like a chance is about to open up for Chelsea but Arsenal deal with it. 

KICK OFF

SOCCER!

Grenfell fund raising

 

National anthem now

Credit: GETTY IMAGES

They're quite weird, national anthems, aren't they? Just a bunch of people singing about the Queen for no real reason other than that they quite like the bit of land they happened to be born on. 

Gianfranco Zola is here! He's not singing the anthem or anything, he's just some sort of Community Shield mascot and gives all the Chelsea players a little handshake.

Here come the players

PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL IS (sort of) HERE! IT'S FINALLY HERE!

Antonio Conte says this is a real trophy

"This is an official game and this is the first trophy of the season. I think it's important to win."

Why isn't Morata playing?

"It's normal when a player arrives with me, he needs a bit of time to adapt to my method, to our football to go to our idea. It's very normal."

Arsenal's back three

Arsenal are lining up in their 3-4-3. I talk about it a little in this video:

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There is a subtle difference in what Arsenal do to other clubs though and that is that one of the forwards joins the striker to make a two. You'll see a lot of Danny Welbeck alongside Lacazette upfront today. 

Frank Lampard is signed up

To be fair, it's not like he was doing much else anyway. 

Arsenal players in their suits

Two cool dudes just chillin' Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Chelsea have turned up in tracksuits. 

Lacazette on his Arsenal move

"You have less time on the ball than in France. Maybe Ligue 1 is better in terms of tactics

"When I was younger i was a big fan of Thierry Henry. I just want to write my own story, I don't want to be compared to him."

I agree with this

 

Simulation (diving)

Mark Clattenburg is on BT Sport just now speaking about plans for a referee commission to stop players from... uhhhhh.... let's just call it cheating, but yes, plans on how referees can deal with those who simulate fouls. Apparently if a player admits his guilt immediately after a game, the dive won't go to a review panel and he will receive an automatic two match ban. Those who do dive will have those incidents reviewed and possible suspensions handed out.

Will Chelsea change their system this season?

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It's hard to cram it all into two minutes but I've tried above. 

Team news is in

Alvaro Morata is on the bench for Chelsea.

Five days of training isn't quite enough for even Alexis Sanchez to feature in the Arsenal squad. Mesut Ozil also misses out.

Here is how the two teams line up:

 

Match preview: Arsene Wenger says board is backing him over Sanchez

Arsene Wenger insists it is completely his decision not to sell Alexis Sanchez this summer with the Arsenal boss ready to take the risk of losing him for nothing in a year's time.

The Gunners boss is expected to play hard-ball with Sanchez as he does not want to lose his talisman to Premier League rivals Manchester City.

In the past Wenger has been powerless to turn down City's millions for the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri and Kolo Toure as Arsenal were paying off the building costs of the Emirates Stadium.

Now they have no such financial obligations and Wenger has reiterated he would rather Sanchez walk away for free next year than sell him now.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Monaco have also been linked with the Chile international, who cut a frustrated figure at times last season as Arsenal finished fifth.

Sanchez is focused despite speculation over his future, according to Wenger Credit:  Arsenal FC

Losing Sanchez without a fee would be seen as a huge loss for a player who could command a huge price-tag even in the final year of his contract.

But Wenger says the decision is in his hands and he wants to keep the player at the club for the forthcoming season.

"Yes, the board supports me to make the decisions on a technical front," Wenger replied when asked if he had 100 per cent backing from the board to decide who comes and who leaves.

"I can tell you is that he is focused, and my decision is clear: he will stay and he will respect that. it is as simple as that.

"Every negotiation has to be a little bit secret. The transparency of society is very pushy but we have to resist a little bit, as much as we can. I think he will be here this season, and if we can do it for more seasons we will do it as well."

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