MMUNITY SHIELD PREVIEW: ARSENAL vs CHELSEA

BATTLE FOR LONDON

Finally the wait is over!!! The traditional curtain raiser for the English premier league kicks off at 15:00 BST after a miserable 64 days wait after Wenger gloriously stole the show in the FA cup final. The two teams which excelled last season will line up on the  traditional Wembley stadium to thrust the joy we have missed back into our hearts, league winners
Chelsea battle with FA cup winners Arsenal in what will be the most heated fixture in modern English era. The enmity between the two managers reminded me of the premier league classic years where united great Sir Ferguson and Arsene Wenger use to square off and both Jose Mourinho and Wenger have already started trading words weeks before this fixture.

The summer transfer window has not altered the squad of managers by a great deal but Arsenal made a key addition in Petr Cech a former Chelsea legend and one capable of transforming Wenger’s hopes of a first victory over Mourinho. Mourinho has added Asmir Begovic the former stoke shot-stopper and united flop Falcao in a move to add depth to his already strong squad

Arsenal has gone unbeaten in their pre-season games with class and confidence with massive victories over Everton and Lyon the highlight of their pre-season games in Asia and emirates. Mourinho had a tattered pre-season preparation with a loss and draw to P.S.G and a 4-2 victory over a Barca side without Messi and Neymar. Judging by their pre-season form one would back Wenger’s team at any price but one should remember that Mourinho unlike any other manager in the world knows how to beat Wenger. Wenger has never registered a victory over Mourinho and the Chelsea boss doesn’t see Wenger as a capable test.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH

Eden Hazard

The current PFA player of the year had an incredible campaign last term and was solely the reason Chelsea won the premier league last term. The Belgian wing wizard is quick, strong, creative and has the ability to score crucial goals in games of this nature and Arsenal will be unwise to let him move around freely. The person played against him will prove crucial in a match of this stature as Wenger has to choose between Bellerin and Debuchy to clip the Belgians wings.

Petr Cech

Wenger’s only victory over Mourinho was Cech’s transfer to Arsenal. Wenger has acquired one of the most reliable shot-stoppers in world football and when I say reliable I mean a player that can take the no. 1 shirt in any team in the world except Chelsea and Bayern who have better shot-stoppers. For the first time since Seaman hung his boots, Arsenal now have a keeper who can be totally relied upon and can prove the difference in the match on Sunday.

Rivalry between the old warlords

The rivalry has already begun as early the pre-season with the two managers finding it difficult to keep out of each other’s way, one may call it enmity others may call a love story but things they say are nothing short of fun. When the transfer window kicked full force, “Mourinho suggested that Arsenal had spent more money than Chelsea over the last few years” and Wenger replied saying “he does not listen to what people think or say". On Friday Mourinho hit out again at Wenger but this time played down the rivalry and indirectly called Wenger a lesser manager but believes they will be his closest rival, this time he said "It doesn't matter about Arsenal, it doesn't matter about the manager. I never made it an explosion of happiness or special pride in my victories over Arsenal. I do not make a drama if one day we lose". When Wenger was asked about what Chelsea boss said Wenger replied saying "I'll leave your love story with him to continue without interfering. I wouldn't like to interfere in that". When challenged further about Mourinho’s belief about Arsenal being given a preferential treatment Wenger replied saying "So it's all about love."  

Key Wembley Stats

• The FA Cup winners have only won one of the last five Community Shield matches - Arsenal last year.
• The last two times Chelsea have won the Community Shield, they have gone on to win the title (2005 and 2009).
• These sides have met once previously in the Community Shield, Chelsea winning 2-1 in 2005. Cesc Fabregas, now at the Blues, scored Arsenal's goal that day.
• This will be the Gunners' 21st appearance in the Community Shield. They've won it outright 12 times, losing seven (twice on penalties) and shared it once.
• Chelsea will be making their 11th appearance in the event. They've won it four times (once on penalties), losing the other six (twice via penalty shootout).
• The last five Community Shield games have produced a total of 19 goals.
• The last time a side that won the Community Shield went on to win the league title was in 2010 (Manchester United).
• Arsene Wenger has never beaten Jose Mourinho in 13 attempts (D6 L7).
• Chelsea are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with Arsenal (W5 D3).
• The Gunners have gone 482 minutes without a goal against Chelsea.