London: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claimed victory over Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho at the 14th attempt as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal gave the FA Cup winners a 1-0 win in yesterday’s Community Shield.
The England midfielder struck in the 24th minute at a sun-soaked Wembley Stadium to break Mourinho’s longstanding hold over his French rival and give Arsenal hope of a sustained assault on Chelsea’s Premier League title.
While Chelsea improved in the second half, they could not find a way past their former goalkeeper Petr Cech, who registered a clean sheet as his new club secured their 13th outright Community Shield.
“It’s good because in pre-season we were very solid defensively, so it’s a good base to go into the championship,” Wenger said.
“We have good spirit and I believe we look dangerous.”
Wenger will be mindful that a 3-0 win over Manchester City in last season’s Community Shield was not followed by a convincing title bid, but with Cech already looking at home and Mourinho no longer able to boast a spotless record against him, he will approach next weekend’s opening league fixtures with pre-season belief fully intact.
Mourinho protested that Chelsea had been “the best team”.
“Arsenal defended with 10 players, they put everybody in front of their own line and they had good organisation,” he said.
“Congratulations to them. They had a couple of chances in counter-attacks, but we had ours in organised football.”
Chelsea’s team-sheet suggested that Diego Costa is not yet free of the hamstring problems that plagued him last season, with Loic Remy leading the line in the Spain striker’s absence and new signing Radamel Falcao on the bench.
Questions about the reaction that Cech would receive from the fans of his old club were answered quickly, a standing ovation greeting him as he jogged over to the goal at the Chelsea end prior to kick-off.
Not for the first time, Wenger is embarking on a season with a surfeit of midfielders and he unveiled a new shape here that saw Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla line up on either flank, allowing Aaron Ramsey to take up his favoured central role alongside Francis Coquelin.