Arsenal were victorious once again under the famous Wembley Arch against bitter rivals Chelsea, winning 1-0 in this year’s FA Community Shield.
The Gunners have now won the FA Cup and Community Shield two seasons on the bounce, but what did we learn from Sunday’s game?
Mesut Ozil is back to his best
Mesut put in a mesmerising display at Wembley, helping the Gunners to overcome their London rivals. His passing and movement was simply sublime throughout the first half and after the break before finally being substituted by Wenger in the 81st minute.
A good run out for Özil, who got his first taste of Community Shield football after missing out last season due to an extended break after winning the World Cup in Brazil with Germany.
The German has had a difficult start to life in England, finding it hard to live up to expectations of the Arsenal and Premier League fans, and struggling to cope with the physicality of the Premier League.
After a long spell on the sidelines last season, Özil seems to come back stronger and stronger, getting better game by game, and this pre-season he has been a pleasure to watch, from many points of view in the football world. He really turned the heat on against Chelsea, with every good bit of Arsenal play flowing through him.
It’s a big season for Mesut, to show the manager, his teammates, and fans of his worth.
Coquelin is the beating heart of the team
During Sunday’s game, there were a few times Coquelin really showed his passion, desire, and love for Arsenal, and just for football all round.
Making his mark last season and becoming a first team regular after his recall from his loan with Charlton Athletic, Francis Coquelin connected with the Arsenal fans almost instantly after his eye catching performances.
Arsenal haven’t had a player like him, and his presence in a long time. An aggressive, strong, and brave character is an essential asset to any team, especially in a league of the Premier League’s physicality.
After the first and only goal of the game was scored on Sunday against Chelsea, the goalscorer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the majority of the team went over by the corner flag and celebrated in front of the Gunners fans who had made the short trip across London to Wembley. Coquelin followed, but then drifted from his celebrating teammates, and celebrated on his own, realising an uproar of celebration in front the the fans, pumping his fists in the air, and against his chest, shouting out loud, but keeping focused, and somehow keeping his cool, before heading back to his position.
This just shows the pure passion he has for his team, and for football, and what it means to him to be as blessed as he is to play football as a profession. This wasn’t the only glimpse of pure love he showed though.
Most players in football, especially of Coquelin’s personality, will always argue that a decision from a foul, or poor tackle should be given their way by the referee. The Frenchman did this throughout the game, and at one point, was very aggressive towards the referee in order to ensure the free kick was given his way, which it wasn’t.
Some will probably say it’s un-sportsman like to do this, which is fair, but also beside the point, as it’s just showing what sort of a player Coquelin is, and what the team and game means to him.
The 24-year-old central defensive midfielder isn’t worth millions and millions, or on a great deal of money a week, but he’s one of the players that plays for the game and the team, not for the fame and glory. Every tackle he goes into he will make sure he wins the ball, and if he doesn’t, he will try twice as hard to win it the next time, he just doesn’t give up.
The Frenchman really is the beating heart of the Arsenal squad and many Gooners would agree, which is why it’s something that had to be taken from the game, and something that all fans can appreciate – a proper footballer, and the potential to be an Arsenal great.
Arsenal did what they do best
When Arsenal are in full flow, they are unstoppable – a pleasure to watch, they simply play magnificent football, and everyone knows it, being one of the best passing teams in the Premier League.
During Sunday afternoon’s encounter at Wembley, Arsenal were at times no less than phenomenal with the ball in the final third, and the reigning Premier League champions couldn’t get anywhere near them, let alone get the ball off them.
The passing, the movement, the little flicks and touches as they waved through the Chelsea midfield and back four was simply mesmerising to see, and made the north London side look worryingly dangerous.
Admittedly Chelsea were very poor, especially in front of goal, and had the chances to put the ball in the back of the net, but it was Arsenal that made them look poor, because before they went 1-0 up, they outplayed Chelsea, making darting runs down the channels and displaying swift movement all over the pitch.
It was very reassuring and exciting to watch for Arsenal fans, especially as it was up against a team of Chelsea’s calibre, and with Sunday’s dazzling performance and a big win under their belt, it gives many Gooners hope that Arsenal could be genuine title contenders for the coming season.
Walcott or Giroud?
The ongoing decision as to who out of the two should be Arsenal’s main striker for now has continued as the pair both featured in Sunday’s game.
Walcott started the game, as he did in last season’s FA Cup final win at Wembley in May, and towards the end of the season, before being replaced by Giroud in the midway through the second half.
Neither player scored, or made a huge impact in the game, but were both a key part in Arsenal’s attacks, but for opposite reasons as they showed their opposing styles of play.
Englishman Theo Walcott is small, quick, technically better with the ball, and harder working (closes down defenders much faster and more often, and defending more occasionally). Whereas Frenchman Olivier Giroud is tall, strong, big, also technically gifted, good in the air and can hold up the ball and hold up the play very well.
Straightaway the difference between the two could be noticed. After 60 odd minutes of Theo chasing the ball down, making runs down the left, right and centre, coming back to collect the ball, dribbling past countless Chelsea players, when Olivier Giroud came on, his strong presence could be felt; he was holding the ball up, winning the ball in the air and involving the wide players in the game.
What can be learnt from this is that whoever is playing, there are advantages of each player over the other. Yes, there are disadvantages too, but the beauty of it is, Wenger can pick between them both, depending on the game, the opponent, or the circumstances.
For example, in Sunday’s game against Chelsea, Arsene obviously wanted to hold the lead, by bringing Giroud on it meant Arsenal kept the ball more in Chelsea’s half as Giroud is good at holding the ball up and being more patient with it, decreasing the risk of them attacking and scoring.
They’re as important as each other, can both do a good job when they’re asked too, and can score plenty of goals.
Arsenal are becoming unstoppable at Wembley
Sunday’s victory made it six wins on the trot for Arsenal at the famous Wembley stadium, starting with the 2013/14 FA Cup semi final, defeating Wigan Athletic on penalties after a tough 1-1 draw. Then it was the unforgettable one against Hull in that year’s final, where the Gunners ended their 9-year trophy drought with an extra time winner from Aaron Ramsey, which sealed the 3-2 win.
Arsenal then doubled their trophy count for that season with an extraordinary 3-0 demolition to 2013/14 Premier League champions Manchester City, in the 2014 Community Shield. Next up was the beginning of a repeat season for Arsenal, another FA Cup semi final win, this time against Reading, with a brace from Alexis Sanchez in a 2-1 victory, before keeping the FA Cup trophy firmly in a north London with another final win, this time a 4-0 smashing over Aston Villa.
This then lead to Arsenal’s sixth win, on Sunday against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, 1-0.
Arsenal have really taken a turn for the better in the past couple of seasons, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield twice each now, after years of pain without any silverware to add to the Emirates Stadium trophy cabinet.
Overall, the most important thing that has to be learnt, and taken into account from Sunday’s win, is that Arsenal are now, or at least should be, taken as serious and genuine title contenders.
The 2015/16 Premier League season is huge for Arsenal and a big test to show how much they really have progressed, which they get underway at the Emirates Stadium this Sunday, in another London Derby, against West Ham United.
