Arsenal picked up the first piece of silverware of the season by beating rivals Chelsea in a penalty shootout following an entertaining 1-1 draw at Wembley in The Community Shield.
There are still plenty of lessons to be learned from this match, despite it being so early on in the season. Both Arsene Wenger and Antonio Conte will certainly have much to ponder before the big Premier League kick-off next weekend.
3The Gunners Are Still Suspect Defensively
One of the main issues Wenger has had at the Emirates Stadium in more recent times has been sorting out the defence. Many will think back to Arsenal’s 2003/04 campaign in which Wenger’s side remained unbeaten throughout the whole season and were labelled the ‘invincibles’. The likes of Martin Keown and Tony Adams in the centre of defence were key to this achievement, and it is this sort of leadership that Arsenal are still lacking.
Arsenal’s defensive frailties became evident once again within minutes of the second-half at Wembley. Granit Xhaka failed to fully clear a corner before Gary Cahill flicked it back into the area for Victor Moses to pounce on and give Chelsea the lead. Not one Arsenal defender had tracked the 26-year-old winger, and he had plenty of time and space to find the back of the net. This is something that must be addressed soon by Wenger if the Gunners are to avoid another disappointing season.
