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.
Comments
Post a Comment