Published: 2 August, 2015
By PAUL COWLING at Wembley Stadium

FA Community Shield
ARSENAL 1, CHELSEA 0

ARSENE Wenger credited new number one Petr Cech for helping him taste victory over Jose Mourinho for the first time in his Arsenal career this afternoon (Sunday).

A stunning strike from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain saw the Gunners retain the Community Shield with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Wembley. 

But it was Cech who was singled out for praise as Wenger suggested that the Czech shot-stopper had wielded some measure of influence over his former club.

"Cech did well. And maybe Chelsea had to score the perfect goal to beat him," said Wenger, who seemingly refused to shake hands with Chelsea boss Mourinho at the end of the match.

"We defended well in an intense game, and the players were committed enough to get over a psychological hurdle to beat Chelsea."

"I am proud that we held on to win," added Wenger. "We made sure that we didn't give our lead away."

The Gunners had showed their intent from the kick-off with Oxlade-Chamberlain charging forward, but his dangerous ball into the penalty area was safely punched away by Blues keeper Thibaut Courtois.

Much is expected of the Ox this season, and he laid down a marker for his, and hopefully Arsenal's season, with what proved to be the winning goal on 23 minutes. Theo Walcott played the ball out to the England man, who turned Cesar Azpilicueta before unleashing an unstoppable drive which gave Courtois no chance.

Chelsea soon responded with Ramires firing a yard wide. The Brazilian also had a great chance to equalise on 36 minutes. He rose to meet an inviting cross from his international team-mate Willian, but only proceeded to head the ball well wide with the goal at his mercy.

The second half started quietly, with neither side making any clear openings. But Laurent Koscielny had to be alert on the hour mark with Eden Hazard clean through on goal – the French defender got a vital challenge in.

Cech had largely been untroubled by his former team-mates, but on 69 minutes he was forced to claw away Oscar's goal-bound free-kick.

The Gunners keeper flapped at the resulting corner, but then regained his composure to punch the ball away as Chelsea desperately sought an equaliser.

Substitute Kieran Gibbs was denied by Courtois in injury time, but it didn't matter as the final whistle blew to herald a pre-season Arsenal victory over their bitter rivals.

ARSENAL: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil (Gibbs, 80), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arteta, 76), Walcott (Giroud 65)

ARSENAL COMMENT by Steve Barnett

HE might have acted like he didn’t care as he congratulated the Arsenal players coming down the Wembley steps – but the way Jose Mourinho tossed his loser's medal into the crowd suggested otherwise.

Behind his blasé shoulder shrugs lie the same worries of a man who has just been dumped by his long-term girlfriend: What will the future bring? Will she go on and be happy and successful, while I just sit around in my Chelsea onesie sulking?

Mourinho couldn't even bring himself to acknowledge his London rivals as genuine title contenders following the Community Shield defeat, grumbling that "it wasn't his job to talk about Arsenal".

Well maybe that's a philosophy that he should have lived by before dragging the beautiful game into the gutter by calling counterpart Arsène Wenger a "voyeur" and "a specialist in failure".

The more successful the Gunners are this season, the more the national media will focus on Mourinho's decision to allow Petr Cech to sign for his rivals.

The truth is, however, it won't be that deal that keeps the Blues boss awake. The real insomnia-evoking fears will be if Arsenal, led by a "specialist in failure", beat Chelsea to the title – what would that make Mourinho?