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2015 FA Community Shield
2015 FA Community Shield
2015 FA Community Shield
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2015 FA Community Shield
The match programme cover
Arsenal Chelsea
1 0
Date2 August 2015
VenueWembley Stadium, London
Man of the MatchAlex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)[1]
RefereeAnthony Taylor (Cheshire)[2]
Attendance85,437
WeatherClear
25 °C (77 °F)[3]
← 2014
2016 →

The 2015 FA Community Shield (also known as The FA Community Shield supported by McDonald's for sponsorship reasons)[4] was the 93rd FA Community Shield, an annual English football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup. The match was contested by Arsenal, the 2014–15 FA Cup winners, and Chelsea, champions of the 2014–15 Premier League. It was held at Wembley Stadium on 2 August 2015. Watched by a crowd of 85,437 and a television audience of over a million, Arsenal won the match 1–0.

This was Arsenal's 21st Shield appearance and Chelsea's 11th. Petr Čech made his competitive debut for Arsenal against his former team, while captain Mikel Arteta and striker Olivier Giroud were named as substitutes. Gary Cahill was passed fit to start for Chelsea alongside captain John Terry, and Loïc Rémy started up-front as Diego Costa was absent.

The only goal of the match came near the midway point of the first half; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain collected a pass from Theo Walcott from the right and scored past Thibaut Courtois. Both managers did not shake hands after the game, which drew media attention. Arsenal's victory was their first against Chelsea in over three years and manager Arsène Wenger's first over José Mourinho in 14 attempts.

Background and pre-match

[edit]
Arsenal's victory parade after winning the 2015 FA Cup Final, which qualified them for the Community Shield.

The FA Community Shield was founded in 1908 as a successor to the Sheriff of London Charity Shield,[5] and began as a contest between the respective champions of the Football League and Southern League, although in 1913 it was played between an Amateurs XI and a Professionals XI.[6] In 1921, it was played by the league champions of the top division[a] and FA Cup winners for the first time.[8]

Chelsea qualified for the 2015 FA Community Shield as winners of the 2014–15 Premier League. It was the club's fourth league title in ten years and third under the management of José Mourinho.[9] The other Community Shield place went to Arsenal, who defeated Aston Villa by four goals to win the 2015 FA Cup Final and retain the trophy. In doing so, Arsenal had overtaken Manchester United to become the most successful club in the competition's history, with 12 titles.[10]

Chelsea made their eleventh appearance in the Community Shield; prior to this they won four (1970, 2000, 2005, 2009) and lost six, most recently in 2012 against Manchester City.[11] By contrast, Arsenal made their 21st Community Shield appearance, and won 13, including one shared in 1991. They went into the match as holders of the Shield, having defeated Manchester City a year earlier. Both clubs had only once met before in the Shield, when Chelsea won by two goals to one in 2005.[11] Arsenal had failed to beat Chelsea in all competitions since 2011, and Mourinho was undefeated against his opponent Arsène Wenger in 13 matches.[12][13] Mourinho told reporters a winless run was something he would not tolerate: “I would try to answer, not because of a mental block but because I would want to try to find solutions to help my team to do it – try to find a different way, try to find the reasons why it goes all the time against my team."[14] He also attempted to play down the significance of the match, given Arsenal had won the previous year's contest but finished third in the league.[14]

The match was televised live in the United Kingdom on BT Sport 2;[4] the network obtained rights to the Community Shield in July 2013 and were into their second year of a deal with the BBC and the FA.[15] The game was also the inaugural broadcast of BT Sport's 4K ultra HD feed.[16]

Match

[edit]

Team selection

[edit]

Chelsea were predicted to line up in a 4–2–3–1 formation, with Willian and Eden Hazard as wide men.[17] Mourinho doubted the fitness of Diego Costa and Gary Cahill going into the match – the former aggravated his hamstring during a pre-season game against Barcelona.[18] Arsenal were expected to line up similarly to Chelsea, with Walcott furthest forward and Mesut Özil in his preferred position as playmaker.[17][19] Midfielder Jack Wilshere was ruled out of selection, having sustained an ankle injury during training.[20] Arsenal's top scorer of the previous season, Alexis Sánchez, was rested, having won the 2015 Copa América with Chile earlier in the summer.[21] The teamsheets showed Loïc Rémy starting the match for Chelsea up front and Cesc Fàbregas partnering Matic in midfield. As expected Petr Čech started in goal for Arsenal; the goalkeeper moved from Chelsea in search of first-team football.[22][23]

Summary

[edit]

First half

[edit]
Chelsea's Loïc Rémy and Nemanja Matić and the Arsenal defence

Chelsea, in their usual home strip of blue, kicked off the match and immediately lost possession when Walcott dispossessed Matic. Walcott sent the ball to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose cross on the right forced a punch from Thibaut Courtois.[24] Francis Coquelin conceded a free kick in the sixth minute having fouled Willian inside Chelsea's half, though nothing came of the set piece. Fàbregas went down under the challenge of Per Mertesacker in Arsenal's penalty area soon afterwards, but his appeal for a penalty kick was turned down by referee Anthony Taylor and play resumed.[25] Chelsea, having settled the slower of the two teams, began to dominate ball possession and won two early corners, both of which were easily dealt with. In the 17th minute, Nacho Monreal's charge forward was stopped by Cahill; the Chelsea defender in the process of making that challenge had suffered a nose bleed.[24] A free kick for Arsenal presented a chance for Walcott to score, but his header goalwards was saved.[26]

Arsenal scored the game's only goal in the 24th minute; set-up by Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain managed to cut inside César Azpilicueta on the right and shoot the ball into the top-left corner of Courtois's net.[25] It was the first goal Chelsea had conceded against Arsenal in 506 minutes.[26] Most of the action in the first half was conducted in a congested midfield, with Fàbregas attempting to sedate the rhythm and the Arsenal midfielders forcing their opponents to play narrow.[24] This favoured Arsenal, who had space to counter-attack had Chelsea lost the ball.[24] Ramires nearly levelled the scoreline in the 33rd minute, but his curling effort failed to creep into the bottom right-hand corner.[26] Ramires then missed another chance, heading the ball high and over the Arsenal goal after good work by Rémy. Arsenal created another chance to score four minutes before the break, when Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross found Monreal, who under pressure from Ivanovic headed over.[26] Rémy, often a lone figure upfront, was ruled offside late on.[26]

Second half

[edit]
Chelsea's Willian (left) and Radamel Falcao, who made his professional debut for the club.

Radamel Falcao replaced Rémy after the break and his long-range shot in the 48th minute was blocked. Although Chelsea started the half well, it was Arsenal who fashioned the notable chances before the hour mark.[24] In the 50th minute Santi Cazorla attempted to thread the ball through Chelsea's defence for Walcott to reach but his pass was cleared. Two minutes later Coquelin over-hit his pass which was directed to Özil, who roamed freely.[24] Chelsea made another change, this time Oscar in place of Ramires in the 53rd minute. Seven minutes later Chelsea came close to scoring when Eden Hazard managed to evade his markers, but through on goal failed to get his shot on target, hitting over.[25] Azpilicueta was shown the game's first yellow card for pulling Oxlade-Chamberlain back; Mourinho made the decision to substitute him with Kurt Zouma in the 69th minute. Giroud came on for Walcott moments before, and immediately was involved in the action, shooting high and then from long range.[24]

Coquelin then was booked for his foul on Oscar, which earned Chelsea a free kick. Oscar's attempt was saved by Čech, who fisted the ball round the post.[25] Chelsea continued to attack, though Arsenal withstood their pressure. John Terry rose highest from a corner in the 74th minute and headed the ball in Zouma's direction, which eventually was caught by Čech.[25] Hazard's shot was blocked in the 79th minute and Oscar then spurned a chance, with Falcao unable to create something from it.[26] In an effort to find an equaliser with ten minutes of normal time remaining, Mourinho brought on Moses in place of Terry and deployed a three-man defence.[24] It nearly presented Arsenal the chance to score their second of the match, but for Cazorla to have his effort blocked and Aaron Ramsey on the rebound shooting wide.[25]

Details

[edit]
Arsenal1–0Chelsea
Oxlade-Chamberlain 24' Report
Attendance: 85,437
Arsenal
Chelsea
GK 33 Czech Republic Petr Čech
RB 24 Spain Héctor Bellerín
CB 4 Germany Per Mertesacker (c)
CB 6 France Laurent Koscielny
LB 18 Spain Nacho Monreal
CM 34 France Francis Coquelin Yellow card 67'
CM 19 Spain Santi Cazorla
RW 16 Wales Aaron Ramsey
AM 11 Germany Mesut Özil downward-facing red arrow 82'
LW 15 England Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain downward-facing red arrow 77'
CF 14 England Theo Walcott downward-facing red arrow 66'
Substitutes:
GK 26 Argentina Emiliano Martínez
DF 2 France Mathieu Debuchy
DF 3 England Kieran Gibbs upward-facing green arrow 82'
DF 5 Brazil Gabriel
MF 8 Spain Mikel Arteta upward-facing green arrow 77'
FW 12 France Olivier Giroud upward-facing green arrow 66'
FW 45 Nigeria Alex Iwobi
Manager:
France Arsène Wenger
GK 13 Belgium Thibaut Courtois
RB 2 Serbia Branislav Ivanović
CB 24 England Gary Cahill
CB 26 England John Terry (c) downward-facing red arrow 82'
LB 28 Spain César Azpilicueta Yellow card 65' downward-facing red arrow 69'
CM 21 Serbia Nemanja Matić
CM 4 Spain Cesc Fàbregas
RW 7 Brazil Ramires downward-facing red arrow 54'
AM 22 Brazil Willian
LW 10 Belgium Eden Hazard
CF 18 France Loïc Rémy downward-facing red arrow 46'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina Asmir Begović
DF 5 France Kurt Zouma upward-facing green arrow 69'
MF 8 Brazil Oscar upward-facing green arrow 54'
MF 11 Colombia Juan Cuadrado
MF 12 Nigeria John Obi Mikel
MF 20 Nigeria Victor Moses upward-facing green arrow 82'
FW 9 Colombia Radamel Falcao upward-facing green arrow 46'
Manager:
Portugal José Mourinho

Match officials:

Match rules[27]

  • 90 minutes
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • Seven named substitutes, of which six may be used

Statistics

[edit]
Statistic Arsenal Chelsea
Goals scored 1 0
Possession 43.4% 56.6%
Shots on target 5 2
Shots off target 6 12
Corner kicks 4 4
Fouls 12 11
Interceptions 21 13
Offsides 0 6
Yellow cards 1 1
Red cards 0 0
Source:[citation needed]

Post-match

[edit]
Wenger won his sixth Community Shield as Arsenal manager

Wenger and Mourinho did not shake hands after the final whistle; Mourinho congratulated Arsenal's players as they descended the Wembley steps upon lifting the Shield, but the Arsenal manager appeared to avoid his Chelsea counterpart after he had collected his winner's medal.[28]

In a post-match interview, Mourinho credited Arsenal's defensive approach and organisation, but felt "the best team lost", arguing that Chelsea created more chances and showed more initiative. He went on to suggest that Arsenal betrayed their attacking philosophy, choosing to adopt a counterattacking approach.[29] Although Wenger agreed his team were set-up cautiously, he denied they abandoned their playing style: "...we defend our game on togetherness and solidarity and on defending well and attacking well."[29] The Arsenal manager felt victory against Chelsea acted as a physiological boost for his players going into the new season, but was indifferent to his own record of beating Mourinho for the first time.[29]

Terry was disappointed with the result, observing "No matter if it’s a friendly or a Community Shield, it’s a trophy at the end of the day," but sought positives – focusing on how the players' fitness levels were rising in time for the new season.[30] Mertesacker was delighted with his team's performance, describing it as the peak of their pre-season preparations.[31]

Both managers criticised the quality of the pitch; Mourinho remarked that it "was a disaster... so bad and so slow."[29] An FA spokesperson said: "We will continue to improve the quality of the pitch, which we have every confidence in. In this instance it is simply that the pitch is less mature than we would ordinarily wish given the summer concert season and the early start to the football calendar."[29]

An average of 821,000 viewers watched the match live on BT Sport 2; the channel's coverage peaked at 1.2 million (11.5% of the audience share) from 16:40. Highlights on BBC One later that evening attracted 2.1 million viewers (17%).[32]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

2015 FA Community Shield

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The 2015 FA Community Shield was an annual English match contested on 2 2015 at in between Chelsea, the winners of the , and Arsenal, the winners of the . secured a 1–0 victory with a goal from in the 24th minute, lifting the Shield in front of an attendance of 85,437 spectators. The game, refereed by Anthony Taylor, served as the traditional season curtain-raiser and highlighted 's defensive solidity under manager , including a debut performance by goalkeeper Petr Cech against his former club Chelsea. The marked a significant milestone for , who ended a 13-game winless streak against Chelsea manager in their 14th competitive encounter, having previously drawn six and lost seven. Oxlade-Chamberlain's left-footed strike from 20 yards broke a 506-minute Chelsea clean sheet against and earned him the man of the award, while Cech's saves preserved the clean sheet despite Chelsea's second-half pressure following halftime substitutions including . Absent for Chelsea was striker due to , contributing to their blunt attack with only two shots on target from 14 attempts. This triumph represented Arsenal's second consecutive Community Shield win following their 3–0 victory over Manchester City in 2014, underscoring their strong pre-season form ahead of the 2015–16 campaign. For Chelsea, the defeat was an inauspicious start to title defense, with Mourinho lamenting his team's control without the decisive edge, setting a tone of rivalry intensity between the London clubs.

Background

Qualification and Participants

The FA Community Shield is an annual association football match contested as the traditional season curtain-raiser between the winners of the previous season's and competitions; if one club secures both trophies, the runners-up take the place of the cup winners. Chelsea qualified for the 2015 edition as champions of the , clinching the title on 3 May 2015 with a 1–0 home victory over and finishing the campaign with 87 points from 26 wins, nine draws, and three defeats—eight points clear of runners-up Manchester City. Under manager in his second spell at the club, Chelsea topped the table from the opening matchday, boasting the league's stingiest defense with just 32 goals conceded and 15 clean sheets, while led the attack with 20 league goals to secure their fifth English top-flight title and first since 2010. Arsenal earned their place as winners of the 2014–15 FA Cup, dominating Aston Villa 4–0 in the final at on 30 May 2015, with goals from in the 40th minute, in the 50th, in the 71st, and in the 90th. This result extended Arsenal's record to a 12th success and was Arsène Wenger's sixth victory in the competition, tying George Ramsay for the most wins by a manager, following their semi-final penalty shoot-out victory over Reading. The 2015 Community Shield marked Arsenal's 21st appearance in the competition, in which they had previously triumphed 12 times, while it was Chelsea's 11th outing with four prior victories; the clubs had faced each other once before, in 2005, which Chelsea won 2–1. The match was scheduled for 2 August 2015 at in .

Historical Context

The FA Community Shield, formerly known as the Charity Shield, originated in 1908 as a successor to the Sheriff of London Charity Shield, initially contested between the champions of the Football League and the Southern League to raise funds for charity. The format evolved in 1921 to match the Football League champions against the FA Cup winners, establishing it as the traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season, and it was officially renamed the Community Shield in 2002 to better reflect its community and charitable focus, having generated significant funds for good causes over the decades. By 2015, the competition served as an early indicator of form for the upcoming Premier League campaign, though its outcomes were not always predictive of title success, with league champions securing victory in approximately 50% of fixtures against FA Cup holders since the modern format's inception. The rivalry between and Chelsea, rooted in their status as north and west London powerhouses, dates back to and had intensified by the amid battles for supremacy in the and cup competitions. Up to 2015, the clubs had faced each other over 200 times across all competitions, with Arsenal holding a slight historical edge but Chelsea asserting dominance in recent years, including an unbeaten run in league matches since Arsenal's 5-3 victory at Stamford Bridge in October 2011. This period underscored Chelsea's psychological advantage under managers like , against whom Arsenal boss had endured a winless streak in 13 previous encounters across all competitions since Mourinho's first stint at Chelsea began in 2004. Prior to 2015, and Chelsea had clashed in the Community Shield just once, in 2005 at the , where Chelsea triumphed 2-1 thanks to a brace from , marking Mourinho's first competitive win over in the fixture and highlighting the event's role in amplifying their personal and club rivalry. Such meetings added layers of intrigue to the Shield as a high-stakes preseason test, yet statistical trends showed limited correlation to seasonal outcomes, with only around half of league champions converting their Shield performance into glory in the following campaign.

Pre-Match

Venue and Officials

The 2015 FA Community Shield was held at in , , the traditional neutral venue for the competition since 1974 (except 2001–2006 at the ), when the match was formalized as an annual curtain-raiser to the domestic season between the champions and winners. The stadium, with a capacity of 90,000 for football matches, is 's national stadium and hosts major fixtures including England internationals and cup finals. The match took place on 2 August 2015, with kick-off scheduled at 15:00 BST under clear weather conditions and a of 25 °C (77 °F). Anthony Taylor, a 36-year-old from in , was appointed to officiate the match; he had joined the Football League's full-time referees list in 2004, been promoted to the Premier League's Select Group in 2010, and by 2015 had already handled the 2010 Final, the 2012 Final, and the earlier that year. He was assisted by Gary Beswick and John Brooks, with Roger East serving as the fourth official; (VAR) technology was not in use, as it had yet to be introduced in English football. A crowd of 85,437 attended the fixture, the second-highest attendance at a Community Shield match at the new Wembley Stadium (tied with 2016).

Team News and Preparations

Arsenal entered the 2015 FA Community Shield bolstered by the high-profile signing of goalkeeper Petr Čech from rivals Chelsea for £10 million, marking their only major acquisition that summer and positioning him for a significant debut as the new first-choice keeper. Manager Arsène Wenger emphasized the importance of the match in building early momentum for the season, noting a productive pre-season despite its shorter duration compared to previous years. However, the squad faced several absences: forward Alexis Sánchez and goalkeeper David Ospina were granted extended leave following their participation in the Copa América, while striker Danny Welbeck remained sidelined with a knee injury, and midfielder Tomáš Rosický was out with a calf problem. Midfielder Jack Wilshere, though available, had a history of ankle issues that would soon resurface. Chelsea, as defending Premier League champions, approached the fixture with a focus on squad rotation following an intense 2014-15 campaign that yielded the league title and League Cup, though their pre-season tour of the United States left them with limited recovery time—only two full days before the match. Key addition arrived on a season-long from to provide attacking depth, particularly with star striker ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Defender , who had knee concerns from the prior season's end, was passed fit, but manager highlighted ongoing efforts to address minor defensive lapses exposed in cup ties despite their league solidity. Tactical analyses anticipated a contrast in styles, with Arsenal likely employing a counter-attacking approach in a 4-2-3-1 formation to exploit transitions, relying on the pace of and creativity of , while Chelsea aimed to dominate possession through their established midfield control led by and . Media previews favored Chelsea due to their title-winning form, predicting a pragmatic display from Mourinho's side against Wenger's cup holders. Pre-match hype centered on individual press conferences, where stressed mental preparation to overcome historical struggles against Chelsea, and Mourinho downplayed the fixture's stakes while underscoring its role in fine-tuning the squad; no formal joint events between the clubs were reported.

Match Report

Line-ups

Both teams opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, emphasizing defensive solidity with a double pivot in midfield while allowing attacking creativity through wingers and a central . Arsenal's setup featured as the primary holding midfielder, supported by and , with , , and providing width and penetration in the advanced midfield roles behind a lone striker. Chelsea mirrored this structure, with and forming the midfield base, operating as the advanced alongside wingers Willian and , feeding forward in the absence of the injured . A notable aspect of Arsenal's lineup was the debut of goalkeeper , who had recently transferred from Chelsea and started in goal for his new club. Young forward was included on the bench for Arsenal, marking his first senior matchday squad appearance.

Arsenal

Starting XI (4-1-4-1):
PositionPlayer
GK
RB
CB (c)
CB
LB
DM
CM
CM
RW
AM
LW
Substitutes used: for (65'), for (77'), for (81'). Bench: (GK), , , .

Chelsea

Starting XI (4-2-3-1):
PositionPlayer
GK
RB
CB
CB (c)
LB
CM
CM
RWWillian
AM
LW
ST
Substitutes used: for (46'), Oscar for (54'), for (69'), for (82'). Bench: (GK), , John Obi Mikel.

First Half

The match kicked off at with Chelsea asserting early dominance in possession, applying pressure on Arsenal's defense during the opening exchanges. Despite Chelsea controlling approximately 56.6% of the ball overall, Arsenal remained resilient, quickly transitioning into counter-attacks. In the first minute, Arsenal nearly capitalized when they dispossessed high up the pitch, though the move broke down without a clear chance. Arsenal soon found their rhythm, with Theo Walcott testing Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois via a header from a Mesut Özil free-kick around the 10-minute mark. Chelsea responded with limited threat, as Branislav Ivanović fired a speculative long-range effort that failed to trouble Arsenal's new signing Petr Čech. The game remained scrappy in midfield, but Arsenal's intensity grew, leading to the breakthrough in the 24th minute when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain received a pass from Walcott on the right edge of the box, cut inside César Azpilicueta, and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from 20 yards that arrowed into the top corner past Courtois. Chelsea struggled to create meaningful opportunities, with Eden Hazard ineffective and missing a notable chance by sky-high volleying over the bar midway through the half. Ramires also wasted two headers, curling one wide and nodding another over from a Loïc Rémy cross inside the six-yard box. Arsenal's defense, anchored by Laurent Koscielny's commanding presence, repelled Chelsea's advances effectively, including Čech's crucial clearance from John Terry's header. No bookings were issued, and the half concluded without further major incidents, leaving Arsenal leading 1–0 at the break.

Second Half

The second half began with Arsenal kicking off, leading 1–0 from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first-half strike. Chelsea, seeking an equalizer, made an immediate substitution at halftime by introducing Radamel Falcao for Loïc Rémy to bolster their attack. Early pressure from Chelsea saw Falcao's curling effort blocked in the 48th minute, followed by Eden Hazard skewing a shot over the bar after a pass from Cesc Fàbregas in the 61st minute. Chelsea intensified their assaults around the 54th minute with the introduction of Oscar for , who promptly tested Arsenal's defense but scuffed a shot wide before forcing a that saved with a diving stop. responded by substituting for in the 65th minute to add physical presence up front, though Giroud's initial efforts were cleared by ; was booked for a foul on Giroud. Two minutes later, Francis Coquelin received a yellow card. Further Chelsea changes included replacing in the 69th minute, leading to a header from Zouma that Čech comfortably held shortly after. 's defense remained resolute, with effectively marking Falcao and the backline limiting Chelsea's counter-attacks to sporadic threats. As the half progressed, Chelsea mounted sustained late pressure, exemplified by Victor Moses entering for John Terry in the 82nd minute and subsequent crosses into the box, but Arsenal held firm without conceding. Arsenal made defensive adjustments with Mikel Arteta replacing Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 77th minute and Kieran Gibbs coming on for Mesut Özil in the 81st minute to shore up the flanks. In added time of three minutes, Arsenal nearly extended their lead when Santi Cazorla's point-blank effort was denied by Thibaut Courtois, followed by Gibbs' rebound shot being saved in the 90+4th minute. The match concluded without further goals, securing a 1–0 victory for Arsenal.

Statistics

In the 2015 FA Community Shield, Chelsea dominated possession with 56.5%, while held 43.5%. Chelsea registered 14 shots, 2 of which were on target, compared to 's 11 shots with 5 on target. Other key metrics included corners, where both teams earned 4; fouls, with committing 12 and Chelsea 11; and pass accuracy, where Chelsea achieved a higher rate of approximately 85%. The match's only goal, scored by in the 24th minute, was a long-range effort from 20 yards, struck powerfully with his left foot into the top corner. was awarded Man of the Match for his decisive goal and strong overall contribution, including dangerous play on the ball throughout the game.
MetricArsenalChelsea
Possession43.5%56.5%
Shots (on target)11 (5)14 (2)
Corners44
Fouls1211

Post-Match

Immediate Reactions

Following Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the 2015 FA Community Shield at , the post-match atmosphere was marked by tension between managers and , culminating in a notable absence of a . The incident stemmed from their ongoing , exacerbated by Mourinho's pre-season criticisms of Wenger's for opponents, leading to a media frenzy as Wenger walked past Mourinho without exchanging pleasantries after the final whistle. Mourinho later commented that Wenger had deliberately avoided him, while Wenger attributed the snub to a perceived lack of mutual from Mourinho's earlier remarks. Player reactions highlighted the significance of the win for . , who scored the decisive goal, emphasized the team's determination to end Chelsea's eight-match unbeaten streak against them, describing the victory as a professional performance and a strong season opener that demonstrated their trophy-winning intent. , making his Arsenal debut as a second-half substitute against his former club, expressed gratitude to both sets of fans via for their support, applauding Chelsea supporters from the pitch in a of class amid mixed from his recent transfer. Celebrations focused on Arsenal retaining the Community Shield for the second consecutive year—their 14th overall and the first back-to-back pair since 1998–99. Captain lifted the trophy amid jubilant scenes, with medals presented by Janet Rocastle, widow of Arsenal legend , underscoring the club's historical ties. Both managers voiced early complaints about the pitch, describing it as slippery and slow due to recent weather conditions, which they believed affected the quality of play and contributed to the match's cautious nature. Mourinho called it "a ," while echoed concerns over its condition impacting ball movement. The FA responded by pledging improvements to the surface ahead of the season.

Broader Impact

The 2015 FA Community Shield victory provided with an early morale boost at the start of the 2015–16 season, contributing to their strong campaign where they finished second in the with 71 points. In contrast, Chelsea's defeat foreshadowed a turbulent year, as the defending champions slumped to a 10th-place finish with 50 points, culminating in manager Mourinho's sacking on December 17, 2015, amid a prolonged poor run of form. For key players, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's match-winning goal marked a breakout moment in his career, leading to increased prominence at before his 2017 transfer to , where he contributed to major successes including the 2019 and 2020 titles, prior to joining in 2023. , making his competitive debut for after joining from Chelsea in June 2015, kept a clean sheet in the match and went on to anchor the team through a successful four-year tenure until his retirement in 2019, winning one (2017). The result broke notable records, including manager Arsène 's first victory over Mourinho in 14 attempts across all competitions, and represented Arsenal's second consecutive Community Shield win following their triumph over Manchester City. The match underscored Arsenal's resurgence under , building on their 2014 success to maintain top-tier contention, while signaling the onset of Chelsea's post-title decline marked by internal discord and managerial upheaval. No significant controversies arose beyond a brief awkward post-match handshake between and Mourinho.

References

  1. https://www.thefa.com/news/2015/aug/02/chelsea-v-arsenal-fa-community-shield-match-report
  2. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/arsenal_chelsea/index/spielbericht/2605728
  3. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/33667216
  4. https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/432389/chelsea-arsenal
  5. https://www.thefa.com/news/2015/aug/02/match-reaction-fa-community-shield-arsenal-v-chelsea-020815
  6. https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/which-teams-qualify-community-shield-english-football-explained/1x9tdlozzqs6v1c8e6gktl51wi
  7. https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/community-shield-history-past-winners-football/5d8cf27e43951d9048741190
  8. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11662/9863691/chelsea-premier-league-season-review-2014-15
  9. https://www.thefa.com/news/2015/may/30/the-final-report-300515
  10. https://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1415/post/first-team/56495/arsenal-v-chelsea-match-report
  11. https://www.radiojambo.co.ke/habari/2015-08-02-community-shield-arsenal-v-chelsea-match-facts
  12. https://www.thefa.com/competitions/the-fa-community-shield/more/history
  13. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/ckgdg25npzlo
  14. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/22/a-brief-history-of-the-arsenal-chelsea-rivalry-and-why-it-matters
  15. https://www.arsenal.com/news/discover-more-about-our-community-shield-history
  16. https://theanalyst.com/articles/community-shield-winners-premier-league-title
  17. https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/uk/london/historic?month=8&year=2015
  18. https://www.thefa.com/news/2015/jul/07/anthony-taylor-community-shield-referee-2015
  19. https://football.fandom.com/wiki/2015_FA_Community_Shield
  20. https://www.soccer-blogger.com/2018/08/05/community-shield-attendances-at-new-wembley-stadium-stats-and-figures/
  21. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/33318367
  22. https://www.thefa.com/news/2015/jul/28/arsene-wenger-previews-fa-community-shield-arsenal-v-chelsea-280715
  23. https://www.whoscored.com/matches/956052/preview/england-community-shield-2014-2015-arsenal-chelsea
  24. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/34259983
  25. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2240737/2020/12/14/jose-mourinho-chelsea-emenalo-abramovich/
  26. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/9902564/chelsea-sign-radamel-falcao-on-loan-from-monaco
  27. https://dailycannon.com/2015/07/chelsea-injury-blows-ahead-of-community-shield/
  28. https://thehardtackle.com/2015/chelsea-fc-v-arsenal-fc-preview-team-news-tactics-lineups-and-prediction/
  29. https://www.movietvtechgeeks.com/p/preview-2015-fa-community-shield-arsenal-vs-chelsea
  30. https://www.mylondon.news/sport/football/football-news/recap-jose-mourinho-speaks-ahead-9764108
  31. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/28/arsene-wenger-arsenal-jose-mourinho
  32. https://www.skysports.com/football/arsenal-vs-chelsea/teams/350713
  33. https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/8/2/9086283/arsenal-vs-chelsea-community-shield-confirmed-lineups
  34. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/9932592/community-shield-report
  35. https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2015/aug/02/arsenal-v-chelsea-community-shield-2015-live
  36. https://heavy.com/sports/2015/08/chelsea-arsenal-score-stats-highlights-live-fa-community-shield-2015/
  37. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/02/jose-mourinho-arsenal-chelsea-community-shield-wenger
  38. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2537610-jose-mourinho-arsene-wenger-comment-on-lack-of-post-match-handshake
  39. https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37427121/arsene-wenger-hits-respect-community-shield
  40. https://www.thefa.com/news/2015/aug/02/alex-oxlade-chamberlain-reaction-fa-community-shield-020815
  41. https://dailycannon.com/2015/08/cech-thanks-fans-after-chelsea-win/
  42. https://www.arsenalpics.com/season-2015-16/arsenal-v-chelsea-community-shield-2015-16/mertesacker-receives-community-shield-medal-janet-11076998.html
  43. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/9932887/mourinho-reaction
  44. https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37427122/fa-vows-fix-wembley-pitch-community-shield-disaster
  45. https://fbref.com/en/squads/18bb7c10/2015-2016/Arsenal-Stats
  46. https://fbref.com/en/squads/cff3d9bb/2015-2016/c9/Chelsea-Stats-Premier-League
  47. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/34670192
  48. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/02/community-shield-arsenal-chelsea-oxlade-chamberlain
  49. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3183885/Arsenal-beat-Chelsea-Community-Shield-fuel-belief-launch-Premier-League-challenge-Shield-winners-fared-past.html
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