Capital rivals ponder central roles

By Alex Chick

England's traditional curtain-raiser should offer some clues about José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger's summer acquisitions and their first-choice sides for the season ahead, as Sunday's FA Community Shield pits runaway Premiership champions Chelsea FC against FA Cup winners Arsenal FC.

Missing midfielders
Most eyes will be on new signings such as Chelsea's Shaun Wright-Phillips and Asier Del Horno, and Belarussian midfielder Aliaksandr Hleb of Arsenal. Yet more telling could be how effectively the teams cope with what could be problem positions in central midfield.

Pressure on youngsters
Arsenal manager Wenger seemed happy to let talismanic captain Patrick Vieira move to Juventus for €20m, and must now re-build with a young midfield including 18-year-old Cesc Fabregas and French starlet Mathieu Flamini, 21. He is also without injured defender Sol Campbell.

Essien failure
Chelsea chief Mourinho has still not added the third corner to his midfield triangle currently comprising Frank Lampard and Frenchman Claude Makelele, the latter having this week renounced his international retirement. Both Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard and Olympique Lyonnais' Ligue 1 player of the season Michael Essien seemed within reach but neither transfer has materialised. Instead, it looks as though Tiago, Joe Cole or Eidur Gudjohnsen will get another chance to start in the centre.

Wing commanders
The champions are out to improve a team that has already won the title and should see their firepower increased by English international Wright-Phillips. Wingers Damien Duff and Arjen Robben both spent significant spells out injured last season, during which time Chelsea’s goal tally dipped alarmingly.

Making a difference
With Robben in the side, Chelsea scored 2.67 goals per game in the Premiership. Without him, they managed just 1.20. With Duff, the figures were 2.03 and 1.38 respectively. Robben's hamstring problem is therefore a worry, but only injured defender William Gallas is definitely missing.

Greater potency
Wright-Phillips represents another genuine wide man, offering Mourinho's attack greater potency when the others are missing. Even if the Manchester City FC signing cannot immediately break into the first team, the so-called '€30m substitute' could make a valuable impact.

Premiership jinx
The two London sides will be at full throttle as they rekindle their rivalry at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, yet history indicates they might be better off finishing on the losing side. Each of the last eight winners of the trophy formerly known as the Charity Shield have failed to win the Premiership, including Arsenal, who beat Manchester United FC 3-1 a year ago for their 12th triumph - ten more than Chelsea.

'Big four' dominance
The most recent team to double up Premiership and Charity Shield wins in the same season were Manchester United FC in 1996/97, trouncing Newcastle United FC 4-0 at Wembley before going on to their second straight league title. Coincidentally, that was also the last time anyone outside the 'big four' of United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool FC even took part.

Kenyon claim
Further spice was added to an already hotly-anticipated encounter by Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon's claim that the Blues have stolen a march on Arsenal and the rest of the Premiership. "The winner of the Premiership will come from a small bunch of one," he declared. Arsenal would love to use Sunday's game as evidence that they still have the ability to challenge for serious silverware.