by Nia Griffiths

Arsene Wenger has claimed that Sunday’s pre-season Community Shield match against Chelsea will be anything but cordial.

The boss explained that the media, or ‘tribunal‘ as he put it, will make their prediction for next season off the back of the potential result. No matter what the result, however, Wenger said we’ll learn from it and use it to our advantage next season.

If we win, we know that we’re roughly at the level we should be and to keep improving at the rate we have been. If we lose, we’ll know where we need to strengthen, if we need to dip into the transfer market, and that we need to put that bit more effort into what’s left of our pre-season preparation.

“We have to accept that every game is decided and judged as definite,” the Frenchman said. “But you know that in real life it is not like that. The tribunal is out there and will draw conclusions from Sunday.”

He added, “But no matter, positive or negative [result], we have to continue our way and focus on ourselves.”

Wenger will likely field the strongest team we possibly can at the moment, which will include Petr Cech. The former Chelsea man will be facing his ex-club for the first time since transferring.

“It’s a game that is important but it is still preparation,” the boss said. “We want to win it and overall it can just give us that little bit more confidence before we go into the season.”

He said finally, “You know, it will not be a friendly as it is like that and it is good like that.”