2017 Community Shield: Chelsea v Arsenal
Chelsea to face Arsenal in 2017 Community Shield
The 2017 FA Community Shield is the 95th annual FA Community Shield tournament. This year’s edition will be played between the winners of the previous season’s England Premier League, Chelsea, and the winners of the 2016-17 FA Cup, Arsenal. The Community Shield clash will kick off at 2 pm on Sunday 6 August at the stunning Wembley Stadium in London. This year’s FA Community Shield contest between giant clubs Chelsea and Arsenal will be dedicated to the victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Football Association has confirmed. Sadly, seventy-nine people are reported missing or presumed dead following a horrible fire at the tower block in north Kensington, London. Proceeds from English football's traditional season curtain-raiser, which will be a battle between Premier League champions Chelsea and FA Cup winners Arsenal at Wembley, will be donated to those affected, the FA confirmed.
"With the rest of the nation, Arsenal Football Club was shocked by the incident at Grenfell Tower and our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy," said Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis. "The club stands side by side with Chelsea in reaching out to the community and expressing our support and solidarity for those who have lost friends and family, their homes and their sense of security in the wake of this tragic event. We also pay tribute to our city's emergency services who showed immense courage and bravery. We play the FA Community Shield on Sunday 6 August for the victims and the heroes of this terrible tragedy."
"It was with profound shock and sorrow we learned of the tragedy that befell so many people in Kensington last week,” said Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck. "Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives and our deepest sympathy goes out to anybody who may have suffered in any way due to the dreadful fire at Grenfell Tower. We believe it is appropriate and timely that the first major football match involving top-flight clubs to take place in our city since the tragedy will be dedicated in such a way to the victims and survivors, and to the enormous number of heroes of the rescue operation, especially given this occasion's long history of being played for the benefit of the wider community and people in need of support. We at Chelsea Football Club hope this FA Community Shield match with Arsenal will provide such support once again." Arsenal and Chelsea will both donate their club match fees from the upcoming Community Shield clash to the Grenfell Tower support fund. Fans going to Wembley will all have the opportunity to contribute an additional £5 to the fund. Premier League clubs have agreed to make a collective £250,000 donation.
With the transfer window open and buzzing, let’s have a look at some of the transfer rumors and news at Arsenal who may be only a superstar striker away from winning the Premier League in the upcoming season. Arsenal who failed to finish in a top four spot in the England Premier League last season and therefore failed to qualify for the 2017-18 Champions League are planning to change all that next season. Gunners’ manager Arsene Wenger is plotting to add a formidable top goal-scorer to his side in order to hopefully win the Premier League in the upcoming campaign, and end up in the Champions League tournament in 2018-19.
One of the best strikers in Europe may be on his way to Arsenal. Alexandre Lacazette is on top of Wenger’s wish list but Arsenal would have to spend over $65 million to buy him from Lyon. Jean-Michel Aulus, Lyon president, talked about the interest that the English club has for the player, who scored 37 goals last season. "I saw Arsene Wenger during the match between France and English. I was with Gerard Houllier, and I was led to believe that he said to Gerard that there could be interest from Arsenal,” said Aulus. "But it is premature to say that a deal will be done." Arsenal supporters long for a star striker to fill the empty boots of beloved former Gunners star Thierry Henry, and Lacazette could be the man to do the job. At the top of Wenger’s list of potential strikers is Alexandre Lacazette, who last season scored at the incredible rate of 1 goal in every 2 games in domestic football in France Ligue 1, The 26-year-old Lacazette is Arsenal's most realistic target despite the Gunners’ additional interest in Monaco's Kylian Mbappe.
Lacazette is after Arsenal superstar striker Olivier Giroud in selection for the France team’s first squad, but the versatility of the man from Lyon makes him a potential replacement for Arsenal’s top goal-scorer Alexis Sanchez, who reportedly may leave the Gunners for Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the current summer transfer window. Lacazette was due to move to Atletico Madrid before their transfer embargo was upheld and has since had to rethink his options. The signing of Lacazette would be the first in a series of changes that Wenger hopes will give him a vital new squad for his 20th full season at titan EPL club Arsenal. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas is in a position to demand that Arsenal pays a club-record fee due to the Gunners stated ambition to make top signings and the noticeable interest in Lacazette from other wealthy clubs in Europe. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have yet to resolve their futures with the Gunners, while Giroud, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Wojciech Szczesny also may change clubs. Wenger does not want to let Giroud go, but he accepts that the French striker wants to play more, after having spent a lot of time on the bench last campaign.
Meanwhile Blues manager Antonio Conte and Premier League champions Chelsea are preparing to sign Monaco's popular midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko in the summer transfer window. Conte led Chelsea to the Premier League title with a record-breaking 30 wins and won the FA Cup final last season. Conte now wants to sign up to six new players to enhance and strengthen his side ahead of start of the 2017-18 campaign including Bakayoko, who impressed last term as key to Monaco winning the French Ligue 1 title. Chelsea are hopeful of making the France international their first signing of the summer in a potential £35.1million deal, Blues fans. The Community Shield clash will be sold-out soon so buy your Chelsea v Arsenal tickets today from 1st4FootballTickets.com to get great seats for this outstanding game that will be talked about by football fans across the United Kingdom!
2017 Community Shield Tickets – Chelsea v Arsenal
Buy guaranteed, legal, authentic Community Shield tickets to watch Premier League champions Chelsea versus titan EPL club Arsenal in live action on Sunday, August 6 at Wembley Stadium in London. 2017 Community Shield Chelsea v Arsenal tickets.
