BLUES WON’T HAVE IT EASY, SAYS WENGER

FOR Antonio Conte, the new season begins with questions about whether Chelsea can be as seamlessly productive as they were last time around. Can they win the Premier League again? Arsene Wenger thinks they may have it a little tougher. ‘I expect them to fight for the championship,’ said the Arsenal manager. ‘But will they make as many points? I don’t know. You could expect that some teams will be stronger as well and take points from them.’ Wenger, meanwhile, faced more fundamental questions as he spoke at the Emirates this week. Was he right to stay on in the wake of last season’s regression? How good do results need to be to justify his decision to sign the new contract that angered so many of his club’s supporters? ‘I am sorry that I am still here,’ said Wenger, in mock apology. ‘I can understand that you want to kill me but at the moment, I survive. ‘Look, we won the FA Cup last season and made 75 points. We are of course not happy with it but some teams made worse.’ Tomorrow’s game at Wembley will prove nothing, of course. The

Community Shield is rarely indicative of what is to come. Four years ago, David Moyes’ Manchester United won it and we know how that relationship ended. For these teams, though, memories will be stirred. Chelsea lost

The Cup final to Arsenal to be reminded that disappointment lurks around every corner if you let your standards slip. Arsenal played beautifully that day. Wenger is the type of manager who sees every glass as half full. If he didn’t he would have walked away some time ago.