FA Community Shield: Chelsea 2 Manchester United 2 (Chelsea win 4-1 on penalties).

Carlo Ancelotti must be delighted with his first trophy in English football.

At half time, his Chelsea team should have been punished with a three or four goal deficit in what was a lethargic, uninspired and generally drab display.

However the former AC Milan manager ruffled some feathers during the break and restored his side’s spirit and skill to recover against Manchester United, claiming the Community Shield 4-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time.

But how the Blues needed an injection of Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink organisation and determination by half-time. Lacking width and seemingly unable to impose themselves on United’s midfield – with Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher dominating the centre and Nani invited to run at and frighten Chelsea’s right back Branislav Ivanovic – Chelsea were unimpressive and struggled to create any significant attacking rhythm or consistent possession, with the only consistent theme being their pitiful football.

Perhaps it was never going to be easy for an Italian coach used to the careful, precise and generally tame tempo of Italy’s Serie A, to adjust immediately to the rigours of the Premier League and its breathtaking ferocity and urgency.

But Chelsea looked devoid of ideas and class and at times resorted to the quizzical absence of quality and imagination seen repeatedly under the latter part of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s eventful tenure last campaign.

United by contrast, under the watchful eye of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, began in terrific fashion despite the heat making conditions difficult to maintain a swift attacking and passing pace.

However, with Nani terrorising Ivanovic early on and hoping to prove his worth to Ferguson and United after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure left the wide birth open for competition with summer signing Antonio Valencia from Wigan, the Red Devils gained control of the opening exchanges with supporters seemingly unnerved by their side’s summer departures of Ronaldo to Real Madrid and workaholic Carlos Tevez’s transfer to moneybags rivals Manchester City, as United gained a crucial early lead on 10 minutes.

Nani, the Portuguese winger often criticised for his inconsistent performances for United, revelled in his battle with Ivanovic and capitalised on the Serbian defender’s unease in his unorthodox right back role, cutting inside a weak attempted interception by the Chelsea player on the left, before striking a low drive from outside the area in to the opposite corner, with Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech unable to take a firm enough grip on the ball before it hit the net.

If that did not provide Ferguson and United fans with an indication of Nani’s capabilities, it was certainly a signal of intent from the former Sporting Lisbon player, who had remarked at the weekend he was ready to ‘step up to the mark’ this campaign amidst Ronaldo’s exit and become ‘the man’ for the Old Trafford club.

Chelsea meanwhile were left reeling and trying to recover from what was an indifferent start.

Despite the atrocious Ivanovic hitting the woodwork from a corner in the opening 10 minutes, Ancelotti’s side were struggling to hold possession and it took until the final 15 minutes of the first half for them to gain impetus against United’s composed defence including Rio Ferdinand and John O’Shea, the latter deputising for last season’s star centre-half, Nemanja Vidic.

United could well have left Chelsea’s riches with more then a red face and a slap at half-time though, as both Ji-Sung Park and Dimitar Berbatov saw close-range efforts thwarted by Cech and the rampant Wayne Rooney causing Chelsea’s disorganised back line a plethora of problems in the opening half.

But what was more disturbing was Chelsea’s casual pre-season attitude to the match and John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien’s insipid efforts against an effervescent opposition central midfield pairing of Fletcher and Carrick.

Although the Community Shield is not ranked on anyone’s list as a main priority in managerial ambitions, it was startling to see Chelsea’s inefficient defensive composure – particularly in the Ivanovic and Nani contest, their midfield misery with misplaced passes and untidy and unsuccessful tackles, sluggish tempo and poor width.

United by contrast embodied the complete opposite and as Chelsea finally managed to muster some of what they were capable of in the last part of the first half with Florent Malouda – a revitalised player under interim manager Guus Hiddink at the end of last year – Essien, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka all going close to scoring, United themselves almost capitalised on the counter attack with Nani skewing a shot in to the side netting and Fletcher seeing a curling effort tipped wide by Cech before the break.

While Ferguson must have been chewing easily on celebratory gum with glee in the dressing room at the break in anticipation of a gentle breeze of a route to Community Shield glory in the second half, Ancelotti and his tactics invigorated Chelsea, with Jose Bosingwa replacing Ivanovic and Chelsea’s play and work rate improving rapidly.

Just seven minutes in to the second period, Chelsea were level. Malouda’s volleyed pass to Drogba saw the Ivorian striker contest an aerial ball with the awkward Ben Foster – given a rare start instead of Edwin Van Der Saar – whose poor touch allowed blues centre-back Ricardo Carvalho to claim the loose ball first and net for Chelsea.

Foster had been considered by the onlooking England manager Fabio Capello at Wembley, for a place in England’s goal in their friendly match against Holland on Wednesday, but with his uncertainty between the posts highlighted with his mistakes for Carvalho’s goal he may have to succumb to a place on the bench.

Worse was to come for Foster and United, who despite responding well to Chelsea’s equaliser, fell behind for the first time on 70 minutes.

After losing the attacking threat posed by Nani who had been replaced by Valencia on the hour, Evra struggled to replicate the swift play executed by his team-mate on the left and was left stricken by Chelsea substitute Michael Ballack, only for referee Chris Foy to allow the West Londoners to counter with Didier Drogba’s rampaging run down the left channel forcing him in to the area and squaring the ball for an unmarked Lampard, who drove a relatively tame effort towards the bottom left corner, with Foster despite claiming the ball with both hands, unable to prevent the shot from just crossing the line and handing Chelsea the lead.

It was no more than Chelsea deserved for their workman-like and professional display in the second period, but with Ancelotti near certain to claiming his first trophy in English football, United struck back in stoppage time.

Chelsea’s defence, who had suddenly become careless in the final moments – Ashley Cole’s hap-hazard possession, or lack of it a particular example – allowed  substitute veteran winger Ryan Giggs – an integral member of United’s squad last campaign – to slip a through pass to Rooney who despite suspicions of offside, controlled expertly and finished calmly past Cech in the second minute of added time to take the game to penalties.

It was no more than United had deserved overall to finish the match 2-2 after a first half in which they should have sealed the game and responded well at the death to try and claim their first silverware of the season and deprive Chelsea and Ancelotti of theirs.

However all thoughts of a repeat of Moscow and the drama of the Champions League final penalty shoot-out in 2008 between the two sides, wasn’t repeated with cool finishes from Lampard, Ballack, Drogba and Kalou sealing Chelsea’s first trophy under their new boss, while Giggs and Evra’s weak efforts were saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Cech.

Although it’s not a true indication yet of the eventual dominant force in both England and Europe this season, both Chelsea and Manchester United appear capable of being the best bets to be reaping the rewards this year.

With only Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool for company perhaps this campaign, both Ancelotti and Ferguson’s sides have already shown the mettle and character – despite some weaknesses which will surely be improved upon throughout the 2009/10 season – to suggest that whatever work needs to be done and the exorcism of the high-profile ghosts of their past, will not be impinging factors on their probable successes and entertainingly fraught battles to come.

Expect an exciting and competitive challenge from Manchester and West London this year, with Merseyside in their midsts.

But also expect Chelsea’s challenge, demonstrated by their forceful recovery, to be far greater than under Scolari’s promising but unsuccessful tenure. The Blues appear to have regained their professional and hungry side against their main rivals and should give United and Liverpool a much better contest this time around.