Community Shield – as important as you want it to be

It’s the Community Shield today, the traditional curtain raiser for the new season. We last played it in 2020, after our FA Cup win, and came out on top in a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw with Liverpool.

Today, of course, it’s Man City, and while this game really doesn’t mean anything in terms of the Premier League and where it might end up, it’s still one that I’m sure Mikel Arteta will be desperate to win. As he said when asked if playing the team that beat us to the title last season would give his side extra motivation, he said, “Yes, it is time to do it!”

It’s certainly overdue, even in a glorified friendly. A win today would be a boost if it comes with a good performance. We’ve acquitted ourselves well against them in the league a couple of times but failed to take any points. That kind of display today would be welcome. And to be honest, given there might be a little bit of a psychological barrier about beating them, you could make the argument that a win of any kind – even the scabbiest one you can conceive of – would be useful to get rid of that burden.

There are no points to play for today, but there’s still stuff at stake. The flip side is that defeat will raise questions, regardless of how it happens, but the ability to compartmentalise and put this game into the bin if it does go that way is what makes this fixture something of a free hit in many ways.

Man City might have added an expensive centre-half yesterday, but most of their business this summer has been outgoing. The departure of the hugely influential Ilkay Gundogan may take some time to get used to, but they have brought in the experienced Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea to help in that regard. Even so, they remain the strongest team in England for all the reasons we understand well, and possess threat and danger all over the pitch – not least up front where I’m curious to see Erling Haaland up against William Saliba. He’s the kind of opponent that will give us a good idea about just how well he is recovered from that back injury.

Arsenal have bought big this summer, but I don’t think we’ll see all three new signings start. The reality of our situation is that these players are going to need some time to bed in properly, far beyond a few games in pre-season, and I think that will be reflected in the team selection today. My guess at the Arsenal line-up is: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Trossard, Saka, Nketiah.

That’s just based on pre-season, on the fact Kai Havertz is probably the easiest of the three to leave out of the starting line-up, and how injuries have impacted the squad. Ordinarily, I’d prefer Trossard to Eddie up front, but because Gabriel Martinelli is still getting minutes under his belt after that end-of-season injury, I think the Belgian will start on the left. Without Gabriel Jesus, and Flo Balogun injured, that opens the door for Eddie, and I hope he can make the most of his chance. As I’ve said before, he is most effective when he starts games, and a good performance against a team like Man City would be a boon for him, and for us while we continue to debate the best way to cope without Jesus.

So, let’s see. Pre-season has been all right, nothing special, but I suspect this is the game that Arteta has been preparing for most. We know how being overtaken by them hurt so much, with all the connections he’s got with Pep and the club etc, so he will want this one badly, I’m sure. Win or lose though, this is the last bit of competitive preparation before we kick off the new Premier League season next Saturday, so it’s important in that regard too.

Against opposition like this it, gives you a bit of a marker, so let’s see what happens.

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We might dust off the live blog today, just to make sure everything’s in working order ahead of the new campaign, so keep an eye out for that.

For now, enjoy your Sunday.

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