US Edition
Arsenal finally prove they have the mentality to push Man City all the way
By Jason Burt at Wembley
Martin Odegaard raised the Community Shield, the distinctive handspun sterling silver plate weighing 4.2kg and standing 58cm high, but that was as nothing as to the huge psychological weight that was lifted from Arsenal’s shoulders.
Make no mistake this mattered - for Arsenal. For Manchester City? Maybe less so. After all, City have proven in the recent past that losing the season’s curtain-raiser can mean very little – they were beaten last year by Liverpool and 12 months previously by Leicester City, who are now in the Championship, the year before – but this time it did feel significant.
And for Arsenal and, maybe, also for City, this result is a sign that Arteta’s side finally have the mentality to compete against the champions and close that gap even further.
Having been allowed to buy Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from City last year, Arsenal were given short shrift with the inquiries about Joao Cancelo, even if he will leave. City now regard Arsenal as a real threat.
It was not just in the way that Arsenal kept going, until their admittedly fortunate 101st minute equalising goal, but the celebrations that followed it and their ultimate penalty shoot-out victory.
The grin that spread across Arteta’s face as he climbed the Wembley steps betrayed the relief; even the sense of release. He was staring at a ninth successive defeat against Pep Guardiola’s City and whatever the occasion, whatever the preparedness of the teams, whether this was a glorified friendly or not, that would have hurt. That burden has gone. That block removed.
Arteta would have also faced questions that bring out his prickly side. Arsenal had spent more than £200million this summer – and started on Sunday with all three big-name signings in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber – but they would have faced accusations they had choked again, that once more they could not go toe-to-toe with City. Even that there was an inferiority complex.
Such claims would have been harsh but would have hurt. A loss would have set them back for the forthcoming campaign in a way that defeat here, surely, does not affect City. But this time it was different.
Arsenal believe that. Aaron Ramsdale was unequivocal on what the view from the dressing room was. “For us, it’s a statement. It’s a marker to know we can go and beat Man City in a big game when it matters,” the goalkeeper said. “I’m not sure what it’ll be like this season. But that mental block has gone. We’re ready to push now.”
Such an admission of a “mental block” made Arteta bridle a little. Fair enough for the manager not to engage with that. But he did add: “It’s what the players feel and they are convinced they can beat any team.”
That shift in mentality was shown in the way Arsenal responded not once but twice. They had been blown away by City’s control in the opening 15 minutes. They could not get the ball. It was borderline embarrassing and such was City’s dominance that it looked like the rest of the Premier League should just pack up and go home.
But there was more about Arsenal. Thomas Partey was struggling but Rice was showing his competitiveness. They held firm, held their shape and came out of the first-half knowing that they should have, in fact, been in the lead. Instead Havertz wasted the two best chances, both superbly constructed, and so was that going to be the story? Was Arteta going to be accused of having spent so much money but leaving his team short of a recognised, instinctive goalscorer?
Erling Haaland did not have a shot before being substituted around the hour mark, in what looked like a planned change, and he may not have taken Havertz’s first chance. But he would have buried the second. He certainly would not have missed both.
So were Arsenal – again – open to the accusation of having a soft underbelly? Of not having that killer instinct? When Cole Palmer scored so sublimely it looked like he had exposed their fragility once more, sowing doubt into their season before it had barely begun.
City’s substitutions had worked. Palmer, Phil Foden and – inevitably – Kevin De Bruyne were running the show as Guardiola made three decisive changes before Arteta had even made one. Was it a sign that, once again, after the 7-2 aggregate pounding Arsenal suffered in losing twice to City in the Premier League last season, Arteta had been out-tacticked and dominated by his mentor, Guardiola and had failed to react decisively?
Instead he went for it. Arsenal played with three defenders and pushed City back. There was not an acceptance that they were inferior. Not this time. And Arteta celebrated the equalising goal far more wildly than Guardiola did in winning the Champions League not so long ago and completing that amazing Treble.
An over-reaction? Only time will tell. But for Arsenal it was big. If they had won the Community Shield against a different team it would not have been anywhere near as important even though it was the first trophy for Odegaard, the Arsenal captain, and only the second, after winning the FA Cup in 2020, for Arteta.
Is it even a trophy? Arteta’s reaction suggested it was while it was part of City’s “fourmidable” celebrations in 2019 when they won the four domestic trophies available. So they cannot have it both ways.
Only one of the last 12 Community Shield winners has gone on to be league champions. So this fixture has not proved to be a pointer in the past and only a fool would bet against Guardiola’s side. But Arsenal’s confidence is soaring. They will believe the shackles have been released. They will believe that the mental block has gone.
Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 (4-1 on pens), as it happened
Final: Arsenal win on penalties
Had Kai Havertz scored with a great chance in the first half Arsenal might have won that in regulation but the longer it went on, the more City were dominating. They were good value for their 1-0 lead in the second half and had the game not been extended for 12 minutes thanks to concussion protocols, City would have won. Still, Arsenal were better from the spot and there it is.
Arsenal quotes
Ramsdale: “We have been working hard on penalty shootouts for two years. I haven’t had the luck that I needed in previous seasons. We stuck with our plans and worked on them.
[What does this win mean?] “I’m not sure, I’ll be honest. They’re a bit behind us in their pre-season. But it’s a marker to us that we can beat Man City in a big game, when it matters. I’m not sure what it’ll be like during the season, but any mental block has gone. We’re now ready to push on.
Rice: “This is what I envisioned when I joined the club, winning trophies. The manager told us today that it is loads of mini games, they change so much and so often. I am buzzing. I feel like I have grown so much in the three weeks I have been here and I am ready to keep improving.”
82 mins: Arsenal 0 Man City 1
Ramsdale does well with this one. Arsenal opened up again, Alvarez being a right handful. Foden with some great skill in the area and he dinks the ball at the goal... it seems to have gone through Ramsdale’s legs, and Foden is already wheeling away to celebrate. But Ramsdale has got enough on it to deflect the ball for a corner.
GOAL! Arsenal 0 Manchester City 1 (Palmer 77)
Nice finish. Palmer gets the ball with a hint of fortune when an Arsenal defender is hit and the ball rebounds to Palmer. He gathers the ball, he controls and shifts it, and he fires home. Impressive finishing from the homegrown product.
Sam Dean: “Palmer provided the excellent finish but that goal started with Foden’s turn on Partey in the City half. Arsenal were suddenly pulled apart, and the whole pitch opened up.”
64 mins: Arsenal 0 Man City 0
I remember when Teddy Sheringham did that at Arsenal fans at the start of the 1999-2000 season in this, after their Treble.
The chant from Arsenal: “Three games! You only played three games!”
Here is Sam Dean: “There have been some important defensive interventions by William Saliba today. It’s impossible to overstate his significance to this Arsenal team, and indeed the significance of his new contract at the club (signed in July). His absence at the end of last season was perhaps the single biggest reason why Arsenal were overtaken by City in the title race.”
52 mins: Arsenal 0 Man CIty 0
Stones! Gets up from the corner, helped by the fact that Haaland is putting it about and manhandling about 19 Arsenal players. John Stones meets the header nice and true - and that’s a good save from Ramsdale!
Sorry, I initially typed “that’s a good save from Ortega”. That really would have been a good, and bizarre, save if the Man City keeper had run the length of the pitch to deny his own player...
The players are out
for the second half.
Here is Sam Dean: “This has turned into an engaging and even contest at Wembley, which did not seem possible after 20 minutes of action. City were so dominant in these early stages that it felt like they would stroll to victory, but Arsenal eventually found their rhythm and were the better team in the period before the break.
Kai Havertz is filling in for Gabriel Jesus today and he’s followed the Brazilian’s lead by contributing well in the build-up and then missing good chances in front of goal.”
Half time: Arsenal 0 Man City 0
Encouraging for Arsenal. Rice and Partey look a really solid central pair. Saliba’s had a good game, keeping Haaland quiet. Timber, the flying left back, looks like he could be an exciting addition. It remains to be seen if Arsenal is the club at which Havertz finally delivers.
40 mins: Arsenal 0 Man City 0
Arsenal doing well the last few minutes, and they are having the better of it. A chance falls to Havertz! Should have scored.
Nice through ball from Odegaard. Saka beats Akanji, cut it back for Kai. First time shot from no more than nine yards and he’s hit that straight at the City keeper. Always been a frustrating player, for me.
25 mins: Arsenal 0 Man City 0
Goalmouth drama - at the City end. Arsenal’s Ben White cuts inside, and plays it to Havertz, who does really well under pressure to control, spin and shoot. Ortega saves it, just, with a boot. Follow up shot comes in from Martinelli and that has hit John Stones on... the hand? On something. Well, not on the hand in the eyes of the officials at any rate, and that’s cleared.
Best chance of the game.
I think that it just hit Stones in the midriff, judging by how winded he’s looking.
More from Pep
as reported by Cameron Henderson.
“It’s what it is. You have two options, you complain or retire, you have a lot of time for holidays. It’s just a question for Uefa Fifa, it’s just what it is.”
On coming off the back of the treble:
“We will see how we react about the success last season, it is a proof of ourselves. We will see it every day.”
younger players emphasis:
“Our academy the guys who are working there is incredible. We sell a lot of big big talents.
“We rely a lot, we feel is a reality.
“It’s coming from the academy more players [who] we can use.”
on the Gvardiol signing:
“He’s a centre defender left, his physical condition is really good and his build up with the left foot is also really good and he’s 21-years-old.
“We try to improve the team for the season, not just for this season, but for the future.”
So that's exciting for Arsenal fans
Summer signings Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz all start for Arsenal, and it looks a strong outfit with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard also in the starting line-up. Emma Hayes on ITV is suggesting that Havertz will play as a false nine.
Mateo Kovacic is named in City’s midfield following his move from Chelsea.
Erling Haaland is joined in attack by Julian Alvarez.
The teams
Here are the Gunners
And here is the City selection.
Teams in full, then.
Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Rice, Partey, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Havertz. Subs: Tierney, Smith Rowe, Kiwior, Holding, Tomiyasu, Trossard, Vieira, Turner, Nketiah.
Man City: Ortega, Walker, Stones, Dias, Akanji, Rodri, Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, Alvarez, Grealish, Haaland. Subs: Phillips, De Bruyne, Gomez, Palmer, Lewis, McAtee, Ederson, Laporte, Foden.
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Welcome to the Community Shield
Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog of The Traditional Curtain Raiser TM. It’s the League Champions from last season against... well, it would have been the FA Cup winners but as we of course all know, Manchester City won that as well, so it’s the League runners-up, Arsenal, who will contest this friendly-ish fixture.
The kick off at Wembley will be at 4pm.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has expressed his concern about the demands on players in light of changes such as an expanded Club World Cup and more time being added on in games.
After winning the Champions League to complete their treble last term, City will compete in December’s Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia - what is planned to be the final edition featuring seven teams, with the next a 32-side competition taking place in the United States in the summer of 2025.
Meanwhile, the significant increase in time added on seen at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, designed to tackle timewasting, is something set to apply to Premier League matches this season.
Speaking ahead of his side opening their 2023-24 campaign with the Community Shield clash against Arsenal, Guardiola said: “I know at the end of next season, we are going to make a (Club) World Cup in the United States after finishing the season, two or three more weeks. That means the holidays will be 15 days or maybe three weeks.
“I think it doesn’t exist already, pre-seasons. The problem is here (touching his head) - exhausted. Look already how many players are injured in pre-season, in bad conditions, humidity, hot, the pitches are not really good, especially in the States.
“It is what it is, so we have to adapt, adjust - but it is not normal.
“Now, for example, every game we’re going to play for 100 minutes. Wasting time - from my point of view it is not going to be solved by extending 10 more minutes. It’s more tiring for the players. It’s too much.
“FIFA, UEFA - more competitions. The World Cup - more teams. This (Club) World Cup - I don’t know how many teams.
“I don’t know what (is going to happen) in the future, for the players, even the managers, to prepare. That’s why you have to see exactly how much you demand of the players.
“Every day, season by season, it’s difficult to handle for the players. They love to play but they need also recovery, with the stress and tension they have. They make a show like they do in front of 55-60,000 people - that is a lot of energy, mental energy, and every week, to do it, is a lot.
“But every year is getting worse and worse, and will be worse. I don’t know how it is going to end, honestly.”
So, welcome to the new season! Millionaires moaning, but the action will get underway soon and I’m sure it will be a roister-doister affair.