Arsenal will make the short trip to Wembley today to take on Liverpool in the Community Shield, but today’s encounter has a different outlook to previous years.
This season’s edition would usually be on the opening weekend of the kick-off of the lower divisions, as well as posing as the opener for the Premier League, with the top tier of English football ready to take place the following weekend, none of which is true this time around.
While club’s have had little-to-no pre-season this summer, I fear this year’s Community Shield could be used more as preparation for the upcomg campaign than an actual trophy to aim at, but that doesn’t change the fact that we will hope to win the encounter.
We go into the match knowing that our side has won 13 of our last 14 matches at Wembley, as well as knowing that our team finished the end of the previous campaign better than our rivals, including putting the sword to their hopes of finishing with 100 Premier League points, beating them 2-1 late on.
Today’s game will come with somewhat of a clean slate however, but gauging just how ready either team will be for the encounter is extremely tough, although they have played more warm-up games during the break.
I believe that this match could go either way, despite our side appearing less ready on paper, and I think both sides will eventually cancel each other out.
I imagine this will finish 1-1 and go onto penalties, with Bernd Leno becoming our hero on his return to action as we lift another trophy under the guise of Mikel Arteta.
Will Arsenal’s lack of pre-season action hamper our bid for the Shield or will Arteta have done more work at home to counteract this?
Patrick
MA will surely give the Community Shield the due respect it deserves, and surely he will go in with the best XI available. It will come down to Liverpool’s quality vs. MA’s tactics. He has beaten them, City and Chelsea in the recent past, and I hope the same is repeated today and we add another trophy to our Cabinet. Up the Gunners!
I think a few of our regulars will be missing and of course Ceballos is not with us anymore. I’m expecting Guendouzi to get a run out now Arteta has welcomed him back into the fold but hope both Willian and ESR start. I also think both keepers will get game time too. Elneny will likely partner Xhaka in front of the defence which will include Saliba. A difficult game to call but I think it will be close, going either way.
I’d like to see Willian. Has he even been training? Photos have been sparse!!
Shame Ceballos is no longer with us…
I’m hoping for a good game (& a win 😜)
COYG
Declan,
I think we will see a strong line up today because our first team needs to start ramping up their fitness levels.
Personally, I have been trying to guess what formation Arteta will play, it is difficult as we don’t have Ceballos for now, is it gonna be three at the back or back four?
………. Bellerin…….Saliba…..Luiz……… Tierney
……………Torreira…….Xhaka…………
Pepe…………………….Willian…………………..Auba….
…………..Lacazette………
____________Or
………….Saliba………Luiz……….. Tierney………
Bellerin……….Willian…….Xhaka….. Niles
………….. Pepe……….. Lacazette…..Auba….
If fit, I’d go with Martinez as my goalkeeper, it will be interesting to see the position Willian will play
If we play the 3 at the back formation, I reckon Willian will be a better playmaker than Ceballos, he is strong, quick and can dribble his way out of trouble, he is also a bit more aggressive, pacy and carries a goal threat as he can shoot from outside the box.
I can’t wait to find out… COYG!!!
Arsenal as a team every year don’t seem to be prepared at the beginning of the season.
By now we should be fielding a team close to the starting 11 but no, we’re going to see a weak team again a week before the EPL.
Leno
Soares… Saliba… Holding… Tierney
Element…..Xhaka…M-Niles
Nelson…Aubameyang…Saka
Its Elneny, I hope.
You got the prediction right!