Arsenal v City (Community Shield) Post Match Thread

[OB1]

again it disproves the idea that we have quality in depth

boyata and nastasic were poor

clichy can be partly forgiven as he was playing way out of position...kolorov on the other hand seems to be immune from criticism but as a defender he is a liability

dzeko was again largely missing as he sometimes does

Cabellero- thought he looked ok pre season tour but thought he should have done better with the first goal (If that had been Hart people would have criticised)

milner and navas were average as is often the case

hopefully mangala will give us that strength in depth at centre half

same with sagna at rb

we badly missed the energy of ferd today

on the upside jovetic looked good as did silva in the second half and richards managed to stay on the pitch (even though he was only on for a little while its still an acheivment!!!)

There is not a team in world football who's reserves are as good as their first team. There never has been and never will be.

You go amd ask every other premier league manager whether we have strength in depth.

If Mangala signs, it should more than plug the one obvious hole in the squad.

If Silva and / or Yaya are missing or below par, it is often an issue but very few players can match them. I don't think we miss Aguero as much but it is hard not to have a drop off in quality if he is not there.

Overall, we had the strongest squad in the league last season and we are on the way to having our strongest ever squad for this season.

 

[citymad]

Would like to have seen Lamps make an appearance for the last 10 or so mins. Not sure if he'd make a difference just like to have seen his contribution and how he'd settle in to the midfield. Much rather see him than Richards who I thought we weren't going to see anymore.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

It was a poor performance today, but the result wasn't unexpected given the players missing. I doubt we'll ever see that back four in a competitive game. I'm not too concerned, as it's only really another pre-season friendly, but I hope the likes of Kompany, Demichelis, and Sagna or Zabaleta are available next week.

I seem to be the only one who didn't think that the reserve team we put out played too poorly. I felt that after the first half hour we were the better side, and the score line flattered arsenal.

As you say, we won't defend like that with the proper players in, and a proper right back on the pitch.

 

[Anonymous]

Tough one really... plenty of missing players and generally shit performance collectively. Some positives can be taken - kind of in a "curate's egg" way - but with it being the CS not really worth talking about as no points were lost and we weren't dumped out of one of the cups.

That said of course, really wanted us to win the game as it was a showpiece game plus it was against Arsenal whom I cannot fucking stand.

 

[LoveCity]

Guidetti looks pleased. 3 strikers available including him, 2 of them on pitch, he can't even make the bench. But that's his own doing... during pre-season he looked a shadow of the bright young prospect he was. I wonder if they have a move lined up for him.

 

[OB1]

It was a poor performance today, but the result wasn't unexpected given the players missing. I doubt we'll ever see that back four in a competitive game. I'm not too concerned, as it's only really another pre-season friendly, but I hope the likes of Kompany, Demichelis, and Sagna or Zabaleta are available next week.

I seem to be the only one who didn't think that the reserve team we put out played too poorly. I felt that after the first half hour we were the better side, and the score line flattered arsenal.

As you say, we won't defend like that with the proper players in, and a proper right back on the pitch.

Not for the first time, I agree with you.

 

[Rammyblues]

Kompany will rollick a few players if they don't put a shift in. Zab will just die for the cause.

 

[OB1]

Guidetti looks pleased. 3 strikers available including him, 2 of them on pitch, he can't even make the bench. But that's his own doing... during pre-season he looked a shadow of the bright young prospect he was. I wonder if they have a move lined up for him.

There's 8 players there that could have made a positive difference today and the prospect of a top CB to add to the list.

 

[Dribble]

Who amongst us thought we'd start with our strongest 11? I had a Rag on the phone to me today predicting we'd get beat and I cut him off stone dead when I agreed with him.

Nasri apart, I predicted today's starting line up to him and added that Arsenal were already in the groove because they had to qualify for the CL. We in the other hand were bound to be behind them in terms of preparation because if this. I hate losing probably more than the average person, but perspective is required, the Community Shield is just a curtain raiser friendly and most fans don't count it as proper silverware.

Yes there were things we could have done differently in terms of formation, but 4-4-2 is Pellegrini's preference, we could have played a stronger 11 but to what avail, the pointless Community Shield? Yes I wouod have loved to win and yes defeat hurts, but when all things are considered, Arsenal beat our reserves quite comfortably, but it wasn't the hammering some are making it out to be. Does anyon reckon Arsenal fans now seriously believe they're favourites for the title because of this result? The couple of Arsenal fans I know are glad about the win and the manner of it, but were aware of exactly who we had in the stands lying in wait.

When I looked at who we had in the stands and compared it to who Arsenal have to come back, it gave me a warm glow inside. Make no mistake, aside from Mertesaker, Ozil & Walcott we played Arsenal's strongest 11. The FA Cup was their first trophy in years and as such winning today meant more to them than to us, and you could see that by the way the 2 teams started.

Fuck knows why we started as slow as we did, but a 'not match fit' Toure starting in a 2 man midfield might explain some of our early malaise. The real business starts next week fella's and I'd be lying if I said I haven't been a little worried about the effect the World Cup was going to have on us especially with the tough start we have. All the same, if there's an incentive to get ourselves rapidly up to speed, our tough start is it.

City are professional enough to know how to cope under these circumstances, we all just have to have a little faith that when the first whistle of the season blows, we'll be there or there abouts. By then, the charity shield will just be a distant irrelevant memory.

 

[welsh_andy]

even the great and mighty need to queue