Arsenal (A) | Community Shield | Post-match Thread

[Jam Tomorrow]

There is two schools of thought regarding the tactical changes that pep has adopted and the consequences they have had. One is that they were essential to us winning the cl. The other is that us winning the cl was simply our awful luck from previous years evening itself.

I suppose we can’t take anything away from those home performances against Bayern and real in the cl they were exceptional. But imo of the 5 sides that have won the league under pep this is the weakest. Yeah it’s got Haaland who is extraordinary, if we feed him that is (which we haven’t done recently) but the balance and squad depth is significantly inferior to the previous title winning incarnations.

We won one away games against sides that finished in the top 9 last season and one away game all season in the cl.

We need a winger that can play both sides and a cm that can play as a 6 and 8.

This is something that occurred to me after we let Cancelo go out on loan, yes I know he wanted out etc but we seemed to become less of a threat and the service to Haaland wasn’t the same, on the other hand it did shore the defence up. I also agree maybe Pep went all in to cut down the percentages and leave little to chance to finally get that CL monkey off his and our backs. Away from home was a bit stodgy but at home we proved to strong for virtually all our opponents.

 

[Citizen1961]

Considering they've been on the razz for 5 out of the last 7 weeks I thought they played ok.

Once through the group stages of the Champions league & touching distance of top spot the fun can begin.

 

[Jam Tomorrow]

I kept waiting for VAR review but don't think the commentators even mentioned it

Of course not, they only draw VARs attention when City offend, when it’s against us nobody see’s it and everyone keeps stum.

 

[Dribble]

Regardless of what some think, yesterday hurt me, many fans & I'm sure Pep & the players too. The Community Shield is much more than a 'friendly', albeit winning/losing won't dictate how the next nine months will pan out.

Hopefully defeats in our last two "friendlies" will concentrate our minds on how quickly things can change in football.

I dismay at our fans who believe, & are happy in the thought that we'll go into the season with 6 CB's, no specialist FB's & with only Grealish who's a wide midfielder not a winger. Apparently this is Pep's new tactical masterpiece going forward. Well I wholly disagree.

Pep said several times that we only adopted these tactics last season due to the lack of overlapping FB's who could get up & down the pitch. It worked well, but I doubt this is Pep's final tactical plan.

The glaring issues I noticed against Atletico & Arse were our total lack of width. Outside of Bernardo for 25 minutes in the first half, we were relying on right footed CB Akanji at LB to get to the byline as Jack just wasn't on it in either match.

We need this sorting ASAP BEFORE the window slams shut. I knew letting Mahrez leave without a top class replacement would be a mistake, & so it's proving. :-/

We need two world class wingers & a quality LB.

 

[The perfect fumble]

Why is it strange, there were several hundred posters on here who voted against the boycott.
Enough from me, it’s sundowner time where I am!

Blues are not some political collective, there's no policy making quorum. I don't go to Wembley because I hate the place, it doesn't make me a lesser blue.

I couldn't care less.

Go, don't go, agree with the boycott, disagree with it, these things don't define us as blues.

 

[Tbilisi]

Regardless of what some think, yesterday hurt me, many fans & I'm sure Pep & the players too. The Community Shield is much more than a 'friendly', albeit winning/losing won't dictate how the next nine months will pan out.

Hopefully defeats in our last two "friendlies" will concentrate our minds on how quickly things can change in football.

I dismay at our fans who believe, & are happy in the thought that we'll go into the season with 6 CB's, no specialist FB's & with only Grealish who's a wide midfielder Grealish not a winger. Apparently this is Pep's new tactical masterpiece going forward. Well I wholly disagree.

Pep said several times that we only adopted these tactics last season due to the lack of overlapping FB's who could get up & down the pitch. It worked well, but I doubt this is Pep's final tactical plan.

The glaring issues I noticed against Atletico & Arse were our total lack of width. Outside of Bernardo for 25 minutes in the first half, we were relying on right footed CB Akanji at LB to get to the byline as Jack just wasn't on it in either match.

We need this sorting ASAP BEFORE the window slams shut. I knew letting Mahrez leave without a top class replacement would be a mistake, & so it's proving. :-/

We need two world class wingers & a quality LB.

My Dad knows a thing or two about football and has said exactly the same re wingers.

Gomez is not good enough cover at LB.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

A loss is a loss to me - Whilst some think it's a lovely, relaxing, day out friendly - I detest losing.
That said - come 10.00pm next Friday and we have 3 points - the disappointment will fade pretty quickly.

 

[Southern KK]

City girls playing for England need to teach some of the men how to take penalties! ;-)

 

[Manc123]

Thought city played well and were the better team. I’d be in the camp that the CS is a trophy. I know Pep and the players say it is but if it was a “major trophy” we’d have wiped the floor with arsenal yesterday.

They were in fifth gear while we were just sitting in the car still waiting to drive off

If it was a major trophy haaland wouldnt have been coming of in like the 60th minute...

I think arteta played his hand a little in terms of further down the road.... He played his strongest 11 baring jesus imo. unlike city who you could argue ederson, gvardiol kev and foden all didnt start.

 

[Cityfan1977]

this game is supposed to be between the Champions and the FA cup holders. I cant take the game seriously when a team that doesn't win anything gets invited for coming second.
Would it not be a good idea when a team wins everything like City did that for example the champions of Scotland get invated to play this game.