Ordinarily, the result of the Community Shield is about as meaningful as a BTS song (which is not so meaningful at all).
But this year felt a little different. Firstly, it was Manchester City’s first competitive post-Pep outing. That took a little bit of getting used to (though Maresca’s bald head helped somewhat with the continuity). But the match also gave reigning champions Arsenal the opportunity to further entrench themselves as the top dogs in English football. And they did so in style, thrashing City 3-0 to heap early pressure on a club looking for direction in a post-Pep world. I just wanted to list some of my key takeaways from the glorified exhibition match.
1. Lewis-Skelly silences the rumour mill
The Arsenal fanbase went into a full meltdown last week, after reports suggested that fan favourite Myles Lewis-Skelly could be offloaded to either Chelsea or Manchester United. Mikel Arteta did little to quell the rumours, offering vague platitudes when pressed on the matter. The versatile English midfielder responded to all the hubbub in imperious fashion, setting up Califiori with a deft sleight of hand to give Arsenal that shock early lead. He was a colossus in the middle of the park, giving Arteta a stark reminder of just how talented he is. I still think he may struggle for midfield minutes with Rice, Guimares and Zubimendi rumbling about.
2. Arsenal bed in new talent
The relatively low-stakes environment of the Community Shield is a perfect place to give the new signings a bit of a run out. And I think Arteta will be more than pleased with the way that his new acquisitions fared. Tzolis was the standout, applying two assists as he seamlessly slotted into the Arteta machine. Major signing Bruno Guimares gave a more subdued showing, always present for the ball without really doing all that much with it. I still think that the Brazilian could be the perfect foil to Rice’s raw athleticism, making Arsenal more press-resistant while providing more bite in the final 3rd.
3. Rodri is going to be a massive miss
Man City resigned themselves to Rodri’s fate this week, finally accepting Barcelona’s improved £65.4m bid. Sunday gave us a little glimpse into what a Rodri-less Man City will look like (and it was not a pretty sight). Rodri was the heartbeat of this City side, setting the tempo while also providing moments of genuine incision. Anderson will take time to settle in, but his brand of high-octane, box-to-box energy is a dime a dozen compared to what Rodri offers. I think that Kovacic is criminally underrated (especially when he runs into those Lampard-esque pockets of space). However, he is often like a bull in a china shop when in possession. You can see why they are so desperate to acquire the silky stylistics of Bouaddi.
4. Haaland cut a frustrated figure
Erling Haaland was on the periphery once again, relegated to just seven lousy touches before being yanked in the 2nd half. I wonder if the Norwegian is already thinking about his next major move. Sure, City made a big show of elevating him to the leadership group. But he’s seen multiple core members of their Champions League-winning outfit depart (Rodri, de Bruyne, Stones, etc). Pep’s departure has just added to the sense of growing uncertainty. Haaland requires a well-oiled, cohesive system to do his thing (he isn’t going to affect the game on his lonesome). I think he could struggle to reach his usual goal-scoring heights this campaign.
5. The Donnarumma conundrum
Man City goalkeeper Donnarumma isn’t doing his best to alleviate City’s anxiety. The usually imposing Italian shot-stopper showed signs of fragility towards the end of last season, memorably allowing Havertz to close him down in that league fixture against Arsenal. He looked just as jittery in possession at the Millenium Stadium, constantly requiring too much time and too many touches. And he was at least mildly culpable for every Arsenal goal. He went down far too early for the opener before failing to deal with Havertz’s close-range header. But he was completely embarrassed for Arsenal’s 3rd, as Odegaard sent him to the tuckshop before calmly slotting the ball home. Donnarumma is committing to one-on-one scenarios as if he’s representing Italy in a penalty shootout! I know Italy haven’t qualified for the World Cup in some time, but there must a healthier way to indulge that fantasy. FIFA 2026, perhaps.
