Well, here we are, 3 weeks after our FA Cup final win, it’s here, the season curtain-raiser… Arsenal vs Liverpool in The Community Shield.
It’s hard to say it’s not an important game. All games have a psychological value, a big win sets you up for a confident start. A big loss can send you into a nervous territory. We need a good start this season, we need to set a new tone after the horrendous first 4 months of last season. We need to signal that the new era was, in fact, kicked off with that stunning FA Cup final win.
Both teams will be unfit. We’ve only had a few training sessions. Liverpool are in the same position as us. It’ll be a leggy game. There really was no other option. If you blitz your players after they’ve spent two months playing 3 games a week, you will absolutely pay for that later in the season when you need energy in the legs.
The big worry for Arsenal is we really haven’t addressed our central midfield position. Well, we have new bodies. Matteo G is now back in the family and Mo Elneny is available and scoring goals. Doesn’t really fill you with the same confidence you might have taken from seeing Ceballos, Partey, or Aouar starting.
No news on whether Mesut will start. Though Arteta’s impassioned defence of the club for the way they dealt with the pay cuts does indicate he’s still pretty pissed about the German playmakers carry-on over doing his part. Our young Spanish coach is every bit the company man. He also said Raul left with honour, which is, errr… oh fuck it, best leave that be, this is a new season. NO GRUDGES.
Back to the LACK of players.
It is what it is. I think we just have to accept it’s really hard to operate in a slow window when you have no money to play with. Cries that Don Raul has been missed are ridiculous. Last summer was very slow to start with, then we did a financial madness that has us tied up in knots this summer.
Still, on the face of it, you can’t argue with what we’ve done so far.
Saliba, Gabriel, Willian, with Guendouzi and ESR as the LIKE A NEW SIGNING players. Feeling just like it did under Arsene Wenger.
One area the club hasn’t been messing around in is in the coaching department. Arteta is bringing in names that he likes. The two latest are Carlos Questa and Miguel Molina. Both look like the new breed of young coaches that are starting to make their mark on the game. They come from Atleti and Juventus, Dom from the podcast I recorded the other night tells me that Cuesta is a bit like Rene Maric in the sense that he made the opportunity himself by writing and doing analysis online that attracted attention. Not sure which coach it was, but a journo once asked, ‘how did you make it as a top coach without being a top player’, and the response was, ‘I had more time to study.’ You’ll see more of that. We’re moving into a new era of coaching. Bold ideas, great with data, deeply into psychology… major fucking geeks. I LOVE IT. Just gotta hope it all works out for Arsenal, can’t have everyone calling me a hipster melt when we’re bottom of the league in January.
‘WE NEED SEAN DYCHE IN THE BUILDING’
Some disappointing news coming out of the club that Emi Martinez will be exited if the right offer comes in. Raul had him down for £20m, but the club might have to accept as little as £10m. Think this is being driven by the player. He doesn’t want to sign a new deal unless he’s #1. We won’t give him that luxury, so he’ll likely go to Spain. Good luck to him.
Feels a bit shit that a player can be instrumental in the club’s success, then get bombed off… but you can’t ask for ruthless behavior then get angry when it happens to your fave. Martinez has a small sample of games to choose from. Bernd Leno has been consistently great for longer. We are skint. Life goes on. Let’s hope we get a decent back-up keeper. Someone that is huge, loves to catch, and can pass like a hero.
Arsenal Twitter sleuths have just noticed that Leonardo, PSG Sporting Director, followed Hector Bellerin. OMG.
Wolves moved on Doherty onto Spurs for £14m. I suspect that’ll mean Wolves up the offer for AMN. Again, I’d be sad, but if the cash is going to get mainlined into our midfield, I’ll accept the exit with good grace.
Right, on that note, I shall bid you farewell. Enjoy the game today. Football is back. Let’s hope it’s a fun game AND MORE SILVERWARE!
x
Only one I want to score at all cost is Auba. We need him all guns blazing.
oh… straight to pens!!
well, Martinez , do us proud
Nketiah should never wear an Arsenal jersey ever again. And even with Nketiah off the field the coach is playing Willock at striker
can Auba take 5??
They will underrate Martinez
We will overrate Allison
Interesting goalie coach talking to emi
Nketiah must be sold. dude is lame
Didn’t expect this much out of the team. But well done. I just like that we are trying to give up the habit of rolling over whenever we face a decent team. Add some quality and we can become flat track bullies and tough to play against top teams. That would mean Top 4.
The hate and virol against some of our player’s here is something else.
Peter Crouch giving us big kudos putting in that shift after 3/4 training sessions since the FA cup final.
Have to agree, I think it’s very noticeable that we go man to man across the pitch under Arteta and each player is given the confidence to put in a shift. That’s good stuff. Basic, but very good.
Ok then.. pk’s to win a silver tea server.
Just mean in amongst the talk of new signings etc very few have mentioned him coming into his second season, really hope he kicks on and moves up a level. Oh yeah. He probably needs a spokesperson if we’re honest but I’m expecting better from him next season with the squad being improved upon and the club being a lot more stable. I also think that a lot will depend on who’s going to be the starting RB going forward. Some stability there will help him out a lot. Also worth pointing out that Willian should keep him on his… Read more »
If Eddie had shot better….. (20 min) …
doesn’t even need hindsight… no expectation and no disappointment
but eddie must score the pen
At least that puts to bed who is our no.1 in goal.
Its tougher for a professional footballer to put on kilos in a month than a newbie
Im telling you for free!
just don’t play cute and take a lame shot
C;mon people, chill out with this Nkettiah bashing. It’s only the bloody community shield.
nelson good
No pressure Reiss.
“The hate and virol against some of our player’s here is something else.“
It’s tedious af, preseason game with an unfit team and it’s open season for slagging off this or that player. Who needs rival fans.
AMN birthday boy .. .good
It’s hard for goalies with the new rules
Happy birthday Ains
AMN with a birthday goal… sweet! chill as hell.
AMN with a Ralph like penalty.
pool fucked up once
cmon!!!!
Brewster will miss
You would think Arteta of all people would know the importance of a good midfield.How are we playing with Xhaka and f***king Elneny in midfield against the champions ? Worse part is, there’s no one else.
Told ya
Brewster needs to stay away from the pancakes
Yes!!!
cedric … good
we are ‘leading’ now…. cmon
Brewster doing the Zaza
Yea CC It’s like some people can never be happy no matter what we accomplish.
Nice.. ok then… lets finish this.
Luiz…. good Almost broke the net!!!
One more and it’s ours……
GOOD!!!
Phenomenal penalty by Luiz. Holy fk!
What a nonchalant goal by AMN!!!
What a miss!!!
David Luiz.. made me nervous… lol nice.
cmon EMI
Martinez will save the last one for the cameras
wowwww…. all down to the AUBA
cmon!1
Perfect !
Ok… up to Auba. Come on now..
Oh no…
Fuck the Pool again!!!
WE WIN
Wow 5 out of 5
Great stuff
AUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Yes!!!! Get in! You beauty… Sauce is boss!
Lovely
The juice manager continues his streak of trophies
Superb
I don’t see the difference between Becker and Martinez really!
hahahaha
I could get used to beating these top four sides 😂 nice pens.
We WON!!!
Brilliant penalties… must have practiced.
Another win for Arteta’s Army against the champions with fuck all fitness in the bank.
Love to see it, just call that place New Highbury.
Two trophies for Mikel, if you like.
We own Klopp now.
Another Trophy for Arteta
Winning is good. Don’t care if its the Shield…
In Sauce we trust, comments on here hilarious.
The cheek on AMN with that performance and PK.
Auba!!!!! Woohoo!!!!
Come on The Arsenal!!!
Now let’s s go after Europa League trophy. 🙂
City, Chelsea and Pool beaten in a row by the saucy one.
Fuck yeah.
Nice way to start the season…on a high.
Now the club will announce the signing of Auba and Gabriel early next week.
Guns of BrixtonAugust 29, 2020 17:32:16
Oh no…
??
Now sign da thing
Winning is good. Don’t care if it’s the Shield!
Nice pen from our tap-in merchant too
Not too shabby at all. All the doomsayers can do one.
Very good from a side with hardly any pre season.
Well there you go Pierre.. Confidence achieved.. like I said nothing to worry about in regards to practice time. 😀
In Sauce we trust
2020 – the year of the Sauce.
Arsenal win the Supercopa de Inglaterra
Fuck this community shield malarkey lol.
AMN and Martinez who some on here want to be sold were again very good.
Winning is good. Don’t care if its the Shield…
This!
It doesn’t matter if it’s a friendly, It’s always better to win. It develops a Habit.
How cold is in London? Klopp had his winter jacket on? It’s freaking AUGUST!
Heavy favourites for the PL now surely?
Won two more trophies than anyone else since FA Cup Final, Arteta GOAT.
The sauce flowing in abundance
Brilliant answer Ainsley
Pure professional
At last
Thank you Mikel Arteta
It’s really good to see Auba being all smiles like this. That shows how happy and ready he is to go for the next step.
CC
I second your motion to change Wembley’s name to New Highbury.
AMN had a very good game.
Wolves are signing a very good player who’s played at a very high level.
Victory….. again!
Still need to sell Holding, Elneny, Kolac, etc. though
Auba surely won’t drop the trophy this time??
Pleased we won… but let’s remember this win means very little.
The league is where it counts…
“AMN and Martinez who some on here want to be sold were again very good.“
Why do some want them sold?
Yep it’s pretty cold in London might turn the heating on in a bit.
Radio-
Hahaha to be fair I’ve been on the sauce for years… past noon here now.. time to have a few drinks.
Superb sportsmanship from pool
Class
Fair play to AMN, MOTM performance on what’s likely his last for the club.
Mid west
You were right ..I underestimated the ability of Arteta to get the team to put in such a good performance.
Don’t kiss the Shield for god sake… it’s COVID time still!
Is that four consecutive wins against top 6 teams? Or is it five?
Don’t break da ting
Liverpool under Koop are really classy
Gawd I love Koop, he’s a first class individual
“I’m Arsenal til I’m told otherwise.”
Aw that was nice from Ainsley.
Winners get medal.