Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, proudly lifted the trophy after his team emerged victorious in a thrilling penalty shoot-out against Manchester City at the English FA Community Shield football match held at Wembley Stadium on August 6, 2023. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, and Arsenal clinched the victory with a 4-1 penalty shoot-out win. This impressive win against the treble winners, Manchester City, has given Arteta confidence that Arsenal can compete with them in the race for the Premier League title.
Although City took the lead in the 77th minute with a stunning goal from Cole Palmer, Arsenal showed great resilience and determination as Leandro Trossard equalized with a deflected effort in the 11th minute of stoppage time. This stroke of luck was a welcome change for Arsenal, as they had previously lost their grip on the title last season. The team capitalized on Trossard’s goal by converting all four of their penalty kicks, while City’s Kevin De Bruyne hit the bar and Rodri’s shot was saved by Aaron Ramsdale. Fabio Vieira’s winning penalty sparked jubilant celebrations from Arteta and his players, providing a moment of catharsis after their disappointing title campaign.
Looking ahead to the new Premier League season, Arteta believes that the team’s performance at Wembley is a positive sign for what’s to come. He emphasized the importance of the players’ belief in their ability to defeat any team and commended their determination and fight in the Community Shield match. Arteta stated, “We deserved to win against a team that has played in so many finals. It doesn’t get much better than winning a trophy at Wembley against the best team in the world.”
Arteta also found encouragement in the solid debuts of new signings Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber in central midfield and left-back positions, respectively. However, Kai Havertz, another major signing for Arsenal, had a less impressive performance, missing two golden opportunities. Despite this, Arteta defended Havertz, praising his pressing and positioning during the match.
The discussion also turned to the increased stoppage time due to new time-wasting rules, which led to a total of 13 minutes of additional play. Arteta supported these rules, stating that his team needs to be prepared to play longer matches every week. On the other hand, City manager Pep Guardiola disagreed, expressing his frustration with the lack of consultation with managers and players on these rule changes.
It is worth noting that the winner of the Community Shield does not often go on to win the Premier League in recent seasons. With this in mind, Arteta urged his players not to become complacent and emphasized the importance of focusing on the next match against Nottingham Forest.
Although Arsenal appeared more hungry for success during the match, Guardiola had no complaints about his team’s subdued performance. He acknowledged that Arsenal was an extraordinary opponent and praised them for giving his players valuable minutes to prepare for their upcoming match against Burnley.
Guardiola reminded everyone that City had lost the previous two Community Shields but went on to win the Premier League title. He emphasized the team’s target of doing better and maintaining their desire for success.
Overall, Arsenal’s Community Shield victory has set a positive tone for the upcoming season, showcasing their ability to compete with top teams like Manchester City. Arteta and his players are focused on their next challenge, eager to continue their success in the Premier League.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
