Every time the new season kicks off with community shield match which is played a week before the Barclays Premier League starts, it is a friendly match but it does have some value as it is an official friendly where the winner wins a silverware. It is played by the defending champion of premier league against the previous FA Cup winner. This season it was Manchester City vs Arsenal playing each other at the Wembley Stadium on a Sunday afternoon.
Before the match there were talks about Man City having the more stronger side on paper compared to Arsenal, while some experts said that Arsenal needs it more than City. As some said, Arsenal really needed this silverware more than their opponents seeing the way they approached the game and the way Arsenal played it specially in the first half, it literally felt like a Premier League game watching the gunners.
Arsene Wenger came up with 4-2-3-1 formation and for many Arsenal fans it was all about watching their new man Alexis Sanchez in a bit competitive game. He didn’t disappoint, looked really good on the ball, had a good game.
Pellegrini came up with a 4-4-2 with new man Fernando in the middle, and a chance to see what Stefan Jovetic can offer since his absence last season due to injury.
For Wenger it was a delightful day with Arsenal beating Manchester City 3 goals to nil. For Pellegrini, he will need to motivate his team as the blues look too slow and dull even after having huge amount of possession specially in the second half. Arsenal scored 2 goals in the first half with Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla scoring goals at the Wembley. While in the second half it was Giroud who had to perform and he did with a beautiful outside the box strike destroying Man City. Giroud who has been out of form with a pretty average world cup has to perform or else Arsenal might look out for a quality striker in the market.
It is surely a great boost of confidence for Arsenal to win at the Wembley again just after a few months of their FA Cup win after 10 years. For Man City, they can argue it was just a friendly with many stars like Aguero, Kompany out but still the season will be kicking off this weekend and we might see who performs well as both challenge for the premier league glory.
– Jainam Jhaveri
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