Arsenal continues her resurgence under so-called rookie manager Mikel Arteta with another dogged win over reigning league champion Liverpool, to lift the FA Community Shield for the 16th time. The Gunners won through a 5-4 penalty shootout(with Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster missing the decisive kick) after the match had ended 1 all in regulation time.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang(12') gave the Gunners the lead, beating Liverpool goalkeeper Allison delightfully from the edge of the box. However, having seen clear cut chances far and in between, Liverpool finally found the breakthrough when substitute Takumi Minamino(73') beat Emi Martinez in Arsenal goal from close range to level scores.
ARTETA'S BLUEPRINT;
Arsenal's rejuvenation under Arteta cannot be overestimated. Having taken over a team in disarray in December, Arteta has been able to steady the ship at the Emirate, especially in the defence where Arsenal has been on the downward spiral. The Gunners now seem happy to jettison possession/tiki-taka for a gritty defending, as shown in their recent wins.
The days where Arsenal dominant their opponents and still come off the match as the loser seem to be a thing of the past as Arteta continues to reshape Arsenal. The Spaniard, in his 1st season in charge, has now led Arsenal to 2 silverwares(FA Emirates Cup & FA Community Shield).
AUBAMEYANG KEY TO ARSENAL;
Once again, the Gabonese showed how important he is to Arsenal's march towards greatness. 5 match-winning goals(2 vs Man City, 2 vs Chelsea & 1 vs Liverpool) in 42 days isn't a mere feat. It's no surprise Arsenal is willing to meet Aubameyang's new contract demands.
EMI MARTINEZ'S SHOUT FOR ARSENAL'S NUMBER 1;
The Argentine rose to the occasion when called upon after 1st choice goalkeeper Bernd Leno got injured against Brighton and Hover Albion last season and has never looked back. Martinez commanded his area well and produced 2 match-winning saves against Sadio Mane in the 2nd half.
PROS;
Premier League top 4 managers/clubs will now keep an eye on Mikel Arteta-led Arsenal as a formidable threat. Arteta, in less than 2 months, has guided The Gunners to dogged wins over Liverpool(twice), Manchester City & Chelsea, a significant sign of progression under the Spaniard.
CONS;
Arsenal, oftentimes, has always produced remarkable results when written off, such were the results over the aforementioned teams. However, Arsenal's biggest challenge for some time now has been how they botch against lesser/bottom-of-the-table clubs.
The recent lacklustre defeats against Brighton and Hover Albion and Aston Villa(a supposedly easy fixture) towards the end of last season was a testament to Arsenal's inconsistency.
Arsenal ended last season with a trophy and a few weeks later began another with another piece of silverware. It's really a good start for Mikel Arteta under the circumstances. Congratulations to Arsenal.
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