Shootout sees determined Arsenal edge out win over Liverpool in Community Shield
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was the first to dismiss talk the Community Shield is just a pre-season friendly, so he knows how much the hard-fought win will mean to Arsenal going into the new season.
Just like last season, when Mikel Arteta was assistant manager at Manchester City, the Spaniard has helped mastermind a Wembley shoot-out win over Klopp's side.
So the German coach will be hoping history repeats itself and his impressive champions can go on to repeat their first title success in 30 years when the new season proper starts in two weeks' time.
Only time will tell, but recent months would indicate Arteta has transformed Arsenal's once fragile self-confidence into a resilient defensive-minded side that just hates to lose.
Repeating last season's eighth place finish would not seem an option.
Liverpool, as expected, dominated for long periods and Arsenal again had inspirational captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to thank for their latest piece of Wembley silverware.
He followed his goalscoring feats in the FA Cup Final at the start of August with another wonder strike.
Only the weather had changed as it was wet and cold at Wembley some four weeks on.
That 13th minute lead lasted until 17 minutes from time when substitute Takumi Minamino scored a deserved equaliser with his first Liverpool goal since signing in January. Without extra-time we went straight to penalties.
Klopp fielded a few younger players but this was largely his championship-winning side and many observers thought his more experienced side would then win the penalty shoot-out.
But just as Arsenal defied the odds over 90 minutes, they were faultless with the spot-kicks, scoring all five to win the match after young Liverpool penalty specialist Rhian Brewster was the only player to miss.
For Chadwick.#CommunityShield | #ARSLIV pic.twitter.com/NNgJ3g3BcW
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 29, 2020
Aubameyang, who else, struck the winning kick and ran in jubilation to celebrate with goalkeeper Emi Martinez, now Arsenal's clear first choice ahead of Bernd Leno.
All Arsenal fans really want, of course, is for their captain to sign his bumper new contract and not leave the club this summer.
The smiling striker told a television reporter afterwards: “We're going to see in these days. Today we take the trophy, that's it. We are improving. There is still work to do but I'm really happy and it's an exciting time to be an Arsenal player."
An equally content looking Arteta would not disagree as he gave his views on the successful mission afterwards.
He said: “I keep pushing and demanding more from these players and they keep responding and how they have shown against the best team in Europe.
“Now we have to do this consistently in the league and last season the table showed we are very far away and the gap is enormous.
"We have made some efforts to close it but there is more to do.
“With the ball we still have a lot to improve but defensively we have 11 players all prepared to contribute and put their bodies on the line.”
We just 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 playing at Wembley! 😍#CommunityShield | #ARSLIV pic.twitter.com/xxjfPUbXRM
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 29, 2020
And Aubameyang? “My job is to convince him he is at the right place at the right time. I think he is convinced but then we have to sort the paper work. There are a lot of things involved in a contract these days.
“I am delighted with his performance with and without the ball. It was a great move for the goal and a great finish too. He also asked and wanted to take the final penalty and took that very well too.
“I see him every day looking happy and that is a good sign.”
Arteta would not discuss speculation surrounding other players such as goalkeeper Martinez and the increasingly impressive Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who was instrumental in snuffing out Liverpool's attacking threat just as he had in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City and the Final against Chelsea.
But it is clear this Arsenal squad is going to look different by the times the transfer window closes in October.
For Klopp, the result was clearly irritating, but far from a disaster and he was delighted to see Minamino break his goalscoring duck.
He said: “To play against a defensive block like that you need to have fresh legs and take the most of your chances and we did not do that.
Back to this match and Aubameyang's goal is really worth catching again. The move started deep in Arsenal's own area as they showed the confidence to pass out from the he back, against Liverpool's high press and Bukayo Saka delivered a great final pass to Aubameyang.
The Gabonese forward cut inside a bewildered Neco Williams, opened his body and curled a right foot shot beyond fully stretched keeper Allison.
It was a style of goal best associated with his Arsenal predecessor Thierry Henry, but many more like this and he will be a player beyond compare.
He has now scored seven of Arsenal's last eight goals, largely crucial ones, and he does not even start as the focal point of Arsenal's attack.
Liverpool's equaliser was the sort of opportunist finishing Klopp was delighted to see from his Japanese striker who has done everything but score – until today.
There was a brief handball VAR scare, but nothing really to worry about.
A Liverpool win would not have been totally unjustified, but Arteta has this Arsenal team determined not to lose at the moment.
"Thank you guys, you can go home now!" 📸 😂#CommunityShield #ARSLIV pic.twitter.com/YyqDP0yGSH
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) August 29, 2020
: Martinez 7, Holding 5, Luiz 7, Tierney 8 (Kolasinac 83), Bellerin 6 (Soares 58), Xhaka 6, Elneny 6, Maitland-Niles 7, Saka 7 (Willock 82), Nketiah 6 (Nelson 82), Aubameyang 8.
: Leno, Saliba, Rowe, John-Jules, Olayinka.
: Alisson 6, Williams 5 (Minamino 59, 7), Gomez 6, Van Dijk 7, Robertson 8, Fabinho 6, Milner 6 (Keita 59, 6), Wijnaldum 6 (Brewster 90), Mane 7, Salah 6, Firmino 5 (Jones 83).
: Adrian, Grujic, Tsimakis, Elliott, Koumetio.
: Andre Marriner 6
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