Enzo does a Pep pose because he has gotten off on the wrong foot. A 3–0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield is not the way he would have wanted his era as Man City manager to begin.
Riccardo Calafiori scored the fasted recored goal in Community Sheild playing history.His 27th second goal beat the record held (ironically) by Man City’s Bobby Owen since 1968 ( 35 seconds)
Kai Havertz added a second before half-time, and Martin Ødegaard completed Arsenal’s emphatic victory early in the second half.
The most worrying aspect for City was that they actually had plenty of the ball. They finished with 59% possession and completed far more passes than Arsenal, but possession without purpose can be a dangerous illusion. Arsenal were sharper, more direct and far more clinical. City’s expected-goals figure of just 0.77 also tells the story of a side that struggled to create genuinely dangerous opportunities.
Erling Haaland had little influence, while City’s attacking play often lacked the rhythm and imagination supporters have come to expect. The absence of Rodri was also keenly felt. – because he’s headed off to Real Madrid Barcelona. For years, City have had the comfort of knowing that even when things were not perfect, there was usually a familiar system and structure to fall back on. This time, however, the team looked like one still trying to discover exactly what it wants to be.
Of course, one defeat in August does not define a season. The Community Shield is not the Premier League, and Maresca deserves time to shape his team. But losing 3–0 to one of City’s biggest rivals is hardly the ideal way to begin. Maresca himself described it as a difficult afternoon and has indicated that City remain active in the transfer market. It’s not enough for him to just look a lot like Pep Guardiola to fill those shoes he left behind.
Highlights …