Arsenal's Recruitment: Mikel Arteta Confirms Team's Defensive Drive Amid Squad Turmoil
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There was a brief moment last autumn when Maresca’s former side looked most capable of challenging Arsenal before his squabbles with the hierarchy brought an end to the Italian’s tenure. It will take some time to make his imprint on a squad that was so heavily devoted to Guardiola, although Arteta said this week that he believes his newest rival has “the personality, the character and, especially, the knowledge” to be successful. For the Arsenal manager, the question is now whether he can build a legacy that could one day rival Guardiola’s. This was a good way to start.
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Ødegaard said the team’s performance was evidence they are capable of winning back-to-back titles. “We played some brilliant football,” said Arsenal’s captain. “[It was a] great performance and a great way to start the season. I always want to help the team as much as possible with goals and assists. I want to score more goals. We showed our level today. We’ve shown we’re ready. We’re serious and we want to do it again. We want to attack it. We want to do it again. When you get a taste of how nice it is you want to do it again. We want to win everything.”
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Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal players demonstrated their hunger to defend the Premier League title in their Community Shield triumph over Manchester City. Arsenal, who ended their 22-year wait last season and are seeking to win back-to-back top-flight titles for the first time since 1934-35, beat City 3-0 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff in Enzo Maresca’s first significant match in charge.
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Riccardo Calafiori opened the scoring after 24 seconds, the fastest goal in the competition since Bobby Owen’s strike for City in 1968, before Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s lead and their captain, Martin Ødegaard, completed the scoring on 48 minutes. The 3-0 defeat represented the joint-heaviest loss for a City manager in their first game in charge, with Harry Newbould the most recent to suffer a three-goal opening defeat – 4-1, also to Arsenal, in 1906. It is also Maresca’s joint-heaviest defeat as a manager in England.
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01 The Guardian Sport There are caveats. It was only the Community Shield – and no side has gone on to win the league after lifting the Community Shield since 2018. It was against the league champions, whose preseason has involved far less strenuous travel than their own. By the time the season really gets going, there will be greater clarity in central midfield, with Rodri set to complete his move to Barcelona imminently. But this was a startlingly bad opening for Enzo Maresca at Manchester City.
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02 Sky Sports Enzo Maresca's Man City were exposed in a brutal defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield; the spine of his side all faced issues, particularly noticeable in midfield; Man City play their first Premier League game against Bournemouth on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Main Event; kick-off 2pm
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- skysports
- guardian-sport