Arteta delighted as Arsenal lift Community Shield after Manchester City thrashing

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he was “really impressed” by his side’s performance after they beat Manchester City 3-0 to win the Community Shield on Sunday.

The victory secured Arsenal’s 18th Community Shield title, with goals from Ricardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard completing a convincing victory over the Premier League champions.

Arteta said he particularly enjoyed watching his players respond on the big occasion and praised their desire throughout the match.

“It was a really great performance. I was really impressed by what we showed in terms of desire and reaction. I told them that I really enjoyed watching them play,” Arteta told TNT Sports.

The Arsenal manager also highlighted the contribution of new signing Christos Tzolis, who he said had adapted quickly to his new surroundings and played an important role in the build-up to two of Arsenal’s goals.

“I think he integrated seamlessly into the team. He has a deep understanding of the game; he is a player who makes the right decision when many others rush and make the wrong decisions. He is very intelligent and precise. Today, in tight spaces, he made the right decision twice and helped us score two goals,” said Arteta, as reported by the BBC.

Arsenal’s midfield was another area that pleased Arteta, with the Spaniard pointing to the club’s gradual strengthening of that department over recent seasons.

“Very strong. I think we have been adding players year after year. Outstanding squads. Now we have a lot of leadership,” he said.

Despite the emphatic scoreline, Arteta admitted he had been surprised by the result, particularly given the stage of Arsenal’s preparations and the number of players he still wanted to assess before the new season.

“I am a little bit surprised. We have had pre-season and we had eight or nine players to test. To play the way we played is extremely impressive,” Arteta added.

The match was played without Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, who were left out of Arsenal’s squad. Arteta expressed his disappointment at their absence and said he had been attempting to persuade the Premier League to allow more players to be included in the matchday squad.

“I feel very sad that they could not take part. I have been working very hard with the Premier League to add more players to the squad. They deserve to be with us. I hope we can change this decision,” he said.

Arsenal’s success gives Arteta’s team an early piece of silverware and a strong start ahead of the new campaign, while the convincing win over Manchester City provided an encouraging indication of the squad’s development.