An entertaining Community Shield in Cardiff has whetted the appetite as well as raising the curtain for the 26/27 season.
Are Arsenal going to walk it? Is Enzo Maresca already in ‘You fear for him’ territory before he’s even had a real match as Man City boss?
Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com.
We are so back
Wowee Zowee. What a bloody cracker. Football is BACK, baby.
Yes, yes, I know: we should probably resist drawing sweeping conclusions from what was, essentially, a glorified curtain raiser. But can we please put this “Arsenal are just a set-piece team” nonsense to bed now? And while we’re at it, bin the idea that last season’s success might leave them suffering from some sort of winning fatigue.
Because that was not the football of a team resting on its laurels. That was some serious, spicy attacking football from the Gunners, who had City looking like a bunch of new starters turning up for their first day on the job.
As for Maresca… well, I rather suspect the new City boss has his work cut out. Trust me, City fans, I know the feeling. There’s a particular sort of pressure that comes with trying to follow a legend. Just ask the last man who gave it a go.
Still, roll on the real thing. If that’s a taste of what we’re getting this season, I am absolutely here for it.
Arsenal’s title defence is already looking rather more convincing than it probably ought to after one glorified friendly. Add a genuinely lethal striker and a world-class right-back and, well, good luck to everyone else.
Gaptoothfreak, Man Utd., New York (Who needs Vinicius Jr when you’ve got Tzolis?)
The duality of Gabriel
Fair play Arteta and Arsenal, yeah City were undercooked, but from the outset the team in red played some actual football for a change. Zero excuse to revert to last season’s retina wrecking ugliness after that. In other news, I see Gabriel still can’t decide if he’s a little girl or a big hairy arse centre half either.
Only one game, and a friendly at that, but worrying Moyes at Man U ‘what the f*ck do I do now’ body language on the touchline from Maresca for City fans too.
RHT/TS x
(Cobblers 0-0 Cov, Cov 2-0 Monaco, Liverpool 2-3 Monaco – good to know we’re still better than Liverpool)
Prime rib-tickler
With the news of LFC and Bezos just wondering if we get free shipping on transfers?
Badger, Montreal
Write Liverpool off at your peril
Apparently Liverpool are in trouble. Rory Jennings and Adrian Duh rum said so. Must be true …
That has been the noise all summer. The champions who slipped to fifth last season were supposedly vulnerable. The defence wasn’t good enough. The rebuild wasn’t working. Rivals were improving. Liverpool were going backwards.
Keep talking.
Because Sunday’s 2-0 win over Champions League-qualified Como offered a rather different picture. This was a Como side that finished fourth in Serie A last season, yet Liverpool looked increasingly like a team ready to explode into the new campaign.
Jérémy Jacquet finally arrived on the pitch and looked immense. Strong, composed and comfortable on the ball — then capped his performance by scoring Liverpool’s second. Alongside the established brilliance of Virgil van Dijk, suddenly that supposedly vulnerable defence doesn’t look quite so vulnerable.
Then Ronald Araújo came on.
Power, aggression, experience and another genuine top-level centre-back. Liverpool haven’t merely patched a weakness; they’ve added serious competition.
Elsewhere, Víctor Muñoz was arguably the standout performer in the earlier behind-closed-doors game, repeatedly threatening Como with his pace and crossing. Rio Ngumoha continues to look frighteningly comfortable at this level.
And then look at the established weapons.
Alexander Isak is fully fit and ready to lead the line. Ryan Gravenberch looked outstanding again and almost finished the afternoon with a goal, smashing the crossbar late on.
That’s before you start talking about Wirtz, Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Frimpong, Kerkez, Mac Allister and Alisson.
This isn’t a Liverpool side desperately trying to repair itself.
It’s a squad with frightening depth, elite experience, emerging young talent and serious competition in virtually every area of the pitch.
So keep writing Liverpool off.Keep predicting the collapse. Keep telling everyone the rivals have overtaken them.
Because if this squad clicks under Andoni Iraola, the question might not be whether Liverpool can win the Premier League.
It might be whether anybody can stay with them.
My prediction: Liverpool, Premier League champions by April.
Write us off at your peril 😎
Justin Rimmering