Five things we learned from the community shield
The Community Shield! While it's not a traditional "competitive" match, it's still an exciting encounter between the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners. Here are five things we learned from the 2022 Community Shield:
- Liverpool's attacking prowess is still a force to be reckoned with: The Reds dominated possession and created numerous chances, with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané causing problems for the City defense. Their attacking trio, including Roberto Firmino, is still one of the most feared in the league.
- Manchester City's defense is still a work in progress: Despite their impressive title-winning campaign, City's defense looked vulnerable at times, particularly against Liverpool's pacey attackers. Pep Guardiola will need to work on shoring up his backline to ensure they can compete with the best teams in Europe.
- Erling Haaland is a game-changer: The Norwegian striker made his debut for City and immediately made an impact, scoring a stunning goal and causing problems for the Liverpool defense. His pace, power, and finishing ability will be a significant threat to opposing teams this season.
- Liverpool's midfield is still a key area of strength: Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and Thiago Alcântara controlled the tempo of the game, dictating the flow of play and creating opportunities for their teammates. This midfield trio is one of the best in the league, and their ability to dominate games will be crucial to Liverpool's success.
- The Community Shield is still a valuable warm-up for the new season: While the result doesn't necessarily matter, the match provides a valuable opportunity for teams to fine-tune their tactics, work on their fitness, and get a feel for each other's strengths and weaknesses. Both Liverpool and City will take valuable lessons from this encounter into their upcoming Premier League campaigns.