The Shield

Silverware, that all important commodity in football. Silverware: when you don’t have it, it becomes a stick to be beaten with, when you do it’s all about what sort of silverware it is it seems. When is winning not winning?When it’s the Arsenal apparently. Let’s get things in perspective shall we? There are only four trophies that can be won by an English club and another two which you can compete for if you win one of the four (The Super Cup & the Community Shield) in real terms that’s not many pieces of Silverware available. I contend that there were eighteen other Premier Clubs who would have been somewhat chuffed to have won the Community Shield as a result of having won the FA cup, and many more from the other leagues probably feel the same. So why not enjoy it? Why not crack a smile? Why not swig some Champagne?

No Arsenal supporter believes that the Community Shield is anything more than it is and the players certainly won’t be getting carried away but you know what? We won it pure and simple and like every other team who have won it, it will appear in the Start of Season Squad photo sitting alongside the FA Cup.

That we beat the League Champions is nothing to be sniffed at and please don’t buy into this ‘B-Team’ nonsense, Manchester City have a squad of expensive players consisting of Internationals and experienced players: a club with their wealth does not have a B-Team believe me.

Had City won Pelligrini would no doubt have talked about strength in depth and overlooked the missing World Cup Winners Ozil, Mertersacker & Podolski and the recovering Theo Walcott.

I always prefer it when the Arsenal are getting criticised by all and sundry, and of late we have had no success to shut the mouths of the critics but this time we have, after all winning is the name of the game and with this group of players who knows? It may just become a habit