Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he was “really impressed” by his side’s performance as they defeated Manchester City 3-0 in the English Community Shield on Sunday.
The victory secured Arsenal’s 18th Community Shield, with Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard scoring for the Gunners.
Arteta said he had particularly enjoyed watching the way his players responded during the match, which gave Arsenal a convincing win over the Premier League champions.
“It was a really great performance,” he told TNT Sports. “I was really impressed by the desire and reaction we showed. I told them that I really enjoyed watching them play.”
The Arsenal manager also praised new signing Christos Tzolis, who he said had settled into the team smoothly. Tzolis was involved in the build-up to two of Arsenal’s goals, according to comments reported by the BBC.
“I think he has integrated seamlessly into the team,” Arteta said. “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 one.
“He is very intelligent and precise. Today, in tight spaces, he made the right decision twice and helped us score two goals.”
Arteta believes Arsenal’s midfield has continued to grow stronger as the club has added quality to the squad in successive seasons.
“Very strong,” he said when asked about the unit. “I think we have been adding players year after year. We have outstanding combinations. Now we have a lot of leadership.”
Despite the emphatic scoreline, Arteta admitted he had been surprised by the margin of victory against Manchester City. Arsenal’s preparations for the new season had involved assessing a number of players, making the result even more striking in his view.
“I am a little bit surprised,” Arteta said. “We have been in pre-season and we had eight or nine players to test. To play in the manner we did is extremely impressive.”
The match also highlighted the absence of Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal’s squad. Arteta said he was disappointed that both players had been unable to take part and reiterated that he had been working with the Premier League to allow more players to be included in the matchday group.
“I feel very sad that they could not participate,” he said. “I have been trying very hard with the Premier League to add more players to the squad. They deserve to be with us. I hope that we can change that decision.”
