It’s only the Community Shield…
Contrary to Mikel Arteta’s comments last December, the FA Community Shield is not viewed as a major trophy by the majority of English football fans.
Given its place in the calendar, merely a week before top-flight action begins and just days after the conclusion of pre-season, defeat can instead be viewed as a valuable opportunity for minutes in the legs.
While it serves as an opportunity to lay down a marker early on, it also allows managers to experiment on the pitch, as evidenced by Liverpool’s 4-2-2-2 formation in the second half of the game.
Palace astutely sticking to their game plan, snuffed out the threat of a tiring Liverpool side in the second half, and the less said about those penalties, the better.
Liverpool fans can also take solace in the fact that the past five Community Shield winners failed to lift another piece of silverware that season.
All part of the Arne Slot masterplan, one would hope…
Problem areas identified early on
It was a tale of two halves for Liverpool: the first was full of promise and quality, whereas the second was lethargic and featured a rather vulnerable side to Arne Slot’s team.
Reds fans will be pleased with the performance of their debutants, but Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah were below par, the latter of whom escaped substitution.
With less pressure to lead the attack, Salah can afford to be rested when he’s not at his best and Slot following suit would surely be in the best interests of the squad.
Liverpool also tended to overcommit players against Crystal Palace, leaving a sizeable gap behind Cody Gakpo and Milos Kerkez, something that Oliver Glasner encouraged his side to exploit.
While match fitness plays a large hand in ensuring such a high game plan is successful, it is a point of vulnerability that Slot may need to address if it results in his side conceding more.
Pressure off?
Winning the transfer window means nothing if the players don’t perform on the pitch, and after a record-breaking transfer window, eyes will certainly be on the league holders.
A strong start by Liverpool’s new signings will instill confidence in all parties going forward, and it is up to the head coach and leadership group to manage expectations within the squad.
A defeat such as this one is likely to push Liverpool harder to achieve the perfect start they are looking for, knowing that complacency will be punished in the greatest league in the world.
Despite Liverpool often playing their best football bearing the ‘underdog’ mantle, they remain favourites to retain their title, and the squad will have to adapt to avoid being buried by the pressure.
Ultimately, the season starts on Friday for Arne Slot’s Reds, in what is set to be an emotional return to Anfield, but Liverpool have defied the odds plenty of times, and an early defeat at Wembley shouldn’t hinder their aspirations.