Liverpool once again lose the Community Shield on penalties,
this time against Arsenal.

ARSENAL 1 – 1 LIVERPOOL

Arsenal: Aubameyang 17’Liverpool: Minamino 71’

Pre-Match

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the only conspicuous absence from the
expected starting XI as Liverpool head to Wembley to take on
Arsenal.

First Half

Liverpool started the match strong, but in a rare lapse that
we’ll put down to the pre-season, Alisson Becker lets Aubameyang
score on a beautiful strike to the top right corner. Aubameyang
celebrates with an homage to the late Chadwick Boseman, who died
last night.

The match has become more dicey for the Reds as the early
minutes tick by. Neco Williams is having a hard time in his
position at right-back. Arsenal have wasted no time taking
advantage of this weakness. They have clearly targeted his side as
Liverpool’s weak point, with Neco’s inexperience coupled with the
absence of PFA Player of the Year Jordan Henderson there to provide
cover.

It’s not long before Alisson is forced into a diving save to
prevent Arsenal from going 2-0 up at 25 minutes in.

Halfway through the first half, Liverpool have woken up, putting
in some semi-decent attacks of their own, which unfortunately
yielded little results. But it’s better than them chasing their
tails for the previous half an hour.

Our forwards have stepped up, seeing more of the ball as Sadio
Mané and Andrew Robertson work together swiftly on the
left. There’s a scramble in the box, with head after head knocking
the ball into the air until it finally lands at Mohamed Salah’s feet. He attempts a fierce shot
on the volley that looks on target but hits squarely into the chest
of a diving Arsenal defender.

Mané, Robertson, and Milner have taken control of possession for
Liverpool. In quick succession, first Mané and then Robertson both
send beautiful balls gliding in front of the box that are cut out
by defenders before they find the feet of Salah or Firmino.

Robertson once again gets the ball in the box. It’s glances off
of Mané’s head and just misses Virgil van Dijk’s foot for an easy
tap-in.

The half ends with Liverpool trailing 1-0, despite some close
late efforts from the Reds. I imagine we’ll see some shake up on
the right in the second half.

Second Half

Second half kicks off with Liverpool trailing but no staff
changes. Neco sends a ball upfield that David Luiz nearly allows
Roberto Firmino to pounce on in the opening
minutes, but for now the Reds are still chasing.

Firmino tries a shot in the box that flies wide of the goal. But
Liverpool are hunting for their first goal here.

The first big miss of the game comes in the 55th minute when a
long ball from, who else, Robertson, puts Mané one on one with the
keeper. He attempts to shoot around him instead of chipping it
over, and Martinez blocks the shot and then dives over the rebound
to end the chance. That was better from Liverpool, and hopefully
the kind of golden opportunity that Mané won’t miss later in the
season.

Williams and Milner get subbed out in favor of Takumi Minamino
and Naby Keita. Fabinho moves to center-back and Gomez goes across
to right-back. It looks like Klopp is going for a full throttle
last 30 minutes, if this attack-heavy new arrangement is anything
to go by.

Saka nearly scores for Arsenal, but Alisson was on it and the
shot veers just wide of the mark.

GOALLLLL! It’s Minamino who gets the first goal of Liverpool’s
new season in the 71st minute. It comes from some dancing in tight
spaces between Minamino and Salah through Arsenal’s box, and ends
with Minamino twisting away from Luiz and putting it in the back of
the net.

Firmino comes off and Curtis Jones comes on with less than 10
minutes of normal time remaining. Klopp clearly looking for a
little bit of that Scouse magic to keep this match from going to
pens.

Rhian Brewster replaces Gini Wijnaldum in the one of the last
moves in the second half before the whistle blows and we’re sent
into penalties.

Penalties

Liverpool get the advantage of shooting first, and Salah steps
up with the ball to go against Martinez. He scores to make it 1-0.
Reiss Nelson sends Alisson the wrong way and it’s 1-1.

Fabinho comes up next and surprises no one by slotting it home.
2-1. Maitland-Niles scores to make it 2-2.

Rhian Brewster hits the crossbar and breaks my heart. 2-2.
Soarez scores and Arsenal have the advantage at 2-3.

Minamino makes good, tying it back up at 3-3. David Luiz scores,
4-3.

Scouse angel Curtis Jones scores, but Aubameyang wins it for
Arsenal, 4-5.

Final Thoughts

It would have been nice to win, but it’s not so bad to lose.
Bring on the Premier League in two weeks.