Arsenal’s 3-0 Community Shield win over Manchester City has set a new standard for Mikel Arteta, who still wants more from his team.
Arsenal could hardly have asked for a better way to begin their new campaign. A 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield not only delivered another trophy for Mikel Arteta, but also gave the Arsenal manager an early glimpse of the standards he expects his players to maintain throughout the season.
Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard were on the scoresheet as Arsenal produced one of their most convincing performances against City in recent years. Calafiori needed just 23 seconds to open the scoring, setting the tone for a match in which Arsenal looked sharper, more aggressive and more prepared than their opponents.
The result was particularly significant because it came against one of Arsenal’s biggest Premier League rivals. Arteta believes the performance demonstrated the mentality required if his team are to compete for major honours again.
“That is the standard for us,” the Arsenal boss said, insisting that the hunger shown at the Principality Stadium must carry into the league campaign.
New season. Same standard. pic.twitter.com/cfKO59aG1D
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) August 16, 2026
Arteta’s Biggest Problem May Be Arsenal’s Squad Depth
Ironically, one of the biggest issues facing Arteta is not a lack of quality but having too much of it.
Arsenal’s depth has become so strong that several talented players can now find themselves outside the matchday squad even for major fixtures.
Against Manchester City, Arteta was unable to include players such as Gabriel Martinelli, Ethan Nwaneri and academy prospect Marli Salmon because of restrictions on the number of substitutes that can be named.
The Gunners’ recent recruitment has created a squad packed with competition for places. Even after accounting for goalkeepers, Arsenal have an extraordinary level of quality among the players fighting for a place on the bench
The Community Shield allowed 20 players in the matchday squad, while Premier League rules currently permit 18.
The Community Shield Was More Than Just A Trophy
Arteta was able to rotate and still maintain a high level of performance, while players such as Christos Tzolis also made an immediate impression. The new signing provided two assists, becoming the first player since David Beckham in 1996 to assist at least two goals in a Community Shield match.
For Arteta, the challenge now is converting that depth into consistency. Arsenal have spent years trying to build a squad capable of challenging on multiple fronts, and the Community Shield offered an early indication that the project is reaching an important stage.
The perfect start to 26/27 👊 pic.twitter.com/a7v0pCric4
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 16, 2026
The manager knows, though, that winning a season-opening trophy does not guarantee success in May.
Arsenal’s title defence begins against Coventry City, and the expectation will immediately shift from celebrating at Wembley to producing the same intensity week after week.
Arteta therefore faces an unusual balancing act: he wants more players available on matchdays because he believes they deserve the opportunity, but he also needs to ensure his enormous squad remains motivated and competitive.
The Community Shield showed the level Arsenal can reach when that competition for places works properly. Now the task is maintaining it across an entire season.
