Football: Community Shield 2008

by Bodog Sports | Aug 6 2008

Ahhhh….good old football, our dearest of friends, returns after a short break this weekend. Despite a full fixture list of Championship, League One and Two and lower league football, all Premier League eyes will be on Wembley come Sunday afternoon.

The traditional Community Shield is seen by most people as the start of the Premier League season. Ok, so it is basically a fancified friendly, but unlike the rest of the pre-season fixtures this is one that managers and players are always determined to win.

In recent years the shield has been competed by two out of the big four in the league, hence why there’s so much interest in it – so this year will be slightly different. On paper Portsmouth don’t have a chance against Man Utd – they’re certainly not a top four side. They may have a very competitive side, but their FA Cup run, which got them to Sunday’s fixture, was a tad underwhelming. That is, in all but one of the fixtures – the quarter final win over, yes you guessed it, Man Utd.

on Man Utd v Portsmouth

Man Utd’s route to the Community Shield is far more impressive reading – having won the Premier League for the tenth time in May, just days before picking up the Champions League title. But it’s not been a particularly pleasant summer for Sir Alex Ferguson, despite what he may say – the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga is surely going to come back and haunt him when the Portuguese star finally returns from injury in a few weeks.



Ronaldo’s absence on Sunday isn’t really a blessing in disguise however, as Fergie finds himself with a squad depleted through injury – Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville are crocked, doubts remain over Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick’s fitness, Nani is suspended, while Anderson is off to the Olympics. Add to that no notable new signings to show off.

Harry Redknapp on the other hand is rubbing his hands in delight at the prospect of his new strike partnership of Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch – the two England men will surely provide a formidable partnership, ala Sunderland’s classic Phillips/Quinn combination a few years ago. The sale of Sulley Muntari may be a blow to the Pompey midfield, but hanging on to Niko Krancjar could prove to be a masterstroke for Redknapp this season.

on Peter Crouch to score in the Community Shield

But let’s not go crazy here – Man Utd play games on the big stage for fun nowadays. Pompey’s two visits to Wembley last term affected their football – they were nervous and not particularly inventive. If they play the same again they will be found out by the Red Devils.

Man Utd could give young striker Frazier Campbell a start on Sunday, after an impressive loan season with Hull last year. Can he replicate his form at the top level? If Redknapp can convince his boys it’s just another friendly though, we could be in for a great season opener. Worth a punt on Pompey for the beautiful game!

on Frazier Campbell to score in the Community Shield