Before that kicks off in a little over a weeks time, we have the Community Shield. The traditional curtain raiser it certainly is a game which means less than when I was growing up. It is always nice to see your side lift silverware, don't get me wrong, but in today's football climate it really hasn't kept its sparkle.
Reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City will face the FA Cup holders Chelsea in this seasons running. Both sides have been involved in the International Champions Cup friendlies, with Chelsea still to play another game after this Sunday!
Manchester City were focused on America over the past few weeks, although the World Cup had depleted them of many of their first choice eleven. For Chelsea it was pure jet setting. A game against Perth Glory in Australia on July 23rd followed by a game against Inter Milan in Nice five days later before heading to Dublin for the latest game.
So, with these friendlies being much more high profile and global in nature how can one in London do anything but suffer? Both sides have won the Shield four times, with Manchester City last winning it in 2012. On that occasion it was the same as this years, City as Premier League winners, Chelsea FA Cup holders.
On that day the final score was 3-2 to City, with Villa Park being the venue due to Wembleys commitments to the 2012 Olympic football tournament. Goals in twelve second half minutes from Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri bringing us back from one down. Fernando Torres opened the scoring that day, with Ryan Bertrand adding a second ten minutes from time and making us nervous.
There are not many remaining from either side that day, three a-piece. David Luiz, who left and came back, was there along with Eden Hazard and an unused sub Gary Cahill. For City the ever present Vincent Kompany was there, along with Sergio Aguero. Merlin started on the bench but did appear for the final thirteen minutes or so.
This time both sides will seemingly be without a couple of their stars. Kevin DeBruyne, according to reports, may be there but only as a spectator. The same is expected of his Belgium team mates, Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Thibault Courtois which means we could be back up against Willy Caballero in the Chelsea goal.
I am sure Pep will prepare to be competitive in this match, as he has done for all three of the International Champions Cup games. How close Sundays lineup will be to next Sundays opening fixture against Arsenal?
The tour of America did show that we have some quality in our youth system.So maybe, along with Joe Hart, this could be used more as a shop window for some, and a chance to get a place in our squad for others. The result will not matter come the end of the season. While a win would be nice I think, more important, is the continuation of that experience curve.
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