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CARDIFF, Wales — "I'm a warrior," was the explanation Bruno Guimarães reached for when asked to justify his $101 million transfer to Arsenal earlier this summer. It was a statement that resonated with Mikel Arteta.
"I think he describes himself as a warrior," the Spanish manager said with a smile. "I think he's going to push everyone within the squad and that's exactly the kind of player we need."
That combative quality helped Guimarães win over a new fanbase almost immediately on his (semi-)competitive debut in Sunday's Community Shield win over Manchester City. Thunderous chants of "Bruno! Bruno!" rang out with every tackle and challenge from his position anchoring the midfield.
Yet, Guimarães's 45-minute showing was filled with subtler moments of craft that should outshine any display of determination.
Guimaraes Banishes Arsenal Demons
The last time Arsenal faced City in a match that concluded with a trophy ceremony, they were thoroughly outclassed. Last season's Carabao Cup final defeat was a brutal demonstration of how few Arsenal players can move the ball effectively under pressure from an opponent.
When Arteta, a technically gifted player in his own right having been developed through Barcelona's academy, acknowledged that Arsenal "need to bring more skill and quality to the squad," that humbling afternoon at Wembley Stadium must have been fresh in his memory.
Enzo Maresca deployed a four-man press for City on Sunday, but this time Arsenal had an outlet to relieve the pressure: Guimarães.
There was a quiet confidence to the way the Brazilian glided across the Principality Stadium turf. On a sweltering day made even more uncomfortable by a broken air conditioning unit in Arsenal's dressing room before kickoff, Guimarães remained composed. Completely unbothered by the pressing sky blue shirts, the team's new No. 39 was equally at ease playing a sharp one-touch pass around the corner as he was resting his studs on the ball, luring a City player forward only to exploit the gap they had just left behind.
Guimarães dismantled City's press with far greater ease than the struggling stewards, who lost their battle with a piece of fabric draped across the center circle before kickoff. Even his decision to play the ball back to goalkeeper David Raya from his own half drew a warm round of applause from a quickly captivated crowd — this, worth remembering, is the same fanbase that greeted any sign of caution with fierce criticism during the tense run-in last season. They have found a new hero.
For all of Declan Rice's considerable strengths, composure in tight spaces has never been among them. He's a player who struggles in congested areas. The dynamic England international found it increasingly difficult to make an impact when pressed high in the final third last season, as several teams replicated City's tactic of unsettling Arsenal. Martín Zubimendi is a player who should in theory excel at threading his way through pressure, but much like Rice, had his edge worn down by a relentless schedule last campaign. Guimarães could address that too.
Arteta Given Comfort Blanket
Had Arsenal entered any match last season, let alone a trophy fixture against Manchester City, without at least one of Rice or Zubimendi in midfield, there would have been widespread alarm. It certainly wouldn't have been a deliberate choice.
The acquisition of Guimarães, a World Cup regular for Brazil with over 150 Premier League appearances already to his name, gives both supporters and Arteta the flexibility to rest and rotate. The rise of Myles Lewis-Skelly as another impressive midfield option adds further depth.
Arteta was characteristically guarded about his obvious over-dependence on Rice. However, when confronted with the remarkable statistic that the 27-year-old accumulated 69 appearances for club and country last season, the exacting manager reluctantly conceded: "Hopefully he doesn't need to do it that consistently."
Though Arteta suggested he may need to persuade Rice otherwise: "He [would] probably say the opposite, that he needs to play 70."
If Guimarães sustains the same level throughout the remainder of the season, Rice could end up being the only one frustrated by how much time he spends on the bench. Yet, as the Community Shield has demonstrated before, that "if" carries considerable weight.
Can Guimaraes Swerve Community Shield Curse?
The traditional curtain-raiser to the English top-flight season has produced more false dawns than The Truman Show. The most striking recent case of misplaced optimism in a new signing came in 2022.
Darwin Núñez capped a comfortable Community Shield victory for Liverpool with a debut goal. Jürgen Klopp praised an "exceptional" display. "And he will get better with time," the German manager promised. That cameo would arguably turn out to be the peak of Núñez's erratic career on Merseyside. By the same measure, it represented a low point for Erling Haaland, who wasted three clear-cut chances on his Manchester City debut and came off second best in the battle of the new strikers.
Remarkably, Pep Guardiola was asked whether he had concerns about the expensive new arrival. "I am absolutely not concerned," the Catalan replied bluntly.
Núñez was the star of the show as Liverpool lifted the silver plate awarded to Community Shield winners, generously spraying the champagne. Guimarães savored his own trophy moment on Sunday, striding up to collect his medal to the sound of his own chant from an adoring new fanbase. They had far more reason to celebrate than many had anticipated.