OK, let’s get the clichés out of the way now. It’s the traditional curtain-raiser for the new season, with the first silverware of the campaign up for grabs between two sides who know each other well….
However, what makes Sunday’s FA Community Shield (previously the Charity Shield) refreshing is that, for the first time since 1996, one of the participants will be from outside the ’Big Four.’
By winning the FA Cup final against Cardiff City last May, Portsmouth guaranteed
their presence not only in the Uefa Cup this season, but also in this prestige showpiece against the Premier League Champions, Manchester United. The nature of the occasion means the winners habitually regard it as a competitive fixture and the losers as a glorified friendly. But both Harry Redknapp and Sir Alex Ferguson would far sooner win the shield than lose it.
The fact that Pompey beat Manchester United in the sixth round of the FA Cup last season lends Sunday’s game added piquancy, although the two sides also met in Nigeria as part of their respective pre-season programmes. United’s 2-1 victory in that West African friendly was, to use another cliché, not a reliable pointer to this game; but what we can say is that the Community Shield represents the final stage in both sides’ preparations for the 2008-09 season - and neither are as ready as they’d like to be.
At least Ferguson has been buoyed by Cristiano Ronaldo’s announcement on Wednesday that he won't be leaving Old Trafford for Real Madrid just yet, which appears to have drawn a line under the summer’s most tiresome soap opera - one that did few of the protagonists much credit.
But on the downside for the United boss is the fact that his European champions lack a cutting edge without the Portuguese winger, who is recovering from ankle surgery, or virus victim Wayne Rooney. Their absence was apparent as United laboured to a 0-0 home draw against Juventus in midweek. Argentine Carlos Tevez is currently the only fit regular first-team striker, and he is not a target man or equipped to play the lone striker role. Consequently, veteran winger Ryan Giggs might be switched into the middle, which is unlikely to unnerve the Pompey defence, although Fraizer Campbell might get as chance.
Either way, it begs the question why haven’t United done more to recruit Tottenham’s Dimitar Berbatov this summer? His game seems tailor-made for United’s, and would surely bring the best out of a fit Rooney, who has manfully tried to fill any role Ferguson has asked him to over the last two seasons. Yet there is no sense of urgency about Fergie’s transfer market moves.
As a result, the double champions are looking unusually short of resources going into the Community Shield - with Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick, Ji-Sung Park, Louis Saha and Anderson also unavailable.
Some of these will also be unavailable for the start of the League season, while Nani has a thigh strain and is suspended for the opening two League games as well. That raises the spectre of another slow, low-scoring start to the campaign.
It is exactly 100 years since United, also as League champions, won the first ever (Charity) Shield, beating then Southern League champions Queen's Park Rangers 4-0 in a replay after a 1-1 draw in 1908. United also won last year's Community Shield, for a record 16th time, against Chelsea on penalties - and finished the campaign in identical fashion in the Champions League final in Moscow.
Portsmouth are challenging for the shield for only the second time. Their one previous appearance was in 1949, when as League champions they drew 1-1 with Cup winners Wolverhampton Wanderers, and shared the trophy.
Pompey will be seeking to prevent United’s 17th shield victory, but Redknapp is still trying to come to terms with the sale of influential midfielder Sulley Muntari to Inter Milan, and has been moaning about his inability to sign the replacements he wants. He will, however, have former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch to partner Jermain Defoe in a strong-looking attack.
Last week, no doubt employing a bit of kidology, Redknaopp said: "I don't think we have a squad who are going to challenge next season at present. There is a lack of any cover or depth. With the Uefa Cup and the games we have, we are going to need three [more] players if we are going to be any kind of force. That's what we are going to need to get anywhere near what we did last year. I'm not saying we are going to get them, but I think we are three players short of being a decent team."