Arsenal stuttered to a 1-1 draw with Lens yesterday, in their opening pre-season game of the summer.
The Gunners came into the match missing a number of international stars, who were yet to return to full training, and started the match with a number of squad members, including Mathieu Debuchy, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, who only joined from yesterday’s opponents 12 months ago, and the returning Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The game started brightly, with Alex Iwobi breaking through to put in Chuba Akpom, who failed to finish the opportunity. Things turned however, and much of the first-half was equal until Calum Chambers mistake allowed Zoubir to race into the box, before teeing up Autret to tap-in.
Arsenal made a number of changes for the second-half however, bringing on Theo Walcott, Joel Campbell, Mohamed Elneny, Kieran Gibba and the Ox, and our side grew into the game.
Theo had a goal disallowed, before Serge Gnabry tidily put Oxlade-Chamberlain through, for him to lob the keeper and level proceedings with under 10 minutes of the game remaining.
Arsenal will not have come out of the game happy, but they will be content with the fact that they came through without any injuries, and with the knowledge that they were using a number of squad members, and still have plenty of key players to return before the campaign kicks off.
We will take on MLS All-Stars next Friday in America, against the likes of David Villa, Andrea Pirlo and Didier Drogba, and we will need to improve somewhat to come away with a win, especially given the American division is mid-season, and their players will be very much match-fit.
We will hopefully have a stronger squad to choose from for the upcoming encounter, which can be watched on Sky Sports, although we will still be without some of the players who went deep into Euro 2016.
Will you be tuning in to see our boys in action on Friday? Who will you be hoping to see play?
I can’t judge a team based on friendlies
I think Sanogo scored a hattrick last summer or summer before
Also your regular starters don’t all play together. Guys like Akpom, Chambers, Adelaide, Gnabry played in the last match
They aren’t a good indicator of how your season will go
I don’t even know what to think of the game.
Last season, Oxlade started well but could not keep the fire burning. I just hope some players find their strengths to help the team because Arsene is not the Manager we used to have that help players develop.
These friendlies are just warm up games and showcase games for some players that could go on loan.
Notice the first 2 words of the headline…. “Arsenal Fail” How about – “Arsenal undefeated in pre-season opener.”
Results in preseason games are nice but mostly meaningless. This goes for nearly ALL preseasons in ALL sports.
Yep, what he said
really?…….. So the preseasons are meaningless huh!
Citeh are playing Bayern, manure are playing dortmund, celtic are playing Leicester etc etc….
We are playing 2nd div french team… Lens and are playing rubbish….up next is the MLS all stars…..another pointless preseason test
Teams to face through out our season will be tougher than these ones we’d be meeting in preseason
Like practicing with balloons in preparations to play football
The RESULTS are nearly meaningless. The games are useful for player fitness, skills training, tactics and player assessment etc. The RESULTS are mostly meaningless – just like international friendlies for national team.
You write that the matches during the season will have tougher opponents. True. And it is also true that Arsenal will not be starting all the reserve players we often see in pre-season. That is another reason the RESULTS don’t tell us much.
C,mon. Apples and oranges. Please.
As we correctly stated. The pre-season RESULTS are often meaningless. Is that too difficult to understand???
whether you like it or not,preseason results r completely meaningless. whether its Madrid or barca u play,it won’t be an indicator of how the season will go
Higuain going for 80 mil? Rumors of 100mil for Pogba?
“So when is this FFP thing supposed to start working?” he asked, his words dripping with sarcasm.
We all know that Walcott spent most of his time being the invisible man, last season and I don’t blame you for only noticing him coming on for the second half against Lens, but he actually started the game on the wing.
At least the Ox showed some intent and its good to see that he has fully recovered from his knee injury, hopefully he will have a good season, as he definitely looks up for it, wish I could say the same for Walcott. ?
I think your assessment is correct. Ox is more talented and is far more likely find top form.
Since higuain is off to juve, what about a cheeky bid for dybala?
all these players displaying enormous talents in their preseason attempts doesn’t really count
once the season starts, their true colours will be revealed!
Then we’d be back to hating what we see!
Adelaide looks a fine prospect for sure, he’s not ready for the first team though, not yet. Can he do a Bellerin?, we won’t know really, he has more ahead of him than Bellerin had. Or can he do what Iwobi done, bide his time and perform better than the two Englishmen, we’ll see, injuries and signings depending. We need a sprinkle of stardust on wing opposite to Alexis. I just hope Wenger wouldn’t see that as stifling the two young guns, if so, he should make room for them by making cuts.
I did not like hearing Wenger mention the last week of window, why is that already on his mind?. I remember vividly the last weeks window of last season, gutted. I will only believe the Marhez rumour to be factual if lei do what they done in Kante situation. They went and got a replacement before selling him. That reminds me, Shurrle to Dortmund, Wolfsbug will not be selling Draxler now. Striker we need, wouldn’t know where to begin in discussing this one. Wenger said he is looking at defensive position along with forward one still, allot is hinging on luck, if he’s already pondering deadline day, that is.