Arsenal began a new era without Granit Xhaka and it began with a very low key match against the Bundesliga second tier side FC Nurnberg. Mikel Arteta picked a very strong starting XI and it looked like it should be a walkover when Bukayo Saka put us into an early lead with a typically brilliant shot from outside the box that avoided defenders and strikers alike before nesting in the bottom corner.
But the Gunners could not build on that and looked sluggish up front so the score remained the same until the break.
There were wholesale changes in the second half, and although we had more of the chances the Germans equalized through a crazy backpass from Jorginho wiped out our lead and it was Nurnberg who seemed more likely to score the winner, at one point hitting the bar.
Our strikers, as in Jesus, Nketiah and Balogun all had great chances but every chance went begging. A draw was not the end of the world and every member of the squad got a game except our captain Martin Odegaard who mysteriously didn’t arrive on the pitch after getting injured in the warm up. Let’s hope it is not too serious…
Enjoy!