A decent pre-season for the Gunners
Arsenal FC finished their pre-season friendlies having won five games and drawing in one. That solitary slip-up came in their first friendly, against Swansea City at the Liberty City Stadium, in dramatic fashion as substitute Bauza scored a late equaliser for the home side.
Game 1: vs Swansea City [a]
Arsenal took the lead in the eighteenth minute through Nicklas Bendtner when the big Dane powered in a header from a corner on the left. The corner was strangely taken by debutant Thomas Vermaelen, a centre half, but the unusual tactic worked. However, in the eighty-seventh minute, a mix-up between Vermaelen and young defensive partner Kyle Bartley saw the ball end up at the feet of Bauza, who drilled in to equalise late on.
Game 2: vs St Mirren [a]
A 3-0 victory for Arsenal as they travelled to Scotland for their second pre-season fixture. All of the goals came in the first half, through firstly Theo Walcott, then captain Cesc Fabregas, and finally Andrey Arshavin. The first goal was a tap-in, when after Robin van Persie’s shot was saved, Walcott followed up and slotted into the unguarded net. The next goal, scored by skipper Fabregas, was a classy goal, drilled in low off of the post by the Spaniard after he was found by Arshavin. Seven minutes later the third and final goal came. Walcott nipped down the right wing, and as he reached the by-line he swung in a wicked cross to the back post. Arshavin was there to nod home, and complete the rout.
Game 3: vs Barnet [a]
The Gunners went one-nil down before a minute was even up in this one, when Thomas Vermaelen’s clearance rebounded off of Alexandre Song, and the ball ended up spinning over Manuel Almunia and into the back of the net. However, a moment of magic from Andrey Arshavin presented van Persie with an opportunity to drag the away side level, and he took it. The Russian playmaker sprayed a brilliant, pinpoint long ball over the defence and right in front of van Persie, who sped into the area before finishing with aplomb. A good passing move led to van Persie’s second sixteen minutes later, when the Dutchman blasted in from range having been found by Cesc Fabregas. He grabbed his hat-trick goal from a free kick about 25 yards out, drilling into the bottom corner to make it 3-1. And it was that man again who mad it 4-1 early in the second half. Arshavin found Fabregas, who cut the ball back across goal for van Persie to slot in. Alex Song completed the rout, and atoned for his early own goal, by hitting a great first time volley low into the corner, after full-back Sagna’s low cross.
However, Theo Walcott strained knee ligaments in that game, and it was confirmed that the forward would be out for more than a month. Arsene Wenger used this an excuse to dip into the transfer market, but other clubs didn’t take too kindly to him approaching them about their players. The Arsenal boss had bids for Ibrahim Afellay, Arda Turan, Diego Perotti and Santiago Cazorla all rejected, with further transfer heartache on the way. However, some good news arrived in the shape of new contracts, with Phillipe Senderos and Eduardo da Silva both signing three year deals at the club.
Game 4: vs Watford [a]
Yet another away game was up next for an Arsenal team without winger Theo Walcott, and the English starlet was replaced by Fran Merida. Arshavin switched to the right to accommodate Merida, who played on the left of midfield. It took the Gunners most of the 90 minutes to come up with something, and it was Arshavin who delivered the assist. Late on, he swung in a corner, and there was Cesc Fabregas to nod the ball in at the back post and give Arsenal a 1-0 win.
Game 5: vs Boreham Wood [a]
Arsenal had to play their annual friendly at Boreham Wood without left back Gael Clichy. The French defender sprained his wrist, and as a consequence would have to miss between 9 and 11 days of football. Kieran Gibbs slotted in at the back, and that was the only change from the Watford match. It was an 8-0 victory for the Gunners, who rarely came out of first gear. The first minute brought the first goal, with Fabregas putting Arshavin in to slot home. Fabregas was again the assister, finding van Persie, who turned and drilled in to make it 2-0. Goals from van Persie (2), Arshavin (3) and Gallas sealed the thrashing.
Game 6: vs Numancia [a]
The only goal of this game came in the fourth minute, with Arsenal’s number four Cesc Fabregas putting in Robin van Persie to score the first and only goal of a 1-0 win for Arsenal.
A £10 million bid for Alexis Sanchez was rejected, before a negotiated £10 million deal for Vedad Ibesivic of Hoffenheim was struck. However, despite the player agreeing personal terms and a work permit application being accepted, the move fell through over a failed medical. Arsene Wenger was finally successful in the market later in the week, however, with Angel di Maria joining for £14.5 million from Benfica. The winger will wear the number 13 at Arsenal, and is expected to play against Stoke in the first game of the Premier League season, in the absence of Theo Walcott.
Fixtures in August were Stoke City [a], Celtic [h], Burnley [a], Celtic [a] and Manchester City [h], I'll get a little review of the month similar to the pre-season update up later, for now I'd love a couple more comments on the friendlies update.
