Mikel Arteta handed out numerous debuts as Arsenal made a winning start to their pre-season tour
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| Norgaard, Zubimendi and Dowman all featured against AC Milan (Photos@ Getty) |
Arsenal 1-0 AC Milan (Saka 53′)
Arsenal made a winning start to their pre-season tour against AC Milan in Singapore with a few new faces given their first runouts by Mikel Arteta.
Bukayo Saka scored the game’s only goal with a scuffed volley at the back post from Jakub Kiwior’s searching cross, before the Gunners were beaten 6-5 on penalties in a pre-arranged post-match shootout.
Three of Arsenal’s summer signings were involved, with Christian Norgaard starting and Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi brought on at half-time. A few promising academy prospects also featured in the second half.
Arteta will soon have other newcomers to integrate.
Christian Mosquera is in the Far East to complete his move from Valencia and could feature against Newcastle or Tottenham, while Arsenal hope to have Viktor Gyokeres join them on tour once his protracted move from Sporting Lisbon has been finalised.
Noni Madueke has been given an extended break after featuring for Chelsea at the Club World Cup.
Zubimendi catches the eye
The introductions of Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard at the break, alongside Declan Rice, gave Arsenal fans a first look at what is likely to be a first-choice midfield next season.
Zubimendi offers more playmaking qualities than Arsenal have had recently in the No 6 role, but he also possesses the defensive nous to protect the back four.
The 26-year-old ranked ninth in La Liga for combined tackles and interceptions last season and offered glimpses of those ball-winning capabilities in Kallang.
He was well-positioned to disrupt Milan counters, nicking the ball off Rafael Leao within minutes of coming on as Milan’s main man slalomed towards goal after a turnover.
Later on, he dispossessed Leao again, staying alive and alert to win the ball inside his own box. He looks well suited to Arsenal’s high press, too, shuttling crab-like to close down space in the opponents’ half.
It was a polished performance on the ball pockmarked by various line-breaking passes. He even scored a penalty, calmly sending Milan’s impressive No 2 Lorenzo Torriani the wrong way in a pre-arranged post-match shootout.
An encouraging first outing from the £52m buy.
Neat and tidy Norgaard
Adapting to playing for a team that had the third-highest possession share in the Premier League last season, from one that was 15th, will determine whether or not the Dane is a success in north London.
There were a couple of stray passes, but generally, he was accomplished on the ball (if less so than Zubimendi) and looked to punch balls into the forwards.
With Arsenal controlling much of the first half, he had plenty of the ball and operated higher up the pitch than he tended to for Brentford.
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| Norgaard played the first-half against AC Milan (Photo: AP) |
He could even have registered a debut assist, after Ethan Nwaneri’s stinging drive from his pass forced a smart stop on the stretch from Pietro Terracciano.
Another facet of Norgaard’s game that has perhaps been overlooked is his aerial ability. According to WhoScored, Norgaard won 52 aerial duels last season, the third-most among Premier League central midfielders.
The six-footer made a headed clearance from a Milan corner later in the half and his presence could help Arsenal improve their defensive set-piece record.
The Gunners let in 14 set-piece goals in the league last season; Brentford conceded just two.
A clean sheet for Kepa
Signed to provide competition for David Raya, Kepa will be pleased to have kept his first clean sheet in Arsenal colours.
It was a largely stress-free half for the ex-Chelsea keeper, especially considering he played most of it behind a back four containing two 18-year-olds and a 15-year-old.
His best moment was getting his positioning and handling spot on to gather in a Leao shot from range, before immediately springing to his feet to set an Arsenal counter in motion with a throw.
Kepa may have had little to do in regulation time, but he was in inspired form in the penalty shootout, matching Torriani by making three saves from the first five kicks, all of which were down to his left.
He has always backed himself in shootouts, to be fair.
Teenage kicks
Besides the newcomers, Arsenal supporters will have been eager to see a few of the club’s youngsters get some game time.
There is plenty of hype around the 15-year-old Max Dowman, who is eligible to play Premier League football next season.
A left-footed attacking midfielder, Dowman slotted in on Saka’s right flank and looked remarkably composed given his inexperience.
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| Dowman impressed on his Arsenal debut (Photo: Reuters) |
There is a touch of early Jack Wilshere about Dowman, with his low centre of gravity, direct dribbles and silky touch.
The schoolboy kept his cool in the shootout, succeeding where Odegaard, Reiss Nelson and Kiwior hadn’t by netting from 12 yards. Expect to see much more of him over the next few years.
Marli Salmon, another 15-year-old, also looked assured at centre-back, while 18-year-old right-back Josh Nichols produced some exciting bits of skill. Nichols also scored a penalty, although Salmon blazed his over with Milan winning the shootout with the next kick.
Hale End graduates Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both broke into Arteta’s first-team plans last term, and judging by the displays of Dowman, Salmon and Nichols, more will follow before long.
- Oliver Young-Myles
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