Let’s have all our transfers done by then
Ha ha ha ha ha
An illustrious group is scheduled to report next Monday for pre-season, including Okonkwo, Bellerin, Holding, Cedric, Mari, Partey, Sambi, Nelson, and Nketiah.
I wonder what those guys actually get up to at this stage, other than basic fitness. Is it awkward when you just have all the crap/marginal players (except Partey) get together and they all know it?
The following Monday July 4th a bunch of other players should arrive before the trip to Germany and I imagine others will trickle in over the following week or two depending on how long their international commitments ran in June.
Would be glorious to have them all signed for the tour.
We can just chill for the rest of the summer?
What has happened to Arsenal. We are looking like we have a plan and know what we are doing lol
See we have the U23s or an AFC XI visiting Dulwich Hamlet and Bromley!
Will probably try and get to both of them, be good to see some football again!
First pre-season match:
1. FC Nürnberg vs Arsenal
Fri Jul 8 - 16:30
Max-Morlock-Stadion
Match info
Hoping we see Vieira and Jesus in action
NKETIAAAH
Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick as we kicked off our pre-season programme with a comfortable 5-1 win over Ipswich Town, in a behind-closed-doors friendly at London Colney on Saturday.
Our new number 14 racked up a first-half treble, also assisting Sambi Lokonga’s goal, before Folarin Balogun got in on the act in the second half.
The match was an opportunity for Mikel Arteta to give some action to those players who returned to training at the start of the week – essentially those who weren’t involved in post-season international fixtures.
It meant he was able to field the likes of Thomas Partey, Ben White and Nicolas Pepe in a strong-looking first-half line up, as well as a host of players who were away on loan last season, including Hector Bellerin and Reiss Nelson.
And our class told in the opening exchanges. There were barely 30 seconds on the clock when Nketiah opened the scoring, and the striker soon turned provider, laying on the second for Sambi Lokonga. The Belgian midfielder was able to tap home after an impressive team move.
Nketiah then completed his hat-trick inside 35 minutes, with a couple of trademark poacher’s finishes.
Cruising at 4-0 at half-time, Arteta changed the entire line up for the second half, and it was time for the youth team players to shine.
Folarin Balogun was the next to find the target, before Ipswich Town reduced the arrears with a consolation through Sone Aluko.
But all in all it was a comfortable victory for the Gunners, who depart for a training camp in Germany on Monday, a trip that culminates with a friendly away to Nurnberg on Friday, July 8.
That will be followed by three games in the USA, as we continue our build up to the big Premier League kick off at Crystal Palace on Friday, August 5.
First-half team: Bernd Leno, Hector Bellerin, Ben White, Pablo Mari, Cedric, Thomas Partey, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sambi Lokonga, Nicolas Pepe, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson
First-half team: Arthur Okonkwo, Reuell Walters, Alex Kirk, Zach Awe, Lino Sousa, Matt Smith, Salah Oulad M’hand, Charlie Patino, Omari Hutchinson, Folarin Balogun, Marcelo Flores. Subs: Jack Henry-Francis, Mazeed Ogungbo
Partey’s line breaking passes still there.
Those finishes from Nketiah for the first one and Balogun for the last were top class.
Looking forward to seeing these pre season games more now
Vieira and Jesus to look out for
Also interesting how Eddie and Reiss Nelson do, or if Torreira and Mari etc are involved?
Thinking of going to a couple of the U23 games too, Dulwich Hamlet and Bromley are definitely on the list to do.
Our first real match this Friday. Hope we’ll see Jesus and Vieira in action.
Absolutely!
Think we’re still waiting on what platform itll be on to watch though.