Arsenal drew 1-1 with in their first pre-season friendly against Lens this evening.
Arsene Wenger’s first team of the new campaign was: Martinez, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Monreal, Elneny, Coquelin, Iwobi, Walcott, The Jeff, Akpom.
The Gunners fell behind in the first half but equalised in the second via a beautiful lobbed finish from substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
What a beautiful goal from Ox?⚽️
— Petr Cech (@PetrCech) July 22, 2016
Afterwards, Arsene Wenger said, “It was a good workout for us. It was a very tough first pre-season game.”
For more see the report on the official site. And to do your blood pressure a favour, don’t get too stressed out about it. It’s just a pre-season game.
I started watching then decided to watch Zootopia instead. It had funny sloths.
Ox proving he’s capable of truly epic moments
Lets hope it doesnt happen like last season. Great goal to start it all, pretty much nothing else thereafter.
Fucking tasty goal to be fair
Can’t believe Debuchy is back at the club after the way he behaved last season.
Wenger is looking into converting him into a striker. Oh Hell he’s looking to convert anyone on the team into a striker! FML
Gibbs happy with his situation will have to leave. Debuchy unhappy with his situation may stay. That’s how football works.
I thought Gibbs played really well.
Wonderful goal. Oh, and not only we have a central striker with no pace but also our captain hasn’t in the middle of our defense.
Mertesacker has ample pace. He gets exposed because we play a style of football that exposes centre backs. This is due to possession based football concentrated in the opponents half, breakaways are more dangerous when 8 of your team are all 5 yards from the edge of their box. Strikers are almosr always faster than centre backs. Peter crouch types aside. If a kid is faster than the forwards on a team he will not end up playing in central defence Our central striker has two fast wing forwards around him and doesn’t require a lot of pace be cause… Read more »
(Who was not bad for his time…)…..and when it comes to hairstyle..hmmmm
Smudger was top goalscorer in two title winning teams , golden boot winner in 91 a season where we lost only once ….now I’m not against giroud I agree with everything else you say but he ain’t no Smudger
Smudger was top goalscorer in two title winning teams , golden boot winner in 91 a season where we lost only once ….now I’m not against giroud I agree with everything else you say but he ain’t no Smudger
Nowhere near as prolific as smudger. Giroud’s lack of pace is compounded by not being clinical either. His hold up and link up play is possibly second to none in the prem though I’ll give him that.
The only team that finished ahead of us last year had a central defense of the speedsters Robert Huth and Wes Morgan. I’m not sure Pique and Puyol won too many races either.
Well, he is faster than John Terry for sure…
That depends on whose wife is at the end of the pitch.
Fair play ox. Hope you can take the step up this season we’ve all been waiting for.
What I learned from this match:
1. Ox still doesn’t know to pass, and his skill move is still “tackle self.” But man, he can finish.
2. Theo still can’t do anything.
3. Gibbs was the best man out there. Hope we don’t lose him.
We won’t mention Calum Calamity Chambers. £16 million.
This may sound harsh, but he hasn’t scored a better goal since preseason of last year.
All I’m saying is I hope he can keep it going for the whole season.
We haven’t won a game this entire preseason!
Wenger out! Gazidis out! Stuart MacFarlane out!
As funny as it might be it just reflect upon the fact that we sadly have few low steem weak characters among our fan base.
Everybody out!
Sam! We need Sam!
Great to see the arsenal back on the pitch.. I don’t really believe so much in pre-season until last season when our noisy neighbours lost 3 pre-seasons matches and the disrespectful coach kept saying “you will see the real Chelsea when you season starts” 10th position.
As one of the senior players today (and yes, factoring in pre-season), I was looking for a little more from Walcott, but he gave this Ligue 2 defense no problems at all. Ba had him in his pocket, and was pleased to concede corners off him because, well, they were delivered over everyone’s heads by Walcott.
Some positives: great save in the 2nd half by Matt Macey; Ox’s goal (though not much else worked for him); watching Debuchy get stuck in; no injuries.
Ok, I now realise that grammatically, my post implies that I was one of the senior players on the pitch today. I was not.
Hahahha…..love you!
We know you arn’t, Serge.
Were you injured then? 😉
Coquelin, Campbell and Gibbs stood out for me, rest were hot and cold. Although we looked a better possession team once Zelalem came on as he knows how to make a midfield tick. Willock also looked sharp in the short time he was on, and a mention for Bielik who’s distribution from the back looked promising.
Lens 1 Arsenal 1
Mourinho’s Manutd 1 Dortmund 4
Hahhhhhhhhh
I’ve got the sloths for you, do diddy dum dum did did do
Wenger in a track suit and full on coaching mode on the side lines. Now there’s a something you don’t get to see too often.
Did anyone see the Lens defender run into the post when the goal went in? Comedy gold!
Hahaha…I missed that the first time. Dude was so much in awe of the goal, he didn’t notice a 10-feet post in his face.
Seems like he knocked himself out cold!
I watched the whole game at work, couldn’t take my eyes off it! Not because it was that entertaining or anything, it was just so heartwarming to see all my players with the familiar body language, the first touches, turns, passes playing together…..didnt realize I’ve missed this personal connect with the game so much, can’t wait for the forward signing and the season to start!
Deja vu anyone ? Lets hope, finally, it all comes good for him this season… COYG !!
Good assist work by Gnabry and followed up at the back post in case. Welcome back young man.
We hope to see the year of the Ox. BTW did anyone notice that dude running into the post on the goal, hilariously comic fall.
That Lens defender runs into the post watching Ox’s chip hit the side netting hehe
Just preseason, so nothing to take from it…
Other than the fact that those who truly believe Theo may become our striking option may be in for a surprise.
Goal was only bettered by the defender running into the post and ouch flopping.
Oh and I got ox on the back of my shirt last year as expected big things. Hope it’s this year! Gonna get Iwobi and watch him do a knee.
The post didn’t touch his face if you watch the replay he slaps his face in reaction to conceding an equalizer
chipped the tallest player on the pitch as well as the goalie. Well done Ox!! Keep it coming.
Some of the fans needs to be shipped out of the clubs.. Alongside Debuchy.
How poor was Theo? It’s not like he has been injured or on international duty either!
Blimey O’Riley!…
Anyone else noticed the defender running his nose into the post for Ox’s goal? Haha
I don’t if I am the only one, but I feel Chambers played better when he was moved to right back. Better than Debuchy IMO.