Arsenal Triumph in Final Friendly Ahead of Pre-Season Tour
Arsenal wrapped up their preparations for their pre-season tour with a 2-0 victory against Leyton Orient in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Saturday.
The match provided valuable game time for players who were not involved in international duty this summer.
The Gunners are set to fly to the United States on Sunday, with several key first-team members joining later in the month after their commitments in Euro 2024 and Copa America.
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For those not on international duty, the friendly against Leyton Orient was an opportunity to get back into competitive action.
Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring in the first half, followed by a second-half goal from substitute Emile Smith Rowe, sealing a comfortable win for a youthful Arsenal side.
Alongside Jesus, the starting lineup featured senior players like Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira, and Eddie Nketiah.
Young Talent Shines and Arteta Tests New Tactics
Manager Mikel Arteta gave fans a glimpse of his tactical plans for the upcoming season by starting 17-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, one of the club’s highly-rated youngsters, at left-back.
Lewis-Skelly played a crucial role in the opening goal, linking up well with Reiss Nelson before Gabriel Jesus slotted home 20 minutes into the match.
Jesus continued to impress by setting up Smith Rowe for the second goal shortly after the break.
From that point, Arsenal maintained control and cruised to victory, gaining valuable minutes and confidence ahead of their pre-season tour.
Calafiori Transfer Nearing Completion
Despite the positive result, Arsenal’s prospective new signing Riccardo Calafiori is unlikely to join the team for the US tour.
The Italian defender is close to completing his move to the Emirates Stadium after Arsenal reached an agreement with Bologna.
The transfer is expected to cost Arsenal just under £40 million, with a sell-on clause included for Bologna.
The Gunners have a challenging schedule ahead, with matches against Bournemouth, Manchester United, and Liverpool lined up over the next two weeks.
Following the US tour, Arsenal will face Lyon in the Emirates Cup before kicking off their Premier League campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers.