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Friendly
After a first win in friendly against the modest club of Boreham Wood (8-0), Arsenal knew, this Thursday in Singapore, his first real test. And against Atletico Madrid in the International Champions Cup, the Gunners signed a draw (1-1, then defeat on penalties). Unai Emery is slowly putting his ideas in.
The eleven was young, the opponent on the level and Singapore's hot night for the first full-scale test of Unai Emery. Indeed, after their anecdotal 8-0 win over Boreham Wood in their first meeting of preparation, the Gunners version 2018-19 faced this Monday the Atlético Madrid, recent winner of the Europa League, as part of its first match International Champions Cup (pre-season exhibition tournament in which PSG participates). A match tackled by Unai Emery in a serious way, with a rejuvenated eleven but no less interesting, with among others the presence of the young rookie Matteo Guendouzi. Young people – well supported by Mustafi, Aubameyang, Lacazette or Ramsey – not really disturbed by their evening opponent and dominators during the first act, despite the opening of the score of Madrilenian Luciano Vietto, who took a center Angel Correa five minutes from the return to the cloakroom. It finally took a well-built action and especially sublimely concluded by Emile Smith-Rowe, who found the skylight with a shot from wide coiled to equalize, before the penalty shootout between the two teams at the end 90 minutes. Defeat 3-1 of Unai Emery's men in this exercise
1 shot on target – 1 goal for Atletico
Domination of Arsenal, ahead in the prep, but Lacazette could not conclude.
Young people (Guendouzi, Smith-Rowe, Nelson) rather interesting #ATMAFC– ?? Kevin Jeffries ?? (@kevjeffries) July 26, 2018
A 4-2-3-1 variable
For this friendly meeting, the former coach of Paris Saint-Germain had decided to check the names in a 4-2 -3-1, successful system during his visit to Seville. Ramsey and Guendouzi had to operate in a double pivot behind Smith-Rowe, but it was finally, and quite logically, much more flexible than a static and invariable system. Guendouzi, in a role of distributor " regista ", often had the direction of the game at his expense, while Aaron Ramsey did not hesitate to attack the last 30 meters alongside the young Emile Smith- Rowe. And in this configuration, facing a team simeonisée still comfortable without a ball, Arsenal chained the phases of possession to get some opportunities (22 ', 32'). However, it would have been necessary to put a bit more rhythm and movement to multiply the opportunities and to conclude, the block of Atlético being far from its usual standards in terms of intensity and impact. Defensively, if we saw some scrambled but spontaneous and welcome pressure sequences, Arsenal managed the losses of the ball by an eleven quickly regrouped. The right side still remained the red and white Achilles heel, as evidenced by the opening of the score, even if Arsenal has never had a hard time, except in the second half around the hour of play. [19659005Thejobofacoachistocontrolthesmallestdetailstofacilitatetheplayersonthefield
Emery showed it on this one. pic.twitter.com/bi1OqJZC0U
– Charaf (@ CharafMD8) July 26, 2018
Intentions and alternation
In the continuity of the Arsene Wenger era and with a Philosophy inspired by Bielsa and Co., said Emery, Arsenal strove to revive short and in the feet. A way to aspire a team of Atlético still very low, which has sometimes worked, like an action in the 39th where Bernd Leno took advantage of a sequence to launch the offensive from its surface. Noble intentions for the Gunners, who were also caught in their own game lack of efficiency, solutions around the wearer and technical accuracy sometimes, but that could take a different dimension with the returns of Özil and others. In another style, this time higher and over attack, where Arsenal suffered in the Premier League, we saw alternation, via Matteo Guendouzi among others. The former Lorient arrived for 8 million euros did not hesitate to reverse the game and change wings several times. Nothing exceptional in the state, but Emery could see and try several organizations and observe his flock in different registers. And actually target the failures. Because if the absences of the internationals (Torreira, Elneny, Özil, Xhaka, Koscielny, Iwobi, Lichsteiner, Monreal …) are not negligible, Arsenal still has work on the transfer window. And must fissa, the latter closing its doors on August 9.
Antoine Bourlon
