Arsenal's pre-season concluded with a 1-1 draw against Cesc Fabregas' Como side at the Emirates Stadium, a match that highlighted ongoing concerns about the team's readiness for the upcoming campaign. The Gunners now face a race against time to get key players up to speed before their competitive fixtures begin.
Arsenal's slow burn continues
With the Premier League season just nine days away, Arsenal are far from full strength. Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice have yet to play a single minute for the club this summer, having only returned to training this week. Neither was included in the squad for the Como match, as the club manages their fitness carefully.
Due to a lack of depth, Arsenal are also being cautious with Ben White's fitness, leading to 18-year-old Theo Julienne starting. The match had a strong friendly atmosphere, with numerous substitutions and limited minutes for key players. Eberechi Eze played only half an hour, while Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus each got 30 minutes up front. Marli Salmon was the only Arsenal player to feature for more than an hour.
Lewis-Skelly sends timely message
Myles Lewis-Skelly delivered a standout performance, continuing his run of starting every pre-season match. The 19-year-old, who has been linked with Chelsea and Manchester United, played superbly, combining dangerously with Eze and looking more secure in the No6 role than he did against Borussia Dortmund.
He led the press that forced Como goalkeeper Jean Butez into a mistake and calmly rolled a finish low into the net to open the scoring. His celebration, tapping the badge and making a heart gesture, was pointed. Lewis-Skelly should be very, very far down the list of players Arsenal are looking to sell this summer.
Guimaraes finally up and running
Bruno Guimaraes received a massive roar when his name was read out ahead of the second half, and another came seconds later when he had his first touch in an Arsenal shirt. Arteta brought him on at the break to get minutes in his legs ahead of the Community Shield.
Guimaraes quickly showed his bite in midfield, making a crucial block to stop a Como break and committing a foul after being caught on the ball. He also came to Josh Ogunnaike's rescue in the 90th minute, sticking out a boot to win the ball back. The Brazilian is a confident penalty taker, and he demonstrated that in the shootout, stuttering his way to the ball and rolling it into the bottom corner.
