Arsenal opened their pre-season with a 4-1 win over Girona, as Max Dowman delivered a goal and an assist in a performance that overshadowed a strong team display. Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis and Gabriel Jesus also found the net, while Ethan Nwaneri and Riccardo Calafiori made attacking contributions.
The opening goal arrived just after the quarter-hour mark when Havertz finished calmly after Dowman’s skilful turn and perfectly weighted pass. A second followed in the 30th minute when Nwaneri’s sharp forward pass sent Calafiori into Girona’s half; the Italian moved the ball wide to Tzolis, whose quick feet created a yard of space and whose effort nestled in the far corner via a deflection.
Dowman’s busy display
Dowman was involved in most of Arsenal’s best play in the first half. He intercepted a pass inside his own defensive third midway through the half, then went on a jinking run before being crowded out in the penalty area, with penalty appeals waved away.
The 16-year-old wasn’t flawless after the break. He ignored Viktor Gyokeres running into space on the opposite side, dribbled forward and lost possession, prompting a scream from the Swede. He made amends by scoring from 20 yards after Myles Lewis-Skelly’s precise forward pass, then made a crucial interception before needing Kepa Arrizabalaga to bail him out after a mishit back pass.
Dowman was brought off on the hour mark, with cameras showing him in deep discussion with Mikel Arteta on the sidelines. While he is far from the finished article, his quality was evident and he looks set for a breakout season.
New partnership unlocked
Arteta has the squad depth to develop specific partnerships, and the first 45 minutes in Spain suggested Christos Tzolis and Riccardo Calafiori will link up frequently. Calafiori, an unorthodox full-back, drifts into central areas, as he did for Arsenal’s second goal, occupying defenders and opening space for Tzolis to cut inside and score.
Defensive struggles
Arsenal were far from solid at the back. Substitute goalkeeper Illian Meslier was forced into several saves after the changes, but even at full strength the backline looked vulnerable. Ben White was caught out early, and there were sloppy passes among the defenders.
The biggest frustration came from conceding a corner when Arnau Martinez headed in unmarked. Calafiori was arguably the only regular starter in the back four from the off, and with William Saliba carrying a back injury, Jurrien Timber being managed carefully and Gabriel Magalhaes likely to be monitored, the defensive concerns are understandable. Signing a defender is not a priority, but the links to centre-backs make sense.
Early substitutions
Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapie were all taken off after the first drinks break around the 30th minute. That makes sense as all three reached the World Cup last-32 and were late arrivals to pre-season. Gabriel Martinelli and Magalhaes were eliminated in the following round and are likely to be eased back in.
Arteta has faced criticism for overplaying players like Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, but he appears to be taking extra care after several key players struggled with fitness in the second half of last season.
Guimaraes transfer incentive
The need to wrap up the signing of Bruno Guimaraes quickly was clear even before kick-off. Arteta named a strong starting XI, but the midfield balance was not ideal, with Lewis-Skelly, Havertz and Nwaneri leaving Arsenal open at times. There is little choice though, with Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino still on holiday after the World Cup.
Gabriel Martinelli and Magalhaes have returned, meaning Guimaraes’ minimum rest period is also up. An £80m deal is reportedly agreed, and he is expected to head to Arsenal’s training camp rather than Newcastle’s. Arteta needs the deal completed quickly so Guimaraes can get training sessions under his belt and be ready for the opening weeks of the season.
With Christian Norgaard, who was among the substitutes in Girona, set to join Everton, the Guimaraes deal is expected to ramp up. The Community Shield against Manchester City takes place in just over two weeks, and Guimaraes would ideally be starting as Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Elliot Anderson present more of a threat than Girona did.
