Match Report – Match Highlights – Post-Match Press Conference

Final Result: Nurnberg 1-1 Arsenal  (Saka 7′ | Jorginho OG 62′)

Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Partey, Trossard, F. Vieira; Saka, Nketiah, Nelson

Gabriel led the team for Arsenal’s first pre-season encounter of the campaign against Nurnberg with the German fans on the stands waiting to get a glimpse of their compatriot, Kai Havertz, don the Red and White for the first time.

Arsenal captain, Martin Odegaard, picked up a slight knock in the warmup, and was replaced in the starting XI by Fabio Vieira. Aaron Ramsdale was between the sticks, with Gabriel and Saliba reuniting their partnership in the heart of the defense. Ben White and Jakub Kiwior played in the full back positions, Thomas Partey anchored alone with Leandro Trossard and Vieira as the double 8’s in front of him. Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson flanked Eddie Nketiah. The key names on the bench included – Jorginho, Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Jesus, Cedric Soares,  Flo Balogun and new boy, Kai Havertz.

Nelson made a slalom run in behind the defense and slid it in to Nketiah but James Lawrence was on hand to make a superb block. Fabio Vieira received a Ball from the byline and fluffed a shot with his right foot that went wide off the mark. Saka and White showed that telepathic connection they had built from playing together for pretty much the entirety of last season, which both players connecting well before White sent Vieira through with a drilled cut back. Sadly, the Portuguese midfielder wasn’t in the same wavelength.

Arsenal opened the scoring when White lobbed the ball forward to Saka. The Starboy dragged the ball to the byline, cut inside, shimmed past Tim Handwerker then let one rip with his wand of a left boot with precision and power to put the Gunners one to the good. Classic Saka finish which was a beauty with each passing replay.

White was at the heart of everything good from an attacking perspective linking up well with Partey and Vieira before going into the byline to drill yet another good cross into the box. Nelson attacked it and fired it goalwards, but a deflection saw the ball loop in the air and was parried to a corner by Mathenia before it could drop into his net. Nketiah showed good anticipation to win the ball from a defender and Saka was on hand to blast a shot that was blocked before causing any danger. Saka swung in a dangerous ball from the resulting corner which was parried by Christian Mathenia but the loose ball fell to Thomas Partey whose first-time volley bounced hard on the ground and missed its intended target.

Kiwior made a rare foray forward to join the attacking play at the edge of the box but his shot from a Nelson lay off was blasted straight at his teammate, Nelson. Arsenal was on the ascendancy and continued their intricate passing play that saw Nketiah kill the ball and held up play enough for Saka to react swiftly and blast a shot that stung the palms of the goalie, but was smotherd to safety..

Nurnberg’s first sniff at goal was down to a defensive lapse as Kiwior dallied on the ball before losing it to Kwadwo Duah of all people, Nurnberg’s danger man, who rushed his effort wide courtesy of some pressure from Kiwior, who was aiming to redeem himself for his initial error.

As expected, Arsenal made a host of changes in the second half and had the chance to go two up when Gabriel Jesus received a sumptuous ball from a throw in that saw him go one on one with the keeper but the Brazilian forward fired the ball wide with his left foot. He sure knows how to make some memorable misses though. Interestingly, Jesus was clearly offside by a far mile, but the linesman kept his flag down because he received the ball from a throw in. Someone needs to get me the FIFA rule book or something. The finish was quite atrocious from Jesus but as always, his off the ball movement was a thorn in the flesh of the Nurnberg backline.

Jesus dropped deep to receive a Jorginho pass and fed Vieira who bore down on goal before setting up Cedric. The Portuguese defender shimmied to his left side and blasted the ball with quite some force, but thankfully for a hapless Mathenia rooted to the spot, the ball went wide by a lick of paint. Cedric’s shot had a whole lot of power and a whole less of accuracy.

The goal Arsenal conceded was in a quite comical fashion. White won the ball in the defense and fed it to Cedric, who sent it back to his keeper, Karl Hein, that controlled the ball out his box and fed it to Jorginho. The Italian defender was put under immense pressure by Kanji Okunuki and wanted to return the ball to his keeper, even though White was free for a pass, but he ended up passing the ball to the back of the net from 35 yards. One of the most bizarre own goals you’d see in a while. The Arsenal fans in attendance were bewildered with what they saw, while the Nurnberg faithful cheered in full voice.

Nurnberg almost took the lead when Ali Loune fired the ball from quite the distance, but Hein unleashed his inner Flappyhandski and his parried effort fell straight to Christoph Daferener whose rebounded effort lopped over Hein and hit the cross bar before the ball was cleared to safety by Auston Trusty. Late on, Cedric looped in a corner that was headed wide by Reull Walters and that was pretty much it from an attacking perspective for Arsenal. Nurnberg had a late rally and hit Arsenal on the break with Daferner sent through on goal but his shot was blocked superbly by Trusty. In the final minute of the game, Arsenal had the chance to claim victory when Folarin Balogun was sent through on goal by Myles Lewis-Skelly, and did very well to beat the offside trap, and even round the goalie, but his effort struck the side netting. I’m sure if he was wearing the jersey of Stade de Reims, it would probably have gone in.

Despite not heavily involved in any noteworthy moment in the game, it was good seeing Havertz feature for us for the first time, slotting in midfield and showing some good passing play. The midfielder has stated how happy he is to be part of the group and I’m certain we will see him get a chance to shine in the MLS Tour coming up soon. For Mikel Arteta, it was more of the positives from the game and even though he would have been disappointed not to win the game, he was happy with the fitness levels shown as the Gunners launched their pre-season campaign underway.

Hopefully, we return to off the field business and finally announce the signings of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber.

Sayonara.

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