Arsenal USA tour winners and losers:
rsenal endured sweltering humidity in Washington and New Jersey and scorching temperatures in Los Angeles, as they prepare for the season opener against Manchester City at Wembley next Sunday.
Despite returning to cooler climes on this side of the Atlantic, some in the squad will be feeling the heat as manager Mikel Arteta prepares to trim his squad.
What did the manager learn in the US to help him make those decisions?
Standard Sport looks at the winners and losers from matches against the MLS All-Stars, Manchester United and Barcelona.
Winners
Leandro Trossard
A first full pre-season as an Arsenal player and it could not have gone any better for him. Three goals out in the States, including a fantastic brace against Barcelona, capped off a brilliant tour for Trossard, who has been preferred to Gabriel Martinelli in most of the games across the pond. It is clear that the former Brighton forward’s versatility is what makes him such an attractive prospect for how Arteta wants to play this season, and it would come as no surprise to see him starting against Manchester City in the Community Shield.
Jurrien Timber
One of the three big-money signings made by Arsenal before the tour began, Timber has seamlessly fitted in Arteta’s side, offering a calm and collected figure across the backline. The 22-year-old was tested in all three defensive positions and showed no particular weaknesses in his game. Conceding four goals between Manchester United and Barcelona (Timber had been subbed off prior to Barcelona’s third goal) may not fill Arsenal fans with optimism about the defensive stability of their team, but the Dutchman’s all-round game allowed Arsenal to play even more unpredictable football, which is exactly what Arteta wants. It will be interesting to see which side the Spaniard deploys Timber on, but the former Ajax player is definitely causing some selection headaches ahead of the season.
Mikel Arteta
This has been another productive pre-season for the Arsenal boss, as the Gunners look to face up to Manchester City once again. Business was done early, with Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz all arriving in north London before the side stepped foot on the plane to the US. Now, Arteta must switch his focus to outgoings, with the 41-year-old Spaniard looking to tighten up his squad. After the Barcelona game, he said: “We have 30 players here which is unsustainable, and obviously the market is still open, and things can happen — but we are prepared.”
Losers
Kieran Tierney
Despite being the only out-and-out left full-back in the squad, not starting a single match during this tour must feel like a kick in the teeth for Tierney, who is still linked with a move away from the Emirates. Jakub Kiwior, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Timber were all preferred in the States, despite Arteta’s public declaration of wanting to keep the Scotsman. Despite the limited game time, the 26-year-old still impressed when he entered the fray against Manchester United, and even provided an assist for Arsenal’s fourth goal against Barcelona, as he begins to look more comfortable in the system Arteta wants to play. It will be interesting to see what comes of Tierney at the end of the transfer window.
Oleksandr Zinchenko
A real shame for the Ukrainian, who did not feature for a single minute on this tour, with Arteta confirming after the Barcelona game the versatile defender had sustained an injury. He said: “With Alex, he had a muscular injury again unfortunately. He’s getting back — I think he’ll be back soon, but it’s a shame that he hasn’t been with us the whole tour.” Still vital to how Arsenal play under the Spaniard, the loss of Zinchenko is a blow to the Gunners’ preparations for the new season. However, the 26-year-old’s position is now up for grabs, with no less than three of his team-mates vying it out for a starting berth.
Folarin Balogun
Returning with much fanfare after a very productive season in France with Stade de Reims, Balogun has not shown the qualities of a player who notched up 21 goals in Ligue 1 last campaign. The American received only 25 minutes during this tour, against the MLS All-Stars. He did not get on the pitch against Manchester United and was not in the squad against Barcelona due to injury. Having trained away from the main group prior to the Barcelona match, and with lingering doubts over his future at the club, this could have been seen as the pre-season from hell for the American.
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