If the point of a pre-season encounter were the outcome, we’d focus on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s equalizing goal in the 81st minute and the mistake by Calum Chambers that led to Mathias Autret’s first-half opener.
But the result isn’t the objective of these matches; instead, manager Arsène Wenger will focus on how the match improved the team’s fitness and whether any players displayed a readiness to make an individual impact in the coming season.
Here are three observations of Arsenal’s progress toward those objectives.
Lens gave Arsenal a proper workout
The French Ligue 2 side, set to open the season next Friday, put in a performance full of energy. Lens moved the ball quickly, and without they ball they put consistent pressure on Arsenal’s midfield and center halves.
This level of activity forced Arsenal to think and move quickly from the outset. The Gunners’ decision-making was acceptable, especially for a first outing, but as one might expect the execution was spotty. On a number of occasions someone would attempt a pass through Lens’ back line, only to discover that a forward teammate had run into a different area.
In midfield, misplaced passes were noticeable, as Arsenal could not achieve the precision needed to avoid Lens pressure.
Meanwhile, the defensive line Lens chose, relatively high by the standards of lower-league teams Arsenal face, gave Gunners’ forwards room to run. Theo Walcott was particularly active in the first half in his attempts to exploit the space.
The absence of a true playmaker, such as Mesut Özil, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, or Santi Cazorla, created the opportunity for a more mobile attacking midfield, and Alex Iwobi and Jeff Reine-Adelaide in the first half and Joel Campbell and Oxlade-Chamberlain in the second used the occasion to shift positions quite a bit. They’ll all feel like they exerted themselves.
The backup fullbacks started to state their case
Mathieu Debuchy and Kieran Gibbs, both definite Premier League starters a couple of years ago, found themselves sidelined last season by injury and the impressive performances of Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal. It seemed the pair recognized the need to impress this pre-season, putting in noticeable effort and making an impact.
Playing the first 45 minutes, Debuchy sought out Walcott on the right flank with several clever passes and charged forward himself on a number of occasions. He was aggressive defensively as well, eventually picking up a rare friendly yellow card.
Gibbs, who replaced Monreal at halftime, delivered one of the match’s best individual performances. He limited Lens’ effectiveness on his flank and protected the young center half Krystian Bielik. Going forward, Gibbs showed clever movement, a deft touch, and an eye for a pass. His cutback for Campbell led to a shot on target.
The prospects for Debuchy and Gibbs—either to secure more playing time with Arsenal or to land a move to a starting position elsewhere—won’t have been harmed by their efforts Friday.
Ox looks in fine pre-season form
Oxlade-Chamberlain has a knack for the eye-catching pre-season goal. In last summer’s Charity Shield against Chelsea, he netted the winner by curling the ball in with his weaker left foot. On Friday, he gathered Serge Gnabry’s pass on the right and chipped it delicately into the upper left corner of the Lens goal.
That equalizer was a reward for a sturdy second-half performance. After a halting season of injury and iffy form, Oxlade-Chamberlain showed he’s ready to take on opponents, including the mammoth Lens center half Abdoul Ba. He also synchronized well with Campbell, Gnabry, and Alex Iwobi as Arsenal moved forward.
Although we shouldn’t draw any tactical conclusions from this initial runout, it was interesting to see Oxlade-Chamberlain exchange positions with Iwobi in central midfield as well. That will be a crowded area in the Arsenal squad, with Ramsey, Cazorla, Wilshere, Mohammed Elneny, and Granit Xhaka all potential starters.
Still, if playing there improves Oxlade-Chamberlain’s vision, decision-making, and confidence for the season ahead, the team will benefit. His physical preparation looks quite advanced already.
Extra time
Francis Coquelin is another player who looks ready to fight for a role. He knows Arsenal have already made a major acquisition for his position, bringing in Xhaka from Borussia Mönchengladbach. The French defensive midfielder, one of the first names on the team sheet throughout 2015, again has to prove his worth.
On Friday, he got to work quickly. Coquelin made two full-blooded but fair tackles in the first 12 minutes and was one of only two Arsenal players, with captain Per Mertesacker, to complete the full match. He was a little messy with the ball and understandably tired by the end of 90 minutes, but Coquelin showed he’s up for the challenge Xhaka’s arrival presents him.
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