Arsenal Preparing Behind-Closed-Doors Friendly To Sharpen Stars’ Match Fitness – Report

By The Editor
on 13th August 2019

Arsenal’s first-team stars will sharpen up on their match fitness in behind-closed-doors friendly as Unai Emery looks to get them up to speed…

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Arsenal are reportedly preparing to organise a behind-closed-doors friendly to bring several first-team stars up to speed as Unai Emery aims to integrate them into the squad, Amy Lawrence from The Athletic reports.

Emery fielded an XI without any of the new signings for our opening game at Newcastle United, and that was mainly due to their lack of match fitness.

The likes of Nicolas Pepe, Dani Ceballos and David Luiz have endured stop-start summers, and the report claims the club is seeking a friendly of ‘high intensity’ to sharpen their match fitness.

Alongside the new signings, Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira is also in need of minutes having arrived late due to his Copa America excursions in Brazil.

Torreira played some part in our final pre-season fixture at Barcelona 10 days ago, and it’s imperative to see him back in the first-team fold sooner rather than later.

Emery, in a year that will define his Arsenal career given that he has 12 months left on his initial deal, is having to manage the squad through some tough Premier League clashes while the team is still taking shape.

At the end of the season, the likes of Edu and Raul Sanllehi will decide if the former Valencia coach deserves another season to implement his ideas and thus activate the club’s 12-month option on him.

Hopefully, the friendly at London Colney will see the aforementioned quartet gain some competitive minutes and potentially see them considered for the visit of Burnley on Saturday.