Arsenal got their preseason fixture slate started with a score draw against Nurnberg earlier today. Making headlines in this one, among others, were Folarin Balogun, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
Not making any news in this friendly were Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, as the newly signed duo were nowhere to be seen. On top of that, the North London club has still yet to even announcement the pair as new arrivals.
Not sure what they’re waiting on with that, as they’ve reportedly been signed, sealed and delivered for well over a week now.
However, the first summer signing, Kai Havertz, did make his first appearance in an Arsenal shirt, coming on in the second half.
Moving on to Saka, who would had 25 goal involvements last season, opened both his and 2023-24 Arsenal’s account just seven minutes in. It would not stand as the game winner though because Kanji Okunuki would equalize for the team on home soil in the second half.
Folarin Balogun came close to notching the Gunners’ second scoring strike, when came off the bench, but his shot was deflected by the post.
Balogun also had a second scoring chance that he failed to convert. However, he is creating chances, and that just shows you how he has a bright future in the game. Maybe out on loan this season though, with a spot in the first team coming down the line in a future season.
?? Christian Pulisic on if he has spoken to Folarin Balogun about AC Milan:
“I haven’t spoken so much to him [Balogun] about the whole Milan situation yet. Obviously he’s a fantastic player, so we’ll see how that goes.” pic.twitter.com/cR5cDWjI7h
— USMNT Otaku ?? (@USMNTOtaku) July 14, 2023
Interesting that Christian Pulisic, the face of the USMNT, was asked about Balogun at his AC Milan unveiling yesterday. It is thought that Balogun could be the answer to the USA’s long-running question at the striker position.
At Arsenal though, he has to compete with the likes of Havertz, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus.
“There are a lot of positive things that we can take, especially the way we played in the first half — the tempo, the composure, the commitment that we showed,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said to in house media.
“We had some big chances to score more goals at the end, and mistakes are a part of football because they haven’t given much to be fair, but it was great to see our young players playing as well and doing really well in an environment that is challenging.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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