Carlos Vela looked sharp on the ball and turns very well, but the problem was that he couldn’t get on the ball enough to hurt Juventus. Vela will be a massive impact player from the start of the season

Match Review – Arsenal 0 Juventus 1 – Emirates cup

Interesting game yesterday. I was a bit disappointed with the line up at the beginning, was hoping to see a mixture of first team and younger players, especially after the Stuttgart performance but I later excepted that it would be good experience for the younger players.

We started the game with the 4-4-2 formation. Wilshere on the left and Eboue back in his usual position on the right. I was disappointed to see young Jack on the left as he cannot influence the game as he can from that side. Personally I think you need to have real pace to play on the side which is the same as your foot.

The line up was.

I actually thought this flexible squad would line up like this before the kick off.

Arsenal started the match much stronger, better possession, more aggressive in winning the ball back and looked very good until the final third which was the case for the whole first half.

Aaron Ramsay is continuing to do his rather good impersonation of Cesc Fabregas whenever he comes into the side.

In the first 10 minutes Arsenal passed the ball well and attacked Juventus but we would lose possession in the final third. A couple of times Eboue would make the wrong decision wide on the right. Hopefully Theo can have a better percentage of decision making.

On 13 minutes Emmanuel Eboue sent one of his bending right foot crosses deep into the box where Jack Wilshere was standing, the youngster was confident enough to attempt a first time left footed volley which ended up into the hands of Buffon.

15 minutes in and Juventus barely got into our half. They had a wealth of experience amongst their ranks with the links of Nedved, Trezeguet, Iaquinta, Buffon etc. They sat very deep and tried to play on the counter attack. It was a good test for the Arsenal kids because they will have to face this tactic at the Emirates a number of times during their Arsenal career should they make it.

On 16 minutes, Vela turned a Juventus defender on the edge of the box looked to shoot and turned back inside but was brought down just outside the D. A perfect chance for a free kick. Bendtner claimed the ball and bend the ball high over the bar. Sometimes I feel that players look for power a little too often when getting it on target accurately would be more beneficial

Carlos Vela looked sharp on the ball and turns very well, but the problem was that he couldn’t get on the ball enough to hurt Juventus. Vela will be a massive impact player from the start of the season and will provide both a wide and forward option for Wenger.

Kieran Gibbs looked very good on the ball at left back, he wasn’t really tested defensively but looked very assured in possession without really having the thrust that Clichy has going forward. I will have to hold judgement until he is tested by an attack right winger but maybe Arsene has the Englishman in mind for the back up vacancy.

On 24 Bendtner had a long range strike curled wide after a great move from the young team which broke down and then won back.A minute later Aaron Ramsay showed his quality by showing great feet just inside the penalty area. He done a step over, then turned his man and had a left foot shot saved by Buffon.

Denilson looks sharper after his pre season so far, he was dominating the midfield and always make the correct decisions. Denilson is doing himself no harm in these latter pre season matches.

On 33 minutes Nedved crossed in for Trezeguet to head in but the Frenchman was standing in an offside position. It took 33 minutes to Juventus to had an opportunity on goal against a team of kids.

Pavel Nedved drove inside towards the penalty area on the 36th minute and was tripped by Denilson. Iaquinta had the strike which headed towards David Trezeguet who was more offside than he was 3 minutes previous. He stabbed the ball in and the goal was given. Against the run of play, the only two attempts on goal for the Italians came after half an hour and they were both offside.

Senderos made a fantastic recovering last ditch tackle on 41 minutes. The Swiss pair looked capable although they were not really tested during the match.

The goal for Juventus lifted the Italians and they were getting more and more into the game. The Arsenal defence did well to hold out until half time.

Arsene made three experienced changes at half time to try and get Arsenal back into the game. Adebayor, Diaby and Gallas replaced Vela, Ramsay and Senderos.

It took Arsenal a matter of seconds to threaten Juventus’ goal. Jack Wilshere swung in a great left foot cross to Bendtner who headed over the bar.

I was watching for which type of central midfield position Diaby would take up the defensive or creative position and it appeared to me that Denilson and Diaby took turns to occupy both positions as he probably would do with Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal had a great move in the 53rd minute that ended up with Hoyte playing a cross that was slightly high for Denilson.

Johan Djourou and William Gallas looked much better at the heart of defence in the second half than they did against Stuttgart. Djourou made some fantastic interceptions throughout the game.

Eboue hit wide on 56 minutes. He always seems to hit the ball into the near post instead of going to the far.

Arsene made three more changes on 60 minutes Walcott, Nasri and Sagna for Eboue, Wilshere and Hoyte.

The three substitutes combined immediately. Walcott cut inside his man and ran towards the box with Sagna overlapping. Walcott into Bendtner who first time laid it off to Sagna. Sagna’s floating pass found Nasri in the penalty area. Nasri took the ball down on his chest but couldn’t get a shot away as a defender poked it away.

A few minutes later it was like the Arsenal of 5 years ago. Diaby sliding in to win the ball just outside the box in true Vieira style, then playing the pass to the number 14 who played a 1-2 with the deep striker Bendtner and raced into the box to win a corner in the matter of seconds.

on 63 a wonderful passing move which involved Bendtner, Walcott, Diaby and Nasri ended up with Sagna floating a cross into the box to Adebayor who powered a header into the chest of Buffon who held on.

Bendtner had a powerful drive from a very tight angle on 75 which was punched away by Buffon.

Bendtner and Adebayor linked up very well on the 79th and the Danes chipped pass fell to Adebayor’s weaker left foot which he volleyed over the bar from a good position. A left footed player would have scored.

Adebayor was in the thick of the action again on the 89th when he turned a defender with his back to goal and curled in an effort which just landed wide of the far post.

The match finished 1-0 but Arsenal were the better side in the first and second half. The youngsters have proved that they can outplay most teams but they were just lacking that extra creative quality in the final third to break down the tough defence.

It will be a stronger starting line up today against Real Madrid.