Once again we started the game without captain Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Laurent Koscielny, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott also missed the game through injury so we started the game quite thin on the ground to begin with. We still managed to put together a pretty strong team which

The last pre season game before the big kick off is usually the time where you want to see your players at peak fitness and as sharp as possible. A positive result is great for the morale of the team and it is what every manager wants before the big kick off. Unfortunately for Arsene Wenger, the morale boosting victory was not on the cards as a classy Benfica came from behind to win the game 2-1.

Once again we started the game without captain Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Laurent Koscielny, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott also missed the game through injury so we started the game quite thin on the ground to begin with. We still managed to put together a pretty strong team which consisted of…

Arguably without five first team starters, the team that was sent out did a good job. Benfica are further along in their fitness and have even played competitive football this season. We soaked up plenty of their pressure and gradually imposed our game on them.

Gervinho was very impressive from the kick off, direct, hard working and positive in his play. Watching Gervinho is almost like merging Walcott and Nasri together and taking the average of their game. Gervinho is more multi dimensional than Walcott but loses the ball more often than Nasri.

His turning of a defender inside and out on the left resulting in a left foot shot that found the side netting was wonderful to see. Not since Thierry Henry have I seen a player in an Arsenal shirt be able to do that to a defender at that pace. The reports that I read about him all seem to be coming true. He will score plenty of goals and he will miss plenty of chances. He will make bad decisions in good areas but he will score important goals out of the blue that no other player can do in our squad.

Gervinho would love playing in the same side as Cesc. It would be a crime if we didn’t get to see those two playing together for a string of games. Cesc had too many players running towards him last season, he would spot Gervinho’s diagonal sprints continuously, and his passing quality would find him again and again.

Kieran Gibbs had a tough Asia trip. He was caught out positionally on more than one occasion but yesterday he was fantastic apart from one costly moment early in the second half.

Defensively for the most part he played very well. Winning headers, making crucial blocks and making tough tackles but what I loved was his offensive play in the final third. We saw many glimpses of this before his repeated injuries so we know he is very capable of making the difference in the final third. Gibbs grew up as a left winger after all and made his first team debut in the Emirates cup as a left winger.

It was his power run forward into the Benfica penalty box and cut back that allowed birthday boy Robin Van Persie the opportunity to score from close range.

The wing play from our full backs is so important to our attacking game given the fact that our full backs are often the only players in the opponents half that are not tightly marked.

I have little doubts about his offensive or defensive qualities, he will improve in both areas if he plays. The doubts continue to be his fitness. He picked up yet another injury and is the most likely to miss the Newcastle game according to reports.

Robin Van Persie had taken a nasty whack on his ankle and all fingers and toes will be crossed that he makes a full recovery before next weekend.

At half time we went in 1-0 up away from home against a very talented side who were closer to match fitness than we were.

Wenger rang in the changes and made five substitutions which is almost half of the team.

Arsenal started the second half the strongest and continued where they left off but Benfica scored with their first meaningful attack of the second half. Kieran Gibbs allowed his opponent too much space and was beaten down the side, Vermaelen’s mistake was worse. He was turned too easily by little Pablo Aimar and the Argentinean slotted past Fabianski in goal.

Benfica then started to dominate the game, they improved and gained confidence while we got worse and lost belief.

Benfica soon scored the second goal and Sebastien Squillaci was easily turned before Nolito fired in a powerful low drive past Fabianski.

Fabianski kept the score down with a string of top saves which is good from his personal point of view after being out for so long. The rest of the team that played in the second half will not be able to take much comfort from the game apart from perhaps Emmanuel Frimpong who continues to show his ball winning skills even if sometimes his ball possession skills do not match it.

I still think it is worth taking a little step back and realising that the second half team was filled with plenty of young players who are not established first team players. Emmanuel Frimpong, Henri Lansbury and Ignasi Miquel were in the reserves not very long ago, Ryo Miyaichi is just starting as a professional, Carl Jenkinson was playing for a league one side last season.

Practically this first team squad did not play any part in that second half.

If Cesc Fabregas and/or Samir Nasri depart the club then I would imagine that Arsene Wenger will buy first team players to replace them. I suspect that the team above even with ten men would have beaten the Arsenal team of the second half.

Basically a good Champions League team at home beat a young team full of inexperience as the manager had to rotate before the season starts and a round of Internationals. If we ever have 13 first team players out at the same time then yes, we might be in trouble. Who wouldn’t?

Before I get called out for being too optimistic, I would like to point out a few concerns before the season starts.

Sebastien Squillaci

The experienced French defender has broken away from his first team defensive team mates and now his performances stand out when he is in the side and that is not in a positive way. Not blessed with natural pace, he is often beaten to the ball, it doesn’t help matters when he stays so tight and flat footed with his opponent.

Squillaci went through a good early spell with Johan Djourou in the side last season but that now seems a long time ago. At his age I worry that the chance of Squillaci regaining a level good enough to be at the right level has gone. Although it is unlike Wenger to dispose of a player after only one season, it may well be a good option to sell him and allow him to play first team football elsewhere while bringing in another center back at the same level, mobility and competence as our other three center backs who in my opinion are all fully capable of playing at the highest level for Arsenal.

Marouane Chamakh

The form of Chamakh is very worrying, especially as we wait for further news about Van Persie’s ankle knock. The player that hit the ground running last season is nowhere to be seen and hasn’t been seen for sometime now. When on his game, Chamakh provides a wonderful link for the midfielders and his work rate was phenomenal but currently he is a shadow of that player. He is misplacing passes, giving the side no outlet and looks so far away from scoring goals right now.

The contrast of form between
Van Persie and Chamakh must be the furthest away in any position in our squad and if Van Persie would have to spend any considerable time out of the team then it would be a problem.

Aaron Ramsey

Rambo is in a different position to the other players, he is not necessarily going through a bad run of form, the issue that Ramsey has at present is linked with his age. He is not consistently influencing games in the way that Cesc Fabregas can do which is hardly a criticism in itself but in the position that he is being played in, we need a player of the age and stature that will stamp his authority of the game more often and contribute more of a cutting edge. I think Ramsey will get there in a few years time and does produce bits of magic sporadically but sadly that is not enough.

These are the three areas of the squad that I would like to see reinforced. If Barcelona cannot come up with the cash then one of those positions will already be filled, although we are likely to miss Fabregas for the start of the season as he does not have any minutes under his belt. As it looks increasingly likely that Bendtner will be moved on and rumours have surfaced that Carlos Vela will follow suit, I would be very surprised if Arsene doesn’t already have a move for a striker lined up and by that, I do not mean Joel Campbell as he is young and would need to gain a work permit on loan first.

Arsene has already spoken about his search for a center back so I expect to see one before the window closes.

Back to the result. I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the final result as what could be a Carling Cup side gained some very important minutes and it gave them an indication of what level they need to be at to compete in the Arsenal first team.

The first team, missing key personnel won 1-0 and the kids lost 2-0. Work will be done in the transfer window to address other areas of the team, I just wonder if it will be those positions highlighted above.