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The Irish Sun
16 hours ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Arsenal ratings: Norgaard is pick of new signings up against his old boss but Martinelli struggles to get into the game
VIKTOR GYOKERES watched mostly from the bench as his Arsenal side lost in a pre-season friendly to Tottenham. The North London rivals met in Hong Kong to add some spice to their Premier League preparations. 7 Viktor Gyoekeres came off the bench against Spurs Credit: Getty Pape Matar Sarr's 50-yard strike on 45 minutes was enough to separate the sides - with the Gunners' new striker Gyokeres getting just 13 minutes to impress. Here is how Tom Barclay rated Mikel Arteta's players at the Kai Tak Sports Park stadium. David Raya: 5 Struggled with Tottenham's threat from set-pieces, particularly with Twice Spurs hit the far post in the first half when corners were fired in and Raya got nowhere near the deliveries, having been put off by nuisance Van de Ven. Could only watch as Pape Sarr's brilliant matchwinner from near the halfway line flew over his head and into the back of the net. Ben White: 6 Good battle with the lively Wilson Odobert down Spurs' left-hand side. One vital touch from White deflected an Odobert shot on to the post, while Gunners defender had a flick from a Bukayo Saka corner that was cleared away 7 Ben White battled with the lively Wilson Odobert down Spurs' left-hand side Credit: Shutterstock Editorial William Saliba: 6 Flicked on an early shot from Martin Odegaard just wide of the post. Was in the right place at the right time to clear Richarlison's follow-up after Pedro Porro's early corner struck the post Most read in Football Jakub Kiwior: 5 Looked a little hesitant in the air. Did make one vital block to deny a shot from the dangerous 7 Myles Lewis-Skelly was kept on his toes Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Myles Lewis-Skelly: 5 Had to be on his toes against Kudus, who showed an impressive power when on the ball. Stepped into midfield when he could but then lost the ball just before the break near the halfway line, leading to Sarr to fire home a wondergoal over the helpless Raya. Christian Norgaard: 6 Solid display in the heart of midfield from the new man, who was the core of current Spurs boss Thomas Frank's team at Brentford for so many years. Did not take too kindly when Djed Spence refused to give the ball back initially, having taken out the Dane. 7 Declan Rice was part of a midfield battle feistier than your average pre-season friendly Credit: AFP Declan Rice: 6 Had an early shot deflected wide by Porro. Was part of a midfield battle feistier than your average pre-season friendly - but then again, it was a North London derby. Martin Odegaard: 5 Average, given his sky-high standards. Showed some nice touches - of course he did, he's such a talent - but did not affect the game as much as he would have liked. 7 Bukayo Saka failed to make his usual impact Credit: AFP Bukayo Saka: 6 Fired in a number of dangerous corners which almost led to goals, but Spurs defended resolutely. Spence largely dealt with his fellow Englishman well, but Saka was also keen to take on his man at every occasion. Took a whack just before coming off for 15-year-old Kai Havertz: 5 Looked physically bulked up - but also rusty. His shots lacked power and some of his passing was sloppy, though he had one nice link-up with Lewis-Skelly after the break that led to 7 Gabriel Martinelli struggled to get into the game Credit: AFP Gabriel Martinelli: 4 Struggled to get into the game. Had one shot on the stretch when teed up nicely by Havertz but fired it over. Porro seemed equal to him most of the time. SUBS 68 Martin Zubimendi for Norgaard: 6 Had a dipping volley within a minute of coming on that went narrowly over the bar. 68 Leandro Trossard for Martinelli: 6 Did not last long after picking up an injury, being replaced by Reiss Nelson (85, 6) 77 Max Dowman for Saka: 7 The 15-year-old everyone is raving about had a shot blocked from a half-cleared corner. His natural dribbling ability was evident, and he did it at pace, too. 77 Viktor Gyokeres for Havertz: 6 Huge cheer for the Sweden striker when he takes to the pitch for his first appearance for Arsenal. Showed some nice control in the box before teeing up a shot for Zubimendi. 77 Cristhian Mosquera for Kiwior: 6 By the time he came on, Arsenal were largely pushing for a leveller, with Spurs looking to see it out, so did not get to see much of the action. 77 Mikel Merino for Rice: 6 Came on back in his natural midfield position, rather than the makeshift centre-forward role he had to play at the back end of last season. Read more on the Irish Sun 77 Oleksandr Zinchenko for Lewis-Skelly: 5 Fired in a poor cross after coming on. 7 Gyokeres in action for Arsenal for the first time Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Arsenal ratings: Norgaard is pick of new signings up against his old boss but Martinelli struggles to get into the game
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VIKTOR GYOKERES watched mostly from the bench as his Arsenal side lost in a pre-season friendly to Tottenham. The North London rivals met in Hong Kong to add some spice to their Premier League preparations. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Viktor Gyoekeres came off the bench against Spurs Credit: Getty Pape Matar Sarr's 50-yard strike on 45 minutes was enough to separate the sides - with the Gunners' new striker Gyokeres getting just 13 minutes to impress. Here is how Tom Barclay rated Mikel Arteta's players at the Kai Tak Sports Park stadium. David Raya: 5 Struggled with Tottenham's threat from set-pieces, particularly with Micky van de Ven standing in front of him at corners. Twice Spurs hit the far post in the first half when corners were fired in and Raya got nowhere near the deliveries, having been put off by nuisance Van de Ven. Could only watch as Pape Sarr's brilliant matchwinner from near the halfway line flew over his head and into the back of the net. Ben White: 6 Good battle with the lively Wilson Odobert down Spurs' left-hand side. One vital touch from White deflected an Odobert shot on to the post, while Gunners defender had a flick from a Bukayo Saka corner that was cleared away 7 Ben White battled with the lively Wilson Odobert down Spurs' left-hand side Credit: Shutterstock Editorial William Saliba: 6 Flicked on an early shot from Martin Odegaard just wide of the post. Was in the right place at the right time to clear Richarlison's follow-up after Pedro Porro's early corner struck the post Jakub Kiwior: 5 Looked a little hesitant in the air. Did make one vital block to deny a shot from the dangerous Mohammed Kudus. 7 Myles Lewis-Skelly was kept on his toes Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Myles Lewis-Skelly: 5 Had to be on his toes against Kudus, who showed an impressive power when on the ball. Stepped into midfield when he could but then lost the ball just before the break near the halfway line, leading to Sarr to fire home a wondergoal over the helpless Raya. Christian Norgaard: 6 Solid display in the heart of midfield from the new man, who was the core of current Spurs boss Thomas Frank's team at Brentford for so many years. Did not take too kindly when Djed Spence refused to give the ball back initially, having taken out the Dane. 7 Declan Rice was part of a midfield battle feistier than your average pre-season friendly Credit: AFP Declan Rice: 6 Had an early shot deflected wide by Porro. Was part of a midfield battle feistier than your average pre-season friendly - but then again, it was a North London derby. Martin Odegaard: 5 Average, given his sky-high standards. Showed some nice touches - of course he did, he's such a talent - but did not affect the game as much as he would have liked. 7 Bukayo Saka failed to make his usual impact Credit: AFP Bukayo Saka: 6 Fired in a number of dangerous corners which almost led to goals, but Spurs defended resolutely. Spence largely dealt with his fellow Englishman well, but Saka was also keen to take on his man at every occasion. Took a whack just before coming off for 15-year-old Max Dowman. Kai Havertz: 5 Looked physically bulked up - but also rusty. His shots lacked power and some of his passing was sloppy, though he had one nice link-up with Lewis-Skelly after the break that led to Gabriel Martinelli shooting over 7 Gabriel Martinelli struggled to get into the game Credit: AFP Gabriel Martinelli: 4 Struggled to get into the game. Had one shot on the stretch when teed up nicely by Havertz but fired it over. Porro seemed equal to him most of the time. SUBS 68 Martin Zubimendi for Norgaard: 6 Had a dipping volley within a minute of coming on that went narrowly over the bar. 68 Leandro Trossard for Martinelli: 6 Did not last long after picking up an injury, being replaced by Reiss Nelson (85, 6) 77 Max Dowman for Saka: 7 The 15-year-old everyone is raving about had a shot blocked from a half-cleared corner. His natural dribbling ability was evident, and he did it at pace, too. 77 Viktor Gyokeres for Havertz: 6 Huge cheer for the Sweden striker when he takes to the pitch for his first appearance for Arsenal. Showed some nice control in the box before teeing up a shot for Zubimendi. 77 Cristhian Mosquera for Kiwior: 6 By the time he came on, Arsenal were largely pushing for a leveller, with Spurs looking to see it out, so did not get to see much of the action. 77 Mikel Merino for Rice: 6 Came on back in his natural midfield position, rather than the makeshift centre-forward role he had to play at the back end of last season. 77 Oleksandr Zinchenko for Lewis-Skelly: 5 Fired in a poor cross after coming on.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dowman steals show on tour
Attacking midfielder Max Dowman has shown in friendlies against AC Milan and Newcastle exactly why there is so much excitement about his potential. Having first trained with the first team when he was 14, Dowman was part of the senior squad that travelled to Dubai in January for their winter training camp. There was even talk around that time about the England youth international getting a call-up to the side following an injury crisis, with key forwards Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus all sidelined at various times through injury. This summer, Dowman has replaced England international Saka in both pre-season friendlies. While he showed moments of skill in the AC Milan match, it was the performance against Newcastle that demonstrated why he has been tipped for a Premier League debut this season. A delightful dribble into the area, which ended with Dowman being fouled by Joelinton for a penalty that handed Arsenal a 3-2 victory, was one of the standout moments of the game. Read the full piece here
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Dowman steals show on tour
Attacking midfielder Max Dowman has shown in friendlies against AC Milan and Newcastle exactly why there is so much excitement about his first trained with the first team when he was 14, Dowman was part of the senior squad that travelled to Dubai in January for their winter training was even talk around that time about the England youth international getting a call-up to the side following an injury crisis, with key forwards Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus all sidelined at various times through summer, Dowman has replaced England international Saka in both pre-season friendlies. While he showed moments of skill in the AC Milan match, it was the performance against Newcastle that demonstrated why he has been tipped for a Premier League debut this season.A delightful dribble into the area, which ended with Dowman being fouled by Joelinton for a penalty that handed Arsenal a 3-2 victory, was one of the standout moments of the the full piece here
The Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Arsenal in Dream Team 2025/26: Top performers, smart selections & potential flops
ARSENAL have finished as Premier League runners-up for three consecutive seasons. Silverware may have escaped the Gunners but Mikel Arteta's troops have provided Dream Team points in vast quantities and there's no reason to expect anything different in 2025/26. 4 Since Arsenal players are generally very popular, let's analyse their top performers, smart selections and potential flops ahead of Gameweek 1. Top Performers Bukayo Saka (£6.5m) will start the campaign as the outright most expensive midfielder in the game but with good reason. Those a fraction cheaper than him all have minor caveats; Bruno Fernandes (£6m) is without European commitments, Cole Palmer (£6m) has struggled for goals since the turn of the year, and Florian Wirtz (£6m) is untested in English football. Whereas Arsenal's No7 is a proven performer, with European fixtures, whose form has barely faltered since he became an established starter at his boyhood club. He racked up 286 points via 12 goals and 17 assists last season, an astonishing return given he missed a third of the campaign through injury. Saka is almost a must-have asset when fit. 4 The Gunners have conceded the fewest goals in each of the last two Premier League campaigns, hence why there is a premium attached to their defenders. William Saliba (£5m) and Gabriel (£5m) virtually guarantee a steady stream of clean sheets and the latter's set-piece threat makes him a particularly inviting prospect. Speaking of clean sheets, David Raya (£4.5m) shared the Golden Glove with Matz Sels (£3.5m) in 2024/25 but he was unrivalled at the top of the Dream Team goalkeeper rankings, finishing with a total of 259 points. Some Dream Team bosses prefer to save budget between the sticks but the Spaniard is probably the best option for those prepared to spend a little more for a quality set-and-forget keeper. Oh, we should mention Viktor Gyokeres (£6m) here too given he scored 54 goals in all competitions for Sporting CP last season. The Swedish striker is certainly an exciting addition to the league. 4 Smart Selections Myles Lewis-Skelly (£4m) has been recategorised as a defender this season, a change that boosts his viability considerably. A midfielder by trade, the 18-year-old has been reinvented as a left-back and potentially offers an affordable route into Arsenal's parsimonious defence. Lewis-Skelly had a few disciplinary issues during his breakout season but the main headline is that he established himself as a starter in the biggest games. It's almost certainly too bold to suggest Ethan Nwaneri (£3.5m) as a selection for Gameweek 1 but he should be monitored closely. The teenager is a prodigious talent who is expected to go from strength to strength. He chipped in with a very useful nine goals last season and it wouldn't be all that surprising if, like Lewis-Skelly, he earned a run of starts at some stage. 4 Potential Flops Both Ben White (£4m) and Jurrien Timber (£5m) have the potential to be top performers but the problem is that they may have to share right-back duties, limiting their individual minutes to a certain extent. The Englishman has a good understanding with Saka and is therefore an asset going forward but the Dutchman is ultra solid in defence. It may be that a clear pecking order emerges a few Gameweeks into the campaign but backing either from the very start feels like an unnecessary risk. Lastly, it will be interesting to see how Kai Havertz (£4.5m) gets on this season. The German forward scored 15 goals before a freak hamstring injury in training sidelined him for three months. He returned more than his fair share of Dream Team points prior to that setback but what will his role be now Gyokeres has arrived at the Emirates? If Havertz is now a second-stringer who will have to be content with substitute cameos and Carabao Cup starts, that will obviously damage his Dream Team appeal. The same logic applies to Gabriel Jesus (£4m), who is still recovering from an ACL injury.
