MIKEL ARTETA was full of praise for his Arsenal team after their 4-1 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates last night.
The Gunners were in ruthless and efficient form, with goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz scoring in the first 65 minutes.
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Boss Arteta believes the north Londoners are in near-perfect condition heading into their final pre-season game against Lyon on Sunday ahead of their Prem opener against Wolves next weekend.
Here, SunSport’s Jordan Davies breaks down the key talking points:
Jesus has a “different energy”
This time last season, Jesus was battling knee problems that eventually required surgery that saw him miss the start of the 23/24 campaign.
From then on, he never looked good physically, returning for a few spells before a hamstring injury in October 2023 hampered him further. Arsenal fans have never seen the best of the Brazilian.
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But this summer, it’s the opposite. After missing the Copa América and deciding to return to form in his home country of Brazil, the 27-year-old looks like a new player, a new man.
Against Leverkusen, his newfound strength, stamina and clinical ability were on display with an impressive performance that included a brilliant individual goal from his own half.
And with the unlikely arrival of a new striker at the Emirates this summer, Arteta hopes Jesus can maintain this form throughout the season, with goals and performances to match.
The Spaniard said after the game: “When I saw him after speaking to him at the end of the season it was something different. I could feel it.
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“His energy was different, the way he looks is different, the way he moves is different and he really wants it.
“Now it’s a matter of finding consistency and doing it in any context, in any situation, on any day, every three days, for 90 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 70 minutes. But he looks fine.
No rest for Rice and Saka
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka enjoyed an extended rest after helping England to the Euro final on July 14 – but 24 days later they were thrown back into action.
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The Three Lions duo came on at half-time against Leverkusen and looked like they had never been absent – Rice covering every inch of the grass and Saka providing Havertz with an assist.
A sensational return considering Rice covered more ground (85.7km) than any other player at the Euros and played every minute, while Saka was on the field for 70 minutes or more in all but one of England’s games.
It is reasonable to suggest that the pair, whilst an integral part of Arteta’s side, may need to be eased into the new Prem season, with fears that one or both will suffer burnout.
But Arteta argued: “The season starts in nine days, so they have to be ready. These are the demands they have now. We gave them the rest they needed.
“The best thing to do is look in their face and see that sparkle in their eyes, and go back and say, ‘I don’t want to lose because I know how hard it’s going to be.’
“That’s the best sign that the players want this.”
David Raya and William Saliba – who also received an extension after starring for Spain and France in Germany – also started against Leverkusen.
Is Trossard becoming invincible?
With 11 goals in all competitions since January 2024, Trossard has become an important figure in Arteta’s team – and he showed it again against Leverkusen.
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His clever dummy set up Zinchenko’s opening goal, his finish seconds later was the essence of composure and his influence on the left wing looks set to continue into the new season.
There was a time when Gabriel Martinelli was a reference in that role, but his form has declined in recent months – just four goals since January 20th – opening the door for the Belgian winger to stamp his authority.
Trossard is likely to start against Wolves, especially after linking up well with Jesus and Havertz in attack, the latter playing a midfield role that Arteta still sees as the German’s best despite his incredible run of nine goals as striker last season. run in.
Asked about the chemistry of this trio, Arteta explained: “It’s natural and it flows. There’s good chemistry between them because all three have that false nine profile.
“I really liked what I saw. We can still evolve, especially on our left side.
“These combinations are giving us options and they are all very, very good players, so the competition is very high there.”
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Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly will have chances
At the end of the game, Arteta was seen deep in conversation with Myles Lewis-Skelly on the pitch after his impressive 45-minute cameo at left-back.
Lewis-Skelly was comfortable on the ball, able to cut inside as an inverted full-back and looks completely comfortable at this level for a 17-year-old.
Alongside Ethan Nwaneri, the two Hale End academy graduates appear to have done enough to convince Arteta that they deserve first-team opportunities this season.
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Nwaneri, 17, replaced Odegaard in ’63third minute and also got glimpses of what he can do in midfield, intriguingly facing Arsenal old man Granit Xhaka on his return to the Emirates.
Arteta sees no reason to restrict what he can achieve this season. With four competitions on the horizon – Prem, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup – this could be his breakout year.
On how involved they will be in the coming months, Arteta said: “If they continue as they are now, it won’t make any difference whether they come from the academy or whether we sign them from Argentina, Germany or Italy.
“They are showing the qualities they have. They are especially showing the personality they have to play at this level. We will see. We are not going to place any restrictions, it is the opposite.
“If they deserve minutes, they will get minutes.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
