The Premier League champions are set to play their final pre-season friendly ahead of this coming weekend’s FA Community Shield clash with Manchester City, hosting last season’s big surprise package from Serie A, Como.
Arsenal have played three pre-season matches so far, and it is difficult to give an accurate assessment of their performance. In my view, Mikel Arteta’s side do not look quite ready for the new season, although, of course, friendly matches are not a true indicator.
A strong performance against Girona, who were recently relegated from La Liga, was followed by two disappointing defeats against Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, with the Gunners conceding three goals in each match.
Como, on the other hand, had a far more interesting summer with the local Como Cup, in which they faced Al-Ula, Villarreal and Famalicao in 45-minute matches.
Given this unusual format, it is difficult to gauge their current form, but I can certainly say that their attack looks promising and, at least in that respect, we can expect a lot from them.
How the bookies view it: The Gunners to end the pre-season on a high
Regardless of the nature of the match, it’s perfectly clear that Arsenal will always be favourites against Como, although I reckon the margin is far too wide given the Gunners’ previous performances.
At the moment, you can back Arsenal at around 2/5, whilst Como are available at 19/4. A draw is priced at 33/10.
Recent head-to-head: First time, but probably not the last time
Como’s rise in recent years has taken them to the Champions League, so it’s entirely possible they could face Arsenal in a competitive match later this year. But they haven’t played the Gunners before, so this friendly will mark the start of a new rivalry.
Players to watch: Guimaraes will be looking for a debut goal
Quite a few of Arsenal’s players were given extended breaks due to the World Cup, and it is unclear how many of them will return for the final friendly.
We do know, however, that Bukayo Saka is back with the squad, but it is not guaranteed that he will be given any playing time ahead of the match against Manchester City. The same applies to Rice and Merino, who may well not be risked.
Otherwise, I believe we will see Bruno Guimaraes in action for Arsenal for the first time, and he made some serious promises a couple of days ago, so he could be a solid shout for a goal or assist on his home debut.
Probable line-ups
Arsenal: Raya, White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman, Odegaard, Tzolis, Gyokeres
Como: Butez, Smolcic, Ramon, Chalobah, Kaiki, Perrone, Lahdo, Diao, Caqueret, Liberali, Douvikas
Anything else catch the eye?
Arsenal need to boost their confidence ahead of the Community Shield match with Man City, but their defence has not been convincing enough for me to back them. I expect them to win but the 2/5 odds are not good enough.
I will be backing the goal markets, most likely together, as Over 2.5 is also priced at just 2/5. BTTS sits at around 3/5, so it’s worth a shot as a single.
Think both sides will find the net? Our BTTS Masterclass explains how to spot the fixtures where goals are a given.
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