Holding has 'intelligence, composure, character'

A few quotes from Wenger post-match.

On Santi Cazorla’s impressives showing he said: “He gives us technical security in midfield.”

He says young defener Rob Holding has “intelligence, composure, character.”

'Job done'

So, Arsenal wrap up their US tour with another win.

It was pretty comfortable in the end and there were plenty of positives for Arsene Wenger to mull over.

Is Holding a possible starter at centre back?

Can Oxlade-Chamberlain nail down a place and put together a run of form this season?

Will Chuba Akpom compete for a place up front?

Full time - Arsenal 3 Chivas 1

And that’s the final whistle.

It finishes Arsenal 3 Chivas 1.

Latin American beef?

Have a feeling there was a bit of Latin American beef involved there.

Costa Rica vs Mexico has a bit of needle and something definitely triggered that reaction from Campbell.

Chuba Akpom scores for Arsenal (
Image:
Reuters / Mike Blake)

Major handbags!

Wow, wow wow.

It had been bubbling this for a while but it’s suddenly all kicked off.

Joel Campbell is not happy at all and I wonder what was said to him?

He gives away a cheap free kick in midfield, but as he’s running away he suddenly turns back to the Chivas man and goes ballistic.

The Costa Rican has to be held back and is lucky not to see red as he sticks his head in.

After a lot of handbags the ref books them both.

Free kick after good Akpom play

Akpom is dragged down near the right touch line and it’s a free kick.

He’s been excellent since coming on.

A good touch and strength and in the right spot for his goal.

Chivas bench getting fired up

Arsenal starting to lose their way here.

Understandable given the amount of subs made.

Chivas are getting quite riled though. The players on their bench are harassing the ref at every opportunity and he’s doing his best to calm them down.

Ref turns down another Chivas penalty appeal

Chivas have a shot blocked by Holding inside the box and appeal for a handball.

Replays show it was blasted at him from barely a few feet away.

Nothing he could do and the ref correctly turns it down.

Elneny fires wide

Nearly a fourth there for Arsenal.

Elneny picks it up on the edge of the box and is invited to shoot by the Chivas back four.

It’s a decent hit and has the keeper scrambling but ends up wide of the left post.

Goal - Angel Zaldivar for Chivas

That was poor from Debuchy.

He barged into Zendejas for no reason really in the box as he cut inside from the left.

Angel Zaldivar steps up and blasts it down the middle for Chivas to bring it back to 3-1.

Penalty to Chivas

Penalty to Chivas

More Arsenal subs

More subs for Arsenal.

The Ox goes off after his heroics.

Ospina has also been subbed for Martinez.

VIDEO: Oxlade-Chamberlain wonder goal

Here’s a bit of footage courtesy of Fox of that Oxlade-Chamberlain wonder goal.

It really was a superb effort from the England man.

Will this season finally be his year?

Goalscorer's awareness in the box

Akpom, 20, is ‘johnny on the spot’ to put away a third.

Debuchy is played in down the right and looks up to put a perfect cross into the box.

Akpom shows good strength and a striker’s instinct to get in front of his man and stroke home an easy finish from six yards out.

Arsenal home and dry here.

Goal - Akpom for Arsenal

Goal for Arsenal scored by Chuba Akpom

CR7 eat your heart out

That’s a lovely solo effort from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

He beats his man for pace down the right then as the second defender expects him to try and cross it he pulls off a ridiculous Cristiano Ronaldo-esque flick back into the box.

The Chivas man is fooled and The Ox has the composure to then fire a cool left-footed finish through another defender and into the far left corner.

Fantastic - Arsenal fans would love to see more of that this season.

Let’s hope he can stay injury free.

Goal - Chamberlain for Arsenal

Oxlade-Chamberlain scores for Arsenal.

Substitutions for Arsenal

There’s been a shedload of subs for Arsenal at half time.

Chuba Akpom, who scored the winner against the MLS All Stars, is on.

He immediately has a great chance when the ball falls to him 10 yards out with only the keeper to beat.

But he’s off balance and fluffs it with an air shot. Unfortunate.

Second half kicks off

The second half of Arsenal vs Chivas has kicked off in LA.

Who starts at centre back for Arsenal?

So, who starts at centre back for Arsenal against Liverpool on the first day of the Premier League season?

Koscielny and Gabriel? Chambers?

Holding has to be an outside shot now surely...

Arsenal defender Gabriel (
Image:
Arsenal FC via Getty)

Decent last 20 minutes from Arsenal

A good last 20 minutes from Arsenal after a slow start.

Cazorla made a difference, he always looks forward and his delivery his consistently superb.

The Gunners didn’t have the kind of possession they’re used to, but hit Chivas on the break effectively and rarely looked in trouble at the back.

Half time

And that’s half time.

Arsenal go in one nil up thanks to Rob Holding’s first goal for his new club.

Is Holding the answer?

So what do you think Arsenal fans?

Is Holding the answer to your centre back crisis and a possible starter this season?

The injury to Mertesacker would put him right in the frame although Arsenal have been linked with other possible signings.

Johnny Evans and Federico Fernandez have been mentioned.

Big week for new Arsenal man

What a great week for the new boy Holding.

Signed for £2million from relegated Bolton, it was one of the surprise moves of the summer so far from Arsene Wenger to bring him to Arsenal.

But the England Under-21 international looked assured in his debut against MLS All Stars this week.

Rob Holding (
Image:
David Price)

After the game Wenger was full of praise for how quickly Holding has adapted.

“He’s adapted surprisingly. In a very good way, because he reads the game well and understands what’s going on, anticipates well,” said Wenger.

“And that’s a quality at such a young age that you do not find a lot.”

One centre back to another

Wow that came out of nowhere.

A long ball floated in by Cazorla and it was from one centre back to another.

Chambers, who’s not had the best of games so far, cushioned it back beautifully across goal and there was 20-year-old Rob Holding to tap it in.

GOAL - Rob Holding for Arsenal

Goal for Arsenal scored by Rob Holding!

First chance on goal!

First proper chance on goal and it’s for Chivas.

Lopez, known by his nickname La Chofis, dances through a few tackles in midfield and plays in Daniel Gonzalez.

He has to at least make Ospina work from eight yards out but drags his shot wide.

Back in play and Miguel Basulto gets a yellow.

Midfield battle heats up

Back on the pitch and there’s a few tackles flying in in midfield now.

Coquelin goes down but doesn’t get anything, then as Chivas break Granit Xhaka goes to ground very late.

He’s lucky not to have caught his man there and plays goes on.

VIDEO: Mesut Ozil is back

Mesut Ozil is back off his hols by the look of it.

Here’s the German meeting up with Wenger and co in the tunnel earlier.

Arsenal's first corner

Arsenal finally get a chance to put some passes together and work a nice opening.

Chamberlain was almost in there from Xhaka but for a last ditch tackle from the Chivas defender.

Out for a corner which Cazorla takes and Chambers heads over.