The first thing to say after this is that Sevilla will surely be on to Fifa about a change to the format of the Emirates Cup. The club that finished fourth in last season’s La Liga beat Arsenal 2-1 to finish with a 100% record in the pre-season tournament, yet they did not lift the trophy.
That honour fell to Arsenal. Why? Because points are awarded not only for victories but for each goal scored and Arsenal had bagged five in their win over Benfica on Saturday. In the end, Arsène Wenger’s team finished level on points and goal difference with Sevilla but they edged above them on goals scored. Wenger has long argued that football ought not to be about results and here was his vision in its purest form.
Except that Arsenal did not play particularly beautifully. There was a goal for Alexandre Lacazette, the £53m new signing, on the occasion of his first start at the Emirates Stadium – a moment to elevate a nondescript performance from him – but there was little else to cheer, apart from a dynamic display at wing-back from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsenal’s best player by a distance here, and a couple of bursts from Danny Welbeck.
At the end, the Emirates PA announcer declared it as “another special moment for the Arsenal” as the trophy was presented and the silver tape exploded into the air. But Per Mertesacker, the captain, did not even lift it above his head. Sevilla’s players milled about looking a little bemused.
Wenger had sent out a strong line-up and it will be a surprise if he makes too many changes for next Sunday’s Community Shield against Chelsea. Granit Xhaka will return for Joe Willock, the 17-year-old midfielder, while the new signing Sead Kolasinac will push for inclusion at left wing-back ahead of Oxlade-Chamberlain. Will Rob Holding replace Mohamed Elneny, who Wenger tried once again in his back three?
That apart – and assuming that Alexis Sánchez is not in the right condition to play – it felt like a tune-up for Wembley. The first half, in particular, could be scrutinised for markers, before the more serious stuff, but it was summed up in the 29th minute when Welbeck sped away from Daniel Carriço to create a chance only to take it with the outside of his right foot and get the finish all wrong. Welbeck had a few eye-catching moments in Arsenal’s build-up work but the end product from him, or any of his team-mates, was not there.
Arsenal’s best chance of the first half came when Oxlade-Chamberlain outstripped Gabriel Mercado to cross deep for Héctor Bellerín, who arrived unmarked at the far post. Could he execute the first-time, half-volleyed finish? No. It flew high and Wenger creased into a rueful smile.
Sevilla looked polished and, with Éver Banega pulling the strings in front of the back four, they had chances of their own. Wissam Ben Yedder hit the post early on, after being played in by Banega, while Nolito flashed a volley wide and, on the stroke of half-time, the former Manchester City forward saw Laurent Koscielny make a last-ditch intervention to cut out his cross for Ben Yedder, as Sevilla countered.
There had been warm applause for Lacazette before kick-off and his best moment of the first half was his control and lovely pass on the half-turn for the overlapping Bellerín. But it was clear that he will need time to develop an understanding with his team-mates. For most of the afternoon, he flitted around on the fringes. Ditto, Mesut Özil.
Sevilla went ahead shortly after the second-half restart and the goal was all about the sharpness of Joaquin Correa and his understanding with Ben Yedder. Correa stepped over Michael Krohn-Dehli’s pass inside and sprinted into the area, where he was found by Ben Yedder. His tidy finish gave Petr Cech no chance.
Lacazette had shot straight at Sevilla’s substitute goalkeeper, Sergio Rico, in the 59th minute but, shortly afterwards, he was in the right place to score Arsenal’s equaliser and give his confidence a pep. Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was switched to right wing-back at half-time, following Bellerín’s withdrawal, stormed past the Sevilla substitute, Clément Lenglet, to cross and, after Welbeck had applied a faint touch, Lacazette could sweep home at the far post.
But Sevilla got the winner when Arsenal’s defence stood and stared after a simple throw-in had found its way to Steven N’Zonzi and he looped a shot into the far, top corner. Özil fluffed a stoppage-time chance when he took a heavy touch following Xhaka’s ball over the top and, on this evidence, Arsenal have work to do before the Community Shield.
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