Sports
Lacazette at the double as skipper Ozil finds the net
Mesut Ozil started the week by citing ‘racism and disrespect’ as he announced his retirement from international football with Germany.
And at the end of it he sent out a message that he means business this season as he led Arsenal to confidence-boosting pre-season victory over the French giants.
Ozil, given the captain’s armband by Unai Emery on his return to the team following a post-World Cup break, scored Arsenal’s first goal when he finished off a good move involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
And even though PSG pulled a goal back when Christopher Nkunku slotted home from the spot, substitutes Alex Lacazette, with two, Rob Holding and Eddie Nketiah gave Arsenal a deserved win.
Here are the key talking points.
1. Smith Rowe impresses again
Birthday boy Emile Smith Rowe has had a hell of a few days.
He celebrated turning 18 today and, even though he didn’t start against PSG, he made a fine contribution soon after coming on.
His cross was turned in by Alex Lacazette, making it one assist and one wonder goal on his first pre-season tour with the senior squad.
Smith Rowe will officially be allowed a drink on the flight home now and, boy, has he earned it this week.
2. Emery mixes it up
Arsene Wenger was oft beaten with the ‘No Plan B’ stick during his Arsenal days but it’s unlikely, on this evidence, that the same will be said about Unai Emery.
So fluid was the system that the Gunners looked be 4-3-3 at the start of the match but then switched to 4-2-3-1 with the ball and 4-4-2 without it during the first half alone.
Still, there were flashes of the sort of moves we grew used to fawning over when Wenger was in charge with one interchange between Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in particular getting the locals off their seats.
Alex Iwobi got on the end of the move but Gianluigi Buffon saved.
3. Pre-season love-in
This was more a pre-season love-in than a pre-season friendly with referee Nathan Chan Rong De appearing to ask Mesut Ozil to autograph his yellow card in the tunnel before kick-off.
Maybe he just thought it’d save him a bit of time if he had to take the Arsenal star’s name later on.
Ozil’s team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then made a beeline for PSG’s legendary Italy goalkeeper Gigi Buffon at half-time to ask to swap shirts.
The 40-year-old obliged and the pair were practically wrapped round each other as they headed for the tunnel.
4. New boys impress
Unai Emery paired new boy Sokratis Papastathopoulos with Shkodran Mustafi at the heart of his defence and, as he promised he would, the Greek looks to be a proper old-school defender.
He was vocal throughout, and even though they might not be the quickest pairing available you can be sure they won’t be taking any prisoners whenever they play together.
Ahead of them, Matteo Guendouzi impressed again, as he did against Atletico Madrid on Thursday.
The French teen will be behind Lucas Torreira in the pecking order at the Emirates but he looks a decent prospect.
5. Monreal to return?
Sead Kolasinac wasn’t a left-back but a left-sided central defender in a back three, according to former manager Arsene Wenger.
And had Wenger been in Singapore to watch the Bosnian in action he would have seen nothing to change his opinion.
Kolasinac was the guilty party when PSG drew level, giving away the penalty, with a clumsy-looking challenge.
Nacho Monreal, still on holiday following the World Cup, is a shoo-in to start ahead of him.
