Arsenal faced Watford in a closed-door friendly before flying out to Singapore for their pre-season tour. The Gunners won it 3-0. Fans didn’t have any clue about this practice match. It was Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta who wished to play a final friendly match before their Asia tour. Kai Havertz and Ben White both scored as Arsenal found it so easy against Watford. Mikel Arteta and his squad have already landed in Singapore for their pre-season campaign. Sources have confirmed that many important senior Arsenal players were present in the friendly against Watford. This comfortable victory against Watford is going to give primary boost to all the players and coaches. With the new season approaching fast, Arsenal are absolutely focused to perform way better than the last season.
A Quick Report of the Arsenal-Watford Match
No media teams were present to cover as Arteta opted for a closed door match. Ben White gave Arsenal the early lead. The right-back is currently playing as a replacement of Jurrien Timber who is still sidelined due to his ankle injury. It is now the chance for Ben White to shine. Other than Ben White, German forward Kai Havertz also found the back of the net against Watford. The former Chelsea forward still hasn’t been able to perform like he used to do. With the signing of Viktor Gyokeres, the club has sent a clear message to Havertz that he needs to start delivering soon. Otherwise, the club now has better option to replace the 26-year-old striker. Since joining Arsenal, inconsistency and regular injuries have hurt Havertz so many times. But the player has spent a lot of fitness training in the last couple of weeks before joining the team. He has bulked up. Arsenal are seriously hoping for a fresh start from their German recruitment. If Havertz starts to become consistent in scoring, Arteta can pair him up with Gyokeres. Arsenal have another good news before their pre-season. Gabriel Magalhaes has returned after recovering from his hamstring injury.
Arsenal Are Ready for Pre-season Run
Can Arsenal finally win the Premier League this year? Time will tell that. But the preparations are ambitious. After three years, Arsenal will not go to the USA for their pre-season. The Gunners are going to Asia for the first time since 2018. The club will face off with other Premier League and Serie A clubs in Singapore and Hong Kong. Here’s the pre-season schedule for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal – AC Milan on 23rd July, Newcastle United on 27th July, Tottenham Hotspurs on 31st July, Villareal on 6th August, and Athletic Bilbao on 9th August. Arsenal are hosting the Emirates Cup for the four consecutive years, now. Having won in the last three editions, Arsenal will be looking to clinch it once again.
Watford Have Signed a New Defender
Watford finished 14th in the last season of English Second Division. They lost 4 of their last 5 matches. This time, Watford are determined to perform better. A practice match against Premier League heavyweights Arsenal will give them valuable insights of their present situation. Ahead of the new season, the Hornets have completed the signing of defender Caleb Wiley. The USMNT defender played for Watford on loan from Chelsea last season. The 20-year-old made 10 appearances for the club and it was enough to impress Watford to sign him on a loan deal again. “We are delighted to have secured Caleb on loan once more,” – said Watford’s Sporting Director Gian Luca Nani. With this signing of Caleb Wiley, Watford have made 9 inclusions so far during the off season. The club has also appointed Paulo Pezzolano as their new head coach last month. Watford are pushing for the promotion to the EPL once again. The Hornets will kick off their Championship campaign against Charlton on 9th August.
Stay tuned for more updates.
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