NO FURTHER PART
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2: Abraham and Havertz goals seal victory for Blues as Gunners sweat over first-half Partey injury
Arsenal fans got a first look at summer signings Ben White, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares.
But the £75million trio couldn’t save the Gunners from pre-season defeat by an under-strength Chelsea team.
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And to make matters worse for boss Mikel Arteta, midfielder Thomas Partey was forced off with an ankle injury sustained in a first-half challenge with Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
With just 12 days to go before their opening Premier League game of the new season away to Brentford, that has to be a major concern.
But just as alarming for the Emirates’ biggest crowd since lockdown was first imposed 18 months ago was their team’s continuing ability to shoot themselves in the foot.
Thomas Tuchel’s European Champions were without nine players who went deep into the Euros and Copa America.
Yet they still had more than enough firepower for an Arsenal team who had plenty of possession yet rarely threatened Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy.
The visitors took the lead in the 26th minute when Timo Werner played in Kai Havertz for an unstoppable shot beyond his German team-mate Bernd Leno.
And though Granit Xhaka levelled for Arsenal after replacing Partey, they were undone again when Hector Bellerin’s dreadful pass allowed Tammy Abraham to restore Chelsea’s lead in the 72nd minute.
Abraham has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal, who certainly need someone up front who isn’t afraid to shoot on sight.
Emile Smith Rowe did hit the post with a first-half effort but Havertz also struck the upright and Werner missed a sitter before Tuchel changed his entire team during the second-half.
White replaced Rob Holding at half-time and made a brilliant block to deny Hakim Ziyech another Chelsea goal.
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But the £50million centre-half was quickly made to realise how much of a job he has on his hands after Bellerin’s howler confirmed Arsenal’s soft underbelly.
Joe Willock should have levelled with an 81st minute shot which struck the bar and bounced down over the line.
But without the aid of goal-line technology referee Andre Marriner waved play on to Willock’s disbelief.
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Arsenal sign Ben White in £50m transfer from Brighton
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